MLB owners today in Baltimore will vote on who will succeed Bud Selig to become the league's 10th commissioner, and the proceedings promise to be one of the sport’s most tense and memorable episodes in recent memory. Following yesterday’s presentations to owners by the three finalist candidates – MLB COO Rob Manfred, MLB Exec VP/Business Tim Brosnan and Red Sox Chair Tom Werner – many team owners said they were confident a voting impasse could be avoided and a new commissioner will be selected today. But several teams believed to be part of a voting block against the Manfred candidacy, including the Angels and A's, said after the presentations they were not certain today's vote will deliver a winning candidate. Approval requires at least 23 of 30 team owners.

Many other clubs were more hopeful a major voting conflict will not happen, likely boosting the chances for Manfred. An election for Manfred or an impasse with another election attempt later this year remain the two most likely scenarios today.

Follow Eric Fisher on Twitter (@EricFisherSBJ) for live updates from today’s meeting.

Ahead of the MLB owner vote on a new commissioner, USA TODAY's Allen & Brady write a modern sports commissioner must have expertise in areas including "TV contracts, labor relations, player health, handling Congress ... criminal law, public relations ... and, as ever, owner relations." NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman: "There is more to do. … To be a commissioner you always had to multi-task. But there are now multiple tasks, compared to what there were." The N.Y. TIMES' Lynn Zinser offers profiles of the candidates under the header, "A Look At The Three Who Would Be MLB Commissioner." The Baltimore SUN's Peter Schmuck writes Selig will be a "tough act to follow" (THE DAILY).

The SEC Network launches today, and while deals have been reached with most major carriers, Mediacom is "still in negotiations with ESPN for a contract." Many viewers in Columbia and Jefferson City, Mo., "will be left in the dark." The distributor is "also the provider for Mizzou Cable," the TV network for the Univ. of Missouri campus. Mediacom Communications Dir Phyllis Peters said that the "parties are working on a deal to be done before" regular-season college football begins (COLUMBIA MISSOURIAN, 8/13).

Meanwhile, Cincinnati Bell has agreed to add SEC Network to the lineup on its Fioptics service (Cincinnati Bell).

Ben Sutton confirmed that he has signed a five-year contract to stay at IMG College, where he will remain President and add the title of Chair. Sutton, who joined IMG in '10, decided not to join the list of execs who have departed since the company was acquired earlier this year by William Morris Endeavor for $2.4B. Most recently, IMG Sports & Entertainment President George Pyne said this week that he will leave to start his own business, which will not compete with IMG. When WME bought IMG earlier this year, Sutton and Pyne were thought to be a package deal, but Sutton said he decided in recent months that he wanted to continue building the college business, which generated $487M in revenue last year.

The Chinese American Football League (CAFL) will be unveiled today, marking a new initiative to bring pro indoor football to major Chinese cities. AFL Philadelphia Soul Owner Marty Judge, who says he has two offices already opened in China with 30 employees, is spearheading the initiative. ESPN’s Ron Jaworski and former NFL coach Dick Vermeil each have equity in the league. The press release going out today claims the league has formal government approval, a necessity with any initiative in the country. David Niu, a former rugby exec, will serve as CAFL Commissioner. The league plans to start with eight teams and sell them for a price of $10M each.

The PGA Tour Wyndham Championship begins today after becoming a "de facto playoff tournament" due to its date as the "last regular-season stop" on the calendar. It is the "last chance to score precious FedExCup points" before the four-event playoffs formally begin next week at The Barclays. Of players ranked 110-140, only two "aren't playing at Sedgefield." Padraig Harrington, who is ranked 188th, said, "Guys are playing to keep their cards and guys trying to get into the FedExCup playoffs so there's a lot going on. That just makes it a lot better tournament" (Greensboro NEWS & RECORD, 8/14).

Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment today is expected to release details of a "long-discussed touchstone team monument" on a bench in Maple Leaf Square. A source said that the first three players "have been chosen." The first phase of the project "will place three life-sized statues along the bench, adding at least three more per year to a maximum of 10 or 11, leading to the club' 100th anniversary" in '17-18 (TORONTO SUN, 8/14).

A N.Y. TIMES editorial addresses Claudia Wilken's ruling in the Ed O'Bannon case, stating while the NCAA is "the clear loser here and has already announced plans to appeal, the reach of the decision should not be overstated." Players "did not win the right to sign endorsement deals" and the NCAA "may cap payments to players at $5,000 per year." Still, it "won’t be easy for the NCAA to adjust to the new order." It will have to "administer a trust fund; determine if the ruling applies to all sports and all divisions ... and learn how to pay certain players without violating Title IX" (N.Y. TIMES, 8/14).

Wrecking crews yesterday began "knocking down the exterior walls" of Sacramento's Downtown Plaza, “the first visible sign of demolition as much of the moribund shopping mall is transformed into a new arena” for the NBA Kings (SACRAMENTO BEE, 8/14).

The Univ. of Maryland athletic department raised more than $8.6M in unrestricted giving for FY '14, about $500,000 more than '13 (Univ. of Maryland).

The AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic, which will be part of the College Football Playoff rotation, announced that the “game is sold out.” Since the bowl’s move to AT&T Stadium in '10, it “has been a sellout for six consecutive games” (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 8/14).

“I had to explain what LGBT stands for” – Free agent C Jason Collins, on a question asked at a recent NBA rookie seminar highlighting how much work remains to be done in changing sports’ locker-room culture (SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, 8/14).

“I had no idea of what it was before I got there. I walk in the shoot and go, ‘Aw, you got to be kidding me.’ They had grass shavings around a very, very healthy green smoothie” – LSU football coach Les Miles, on drinking a grass smoothie as part of an ESPN commercial (Baton Rouge ADVOCATE, 8/14).

“That’s what he’s planning for. And that’s what we’re planning for” – Yankees Managing General Partner Hal Steinbrenner, on expecting 3B Alex Rodriguez to return to the team next season following his season-long suspension (NEWSDAY, 8/14).

“I don’t think that has any role in college athletics, particularly at a place like Nebraska” – Nebraska AD Shawn Eichorst, who does not expect beer to be sold at any Nebraska games any time soon (Lincoln JOURNAL STAR, 8/14).

“The race will always be based in Colorado” – USA Pro Challenge CEO & Exec Dir Shawn Hunter, on not planning to move the seven-day bike race outside of the state (ASPEN DAILY NEWS, 8/14).

Last night's 11:00pm ET edition of ESPN's "SportsCenter" led with Twins prospect Byron Buxton being injured in an outfield collision, followed by Tiger Woods withdrawing from Ryder Cup consideration and Pirates-Tigers game highlights. ESPN reported on the NBA releasing its schedule 12 minutes into their broadcast. Last night's 11:00pm ET edition of FS1's "Fox Sports Live" led with five MLB highlights, as well as injury updates for several key MLB players, followed by Jets QB Michael Vick offering advice to Ravens RB Ray Rice. FS1 reported on Woods at 22 minutes into their telecast and the NBA schedule release at the 35-minute mark. 

ESPN's Keith Olbermann called out his "world's worst" persons in sports: The "heartless bastards" of the N.Y. Daily News for their "Hanged" headline following the death of Robin Williams. Olbermann also derided Real Madrid F Cristiano Ronaldo for the being the world's "most vain" athlete for standing on his toes to look taller in a team photo, and MLB Commissioner Bud Selig for wanting to "eliminate the biggest problem facing baseball: Not enough regular-season games in Europe."

Vanity Fair's Bruce Handy: "CitiField. Lovely August evening. Mets are lucky if they have 10k attendance. Baseball's nicest mausoleum."

ESPN's Buster Olney: "Narratives don't always square with reality. Werner pitched as commissioner candidate b/c of TV expertise--but BOS ratings have been down."

NBCSports.com Producer Jeff Kassouf: "Legal reps for players seeking to get natural grass at 2015 Women's World Cup taking next steps, requesting public records regarding topic."

Sporting News' Michael DeCourcy: "This is a disgrace: a World Cup on artificial turf? FIFA continues to treat women terribly. They should walk."

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

The Talladega Grille, which is themed after Talladega Superspeedway, opens in a newly renovated wing at Birmingham-Shuttlesworth Int’l Airport.

Roger Clemens, Nomar Garciaparra, Pedro Martinez and Joe Castiglione will be inducted into the Red Sox HOF during a luncheon at Fenway Park.

ESPN’s Herm Edwards will be a keynote speaker at Summit Professional Networks’ ’14 Advisor Network Summit in Las Vegas.

Last night’s “Final Jeopardy!” category was “The Periodic Table.”

“Of the element symbols that don’t match the element’s English name, this element’s symbol is alphabetically first.”

NBCSN's Roger Bennett and Michael Davies, the "Men In Blazers," appeared on NBC's "Late Night With Seth Meyers" last night, with host Seth Meyers calling them the "breakout stars of the 2014 World Cup." Bennett said of having their own show on NBCSN, "They'll let anyone on television nowadays, Seth." Davies said it is a "success" appearing on the "network that brought us 'ALF,' 'The A-Team' and 'Miami Vice.' That's where we wanted to be." Davies noted the duo were British, but they both "love America." Bennett said, "We were drawn to this country like flies and I think we stand as a way to tell America the immigrant story is alive and well. Davies is a bit more like Tony Montana's and mine's a bit more like Yentl." Bennett said after the success and popularity of this past World Cup, soccer in America will become "bigger than yo-yoing and pogo sticking." Davies added, "The World Cup was huge. I think people really enjoyed it. Even people who hate the sport of soccer loved cheering for their national team that, frankly, the rest of the world wanted to lose. We love patriotism here and the soccer was amazing and the stories. It was the World Cup of bald men as you well know." Bennett said, "We're ahead of the curve on that one" ("Late Night With Seth Meyers," NBC, 8/13).

“What is AG?” AG is the symbol for silver.