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Tuesday 9:00am ET....Today's News....Sunshine State Of Mind

  • Miami-Dade Eyeing Temporary MLS Facility At Florida Int'l Univ.
  • Tampa Mayor Restarting Talks With Rays Over Ballpark Search Deal
  • Astros, Nationals Move Step Closer To Shared Spring Training Facility
  • Snowstorm Delays Patriots' Victory Parade Until Wednesday

Miami-Dade Eyeing Temporary MLS Facility At Florida Int'l Univ.

The Miami-Dade County Commission today will vote on a resolution directing Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez to negotiate with FIU “for the purpose of using the school’s football stadium as a temporary venue” for a David Beckham-owned MLS team. The resolution, if passed, would give Gimenez “90 days to negotiate a deal" with the school. MLS and Miami Beckham United indicated that “their focus remains on finding" a permanent site for a new stadium (ESPNFC.com, 2/2).

St. Pete Mayor Restarting Talks With Rays Over Ballpark Search Deal

St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman and Rays President Brian Auld this week are “scheduled to meet” to discuss the team’s “search for a new stadium.” It will be the pair’s “first conversation” since Dec. 18, when the city council voted to “reject a previous memorandum of understanding that would have allowed the Rays to look for a new site” in Pinellas and Hillsborough counties. Auld and Kriseman will “likely spend most of their time discussing future development rights for Tropicana Field” (TAMPA BAY TIMES, 2/3).

Astros, Nationals Move Step Closer To Shared Spring Training Facility

The Palm Beach County Commission today will consider a “term sheet” for a shared Spring Training facility for the Nationals and Astros. The West Palm Beach City Commission last night gave “conceptual approval” for the plan. County approval would “set in motion a series of moves the teams hope will culminate with the opening” of a $135M complex in ’17 (PALM BEACH POST, 2/3).

Snowstorm Delays Patriots' Victory Parade Until Wednesday

The Patriots’ victory parade slated for today has been postponed “because of weather” and will take place tomorrow at 11:00am ET. Boston Mayor Martin Walsh had “hoped to push forward with the parade quickly because many Patriots players plan to leave the area for the winter soon.” But the recent snowstorm dumped “at least 10 new inches in the Boston area” and “made the logistics too daunting.” The parade route “will not change” (BOSTON GLOBE, 2/3).

Rory McIlroy's Case Against Horizon Sports Adjourned After 44 Seconds

Rory McIlroy’s court case against his former management company Horizon Sports “lasted a total of 44 seconds” today “before proceedings were adjourned to see if the two warring sides can thrash out a settlement.” A “breakthrough is believed to be close” in the 18-month dispute and a possible settlement would spare McIlroy from “a prolonged spell on the witness stand” (DAILYMAIL.co.uk, 2/3).

McIlroy claims he was “misled into signing a contract” with Horizon Sports. McIlroy in court papers said that he signed the contract at the firm’s Christmas party “in circumstances of great informality.” Horizon is counter-suing, claiming McIlroy “owes it millions of dollars in commission” (AP, 2/2).

Nets' Jarrett Jack Makes Statement With "Black History Years" Shirt

Nets G Jarrett Jack last night before his game against the Clippers “warmed up in a T-shirt that had the words ‘Black History Month’ on it but the word ‘month’ crossed out with the word ‘years’ underneath it.” Jack, who did not ask the NBA for permission to wear the shirt, said, “I thought the shirt made a dope statement” (ESPNNY.com, 2/2).

Sportsbooks Take Hit With Patriots Victory, But Still Turn Profit

Nevada sportsbooks won $3.2M off $115.9M wagered on Super Bowl XLIX, according to the Nevada Gaming Control. The Patriots winning in a higher-scoring game than expected “was the worst-case scenario for the majority of sportsbooks, but they still posted a profit for the 24th time in the last 26 Super Bowls.” The books held just 2.8% of the money wagered on the game, “the lowest hold percentage" since '11 (ESPN.com, 2/2).

Speed Reads....

The Georgia Supreme Court today is set to hear arguments “in an appeal of a lower court ruling on financing” for the new Braves ballpark in Cobb County (AP, 2/3).

Allstate has renewed its deal as presenting sponsor of the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Opens, which has nine fishing events scheduled for '15 (BASS).

G.H. Mumm will be the Official Champagne of the Kentucky Derby beginning with this year's race (G.H. Mumm).

Nationwide has a full-page ad in USA Today congratulating Panthers LB Thomas Davis for being named the NFL's Walter Payton Man of the Year (THE DAILY).

Quick Hits....

“The exchange of information – and very focused dialogue – continues” – San Antonio Chamber of Commerce Chair Henry Cisneros, on the city’s attempts to lure the Raiders from Oakland (BIZJOURNALS.com, 2/2).

“He’s very popular in Massachusetts. I don’t know if he could run for office in Seattle any time soon” – Boston Mayor Martin Walsh, on whether Patriots QB Tom Brady could have a future in politics (BOSTON HERALD, 2/3).

“I’m trying to keep America sober” – ESPN’s Jay Bilas, on not using the term “wingspan” to describe a player during last night’s Virginia-North Carolina broadcast because the term can be used in a drinking game during the NBA Draft ("Virginia-North Carolina,” ESPN, 2/2).

“I don’t know who is more depressed, Seahawks fans or the people from that Nationwide Insurance commercial yesterday" – ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel, on referencing Nationwide's "Make Safe Happen" Super Bowl spot ("Jimmy Kimmel Live," ABC, 2/2).

Twitter Me This....

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

Night Moves....The Interview

Last night’s 11:00pm ET edition of ESPN’s “SportsCenter” led with Clippers-Nets, followed by Hawks-Pelicans, 76ers-Cavaliers, Virginia-North Carolina men's basketball, Iowa State-Kansas and the Patriots returning home after their Super Bowl victory. Last night’s 11:00pm ET edition of FS1’s “Fox Sports Live” led with Hawks-Pelicans, followed by 76ers-Cavaliers, Clippers-Nets and a Super Bowl wrap-up report.

ESPN’s Keith Olbermann called out his “world’s worst” persons in sports: The reporter who tried to interview Paris Saint-Germain F Zlatan Ibrahimović before Ibrahimović turned the tables. Olbermann also put on notice the Knicks after a “T-shirt gun malfunction” resulted in a T-shirt being shot onto the court during a game and British newspaper Daily Mail for reporting on the “New England Revolution’s Super Bowl win over Seattle Seahawks.” Olbermann said, “How could any newspaper make that team mistake? They’re the Seattle Sounders!”

Today's Events....

The Falcons will formally introduce Dan Quinn as the team’s next head coach.

Morning Hot Reads: Rolling Out The Red Carpet

The L.A. DAILY NEWS writes “so much as changed in the 22 years since Southern California was home to the biggest game in sports. … Los Angeles deserves to roll out the red carpet for the NFL’s signature event.”

The DESERET NEWS looks at the “all-consuming experience” of the Super Bowl: “If there was any question about who rules supreme, it was answered in the Arizona sun. NFL, NFL, NFL.”

More on the Super Bowl & the NFL:

Spanning The Global....

The most-read Global stories today on SportsBusinessDaily.com:

1) Bristol City May Seek $375,000 From West Ham Pending FIFA Ruling On Sakho
2) Barcelona Accused By Spanish Prosecutor Of Avoiding Taxes In '13 Neymar Signing
3) Sports Consultancy Female Sports Group Launches In The U.K.
4) Cambridge United Making The Most Of FA Cup Replay Against Manchester United
5) Rory McIlroy To Take On Former Agency Horizon Over 'Unconscionable' Contract

Back Pages....

The Morning Buzz offers today's back page sports covers from some of the nation's major metropolitan tabloids:

N.Y. Post N.Y. Daily News Newsday Philadelphia Daily News Boston HeraldToronto Sun Chicago Sun-Times

Final Jeopardy!

Last night’s edition of “Jeopardy!” was the first episode of their two week “Jeopardy! Teacher’s Tournament.” The “Final Jeopardy!” category was “Libraries.”

“The street address of his presidential library is 40 Presidential Drive.”

Laugh Track....Time To Play The Game

ESPN Radio’s Mike Greenberg appeared on NBC’s “Late Night With Seth Meyers” last night. Greenberg said of the Super Bowl, “At the end of the day, this was a football game. There are people today who want to say that Pete Carroll made the worst decision in the history of human civilization and that he should not be fired, he should be arrested." Greenberg said of Seahawks RB Marshawn Lynch, “The football media, that acts like they’re Woodward and Bernstein, what exactly is it Marshawn Lynch is going to tell us that we so desperately need to know?” (“Late Night With Seth Meyers,” NBC, 2/3).

Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski appeared on ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live” last night. Kimmel said in his monologue, “I’m told the Gronks have not slept all night. They say the best thing to do when you’ve been up all night drinking is to go right on television.” Gronkowski said of getting some sleep after the show, “I just heard our parade got moved to Wednesday so I was planning on sleeping tonight and getting to the parade tomorrow morning.” Gronkowski said of the post-game celebration, “There was nothing too crazy. I think there are a couple of YouTube videos already out.” Kimmel: “You were doing a lot of dancing. By the way, I’ve been authorized by this network to offer you a spot on ‘Dancing With The Stars.’” Kimmel asked Gronkowski to read from a fictional erotic novel written based on him called “A Gronking to Remember” (“Jimmy Kimmel Live,” ABC, 2/2).

NBC’s Jimmy Fallon said, “There has been a lot of controversy out here with the recent measles outbreak because a lot of people didn’t get any shots or as Kobe’s teammates put it, ‘Been there.’ … The big story is undrafted rookie (Patriots DB) Malcom Butler who made the game-winning interception for the New England Patriots. Even Malcom Butler was like, ‘Who? I’ve never heard of him’” (“The Tonight Show,” NBC, 2/2).

Actor Martin Short appeared on Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show With Jon Stewart” last night, telling host Jon Stewart he “DVRed” the Super Bowl “so don’t tell me” what happened. Short: “I’m Canadian. We don’t care about the Super Bowl. If I wanted to see sweaty, 300-pound men run into each other, I’d go to Wal-Mart.” Short said of the halftime show, “Nothing deflated about Katy Perry” (“The Daily Show With Jon Stewart,” Comedy Central, 2/2).

Top Ten....Excuses, Execuses

Last night’s Top Ten list was “Top Ten Pete Carroll Excuses.” Letterman said, “I’m not a professional football coach but you’ve got a guy that scored 214 regular season touchdowns” (“Late Show,” CBS, 2/2).

10) “Forgot Marshawn Lynch was on the team.”
9) “Pass on 2nd down? I was joking!”
8) “Had that damn avocado jingle stuck in my head.”
7) “Didn't want to upset Gisele Bundchen.”
6) “Too much pre-game weed.”
5) “Just wanted to see Bill Belichick's dazzling smile.”
4) “Uh ... wind shear.”
3) “Patriots cheated by having a better coach.”
2) “We'll get 'em next week.”
1) “Wanted to remember what it felt like to coach the Jets.”