Yesterday's Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic Red Wings-Maple Leafs game at Michigan Stadium drew a crowd of 105,491, topping a crowd of 104,173 that attended the Michigan-Michigan State hockey game there in '10. NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said, "I don't know if we set the official Guinness attendance record, but I know we set our own record, because this was the most well-attended game that we ever had" (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 1/2).

The 3-2 Maple Leafs win was "sure to be a memorable game just with that Big House scene alone, the monster crowd splitting the stadium down the red line with blue on one side, red on the other." It was a "moment for fans more than anything else" (CBSSPORTS.com, 1/1).

Tuesday's issue of USA Today featured an eight-page Winter Classic preview section with full-page ads from NHL partners Coors Light, SiriusXM Radio, Verizon and Honda (THE DAILY).

The Packers, Bengals and Colts all face possible TV blackouts as they try to sell out their home playoff games. The Packers as of late yesterday afternoon had less than 7,500 tickets left to sell for Sunday's 49ers game. It is "believed the NFL would grant the Packers an extension" past today's 3:40pm CT deadline, if needed. The team has sent e-mails to "season ticket holders, shareholders and people on the season-ticket waiting list" (GREEN BAY PRESS-GAZETTE, 1/2).

The Bengals as of yesterday afternoon had 8,000 tickets to sell. Bengals PR Dir Jack Brennan said that the "team is confident they can get an extension from Thursday to Friday" (ESPN.com, 1/1). But Bengals execs on Tuesday "made it clear" that they "don't expect Sunday's game against San Diego to sell out unless there's a last-minute surge from  the general public or concentrated effort by the business community" (CINCINNATI ENQUIRER, 1/1).

The Colts have 5,500 tickets remaining for Saturday's game against the Chiefs. They "have sold out 137 of their last 138 games" (ESPN.com, 1/1). The NFL "has extended the blackout deadline" for the Colts until 4:30pm ET today (TWITTER.com, 12/31).

Meanwhile, tickets for the Panthers' Jan. 12 Divisional Playoff game "sold out in three minutes" yesterday morning. This will be the team's first playoff game in five years (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 1/2).

The Texans today will introduce Bill O'Brien has their new coach. Team Owner Bob McNair will pay Penn State $6.5M "for the privilege of paying O'Brien several million dollars a year." O'Brien "offers a definite contrast to the low-key, down-home" Gary Kubiak, whom the Texans recently fired (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 1/2). The HOUSTON CHRONICLE's Randy Harvey writes McNair "may or may not have hired a good head football coach," but he "hired a good man" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 1/2).

The Buccaneers are "in the process of finalizing" a contract with new head coach Lovie Smith. It is "expected to be a four-year deal" in excess of $5M per season. Smith will become the team's "fourth head coach in the past six years." Smith's long-time friend, Chiefs Dir of Player Personnel Chris Ballard, "could be joining him" in Tampa as GM (TAMPA BAY TIMES, 1/2).

Dolphins Owner Stephen Ross reportedly "could decide to fire" GM Jeff Ireland and offensive coordinator Mike Sherman as soon as today. The team "also could give more power" to Exec VP/Football Administration Dawn Aponte. It is "unclear who is advising Ross this week," but he "likely is talking" with RSE Ventures CEO Matt Higgins (PALM BEACH POST, 1/2). The team "has money to spend and will have to decide which of its 20 free agents it wants to retain" (PALM BEACH POST, 12/31).

Meanwhile, Aponte, former Chiefs GM Scott Pioli and NFL VP/Football Operations and former NFLer Merton Hanks are candidates to replace NFL Exec VP/Football Operations Ray Anderson, who is stepping down from the position after the Super Bowl, according to sources (CBSSPORTS.com, 1/1).

Last night's UCF-Baylor Tostitos Fiesta Bowl drew a crowd of 65,172 at Univ. of Phoenix Stadium, the "smallest Fiesta Bowl turnout" since Texas-Penn State in '97. The attendance was "nearly 8,000 fans fewer than a sellout" (SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS, 1/2). The atmosphere at the game was "better than expected." There were "empty chunks of seating," but it was a "respectable crowd considering the lopsided predictions and the reality that one of the teams was coming from a warm-weather state on the other side of the country" (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 1/2).

Below are attendance figures for bowl games over the last three days, with 10 of the 14 games drawing smaller crowds on a year-over-year basis.

Northwestern Mutual and ESPN broke new ads during last night's Michigan State-Stanford Rose Bowl telecast on ESPN. Northwestern Mutual continued its animated "Columns" campaign with new spots created by Olson, Minneapolis. The spots leverage the company's multiyear NCAA partnership by including live-action footage of actors portraying student-athletes. The series includes six 30-second spots, with the football themed "Long Gain" spot airing during the Rose, Orange and Fiesta bowls as well as the BCS National Championship.

Meanwhile, ESPN broke its first spot promoting coverage of the '14 FIFA World Cup. The 60-second spot highlights iconic World Cup moments, such as Pele's celebration in '70, Diego Maradona's performance in '86 and Landon Donovan's celebration after the U.S. win over Algeria in '10 (THE DAILY).

Rose Bowl officials "plan to roll out new grass atop the current field" for Monday's Florida State-Auburn BCS National Championship Game. In the hours after last night's Rose Bowl game, grounds crew members "began shaving the field so that there was very little grass remaining." Then "truckloads of new grass, in rolls, entered the stadium and workers began rolling it on to the existing grass." The facility "did the exact same thing" when it last hosted the BCS title game in '10 (SAN GABRIEL VALLEY TRIBUNE, 1/2).

Golf Channel has reached a broadcast agreement with SiriusXM, bringing Golf Channel-branded content to radio for the first time. The deal includes radio versions of "Morning Drive" and "Golf Central" (Golf Channel).

A panel of judges has "consolidated a flurry of concussion lawsuits filed against the NCAA, moving jurisdiction for all of them to Chicago," where the first suit was filed in '11 (FOXSPORTS.com, 12/31).

Las Vegas Events has extended to Jan. 14 its deadline for the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association to "make its counteroffer on keeping the National Finals Rodeo" in the city after '14 (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 12/31).

A crowd of 20,337 attended Monday's Toronto Marlies-Grand Rapids Griffins AHL outdoor game at Comerica Park, part of the Hockeytown Winter Festival ahead of the Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic (AP, 12/30).

The Angels agreed to terms on a "minor league contract" with P and ESPN analyst Mark Mulder (LATIMES.com, 1/1).

"This is my one and only alumni game. That's it. I really enjoyed it, I'm really glad I played, and hopefully I'll never have to do it again" – Lightning GM & Hockey HOFer Steve Yzerman, who represented the Red Wings in Tuesday's Winter Classic Alumni Game at Comerica Park (SPORTSNET.ca, 1/1).

"Who would have believed it? ... You can't buy this sort of exposure" – UCF President John Hitt, on the national attention garnered by the school's Fiesta Bowl victory over Baylor last night (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 1/2).

"If there is a longer term commitment to playing a tournament here, it would give everybody security that they could do some work. My hope is they starting moving in that direction" – NBC analyst Mark Rolfing, on the possibility of new tees and greens for the PGA Tour Hyundai Tournament of Champions, which received an extension through next year (HONOLULU STAR-ADVERTISER, 1/2).

"With the (salary) cap system it's not easy to make trades. It's not like the day before Christmas where you can run over to Target and pick something off the shelf. You need a trade partner" – Hurricanes GM Jim Rutherford (Raleigh NEWS & OBSERVER, 12/31).

The Breakout Group Principal Bill Glenn: “Can't believe how much overhead camera angle improves the NHL TV product. Airline should sponsor it.  #MorePlease #winterclasic.”

CBSsports.com’s Matt Norlander: “The Winter Classic really is one of the best ideas in all of sports to come about in the past 20 years.”

Univ. of Oregon Warsaw Sports Marketing Center Dir Paul Swangard: “Clear difference in ad effectiveness when #NHLwinterclassic sponsors integrate the sport into spots. Nice job Enterprise and Bridgestone.”

Blogger Shawn Courchesne: “Nothing like the awkwardness of the corporate PR person getting just a little too excited on national TV giving a player a trophy.”

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

UFC fighter Anderson Silva posted this photo with his left leg in a cast after it was broken at UFC 168 last weekend, with the caption, "I want to say thank you to all my fans and friends to support me at this moment,I wish a great and happy 2014 to all."

USA Hockey yesterday announced its lineup for the '14 Sochi Games and informed players via text if they made the team. The organization intended to contact Canucks C Ryan Kesler, but received an unexpected reply from his former number. The reply read, "I'm a 67 year old Canadian in Vancouver, (but) I'd be happy to play for you." The wrong-number incident was first reported by TSN's Gord Miller via Twitter (Mult., 1/1).

Meanwhile, in today's Morning Hot Read, USA Today offers a behind-the-scenes look at how the team was selected. 

Last night's "Final Jeopardy!" category was "Nonprofit Organizations."

"This intellectual forum started in 1984, bringing together people from three different industries, hence its three letter name."

"What is TED?"

TED stands for Technology, Entertainment and Design.