BMO has signed on for "one more year" as Toronto FC's jersey sponsor. The agreement expired after last season, and TFC "spent much of the offseason searching for a new deal" (THESTAR.com, 2/27). The "potential Toronto FC home jersey that was leaked" is believed to be the '15 home kit, "complete with BMO sponsorship across the front." The club is scheduled to formally unveil the new jersey on March 7 "as part of jersey week" in MLS (SBNATION.com, 2/24).

BMO last fall reportedly had decided not to re-up as TFC's jersey sponsor (THE DAILY).

The ninth annual MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference opens today in Boston, with the event returning to the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center. With the event moving to the larger hall compared to the Hynes Convention Center, organizers are expecting a crowd of more than 3,100, more than a thousand higher than a year ago. Scheduled speakers include MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, MLS Commissioner Don Garber, NBA Kings President Chris Granger, Red Sox COO Sam Kennedy, and Wasserman Media Group Vice Chair Arn Tellem, among many others.

Patriots VP/Customer Marketing & Strategy Jessica Gelman at the start of the event joked, "Charles Barkley will not be here," referring to Barkley's recent on-air comments disparaging the use of advanced statistics. 

Sports books in Nevada now "can accept wagers on Olympic events," after the state's Gaming Commission approved an alteration in regulatory language that "prohibits wagers on amateur sports, which previously included the Olympics." The updated rules state that betting is "permitted on sporting events sanctioned" by the IOC. The South Point casino requested the change, and sports book operators William Hill, CG Technology and the Westgate "all filed letters in support" (VEGASINC.com, 2/26).

The Kentucky state House Budget Committee last night approved a measure in which Keeneland "would not get hit by higher taxes for hosting the Breeders' Cup World Championship" this fall. The bill "would waive the state's excise tax on live parimutuel wagering" on Oct. 30-31. The money "would be used for boosting prize money awarded to horse owners." Breeders' Cup COO Bob Elliston said that with the event headed to California in '16 and '17, "the Kentucky legislature would have to renew the tax break for any future events" (LEXINGTON HERALD-LEADER, 2/27).

The Single-A Midwest League Kane County Cougars have unveiled Raging Cougar ale as the name of their new "specialty craft beer," giving the D-backs farm club "its own branded beer." The ale was created in collaboration with Two Brothers Brewing. It will be available at Fifth Third Bank Ballpark in Geneva, Ill., as well as Two Brothers' Chicago-area facilities and the D-backs' Chase Field (REDEYECHICAGO.com, 2/26).

Medallion Bank announced a sponsorship deal with Richard Petty Motorsports to back the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series No. 9 Ford driven by Sam Hornish Jr. Medallion will be the primary sponsor of the No. 9 for select races in '15, beginning with Sunday's Folds Of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Salt Lake City-based Medallion Bank is owned by Medallion Financial, whose President is RPM co-Owner Andrew Murstein (RPM).

FIFA said that it would move the ’21 Confederations Cup from Qatar “to another Asian country.” The event, “typically an eight-team dress rehearsal for the World Cup,” will be “moved elsewhere for the summer” (WSJ.com, 2/26).

The FIVB announced a partnership with the Beach Major Co. to assist with running and promoting FIVB World Tour volleyball events. The Beach Major Co. is a joint venture between Red Bull and ACTS Group Founder Hannes Jagerhofer (FIVB).

Under Armour today announced a multiyear endorsement deal with Netherlands and PSV Eindhoven MF Memphis Depay (UA).

“I’m interested in something more entrepreneurial – owning a piece of a company” – Former CFL Commissioner Mark Cohon, on his next career move (GLOBE & MAIL, 2/27).

“I think Toronto could easily sustain a second franchise. Let’s get a campaign going” – Toronto Mayor John Tory, on being in favor of the city getting a second NHL team (NATIONAL POST, 2/26).

“I’m not interested in being an athletic director again” – Former Boston College AD Gene DeFilippo, squashing rumors that he was a candidate to run the UMass athletic department (GAZETTENET.com, 2/26).

“Don’t believe a word they say” – Braves RF Nick Markakis, who played for the Orioles from '06-14, on his former team saying the length of the contract he was seeking and not a neck injury was the reason they did not try to re-sign him (USATODAY.com, 2/26).

“It is a big shame that tickets are staying with wealthy people” – WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman, on the Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao bout being nearly impossible for the average fan to attend (L.A. TIMES, 2/27).

Last night’s 1:00am ET edition of ESPN’s “SportsCenter” and the 1:30am ET edition of FS1’s “Fox Sports Live” both led with Warriors-Cavaliers. ESPN followed with Tennessee-Vanderbilt, Minnesota-Michigan State and a judge overturning the suspension of Vikings RB Adrian Peterson. FS1 followed with Thunder-Suns and the Peterson case.

ESPN’s Pablo Torre was “filling in for Keith” on ESPN2’s “Olbermann” last night and did not air a "world’s worst persons in sports" segment. Olbermann has been removed from the air for the remainder of the week for some critical tweets directed at Penn State.

GRANTLAND.com goes in-depth on Charles Barkley's comments about advanced stats in sports: "Barkley was firing a shot in a second war. Let’s call it Moneyball II. This clash doesn’t pit a blogger versus a newspaperman in a debate over the value of PER. It pits media versus athletes in a battle over who gets to tell the story of basketball." Meanwhile, the GLOBE & MAIL examines how the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics conference, once "little more than a curiosity," has now "gone mainstream."

Also:

• The NBA could adopt a shorter season to improve quality of play.
• NHL schedules West Coast teams for extended stays in N.Y. area.
• Texas universities using social media to land recruits, build brands.
• NFL Dir of Youth Football Roman Oben helps steer sport's future.

At Neal Pilson's @CUSportsBiz class, Turner Pres David Levy "we're not in TV business, we're in the content creation and distribution biz"

— Michael A. Neuman (@michaelaneuman) February 26, 2015

Good news for Rory, Brooks, DJ & Co.: Hardly any wind this morning. Bad news: Lot of umbrellas out there right now.

— Doug Ferguson (@dougferguson405) February 27, 2015

Grady Little is a senior advisor with Neal Huntington and the Pirates. "I'm not sure what it means," says Grady, "but we'll figure it out."

— Peter Gammons (@pgammo) February 27, 2015

History is Made in March. Introducing the #MadeInMarch uniform collection. pic.twitter.com/TRMhUTMl5P

— adidas Basketball (@adidasHoops) February 26, 2015

80's hair band on a baseball diamond. Makes sense. #MarinersCommercials pic.twitter.com/kqhdwwlxB5

— Kevin Martinez (@Kevin_Martinez) February 27, 2015

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

“On February 25, 1956, he gave a speech ‘on the personality cult and its consequences,’ seen as an attack on his predecessor.”

Last night’s edition of “Jeopardy!” featured the category “Of the Game.”

For $200: “In Roulette you can bet ‘dozens,’ ‘columns’ or these two main colors.”

For $400: “The only move in chess in which two pieces can move on the same turn, it moves the prize out of danger.”

For $600: “Yakutsk and Irkutsk are two territories to conquer and control in this game of attrition.”

For $800: “A little known rule of Monopoly is that this ‘chance’ card usually kept until needed may be sold to another player.”

For $1000: “This stacking game, similar to Jenga, uses bidding and odd shaped pieces to build increasingly precarious towers.”

D-League Reno Bighorns and NBA Kings C Sim Bhullar, the first NBA player of Indian descent, appeared on CBS’ “Late Late Show” last night with guest host actor Kunal Nayyar. Nayyar noted Bhullar’s mother called him and said, "'Can you please help Sim have an arranged marriage?’ So if there are any girls who want to marry someone big, tall, handsome and rich, here’s your chance.” Bhullar: “That’s crazy.” The 7-foot-5-inch Bhullar said his mother is 5’ 10’’ so “she’s pretty tall for woman. But my dad is 6’ 4", so that’s pretty much where I got my height from” (“Late Late Show,” CBS, 2/26).

Last night’s edition of Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show With Jon Stewart” attempted to air its usual segment “Your Moment of Zen,” but was interrupted by WWE wrestler Seth Rollins, who had previously called out host Jon Stewart at an WWE event. 

“Who was Nikita Khrushchev?”

Correct responses to the “Of the Game” category:

For $200: “What is black and red?”

For $400: “What is castling?”

For $600: “What is ‘Risk?’”

For $800: “What is a ‘Get Out of Jail Free’ card?”

For $1000: “What is Bandu?”