Nike and the U.S. Soccer Federation announced a renewal of their partnership, which includes kit supply for the men's and women's national teams at every level for nine more years. Nike and USSF's partnership, dating back to '95, involves support at all levels, from the senior national teams to the U.S. Soccer Development Academy. U.S. Soccer President Sunil Gulati in a release said, "We have enjoyed a tremendous history together that began as we both looked to elevate soccer in this country" (Nike).

Nike's Q2 profit jumped 40%, "with a surge in Western Europe sales, as well as growth in North America and greater China, helping to drive the sporting-gear company's results." Nike after the market closed yesterday reported that for the quarter ending Nov. 30, it earned a profit of $537M, or $0.59 a share, up from $384M, or $0.57 a share, in Q2 '12. The year-ago period included a $137M loss "from discontinued operations" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 12/20).

William Morris Endeavor’s acquisition of IMG will take three to six months to complete. During that time, IMG will continue to operate as an independent company. WME co-CEOs Ari Emanuel and Patrick Whitesell are slated to run the business after the deal is completed, and they plan to continue to use the IMG name after taking over the company. The co-CEOs traveled this week to IMG’s offices in Winston-Salem and London to meet with staff and share their vision for the company.

WME’s $2.35B agreement to buy IMG did not require any of IMG’s management to remain, but Emanuel and Whitesell have asked IMG Sports & Entertainment President George Pyne and IMG College President Ben Sutton to stay. IMG staff have been asked to continue to conduct business as usual.

The Bills yesterday afternoon announced that, as expected, Sunday's home game against the Dolphins "did not sell out and thus will be blacked out on local television." This is the "first blackout of the season for the Bills, and only the second in the NFL this year" after the Dec. 1 Bengals-Chargers game. The Bills as of Wednesday had a reported 16,000 tickets remaining for the contest, representing more than 20% of Ralph Wilson Stadium's capacity (BUFFALO NEWS, 12/20).

NBC’s Jay Leno said, “The Chargers' home game Sunday against the Oakland Raiders could be blacked out in San Diego if they don't sell enough tickets. Now don't confuse it with the Dallas Cowboys. They don't have a blackout until the fourth quarter, that doesn't happen till later” (“The Tonight Show,” NBC, 12/19).

New Jersey Superior Court Judge Deanne Wilson yesterday agreed to delay requiring Vikings co-Owners Zygi and Mark Wilf to give plaintiffs Josef Halpern and Ada Reichmann money from a $106M decision "until their appeal of her rulings is completed." Wilson "estimated it will take three years to resolve the Wilfs' appeal after a trial that lasted two years." Wilson set a "post-judgment" interest rate of 2.25% annually for three years on those awards (Newark STAR-LEDGER, 12/19).

The NFL announced plans to expand Super Bowl Boulevard, “the marquee event for fans” in the week leading up to Super Bowl XLVIII at MetLife Stadium. The event will take up 34th to 47th streets on Broadway in Manhattan (NEWSDAY, 12/20).

Organizers of the PGA Tour CVS Caremark Charity Classic announced “a commitment to continue holding the golf tournament” at Rhode Island Country Club for “at least the next three years” (PROVIDENCEJOURNAL.com, 12/19).

The Packers are “asking their fans to help remove snow from Lambeau Field.” The team is “looking for as many as 650 shovelers” this morning, in preparation for Sunday’s game against the Steelers (AP, 12/20).

A sellout crowd of 14,975 yesterday attended the NCAA volleyball semifinal round at KeyArena. It was the “third-highest attendance in the tournament’s semifinals history” (SEATTLE TIMES, 12/20). Penn State defeated Washington and Wisconsin downed Texas to set up an all-Big Ten final (THE DAILY).

“No one has approached us for a sale. And we are not interested in being approached” – A’s Owner Lew Wolff, on speculation that Warriors co-Owners Joe Lacob and Peter Guber were interested in buying his MLB team (SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, 12/20).

“I came to the conclusion that if I have to step forward and get them to trial, to deal with these issues, I will” – Former NFLer Craig Morton, who last month filed a lawsuit against the NFL for failing to protect players from head injuries (S.F. CHRONICLE, 12/20).

“I kind of realized how much of a grind Q School is, and I really don’t want to do that again” – Golfer Michael Kim, who will make his professional debut at the PGA Tour Farmers Insurance Open next month at Torrey Pines (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 12/20).

"I think fantasy football is awesome for the fans. It's a way to interact and be like their own GM, in a sense. But it crosses the line when you wish players harm" – Ravens WR Torrey Smith (BALTIMORESUN.com, 12/19).

Boston Globe’s Eric Wilbur: “Why exactly are we freaking out about Super Bowl weather contingency plans? Is this all catering in case Manning makes it?”

Writer Dick Weiss: “bruce springsteen in crowd to watch the new boss at duke, daughter is undergrad there. the yankees cap was a nice touch.” The N.Y. Daily News has an image of Springsteen in the crowd at MSG.

San Jose Mercury News’ Tim Kawakami: “But: Just because it was on TNT does not make this a more significant game than any other. A very bad loss in December. Not more, not less.”

ESPN’s Keith Olbermann: “You can't legislate to keep Kobe safe from himself, but the NFL, MLB, Hockey want to protect players from themselves.”

If you see a tweet we will not want to miss, send it to us at editorial@sportsbusinessdaily.com.

N.Y. Post Nets beat writer Tim Bontemps posted this image from a practice and wrote, "This is the first ball I've seen with a Commissioner Adam Silver signature on it."

Grey Flannel Auctions begins accepting bids for a baseball signed by Babe Ruth and five of his Yankee teammates in '26. The auction runs until Feb. 6, which would have been Ruth's 119th birthday. A reserve price has not been set.

Last night’s “Final Jeopardy!” category was “TV Characters.”

“Jerry Jones, Mark Cuban and Mayor Mike Rawlings were three of the real folks at the 2013 memorial for this TV character.”

Actor Sylvester Stallone last night appeared on NBC's "The Tonight Show" to tout the release of his new movie, "Grudge Match," and the upcoming Broadway debut of a "Rocky" musical. Stallone said it "took 10 or 12 years" to get "Rocky" on Broadway "because no one thought 'Rocky' should go to Broadway." Stallone: "I go, 'This is becoming a familiar story. Let me start all over again.' Then finally they said, 'Okay, let's open 'Rocky' in Germany.' So we finally got financing in Hamburg, Germany. The show was a big hit over there and … it's a big-time musical." Stallone said it "turned out so good that the Americans came over and said, 'We'd like to give that a try on Broadway.'" Stallone said that the premise of "Grudge Match," where two over-aged rival boxers fight years after their careers are over, was a "terrible idea." Stallone: "I just thought I was capitalizing on 'Rocky' and it's going to be 'Raging Bull' or 'Raging Bullwinkle Against Rocky the Italian Squirrel.' I just thought it was going to be some sort of weird combination." Host Jay Leno said, "It's great nobody listens to you because it turned out great." Stallone added, "I have the worst instincts" ("The Tonight Show," NBC, 12/19).

CBS’ David Letterman: “I keep forgetting this but next year, in I guess February, whenever they do it, the Super Bowl right here in the tri-state area, over there at the Meadowlands in New Jersey. … People are now worried about the weather. And I’m thinking, now they’re worried about the weather? What about back in 2010 when they awarded the 2014 Super Bowl to the New York City area? They’re worried about the weather and they’re saying if there is snow, if there is a blizzard, they will delay the Super Bowl two days. I mean is there anything more exciting than Super Bowl Tuesday? … Let me tell you something, ladies and gentlemen, if they change the date of the Super Bowl – and to me that's an American cultural tradition that should be honored, it's almost sacred – if they change the day that they play the Super Bowl, the meteorologists have won” (“Late Show,” CBS, 12/19).

Last night’s Top Ten list was “Top Ten Reasons You Won’t Be Receiving A Christmas Bonus.” Letterman said, “A lot of people, this is bonus time, this is where people get rich. This is what people are counting on, not everybody going to get a bonus … because there are a lot of people not getting it done” (“Late Show,” CBS, 12/20).

10) “Your job description includes the words ‘Obamacare’ and ‘website.’”
9) “Took your daughter to work, gave yourself the day off.”
8) “You’re this guy.” The show aired video of an airport employee damaging boxes by haphazardly throwing them onto a conveyor belt while loading a plane.
7) “Spent last year sucking up to Kim Jong-Un’s uncle.”
6) “Embarrassed your company by insisting Santa and Jesus were white.”
5) “You’re this guy.” A video aired of a FedEx delivery driver tossing a big-screen TV box over a gate in front of a house.
4) “Offered to streamline process by embezzling your bonus.”
3) “Were caught in a compromising position with the fax machine.”
2) “You and your boss have a framed photograph of the same woman.”
1) “You’re this guy.” The show aired video of an angry Toronto Mayor Rob Ford nearly knocking over a woman during a city meeting.

“Who is J.R. Ewing?”