Golf’s major governing bodies will hold a press conference today at 11:00am ET at The Players to emphasize their collaboration to “grow and protect” the game. PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem, USGA Exec Dir Mike Davis, World Golf Foundation CEO Steve Mona, PGA of America CEO Pete Bevacqua and LPGA Commissioner Michael Whan are expected to attend. Augusta National Chair Billy Payne will not be in attendance but is lending his support with a statement in favor of the effort.

The organizations have collaborated on a 60-second spot promoting their respective initiatives to grow the game. Debuting tomorrow during coverage of the tournament, the ad features footage from The First Tee; Drive, Chip and Putt; Get Golf Ready; PGA Junior League; and LPGA-USGA Girls Golf initiatives.

The AVP "will hold a tournament in Manhattan for the first time," with the AVP New York City Open to be held July 16-19 at Pier 26/25 in Hudson River Park along the Lower West Side. The volleyball circuit "has come to Brooklyn before, but this is the first foray into Manhattan." Players expected to take part include Kerri Walsh Jennings, Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers (AP, 5/5).

Sources said that the Horizon League this week is expected to sign a deal to "bring the conference basketball tournament to Joe Louis Arena." The "intent is for the men's tournament to begin immediately" in the '15-16 season. The news first appeared on the blog Pantheru.com, which reported that "terms are likely to be a five-year deal, spanning the current final two years in Joe Louis Arena and then the first three in the new Red Wings arena." The conference "would likely receive $200,000 per year." The tourney is now held on campus sites (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 5/6).

Health services company Optum has signed on as the second sponsor of The Players, joining PricewaterhouseCoopers as a “Proud Partner” for the tournament that begins Thursday at TPC Sawgrass. Financial terms of the multiyear deal were not disclosed. The sponsorship was quietly rolled out beginning with yesterday’s practice round, with no announcement from the company or the PGA Tour. The deal includes hospitality, on-course signage and a media buy that will run throughout the tournament.

Electronic Arts' Q4 earnings "blew past Wall Street's forecast as digital sales continued to carve out a bigger position on its balance sheet." Mobile revenue, "largely purchases made inside of apps," rose 22% to $150M amid a "record year" of $524M for mobile revenue. EA in FY '16 "expects strong performances from its trusted stable of sports games like 'Madden.'" But the Q1 outlook "fell short" of expectations. EA CFO Blake Jorgensen attributed this "in part to a thinner slate of games" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 5/6).

The PBR this morning will announce the providers for its PPV broadcast for the May 30 BlueDEF Velocity Tour event in Decatur, Texas. The Built Ford Tough Ring of Honor: Unfinished Business, which highlights current and past bull riding champions, will be available for $29.95 on DirecTV, Dish Network, Comcast and Time Warner Cable. Fans also can order the event for the same price on the Flipps mobile app, available for iOS and Android. PBR offered its first PPV broadcast in '11.

The CFP and Arizona Organizing Committee announced plans for a series of fan events to be held in downtown Phoenix in the run-up to the '16 CFP championship game on Jan. 11, 2016. These will include Playoff Fan Central, a multi-day fan festival at Phoenix Convention Center; AT&T Playoff Playlist Live, a free outdoor concert series; the Taste of the Championship culinary event; and the CFP Extra Yard for Teachers Summit, the CFP Foundation's effort to celebrate teachers in the local community (CFP).

Warriors G and NBA MVP Stephen Curry will appear on the front of a limited-edition Wheaties box in June (Wheaties).

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred is slated to visit Minute Maid Park and “talk with the Astros and Rangers on Wednesday afternoon as part of an introductory tour” around the league (CHRON.com, 5/5).

CBS Sports yesterday launched an "on-demand" streaming channel on Apple TV (ENGADGET.com, 5/5).

“I was not going to wear a wig. … I’m fortunate that I have a fight. Stuart (Scott) would love this fight right now. Bryan Burwell would love this fight. Craig Sager is in the fight” – ESPN’s Shelley Smith, on her battle with breast cancer ("We Need To Talk,” CBSSN, 5/5).

“We certainly are very actively looking at opportunities to use our capital assets” – Penn State AD Sandy Barbour, on possibly using Beaver Stadium to host an outdoor hockey game (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 5/6).

“We won five games this month, in April, we won nine games in September, and that’s not what we’re trying to do in Milwaukee in baseball” – Brewers Owner Mark Attanasio, on being in support of GM Doug Melvin’s decision to fire manager Ron Roenicke (MILWAUKEE JOURNAL-SENTINEL, 5/5).

“This has been a piece of cake. Nobody bothers me. I have my own set I go to from another entrance, I never see (the other broadcasters). I do the show and everything’s been good” – Broadcaster Don Cherry, on Rogers Media taking over “Hockey Night in Canada” from CBC last year (GLOBE & MAIL, 5/6).

“I don’t love the phrase ‘over the top.’ I think it is a ‘combined experience’ world” – Comcast Chair & CEO Brian Roberts, on the cable industry facing pressure to unbundle channel offerings given the competition from OTT video services (VARIETY.com, 5/5).

Last night’s 11:00pm ET edition of ESPN’s “SportsCenter” led with Rangers-Astros, followed by Dodgers-Brewers, Wizards-Hawks, Grizzlies-Warriors and Blackhawks-Wild. Last night’s 11:00pm ET edition of FS1’s “Fox Sports Live” led with Wizards-Hawks, followed by Grizzlies-Warriors, Blackhawks-Wild, Ducks-Flames and Tiger Woods discussing his break-up with Lindsey Vonn.

ESPN’s Jeremy Schaap filled in for ESPN’s Keith Olbermann and did not air a "world’s worst persons in sports" segment.

Under the header, "James Dolan's Favorite Mistake," SPORTSONEARTH.com describes Isiah Thomas becoming Liberty President & co-Owner as a "hiring decision that defies all sense of good taste and feels more like bad satire."

ESPNW.com explains how established stars "deciding to not play in the WNBA is a concern for the league, but not a crisis," under the header "WNBA In Good Hands As Young Talent Takes Reins."

Also:

• Territorial TV blackout rules create issues for MLB fans in Iowa.
• Will Lou Lamoriello go down as best N.Y.-area GM of all time?
• Fire meets football: the story behind one of sports' strangest photos.
• A guide to the dominant storylines of this college football offseason.
• In dispute over bonus, Yankees manage to make A-Rod sympathetic.

Congrats to @TurnerSportsEJ and thanks for your extraordinary gesture. EJ is great at what he does..and we are better for who he is.

— MikeTirico (@miketirico) May 6, 2015

If you know a better person than Ernie Johnson ...

— Tim Reynolds (@ByTimReynolds) May 6, 2015

I barely watch any studio shows, yet Inside the NBA comprises the majority of my basketball-related viewing.

— Jesse Spector (@jessespector) May 6, 2015

A heartfelt thank you to my business partners Mark & Kim Walter for introducing me to @OneGoalGraduate and I am excited to join the Board!

— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) May 6, 2015

Did NFL's change in evaluation policy for early declarations work? Looks like it might have. http://t.co/wEAGkmImcX pic.twitter.com/I6PNGYpl7k

— NCAA Research (@NCAAResearch) May 6, 2015

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

“Interestingly, at the start of this novel, Prince Oblonsky, the title character’s brother, has been unfaithful.”

Baseball HOFer Pedro Martinez appeared on NBC’s “Late Night With Seth Meyers” last night to promote his new memoir, “Pedro.” Martinez said in the book that 90% of the time he hit a batter it was on purpose and added, “Early in my career, I did not know what I was doing and that's when I got penalized for it. After I got to know how to do it and I was discreet about it ... people didn’t penalize me as much.” After hitting two consecutive Yankees batters in ’03 and forcing both to leave the game, Martinez said, “At least I saved them some money in the ambulance ride, they took two for the price of one” (“Late Night With Seth Meyers,” NBC, 5/6).

NBC’s Jimmy Fallon: “Everybody's celebrating Cinco de Mayo. In fact, earlier I saw Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao pretending to hit a piñata. More like hugging it” (“The Tonight Show,” NBC, 5/5).

ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel: “You know how Major League Baseball are always trying to come up with ways to make the game more exciting. This fan tried to help them and they arrested him for it.” The broadcast then aired a video clip of a fan on the field during a Cubs-Cardinals game in which he somersaulted onto home plate prior to being tackled by security. Kimmel: “Fun's over. Let's get back to three-and-a-half hours of foul balls and bunting” (“Jimmy Kimmel Live,” ABC, 5/5).

Last night’s Top Ten list was “Top Ten Signs You’re At A Bad Cinco de Mayo Party.” CBS’ David Letterman said because “it's Cinco de Mayo, all the numbers will be cinco.” Letterman: “A lot of people think it's Mexican Independence Day. It’s not. No, it’s the battle of Pueblo over the French, the rotten, stinky, lousy French” (“Late Show,” CBS, 5/1).

5) “Ted Cruz Shows up, threatens to deport you.”
5) “Mariachi band only knows ‘Taps.’”
5) “It’s actually a Kinko’s de Mayo Party.”
5) “Rental burro has a terrible disposition.”
5) “A guy from Sag Harbor shows up looking for horn players.”
5) “At this party, piñata hits you!”
5) “Only beverage option: Taco-tinis.”
5) “Party host won’t stop saying, ‘guac.’”
5) “It’s harder to leave than Scientology.”
5) “Fewer than cinco guests.”

“What is ‘Anna Karenina?’”