The Cubs today will announce a new sponsorship deal with American Airlines, ending a "decade-long partnership with Chicago-based United Airlines." Financial terms were not disclosed. American gets category exclusivity as well as "video board features at Wrigley and Sloan Park in Mesa, Ariz." It also "will have a fixed sign on the brick wall near the Cubs' on-deck circle and naming rights to a new premium club" slated to open in '17. The airline is "the team's seventh top-tier 'legacy partner'" and the fourth major sponsor signed this off-season (CHICAGOBUSINESS.com, 2/5).

The use of “The Tonight Show” also represented a change in venue strategy. Last year, SI did the cover reveal on ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live” on a Thursday after working for many years with David Letterman and CBS’s “Late Show” (Eric Fisher, Staff Writer).

Host Jimmy Fallon said, "It's almost impossible to get an advance copy of the magazine. But this is ‘The Tonight Show.’ ... We like to make the impossible possible." After unveiling the cover, Fallon said, “The only way this could get any better is if the cover model herself were here right now. But I don't know if that's possible.” At that point Davis walked on-stage to thunderous applause (“The Tonight Show,” NBC, 2/4).

Farmers Insurance announced a three-year extension of its deal to sponsor Rickie Fowler. The golfer will continue to serve as a community ambassador and help support initiatives at the PGA Tour Farmers Insurance Open, which tees off today at Torrey Pines, and nationally throughout the year (Farmers Insurance). Farmers CMO Mike Linton: “It’s great for our brand. I mean you have a charismatic, dynamic golfer. ... We think Rickie shares our core value of giving back to the community” (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 2/5).

The Clippers and DraftKings announced a deal that makes DraftKings the team's official daily fantasy sports partner. DraftKings' activation with the Clippers will include elements such as videoboard and LED courtside signage, gameday receptions, an extensive digital media package and a fan contest hosted on the fantasy brand's website. The Clippers agreement gives DraftKings deals with eight NBA clubs. The league has an equity stake in rival FanDuel, which has deals with seven NBA clubs (THE DAILY).

A probate court hearing tied to the dispute over Saints and Pelicans Owner Tom Benson's business interests will resume at 9:00am CT today in Bexar County, Texas. The hearing is on a "temporary injunction seeking to extend the terms of a restraining order that prohibits" Benson from "taking any actions regarding a trust that he oversees." Probate Judge Tom Rickhoff "has delayed ruling on an injunction until further testimony." Tom Benson "wasn’t at the hearing" yesterday, while his daughter Renee Benson took the stand (SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS, 2/5).

The final decision on what new sports to include in the '20 Tokyo Games program "won't be made until August 2016 – a year later than originally planned," it was revealed at a two-day meeting in the city. IOC VP John Coates said that the "inclusion of new sports would be voted on at the IOC session in Rio de Janeiro" ahead of the '16 Games. Tokyo organizers "brought the IOC up to date on several proposed venue changes, which are aimed at saving money and avoiding white elephants" (AP, 2/5).

Serie A club AS Roma is set to announce two new U.S.-based hires as the team looks to further bolster its global reach in merchandising and digital media. Paul Rogers joins the club as Head of Digital Media. He previously spent 14 years with EPL club Liverpool, lastly as Head of Int’l Development. Mitty Arnold joins the club as Global Dir of Licensing. Arnold was previously Dir of Marketing for adidas, focusing on the partnership with the NBA. Both will be based in Boston.

NBC’s “Today” touted an exclusive interview with Seahawks coach Pete Carroll, as NBC’s Savannah Guthrie said in the opening tease, “Days after the controversial call that likely cost his team the Super Bowl, Matt (Lauer) goes one-on-one with … Pete Carroll. His very honest answer today.” Lauer said, “We traveled to Seattle to talk to the coach about (the pivotal) play, the scrutiny he's under and how he is coping with it all.” Carroll: “I feel responsible for a lot of people right now. ... There are a lot of people that really care about what we’re doing. Our game hit them really hard.” When told of the criticism of it being the “worst call ever,” Carroll told Lauer, “It was the worst result of a call ever. The call would have been a great one if we catch it.” Back live in the studio, Lauer told his co-hosts, “I give him a lot of credit for sitting down and answering questions because this has got to be a really, really tough time” (“Today,” NBC, 2/5).

Missouri House Speaker John Diel announced that the body's Government Oversight & Accountability Committee "soon" will examine Edward Jones Dome's "monetary impact on the state" (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 2/5).

More than 1,700 Izod Center workers this week received formal notice of the "loss of their jobs as of the end of March," due to the venue closing (Bergen RECORD, 2/5).

The '18 FIFA World Cup stadium in Rostov, Russia, is "seven months behind schedule and faces a 'tight deadline' to be ready in time." The completion date for the 45,000-seat venue "has slipped from May 2017 to that December" (AP, 2/4).

TaylorMade Golf will sponsor the Head Inc. Toyota Funny Car team for the season-opening Circle K NHRA Winternationals, which begin today at Auto Club Raceway. The sponsorship will promote the company's AeroBurner metalwood driver (Head Racing).

"We're here to stand by and help wherever we can to make this fight happen. We're not an impediment to that happening, and we'll do what's necessary from our end. Then, it's up to the principals" – HBO Sports President Ken Hershman, on the network's role in facilitating a bout between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao (NEWSDAY, 2/5).

"This has become a general manager’s league and that’s evidenced by the fact that Trent Baalke is (still) in charge" – NFL Network's Brian Billick, on the 49ers parting ways with coach Jim Harbaugh but retaining Baalke as GM (S.F. CHRONICLE, 2/5).

"I'm not going to say a lot about MASN because it is in litigation. I will say this much. I think in reasonably short order, there will be a resolution of MASN, either by the litigation being done or some other mechanism" – MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred, on the ongoing legal dispute between the Nationals and Orioles (AP, 2/4).

"I have 24 years in the FBI. To think someone could get me to close my eyes to a positive test, to risk someone getting hurt … we would never do that" – Nevada State Athletic Commission Exec Dir Bob Bennett, rejecting the notion that his organization would help cover up a failed drug test by UFC fighter Anderson Silva (L.A. TIMES, 2/5).

Last night’s 1:00am ET editions of ESPN’s “SportsCenter” and FS1’s “Fox Sports Live” both led with Mavericks-Warriors and Thunder-Pelicans. Mavericks-Warriors was the lead in to “SportsCenter” which followed with Wizards-Hawks and Georgia Tech-Duke. The first ESPN report on National Signing Day was about 29 minutes into the broadcast. FS1 followed their two lead NBA stories with National Signing Day coverage.

ESPN’s Keith Olbermann called out his “world’s worst” persons in sports: The Redskins for sending a letter to season-ticket holders telling them the team is poised to “rebound” next season with a core group of players, but not mentioning QB Robert Griffin III as one of them. Olbermann also blasted the “critics” of Knicks Owner James Dolan – “yes, I am turning on my people” – for criticizing him because of a picture which appears to show Dolan asleep sitting courtside during a Knicks game, and the NFL security team “that worked the Super Bowl” for allowing two men to gain access to the Super Bowl without tickets and without being “screened, searched, wanded, cavity checked, retina scanned or profiled.”

SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE front-page piece: "A new Chargers stadium could cost more if a proposal buried in President Barack Obama's new budget becomes law."

On SEATTLETIMES.com, actor Jim Caviezel writes to fellow Seahawks fans, "What the players and the coaches need right now is the confidence that their teammate, the 12th Man, will be there to pick them up." Also, the N.Y. TIMES on an NFL season ending with "so many loose ends."

Also: 

• Panel of college students discuss how they watch the NFL.
• How politicians helped Penn State escape NCAA penalties.
• A closer look at the process of demolishing Candlestick Park.

I'd like to thank Pearl Jam Radio on SiriusXM for getting me home safely from State College to Brooklyn tonight. #stateoflove&oftrust

— Ralph D. Russo (@ralphDrussoAP) February 5, 2015

Did the NBA really name the Hawks' starting 5 as the Eastern Conference Player of the Month? How corny

— Marcus Thompson (@ThompsonScribe) February 5, 2015

They removed Bobby Brown from the Damian Lillard adidas commercial?

— Michael Lee (@MrMichaelLee) February 5, 2015

Note to Sports Illustrated… I would have Instagram’ed that cover photo but my daughter follows me there

— John Canzano (@johncanzanobft) February 5, 2015

The Boston '24 Olympic and Paralympic bid community meeting will take place at Suffolk Univ. Law School at 6:30p.m. ET.

The U.S. Ski Team prospects killed in an avalanche last month will be honored at the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships in Beaver Creek, Colo.

21st Century Fox "reported better-than-expected results for the December quarter, helped by revenue growth from its cable network and film businesses." Fox reported Q2 earnings of $6.21B, up from $1.21B in the year-ago period (WSJ.com, 2/4). Cable network programming income rose 12% to $121M "despite continued investment in its new sports channels." Domestic advertising revenue "grew 11% driven by increases" at FX Networks, Fox News and FS1 (BROADCASTINGCABLE.com, 2/4).

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

“It is mentioned in the motto on Minnesota’s flag and is depicted on Alaska’s.”

NBC’s Jimmy Fallon: “Remember that dancing shark from the Katy Perry’s halftime show? I saw a guy in Colorado actually got a tattoo of the left shark.” An image of the shark tattoo was shown on-screen with Fallon responding, “Weed is still legal in Colorado. Just so you know" (“The Tonight Show,” NBC, 2/4).

Lakers G Kobe Bryant appeared on NBC’s “The Tonight Show” last night with his right arm in a sling after shoulder surgery to discuss the upcoming documentary about his career and recently released Nike signature shoes. Bryant: “I love telling stories, true stories. For me, it was just really about the process of that, the art that goes into that. In working with Nike for so many years, I enjoyed the process of creating stories for the product, creating captivating campaigns. The documentary was really something that was easy for me. I can't write books. I just don't have the patience to sit there and literally write it.” Fallon replied, “You were into poetry.” Bryant said, “I was, but then I realized I can’t spell for (EXPLETIVE). I didn’t go to college.” Fallon said of his use of profanity, “You can’t say that.” Fallon: “I follow you and I hope you feel the vibe and the love from me because I root for you all the time and I remember when the sneakers came out – they're low-tops – and they were like, ‘You can’t play basketball in low tops,’ and I was like, ‘Don’t tell Kobe what to do.’ And you go, ‘Really?’ So you put on these low-tops and you scored 60 points.” Bryant: “Oh, you can play in low-tops” (“The Tonight Show,” NBC, 2/4).

ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel: “There's a big parade in Boston today. Thousands of people gathered to cheer on their Super Bowl champion New England Patriots. The parade was originally supposed to go on yesterday, but they moved it because it was snowing there.” A clip of the parade was shown during which Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski was dancing after a fan tossed him a beer while riding in a Duck boat. Kimmel: “Of course, Rob enjoyed that beer and then he enjoyed some more of that beer and then he spiked the beer. This is a guy who knows how to have a good time. I think he's twerking or humping. What a character he is. I’ll tell you something, if a bear did that on top of a bus they'd shoot him with a tranquilizer dart. Maybe next year he could do the halftime show at the Super Bowl too.” More Kimmel: “In legalized marijuana news, the very first pot vending machines have arrived. They're up and running in Seattle, Washington. That should help them forget about the Super Bowl, right?” (“Jimmy Kimmel Live,” ABC, 2/4).

CBS’ David Letterman: “(Lance Armstrong) and his girlfriend are out having a party or something and he accidentally bangs into two parked cars and then he tells the cops that his girlfriend was driving. That's the kind of thing that can hurt the man's image. Cops took him downtown and frisked him or as they call it, the Tour De Lance” (“Late Show,” CBS, 2/4).

Last night’s Top Ten list was “Top Ten Complaints About Mayonnaise.” Letterman said, “Mayonnaise fans are complaining that the recipe for Hellmann's real mayonnaise has changed. They say the mayonnaise now has a soupy texture” (“Late Show,” CBS, 2/4).

10) “Too dang tasty.”
9) “Hard to lick the jar clean.”
8) “Gradually hardens when used in a waterbed.”
7) “Lacks spiritual depth of Miracle Whip.”
6) “The word mayonnaise reminds me of the Mayo Clinic, which reminds me of health, which reminds me that I shouldn’t be eating mayonnaise.”
5) “When the jar is empty, there’s no more mayonnaise.”
4) “Tie: Too viscous/not viscous enough.”
3) “Difficult to eat while driving.”
2) “Doesn’t protect against measles.”
1) “Not generally accepted as a beverage.”

“What is the North Star?”