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Friday 9:00am ET....Today's News....Double Coverage

  • Chargers, Raiders Move Forward On Plans For Shared Carson Stadium
  • MLB, MLBPA Expected To Announce Pace-Of-Play Rule Changes
  • American Airlines Becomes Clippers' Floor Apron Sponsor
  • NFL Network Lines Up Friday Combine Coverage For First Time

Chargers, Raiders Move Forward On Plans For Shared Carson Stadium

A group of business and labor leaders called Carson2gether today will announce that the Chargers and Raiders are "moving forward together on a plan" to build a $1.7B NFL stadium in Carson, Calif., "that they will share." The teams said that they "will continue to seek public subsidies for new stadiums in their home markets, but they are developing a detailed proposal" for a privately financed L.A. venue "in the event they can't get deals done in San Diego and Oakland by the end of this year." Carson2gether plans to "immediately launch a petition drive for a ballot initiative to get voter approval" for the stadium (L.A. TIMES, 2/20).

MLB, MLBPA Expected To Announce Pace-Of-Play Rule Changes

Sources said that MLB and the MLBPA today will announce rule changes "aimed at quickening the pace of play." Under the new rules, managers "must make instant replay challenges from the dugout, rather than the field." Hitters "must keep one foot in the batter’s box between pitches, unless an established exception occurs." Also, "play will resume promptly" once TV broadcasts "return from commercial breaks" (FOXSPORTS.com, 2/19). 

American Airlines Becomes Clippers' Floor Apron Sponsor

By John Lombardo

The Clippers are the latest NBA team to sign a floor apron sponsorship, as American Airlines agrees to a multiyear deal that makes the company the official airline of the team. Financial terms were not disclosed. The company’s name will appear on the Staples Center playing floor – in front of both team’s benches – beginning on Saturday night when the Clippers play the Kings. The deal also includes courtside signage, other in-arena activations in Staples Center, and digital and broadcast advertising. American will also become the presenting sponsor of the “Clippers Weekly” show on FS West.

NFL Network Lines Up Friday Combine Coverage For First Time

By John Ourand

NFL Network starts its coverage of the NFL Combine today, marking the first time the net has begun covering the event on a Friday. Its coverage will run through Monday. NFL Network has aired the event for 11 years; for the past eight years, the net's telecasts ran from Saturday to Tuesday. “We are hoping that by being wrapped around the weekend and eliminating Tuesday, we are going to get more viewers,” said NFL Network Exec Producer Eric Weinberger. “Tuesday during the day is not very fan friendly. That’s a big adjustment for the viewer.”

Weinberger also is excited that the schedule change will allow the net to cover Heisman Trophy-winning quarterbacks Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota on Saturday, "where they are now not competing with the Daytona 500 or other Sunday sporting events."

NHL Unveiling New Statistics Platform, Partnership With SAP

By Ian Thomas

The NHL will unveil its new statistics platform today, part of a new five-year partnership the league will also announce with SAP. The league will name the company its official cloud software provider. NHL.com will now feature 30 advanced statistics such as Corsi and Fenwick – now being called shot attempts (SAT) and unblocked shot attempts (USAT) by the NHL – as well as additional enhancements of existing statistics, such as a breakdown of primary and secondary assists.

The partnership will allow the NHL to continue to build upon the new database and platform, with planned additional features such as a playoff predictor, advanced statistical filters, new metrics and statistical visualizations coming within the year. The league is also moving towards digitizing its entire statistical history dating back to 1917, a feature it hopes to fully roll out in '16.

NASCAR Announcing Multiyear Commitment To STEM Education

NASCAR today will announce a "years-long commitment" to promote science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education. NASCAR COO Brent Dewar said that the effort is a way for the sanctioning body to "show the fun side of engineering and math and to encourage fans to view NASCAR in a new way." NASCAR has partnered with publisher Scholastic Corp. to "develop fact sheets and quizzes primarily for middle school teachers focused on aerodynamics" (AP, 2/20).

iHeartRadio Station In Charlotte Consolidating NASCAR Broadcasts

iHeartRadio and its broadcast partners today will announce that Charlotte-area WEND-FM "will carry all the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series competitions provided by rival racing networks Performance Racing Network and Motor Racing Network." This means that Sprint Cup races "will have a common radio home in Charlotte beginning with Sunday's Daytona 500." Various stations in Charlotte "carried some of the races in recent years," but only Rock Hill-based WHRM-FM was a "prime carrier, and its signal didn’t carry deep into North Carolina" (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 2/20).

Sale Of Double-A Jacksonville Suns To Be Completed Soon

The sale of the Double-A Southern League Jacksonville Suns is "winding down and is expected to be completed in the next two weeks," according to sources. Suns President Peter Bragan Jr. "has been in negotiations since last fall" to sell the team to Double-A Eastern League Akron RubberDucks Owner Ken Babby. The parties today are "expected to sign a 14-day extension" to continue discussions "through an exclusive agreement they have been operating under since last October" (FLORIDA TIMES-UNION, 2/20).

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Speed Reads....

MLB Giants manager Bruce Bochy said that he “expected to be released” from the hospital today after a procedure “to insert two stents in his heart.” He expects to be “back with the team after a few more days” (SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, 2/20).

CFL Toronto Argonauts Owner David Braley said that a deal for the team to “play at BMO Field could be reached as early as this summer” (TORONTO STAR, 2/20).

The Big 12 plans to debut custom-made courts at both its men’s and women’s basketball championships this year. The courts are being produced as part of the overall branding initiatives that rolled out last year (Big 12).

Baylor announced that its season-opening football game against SMU “has been switched to Friday, Sept. 4, at the request of the American Athletic Conference to accommodate a national television broadcast on an ESPN network” (MYSANANTONIO.com, 2/19).

President George W. Bush’s love of baseball will “make up an exhibit at his presidential library” starting next month. “Baseball: America’s Presidents, America’s Pastime” will open to the public March 21 at the George W. Bush Presidential Center in Dallas (FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 2/20).

MLB umpire Tim McClelland reportedly has told the league that "he is retiring." McClelland started umping in MLB in '83 (DETROIT NEWS, 2/20).

Quick Hits....

“The Bucks need to execute – like now. Where’s it going? What’s the plan? Who are the players? How much money is this going to cost?” – Wisconsin state Rep. Dale Kooyenga, who feels the NBA team’s owners need to present their arena plan to legislators soon if they want state funding (BIZJOURNALS.com, 2/19).

“I guess we’re just trying to keep an open mind. And really you don’t know what you don’t know. So you’ve got to keep an open mind and try to think of doing things a little bit differently” – Toronto FC GM Tim Bezbatchenko, on the team adding a manager of analytics to its front office (GLOBE & MAIL, 2/20).

“Put pressure on the presidents; say, ‘If you don’t do this, we’re not going to fund you for this.’ It’s just the way it is. That’s the way to do it” – Univ. of Houston Board of Regents Chair Tilman Fertitta, who wants politicians to pressure Big 12 school presidents into letting Houston into the conference (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 2/20).

"The First Four has become its own brand, and that is in no small part a result of the committee’s hard work and leadership, and how the community and region have embraced the event” – Univ. of Dayton AD Tim Wabler, on the region's organizing committee building support for the opening games of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament (BIZJOURNALS.com, 2/19).

Night Moves....For The Birds

Last night’s 11:00pm ET edition of ESPN’s “SportsCenter” led with Penguins C Sidney Crosby being involved in an on-ice fight, followed by NASCAR driver Danica Patrick being wrecked by fellow driver Denny Hamlin, Mavericks-Thunder and NBA trade deadline talk. Last night’s 11:00pm ET edition of FS1’s “Fox Sports Live” led with NASCAR’s Budweiser Duel, followed by NBA trade deadline deals, Mavericks-Thunder and Spurs-Clippers.

ESPN’s Keith Olbermann called out his “world’s worst” persons in sports: film director Alfred Hitchcock for his movie “The Birds” – set in the S.F. Bay Area – which gave "them" the idea. The show aired a video clip of a bird "photobombing" a webcam atop Levi's Stadium during the setup for Saturday's NHL Stadium Series game. Olbermann also derided 49ers QB Colin Kaepernick, “who got into trouble on the Twitter” after an online “troll” questioned his study habits, and Rams GM Les Snead for "reaching for the weirdest analogy in sports" when he compared the “continuity” of the team promoting Frank Cignetti to offensive coordinator to the man who cured syphilis after hundreds of attempts.

Morning Hot Reads: Trampled Under Foot?

K.C. STAR on the MLS labor dispute: "The men and women in charge of MLS are running the same playbook the men and women in charge of the NFL, NBA and NHL have found so enriching whenever it’s time to negotiate a new [CBA] with their players."

MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL headline: "Architectural Excellence Should Be A Given For New Milwaukee Bucks Arena." Nothing "will define the project – and its impact on Milwaukee – like the design."

CNBC.com goes with the header, "Why Daytona 500 Qualifying Races Are Irrelevant." Because of "the way the rules are designed ... the race outcome ends up being haphazard and erratic."

Also:

Twitter Me This....

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

Today's Events....

Daytona Int'l Speedway will hold a "State Of The Rising" press conference to showcase progress made in its ongoing facility overhaul.

Spanning The Global....

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

1) Hangin' With ... Bayern Munich New Media Director Stefan Mennerich
2) Octagon Launches Presence In Turkey Via Partnership With Sportsnet Group
3) Adidas Seeks Replacement For CEO Hainer Amid Pressure From Investors For Change
4) Intel's Barcelona Inside Shirt Sponsorship Hits Technical Hurdle
5) Sky, BT Content War In U.K. Forces Massive Price Increase In SANZAR Matches

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 “Final Jeopardy!” category was “Poets.”

“On completing the ‘deathbed’ edition of his great work, he wrote, ‘L. of G. at last complete -- after 33 years of hackling at it.’”

Laugh Track....Going For The Gold

UFC fighter Ronda Rousey appeared on TBS’ “Conan” last night where she discussed her upcoming fight against Cat Zingano. Rousey said, “I've been to two Olympics already, so every time I walk out there, I feel like it's another chance at another Olympics. I'm actually really glad that I ended up getting the Bronze instead of the Gold because it always feels a little unfulfilled. Every time I’m going out there, like it's another chance to get a Gold again.” Host Conan O’Brien said, “So motivation clearly not a problem for you.” O’Brien noted, “You beat your opponents very, very quickly and the UFC president actually said that if you win this next fight quickly you may have to start fighting men. Is that something that you would do?” Rousey replied, “If you signed up maybe I would.” O’Brien said, “I’m being completely honest with you, I like the idea of a strong woman who could just beat the shit out of me. I think that's sexy” (“Conan,” TBS, 2/19).

CBS’ David Letterman said, “If you’re a Yankees fan, this is fantastic news: CC Sabathia dropped 25 pounds. His sandwich. Going to be different this year for the Yankees. You know Derek Jeter retired. He wanted to spend more time with his money. … It’s interesting if you’re Derek Jeter. One day, you’ve got 60,000 people cheering for you and the next day you’re being given test drives at Derek Jeter Buick.” More Letterman: “It’s the beginning of Lent. You give up things that are important to you, beginning of Lent. The New York Knicks, just giving up” (“Late Show,” CBS, 2/19).

Top Ten....Full Count

Last night’s Top Ten list was “Top Ten Things You Don’t Want To Hear From Your $95 Million Baseball Player.” David Letterman said the “Red Sox and their fans are concerned” about their new 3B Pablo Sandoval. Letterman: “They had signed this guy for $95 million. He came to training camp fat and out of shape” (“Late Show,” CBS, 2/19).

10) “Are you going to finish that?”
9) “I'm a .294 hitter, and that's just my cholesterol.”
8) “Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jacks and a hot dog and popcorn and one of those little baseball helmets filled with ice cream.”
7) “Could have sworn the season started in August.”
6) “Can we make it to the ‘7th Inning Brunch?’”
5) “I need a few weekends off for bachelor parties.”
4) “Do the bases have to be so far apart?”
3) “I eat like Babe Ruth; I drink like Ruth Bader Ginsburg.”
2) “Practice? Well, maybe for another 95 million dollars.”
1) “Hello, I'm Alex Rodriguez.”

Final Jeopardy....

“Who was Walt Whitman?”

L. of G. refers to his seminal work “Leaves of Grass.”