In other Final Four activation, LG has placed an "LG Training Facility" in Indianapolis at the Final Four Fan Fest presented by Capital One. The 4,500-square-foot area at the Indiana Convention Center will feature dozens of LG products, and visiting fans will have the chance to earn recruitment points through a variety of games and activities (THE DAILY).

The NCAA is "expecting big crowds" for this weekend's March Madness Music Festival, with about 30,000 fans anticipated at Indianapolis' White River State Park each day today through Sunday. Concerts will be staged in the "space known each summer as the Farm Bureau Insurance Lawn," which has a capacity of 7,500. Admission to the "non-ticketed event is free and open to the public." The weekend lineup includes Imagine Dragons, Weezer and Rihanna (INDYSTAR.com, 4/1).

Knicks President Phil Jackson last night met with season-ticket holders in a town hall meeting at MSG and said of the on-court product, "S--- happens. ... And this season it did happen to us." The 48-minute roundtable also featured Knicks GM Steve Mills and MSG on-air personalities Al Trautwig and Alan Hahn. Jackson "didn't offer too many specifics on 'the plan' that he previously had alluded to in a video message to fans earlier this week" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 4/3).

Jackson did say that it "wasn't his intention for the Knicks to have the NBA's worst record ... but it may work out," as the team "likely will have the top seed" in the NBA Draft Lottery. Jackson said, "This is our opportunity, and it may be a godsend" (N.Y. POST, 4/3). One season-ticket holder in attendance leaked an audio recording of the Q&A, which was "billed as an 'open conversation' but came across more like a 45-minute infomercial" (N.Y. TIMES, 4/3).

VCU basketball coach Shaka Smart is set to "become the new men's coach at Texas," with a press conference to announce the move "tentatively planned" for today. A source said that the 37-year-old "would likely have a five- or possibly six-year contract" worth approximately $3M annually (AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 4/3). The DALLAS MORNING NEWS highlights Steve Patterson's role in landing Smart with the header, "Hiring Smart May Boost Reputation For Texas AD After Firings Of Mack Brown, Rick Barnes."

The Reds-Blue Jays preseason series today and tomorrow in Montreal has generated more than 80,000 in ticket sales "and counting," and it is "conceivable organizers will top the 96,350 in total attendance for last year's" Mets-Blue Jays exhibitions at Olympic Stadium. This marks "yet another remarkable show of support" for MLB in Montreal. Ticket prices on StubHub range from $37.76-272.93, indicating support for a "reborn Montreal baseball franchise" (MONTREAL GAZETTE, 4/2).

The St. Petersburg City Council voted "to hold a workshop 'as quickly as possible' on Mayor Rick Kriseman's latest proposal" to let the Rays "explore stadium options in Pinellas and Hillsborough counties." Last night's vote "did not signal that council members will approve a regionwide search," but members "unanimously voted to keep talking among themselves." It was "unclear" how the workshop "might alter the city's five-year standoff with the Rays over their contract" to play at Tropicana Field through '27 (TAMPA BAY TIMES, 4/3).

CFP Selection Committee Chair Jeff Long said the group will produce one fewer Top 25 ranking in '15, but that is "a function of the calendar." Long added that his committee "would recommend to the Playoff's management committee no significant changes" at that group's annual meeting at the end of this month. If its recommendations are accepted, the Selection Committee will issue its first rankings Tuesday, Nov. 3 (USA TODAY, 4/3).

While RSNs had “hoped to reach a deal” with MLB over in-market streaming by the start of the '15 season, the two sides reportedly “have failed to find common ground.” Talks remain active ahead of the season opening this weekend, but “a deal is not likely by Game 1 or anytime in the near future” (N.Y. POST, 4/3).

Warriors fans during last night’s game against the Suns were "asked to cheer on a fake Golden State team at halftime, as part of an unnamed" ABC sitcom pilot being filmed at Oracle Arena (S.F. CHRONICLE, 4/3).

The PGA Tour and organizers of the Web.com Tour stop at the Nicklaus Golf Club at LionsGate today will announce a five-year agreement making Digital Ally the tournament’s new title sponsor. The former Midwest Classic now will be called the Digital Ally Open (PGA Tour).

Utah State plans to “name a new corporate sponsor” for Romney Stadium during its annual Spring Game on April 11 (SALT LAKE TRIBUNE, 4/3).

Premier Boxing Champions runs full-page ads in USA Today and the N.Y. Times touting CBS’ coverage of Saturday’s card headlined by an Adonis Stevenson-Sakio Bika bout (THE DAILY).

“There is something flattering about it. If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then we’ll take it” – Red Sox President & CEO Larry Lucchino, on Cubs Chair Tom Ricketts signing exec Theo Epstein and P Jon Lester from the Red Sox and using a Fenway Park blueprint in their Wrigley Field renovation (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 4/3).

“I understand the situation we’re in, and I’m not going to make any excuses for it” – Northwind Strategies Founding Partner Doug Rubin, who is helping the Boston '24 bid craft its PR plan, on the public’s resistance to the bid (BOSTON GLOBE, 4/3).

“You know none of these guys are going to drop the ball and that kind of pushes me to make sure I’m even more prepared than maybe I have to be, because I don’t want to be the weak link” – SNY’s Steve Gelbs, on working with Gary Cohen, Ron Darling and Keith Hernandez (NEWSDAY, 4/3).

“I still won’t go out there. (Gov. Dannel Malloy) would’ve let us go, but I’m not changing my mind” – UConn men’s basketball coach Kevin Ollie, on choosing not to travel to the Final Four in Indianapolis despite Indiana amending its Religious Freedom law (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 4/3).

Last night’s 11:00pm ET edition of ESPN’s “SportsCenter,” which began 35 minutes later than usual due to the NIT championship game, led with Rockets-Mavericks, followed by Suns-Warriors, the NBA MVP race, Heat-Cavaliers, Dodgers-Angels and Capitals-Canadiens. Last night’s 12:00am ET edition of FS1’s “Fox Sports Live” led with Heat-Cavaliers, followed by Rockets-Mavericks, Suns-Warriors, Shaka Smart leaving VCU for Texas and Capitals-Canadiens.

ESPN’s Keith Olbermann called out his “world’s worst” persons in sports: A Knicks official for “trying to explain the reason behind injured ‘superstar’ Carmelo Anthony never sitting on the team bench during games.” Olbermann also criticized Sotheby’s for placing a bid on New York sports items for Reggie Jackson, who was actually selling the items. He also blasted the Ricketts family, owners of the Cubs, for the "disastrous remodeling of Wrigley Field."

The INDIANAPOLIS STAR notes it is "impossible to tell how much it costs for Indianapolis to put on the Final Four, and the amount of public money involved, because of secrecy surrounding bids for major sports events." But there are "clues to the money involved." Meanwhile, the OKLAHOMAN examines how Oklahoma State's '95 Final Four run made Gallagher-Iba Arena possible.

The BOSTON GLOBE reports consulting firm Bain in recent years "has become something of a farm system for major sports clubs and leagues looking to add business savvy." Today's "front-office all-star is often someone who can run a linear regression faster than a player runs wind sprints."

Also:

• WALL STREET JOURNAL examines MLB's plan to speed up baseball.
• Bostonians appear to have little appetite for hosting '24 Summer Games.
• Upstart boxing promotion BKB's new tech measures punching power.
• "Mazda Road To Indy" reviving formula car "ladder system" in U.S.
• Ballparks look to attract more fans with high-calorie food creations.

Taking in Bob Knight's last game called on ESPN makes me wonder what possibly took them so long to pull that plug? Absolutely zero insight.

— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) April 3, 2015

Stanford fans are probably wishing Andrew Luck would've made it to the NIT Championship with all the fadeaways to Michael Irvin. #CANESFAM

— Alicia Jessop (@RulingSports) April 3, 2015

Fun byproduct of coaching changes is watching some media rip a guy for taking a much better job at 3x the pay. Because they wouldn't.

— Andy Glockner (@AndyGlockner) April 3, 2015

One thing to add to what I said on @Toucherandrich: NFL players take one test for rec drugs each spring. Pass, and they're good for a year.

— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) April 3, 2015

Regarding #sfgiants extensions, Sabean to get new title, not exactly prez of baseball ops but something similar. Evans elevated as well.

— John Shea (@JohnSheaHey) April 3, 2015

How many @MLB mascots can you fit in @GMA's super-sized elevator? There's just too many! #GMAMascotMadness pic.twitter.com/T43v3XjmpD

— Good Morning America (@GMA) April 3, 2015

The A's will show their new scoreboards and ribbon boards during a media event at O.co Coliseum.

Sunday

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred will appear on NBC’s “Meet the Press” at 9:00am ET in a pre-recorded interview from Yankee Stadium. It will mark his first network broadcast appearance since becoming the top baseball official.

Last night’s “Final Jeopardy!” category was “National Historic Landmarks.”

“Fifty years after San Francisco’s cable cars became a national historic landmark, this city’s street railway got the designation in 2014.”

Last night’s edition of “Jeopardy!” featured the category “Team AKAs.”

For $200: “Da ‘Monsters of the Midway’ were dis NFL team.”

For $400: “It was ‘America’s Team’ in the 1970’s NFL.”

For $600: “’Les Habitants,’ appropriate for this team that skates through life.”

For $800: “In 1950 this youthful MLB team was ‘The Whiz Kids’; In 1983, the not-so-youthful ‘Wheeze Kids.’”

For $1000: “Blake Griffin helped turn this NBA team into ‘Lob City.’”

ESPN’s Jalen Rose appeared on ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live” last night, noting he did not “fill out a bracket” for the NCAA Tournament “for two reasons: One, I didn’t feel like betting and making money off collegiate athletes this year and two, my team, the University of Michigan Wolverines, we didn’t make the tournament. I boycott it.” ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel said, “That’s very noble of you.” Rose talked about having an “entourage” as a rookie playing for the Nuggets and employing his friends, saying, “They were my boys. When you first get that money you’re like, ‘This is going to last forever.’ You forget that you’re rich, not wealthy. But you learn quickly.” Rose said of having to broadcast on holidays and be away from his family, “When you're in sports and entertainment, you want to be working on the holidays because that's when everybody's at home watching because they're not at work. Those big-time days, those Christmas Day hits, I've got to be cleaner than the Board of Health. I need to be on” (“Jimmy Kimmel Live,” ABC, 4/2).

First Lady Michelle Obama appeared on last night’s edition of NBC’s “The Tonight Show” and discussed her many healthy living initiatives, including one of her newest ones, “FNV.” Obama said, “It’s making fruits and vegetables fun. Fast food folks, candy, they market to kids. Now vegetables and fruits are marketing. We’ve got some really cool celebrities who’ve signed on to the campaign.” NBC’s Jimmy Fallon noted Panthers QB Cam Newton, wrestler John Cena and Warriors G Stephen Curry were among the personalities participating (“The Tonight Show,” NBC, 4/2).

ABC’s Kimmel said, “The NCAA Tournament resumes on Saturday at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. We’re down to the Final Four: Harry, Liam, Niall and Louie – wait – Kentucky, Wisconsin, Duke and Michigan State. Here’s how the Final Four is going to work this year. The first half of the first game will be on CBS. The second half will be on TBS. TNT will broadcast the first three quarters of the second game. The fourth quarter of the second game will be on TruTV. The whole final game will be on CBS. It’s easy to follow. It sounds complicated” (“Jimmy Kimmel Live,” ABC, 4/2).

CBS’ David Letterman said, “Monday is Opening Day at Yankee Stadium! Baseball is back in the Big Apple! … You know who is throwing out the first pitch? That cop who yelled at the Uber driver. … The Yankees are in good shape. Alex Rodriguez came to bunt and bunted over the right field fence. I think he may be back on the juice. Well, I hope you know for the past two years, the Yankees have not made it to the postseason. I hope they do it this year, but the good sign early on is that they did make it to the preseason. … Basketball this weekend, March Madness, the Final Four. Right here on CBS, you have Michigan State, you’ve got Wisconsin, you’ve got Kentucky and you have Duke. They will all play to determine which city gets to celebrate with a riot” (“Late Show,” CBS, 4/2).

Last night’s Top Ten list was “Top Ten Things Overheard During The Pope’s Physical.” Letterman noted the Pope recently “had to have a yearly physical” (“Late Show,” CBS, 4/2).

10) "Speaking of mass, looks like you've added some."
9) "No, sorry father, you don't need medical marijuana."
8) "Say Aaaaaaah-men."
7) "I don't care what Jenny McCarthy says, you need to be vaccinated."
6) "No need to bless the urine sample."
5) "Cut back on the incense."
4) "Have you tried Pontius Pilates?"
3) "You can't bring the scepter inside the MRI machine."
2) "Turn your hat and cough."
1) "I know you don't use it, but I still have to look at it."

“What is New Orleans?”

Correct responses to the “Team AKAs” category:

For $200: “Who are the Bears?”

For $400: “Who are the Cowboys?”

For $600: “Who are the Canadiens?”

For $800: “Who are the Phillies?”

For $1000: “Who are the Clippers?”