The USOC today formally announced that it has selected Boston as the U.S. bid city for the '24 Games. Boston Mayor Marty Walsh kicked off a morning press conference in the city and was joined by Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker, USOC Chair Larry Probst, USOC CEO Scott Blackmun, USOC Chief Communications & Public Affairs Officer Patrick Sandusky and Boston Olympic Committee Chair John Fish, among others. Walsh spoke of a "vision for a new kind of Olympics," and he promised not to leave the city with a "large price tag on an unpaid debt" tied to the Games. Probst said the city's bid is "in harmony with the long-term vision of the city of Boston." Probst: "This journey has just begun. The hard work starts now." Fish lightheartedly recounted how in presenting the bid to USOC officials in Colorado Springs, he said he was "wicked excited." The speakers were joined on the dais by a host of current and for Olympic athletes from the Boston region (BOSTON.CBSLOCAL.com, 1/9).

Blackmun earlier said that the "decision was 'gut-wrenching' for the panel but that Boston came out on top in part due to the business people and elected officials who drove the effort." Blackmun: "One of the great things about the Boston bid was that the bid leadership and the political leadership were on the same page." Boston beat out competing efforts from DC, L.A. and S.F. (BOSTON GLOBE, 1/9).

IOC President Thomas Bach said in a statement, "The Boston bid will be a strong one. ... Bostonians are well known for their enthusiasm for sport and the city has a great heritage in sport, science and education" (Mult., 1/9). President Obama also issued a statement that read in part, "The city has taught all of us what it means to be Boston Strong" (Mult., 1/9).

Headline roundup:

• Boston Globe, front page above the fold: "Boston Picked To Bid For Olympics"
• Boston Herald, front page: "A Nice Ring To It"
• ESPNBoston.com: "A Terrible Idea"
• Washington Post, front page: "DC Loses Out As Bid City For 2024 Olympics"
• L.A. Daily News, front-page tease: "Boston Chosen Over Los Angeles As The Bid City"
• S.F. Chronicle, front page: "Bay Area Olympic Dreams Shattered"

The Australian Open today said that it has increased prize money to a record $32.5M (all figures US) to "take into account the fall of the Australian dollar in the past several months." The tournament will offer men's and women's singles winners each $2.52M. Despite the increase, the "slide of the Australian dollar" means winners will still receive about $10,000 less under the current exchange rate than that of October, when the prize amount was previously announced (AP, 1/9).

The BBC and BSkyB last night began a tender process for the "rights to the Open Championship," leaving the R&A with “one of its biggest decisions over whether to embrace pay-TV for the first time.” The BBC has been the “exclusive rights holders for more than half a century” (London TELEGRAPH, 1/9). Outgoing R&A CEO Peter Dawson in the past has “spoken of the need for the BBC to improve its coverage amid concerns about British golf’s declining profile and participation rates” (GUARDIAN, 1/9).

U.S. District Judge Susan Nelson yesterday heard the NHL's "motion to dismiss a class-action lawsuit brought by former players over concussion-related injuries," and she said that she "saw legal strength in the arguments from both sides." Nelson: "It's a very close call." She gave "no timetable for her decision." This combination of "several lawsuits by more than 200 former NHL players" was formally filed in October (AP, 1/8).

Bauer Hockey announced that it is opening its first branded retail experiences starting in October. The initial "Own The Moment" location will open in the Boston suburb of Burlington, Mass., in late summer, with the second location coming to Minneapolis in the fall. Future phases are expected to include the opening of six to eight Bauer retail experiences over the next several years in the U.S. and Canada (Bauer Hockey).

CFL BOG Chair Jim Lawson today becomes league Commissioner "on an interim basis while he leads the search for a successor to Mark Cohon." A "short list of fewer than 10 candidates will be interviewed this month, with the expectation that a new commissioner will be in place by May." The new commissioner "will be expected to make a six- to eight-year commitment to build on the platform of the CFL." Lawson "did not want to speculate on how long he would be prepared to continue as interim commissioner" (TORONTO STAR, 1/9).

Details of a plan for a downtown St. Louis stadium for the Rams today will be revealed. The plan includes “an open-air stadium on the Mississippi riverfront.” Financing options are unclear (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 1/9).

Today’s forecast for Green Bay is calling for up to 4 inches of snow and the Packers yesterday “put out the call for people to help shovel out the Lambeau Field seating bowl” for Sunday’s NFC playoff game against the Cowboys (GREEN BAY PRESS-GAZETTE, 1/9).

The Broncos yesterday released “400 last-minute tickets” that had been returned by the Colts for Sunday’s AFC playoff game at Sports Authority Field (DENVER POST, 1/9).

Trail Blazers F Nicolas Batum, who is from France, warming up for last night’s game against the Heat wore a T-shirt with the phrase “Je Suis Charlie” in support of the victims of Wednesday's terrorist attack in Paris (WASHINGTON POST, 1/9).

Li Ning today said that it “expects to post its third straight full-year loss, as it grapples with a restructuring, bloated inventories and slowing demand” following the ’08 Beijing Games (REUTERS, 1/9).

“I think it’s kind of appalling that the league is going out of their way to impose a $100,000 fine when they have their own business to take care of in-house and they are worried about this” – Doug Hendrickson, agent for Seahawks RB Marshawn Lynch, on Lynch’s fine for not talking to the media (SEATTLE TIMES, 1/9).

“The college-football playoff was always the great American event that hasn’t been created yet” – Former CBS Sports President of Programming Jay Rosenstein, on the CFP semifinals helping ESPN earn its most-viewed week ever (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 1/9).

“I’ve been in draft rooms for 19 years and you’re going to have disagreements. That’s good because you want everyone’s opinion. As long as we’re systematic in our approach we’re going to have disagreements” – Dolphins Exec VP/Football Operations Mike Tannenbaum, on making draft decisions in conjunction with GM Dennis Hickey and coach Joe Philbin (SUN-SENTINEL.com, 1/8).

Padres announce that they're pushing FanFest back because of construction at Petco. Will be closer to Opening Day.

— Ben Higgins (@BenHigginsSD) January 9, 2015

Nick Cannon says he's been a fan of the Clippers since they were in San Diego. He says the Clippers now run Los Angeles.

— Arash Markazi (@ArashMarkazi) January 9, 2015

Bo Jackson's 30 for 30 is on. I've seen it a handful of times and never get tired of it. Still amazes me. Greatest athlete of our gen? Yup!

— Jesse Lumsden (@JesseLumsden28) January 9, 2015

As I've said since Black Monday, I believe Texans college scouting director Mike Macagnan is the favorite for Jets GM job. 2nd interview fri

— Michael Silver (@MikeSilver) January 9, 2015

Last night’s 1:00am ET edition of ESPN’s “SportsCenter” led with the “Top 10” plays of the day segment, followed by Rockets-Knicks, Heat-Trail Blazers and an injury update on Packers QB Aaron Rodgers. ESPN aired coverage the Mueller report 23 minutes into the broadcast. Last night’s 1:00am ET edition of FS1’s “Fox Sports Live” led with Stanford-UCLA men’s basketball, followed by Heat-Trail Blazers and Hawks ownership approving a plan to sell the team. FS1 aired a report on the Mueller report 30 minutes into the telecast.

ESPN’s Keith Olbermann called out his “world’s worst” persons in sports: Former FBI Dir Robert Mueller, who has finished his investigation of the “NFL’s non-investigation of the Ray Rice incident.” Olbermann also blasted Cavaliers G J.R. Smith for dropping two basketballs in warmups while the ESPN announcer was trying to compliment him, and former Wisconsin Football Recruiting Coordinator Rob Ianello, who in '93 sent a recruiting letter to a player named Clint, but the spelling “had a different number of letters and it did not spell Clint.”

An anonymous group of Lions fans is using interstate billboards in Detroit to “express their collective displeasure” with referees rescinding a pass interference call in the fourth quarter of last Sunday’s playoff loss to the Cowboys. Additional billboards “outside of metro Detroit” are also expected (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 1/9).

Coca-Cola is planning to cut 1,600-1,800 global jobs, including 500 in Atlanta, “as part of a major reorganization over the coming months aimed" at saving $3B over the next five years. Employees were beginning to be “notified today about the upcoming layoffs” (AJC.com, 1/8).

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

“He said a 2009 exhibit was the first time taxpayers’ money was used ‘to hang my pictures up rather than scrape them off.’”

Comedy Central’s Larry Wilmore appeared on ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel” last night and discussed taking over for Stephen Colbert and growing up a Lakers fan in Southern California. Wilmore said, “I'm going to get that tear tattoo for my Lakers.” Host Jimmy Kimmel said, “It has been a tough year for the Lakers.” Wilmore: “I like when Clippers fans try to throw that in my face. ... They’re doing all good now, 'Yeah, we beat your ass.'” Kimmel added, “And they multiply. All of a sudden, they exist.” But Wilmore said he was “not mad at the Clippers, but I say, you know Clippers, you might get out of the second round this year” (“Jimmy Kimmel Live,” ABC, 1/8).

NBC’s Jimmy Fallon said, “A steamy romance novel was just published and is centered on New England Patriots superstar Rob Gronkowski. This is real. It’s called ‘A Gronking to Remember.’ It’s real. Turns out this is actually just the latest in a series of erotic books about athletes. Here is another one. This one is about Michael Strahan and it’s called ‘Filling the Gap.’ The one about U.S. bowling champion Norm Duke is called ‘One Ball, Three Holes.’ … There’s one about Manti Te’o. It’s called ‘As Good As He Imagined.’ And finally there’s one about Green Bay Packer HaHa Clinton-Dix called ‘Ha Ha Clinton Dix.’” More Fallon: “After the Donald Sterling controversy, former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer became the owner of the Los Angeles Clippers. Well, it looks like he’s having a pretty good time. Check him out. He looks less like an NBA owner, more like one of those wind socks at a car dealership. When he saw that, Donald Sterling was like, ‘Now I hate white people’” (“The Tonight Show,” NBC, 1/8).

Last night’s Top Ten list was “Top Ten Thoughts Going Through Nancy Pelosi’s Mind At This Moment.” CBS’ David Letterman said, “John Boehner has just been sworn in once again as Speaker of the House. She has presented him with the giant gavel and he’s all bronzed up and ready to go and he’s kissing her’” (“Late Show,” CBS, 1/8).

10) "Nay!"
9) "This isn't happening -- this isn't happening..."
8. "Purell!"
7) "Do I smell Minwax?"
6) "This is hotter than the oven at ‘Pizza Time.’"
5) "For the love of God, get Don Ho off me!"
4) "I crossed the aisle for this?"
3) "Wow, big gavel."
2) "How do you get bronzer out of silk?"
1) "I'm not in the mood for an act of Congress."

“Who is Banksy?”