U.S. Bank will be the naming-rights partner for the Vikings' new $1.1B stadium scheduled to open in July '16. Sources said the entitlement deal was completed in March but will be officially announced June 22. The sources added that the deal for what will soon be called U.S. Bank Stadium is for 20 years and $220M – an average of $8.8M per year – around the same total amount as the reported figure Levi's paid to entitle the 49ers' year-old stadium. The deal ends a two-year courtship by the Vikings of Minneapolis-based U.S. Bank, which is the fifth-largest bank in the nation.

This is the first stadium entitlement for U.S. Bank, although it holds consumer banking rights and provides ATMs at Levi's Stadium. U.S. Bank also holds naming rights for the 17,500-seat arena in downtown Cincinnati, as well as dozens of pro and college team sponsorships. The new Vikings stadium will become the fourth NFL facility to have a bank as its long-term nameplate.

The NFL hired Jordan Levin from Microsoft to be the league’s new Chief Content Officer, a move that NFL Exec VP/Media and NFL Network CEO Brian Rolapp outlined in an e-mail sent to league employees Monday morning. “As you all know, the media landscape continues to undergo enormous change and our fans are consuming more NFL content in more places than ever before,” Rolapp wrote. In his new role, Levin will oversee "external content partnerships with numerous television networks, digital distributors, film and TV development studios and other media partners," Rolapp says in the memo. Levin, who starts today and will be based in Culver City, Calif., has a background in entertainment television.

The KPMG Women's PGA Championship wrapped up yesterday at Westchester Country Club, and "conservative estimates" placed attendance between 12,000-15,000. That is "not an eye-popping total for a major," but there is "no question this championship outdistanced the Constellation Energy Senior Players Championship" in '11. Normally, the "largest crowds are on hand Friday and Saturday, but there were more than enough people on hand for the final round on Sunday to fill in the wide shots that were part of NBC's telecast" (Westchester JOURNAL NEWS, 6/15).

Meanwhile, the PGA Tour FedEx St. Jude Classic drew record crowds, as the rain delays that plagued the '14 event "were replaced by clear skies and sunshine" this year. Tournament Dir Phil Cannon said that advance sales on the event website were "up double digits," and he cited "increased hospitality on holes No. 17 and 18 as evidence of a financially successful tournament." Fabian Gomez won the tourney for his "first PGA Tour title," but Phil Mickelson was "credited with creating a buzz" (Memphis COMMERCIAL APPEAL, 6/15).

The USGA today is rolling out its “A Lot To Love” TV advertising campaign with four new spots that will run during the U.S. Open tournament broadcast on Fox and outside coverage on Fox outlets including FS1, FS2, FX, FXX, Fox Business, MundoFOX and National Geographic. The new 30- and 60-second spots will continue airing throughout the summer. This marks the first time the USGA will run TV spots outside of its championship broadcasts as part of a new 12-year media deal with Fox. DDB produced the spots.

The crowd for Sunday’s Honda Indy Toronto at Exhibition Place “turned out to be a surprise, far larger than anyone had expected.” Kevin Savoree, promoter of the Verizon IndyCar Series event, was “thrilled by the excitement of the race and the stout crowd that filled most of the seats and lined the fences in the general admission areas” (TORONTO STAR, 6/15). There were not “many open bleachers despite wet conditions.” The race was the fourth IndyCar event this season with rain, but “fans were rewarded with … one of the best Toronto street races in years” (INDYSTAR.com, 6/14).

Patriots Owner Robert Kraft yesterday hosted a ceremony for the team to award Super Bowl XLIX rings, and "more than 70 players and coaches received Super Bowl rings for the first time." The team said that "this year’s rings are the largest ever made, with 205 diamonds." The rings are 4.85 carats, according to manufacturer Jostens (BOSTON GLOBE, 6/15).

A 360 look at the Patriots' Super Bowl XLIX rings, crafted by @Jostens. #OnToTheRings https://t.co/NZGQgx3svs

— New England Patriots (@Patriots) June 15, 2015

Collegiate Licensing Company today will announce a deal with Michigan State to serve as the school's trademark licensing representative. MSU previously had managed its licensing program in-house (THE DAILY).

Meanwhile, sources said that New Mexico State and Learfield Sports "have agreed in principal to a multiple year multimedia rights deal." NMSU, which has handled its rights in-house in recent years, "put its multimedia rights out to bid in April" (LAS CRUCES SUN-NEWS, 6/14).

The USOC today will announce it has joined a group of 31 NCAA sports conferences called the Coalition to Protect and Improve the Student-Athlete Experience. The conferences founded the group in January to trumpet the benefits already received by athletes at a time when cost-of-attendance stipends and other factors are pressuring athletic department budgets.

USOC CEO Scott Blackmun said low-revenue-producing Olympic sports are particularly at risk any time expenses rise, jeopardizing the training grounds for Olympians in gymnastics, swimming, track and field and many other sports. Blackmun tomorrow will address the Collegiate Commissioners Association to discuss potential joint actions. On June 30, USOC execs will present a strategy for dealing with the issue to its BOD.

PEN New England today will induct the inaugural class of its Sports Writers HOF at Fenway Park, where the "Red Sox will host a permanent Hall of Fame exhibit." The class consists of the late W.C. Heinz, Ring Lardner, Grantland Rice and Red Smith. PEN has acquired "first editions, original clippings, and other materials, in some cases from the surviving family members" of the four inductees. The items on display "will become part" of daily Fenway Park tours (BOSTON GLOBE, 6/14).

Today represents a soft deadline for Yankees 3B Alex Rodriguez to appeal “the Yankees’ choice to not activate the $6 million marketing agreement for tying” Baseball HOFer Willie Mays’ on the career home-run list (N.Y. POST, 6/14).

A United Airlines flight last night “carrying the Dodgers made an emergency landing” in L.A. “because of a mechanical issue” (LATIMES.com, 6/14).

Deloitte today announced that it is an official sponsor of USA Rugby. The financial consulting firm has been a USOC sponsor since ’09 (Deloitte).

A capacity crowd of 6,125 yesterday attended the Allen Americans-South Carolina Stingrays ECHL Kelly Cup Game 7 at Allen Event Center. The Americans beat the Stingrays 6-1 to win the Kelly Cup (ECHL).

Microsoft runs a full-page ad in the N.Y. Times touting its partnership with Real Madrid: “This Cloud Opens One Stadium To 450 Million Fans” (THE DAILY).

“It’s a fair deal. If there’s things they want to talk about, of course we’ll talk about them. But I’m not overly concerned. I think we’ve got a great thing going right now. I think both sides recognize that” – NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, on either the league or the NBPA being able to opt out of the current CBA in ’17 (ESPN.com, 6/14).

“Isn’t it amazing what we want after we’ve gotten what we wanted?” – Pirates manager Clint Hurdle, who plans to give MLB Exec VP/Baseball Operations Joe Torre a list of observations about instant replay (PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW, 6/15).

“There’s nothing wrong. Vote! The votes are votes. If you don’t like it, go out there and vote. Our fans have gotten out and voted” – Royals manager Ned Yost, on seven of his players leading MLB All-Star voting at their positions (USA TODAY, 6/15).

“Hockey and fishing trips. This scandal could not be any more Canadian if public money was used to get Drake to drink maple syrup on Niagara Falls” – HBO's John Oliver, on the country’s Senate “reeling from a political scandal” after it was reported lawmakers used public money to fund fishing trips and purchase hockey tickets (“Last Week Tonight With John Oliver,” HBO, 6/14).

The TAMPA BAY TIMES goes heavy on Lightning coverage, with a look at the club's origins: "Twists, Turns and Colorful Characters Brought Lightning Hockey To Tampa Bay." Also, a look at the intense hockey-watching atmosphere in Owner Jeff Vinik's suite. Columnist Sue Carlton writes, "Tampa, not a hockey town? Ha."

FLORIDA TIMES-UNION on caddies' lawsuit against the PGA Tour: "The growth of golf in the Tiger Woods Era has also spawned a new breed of caddie, more educated and making more money, but unwilling to swallow certain indignities and stereotypes."

Also:

• Fantasy site DraftKings boosts it staff, expands into sports news.
• Deal for DC United stadium sparks interest in Redskins venue.
• April Hendrichs building next wave of U.S. women's soccer talent.
• Omaha residents turn to Airbnb to accommodate CWS visitors.

The ripple-effect from unyielding intensity of #NBAFinals may impact game for years. It's must-watch, when must-watch hardly exists anymore

— Marty Smith (@MartySmithESPN) June 15, 2015

Close advisor to Sepp Blatter has told @SkyNews he could remain as #FIFA president if "convincing candidate" to replace him does not emerge

— Sky News Newsdesk (@SkyNewsBreak) June 15, 2015

MLB the Show has the old Marlins stadium but not Old Tiger Stadium as an option? Travesty.

— CJ Nitkowski (@CJNitkowski) June 15, 2015

StubHub listing standing room tickets for tomorrow's Blackhawks game at $1,000 each! Highest price ticket is at $23,000!

— Ben Bradley (@BenBradleyABC7) June 14, 2015

Friday’s “Final Jeopardy!” category was “Ships In The News.”

“In 2012 Nature magazine ran an obituary for this ship, which ‘died after a long struggle with bad publicity.’”

NBC’s Jimmy Fallon said, “The big story was an embarrassing moment for LeBron. Before the game, LeBron accidentally flashed his privates to the TV audience as he adjusted his shorts. His teammates were like, ‘That’s not what we meant when we told you to share the ball more.’” Fallon also mentioned James in his “Thank You Notes” segment: “Thank you, LeBron James, for accidentally exposing your penis during last night’s Cavs-Warriors game and giving new meaning to the term ‘flopping’” (“The Tonight Show,” NBC, 6/12).

ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel said the Cavaliers-Warriors NBA Finals “has been the highest-rated series ever for ABC. They're saying the NBA might even get picked up for another season if it keeps going this way. … These guys fly from Cleveland to Oakland, Oakland to Cleveland, back to Oakland, back to Cleveland and then maybe back to Oakland again. If they weren't NBA players, it would be the most depressing Southwest Airlines commute ever. … Did you catch that fleeting moment in Game 4 when LeBron James accidentally flashed the whole world? It happened just before tipoff, LeBron was adjusting his shorts. … I didn't notice it, but a group of hawkeyed perverts did notice it. According to the Internet, something poked its little head out of LeBron’s underwear and saw its shadow so now there’s going to be six more weeks of basketball” (“Jimmy Kimmel Live Game Night,” ABC, 6/14).

Last night’s edition of ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live Game Night” featured staffer Guillermo Rodriguez getting a sports drink “endorsement,” with a commercial debuting on the show. Kimmel said “every major athlete seems to have a deal with a sports drink” and there may be “more sports drinks now than there are sports” (“Jimmy Kimmel Live Game Night,” ABC, 6/14).

“What is the Exxon Valdez?”