FIFA Women's World Cup champions Team USA today will travel to L.A. for their "first public appearance" as a group since winning the title on Sunday. The squad is "headlining a fan rally" scheduled for 11:00am PT at L.A. Live (LATIMES.com, 7/6).

Meanwhile, Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer called on N.Y. Mayor Bill de Blasio to "honor the women with a ticker-tape parade &ndash and City Hall agreed to consider." The Canyon of Heroes "has hosted many a ticker-tape parade," but "none honored a women's team" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 7/7). U.S. Soccer Federation Digital Media Coordinator Logan Buckley confirmed conversations about the parade but said it is an "ongoing process." There have been 205 such parades in the city since 1886, but "just five since 1999" (N.Y. POST, 7/7). N.Y. DAILY NEWS' Mike Lupica: "If there is going to be a parade for a team like this, it ought to be in New York."

The 19-day CONCACAF Gold Cup tournament kicks off today with an opening doubleheader at Toyota Stadium featuring Honduras-U.S. and Panama-Haiti. More than 300,000 tickets have been bought for the tournament, and the "opening doubleheader near Dallas is sold out" (L.A. TIMES, 7/7). The U.S. last faced Honduras in North Texas in a '13 Gold Cup semifinal at AT&T Stadium, a contrast to tonight's match in a "more intimate, 21,000-seat stadium" (FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 7/7).

The Nike swoosh "will return to Michigan uniforms" beginning in '16 after the school and the apparel company agreed to a deal through '27, "with an option to extend" to '31. The school said that "financial details will not be available until the week of July 13." All 31 Michigan sports programs will be outfitted with Nike, and the men's and women's basketball teams "will use the Jordan Brand 'Jumpman' apparel and shoes." Michigan's current deal with adidas is worth $8.2M annually (DETROIT NEWS, 7/7).

Meanwhile, Providence College announced that its athletic department has signed a long-term apparel/footwear partnership with Nike, which becomes the official outfitter of the Friars (Providence College).

The PGA Tour and Deere & Co. today are expected to announce a title sponsorship extension for the John Deere Classic in Illinois. Tournament officials "declined to comment on the details," but a news release said that a press conference will "outline the future of professional golf in the Quad-Cities." There have been "ongoing talks" about extending the current contract, which runs through '16. John Deere has sponsored the event since '98 (QCTIMES.com, 7/6).

The city of Charlotte welcomed the CFP committee yesterday afternoon "as part of a bid to host the national championship game" in '19 or '20. The Charlotte Sports Foundation in May "submitted a formal bid" to host the game. Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority spokesperson Laura White "confirmed the site visit includes tours" of Bank of America Stadium, the convention center, hotels and Time Warner Cable Arena (BIZJOURNALS.com, 7/6).

Fox Sports Digital hired Mark Pesavento from USA Today Sports Media Group to be Senior VP/Content. Pesavento, who helped launch USA Today’s “For the Win” site, will oversee all editorial and video content development for the company, as well as manage Fox Sports’ social media relationships with Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. He will report to Exec VP/Digital Pete Vlastelica and relocate to L.A. Pesavento has a career that includes stints at Sporting News, LATimes.com and Yahoo Sports.

ESPN today is celebrating the 25th anniversary of "Outside The Lines" with a one-hour special set to air at 7:00pm ET. Bob Ley will serve as host, "as he has since the show's May 7, 1990, debut." The special "will consist of interviews with OTL correspondents, a look back at some of the show's most memorable moments, fresh features and a commentary by Ley reflecting on his time as ESPN's preeminent on-air journalist" (ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, 7/7).

Bexar County (Texas) Commissioners today will be asked to “consider signing off on an interlocal agreement” in which the city of San Antonio would “seek a professional services contract” with HVS Convention, Sports & Entertainment Facilities Consulting to conduct an appraisal of Toyota Field, home to the NASL Scorpions (BIZJOURNALS.com, 7/6).

SAP today announced a multiyear marketing and technology partnership to become the official cloud software provider of City Football Group’s four int’l soccer teams, which include EPL club Manchester City and NYC FC (SAP).

Fewer than 800,000 of the 1.4 million tickets available have been sold for the Pan Am Games, which kick off on Friday in Toronto (TORONTO SUN, 7/7).

The NBA Summer League last night returned to Salt Lake City “after a six-year absence, and 10,125 fans responded by overflowing” EnergySolutions Arena’s lower bowl. The opening night consisted of a Jazz-Celtics and Spurs-76ers doubleheader (SALT LAKE TRIBUNE, 7/7).

The All England Club "took a moment to remember the victims" of the '05 London bombings before play began at Wimbledon today, the 10th anniversary of the 7/7 attacks (TENNIS.com, 7/7).

“We are running 200 mph and pushing each other around out there and it’s just bound to happen. No matter how safe we can make the sport, when you are going that amount of speed, things happen” – NASCAR driver Austin Dillon, on his car getting airborne during a wreck at Daytona Int’l Speedway (Daytona Beach NEWS-JOURNAL, 7/7).

“People have asked me what race weekend is like. I say I don’t exhale until the checkered flag, and this case, a lap after the checkered flag is waved. Safety is all of our number one concern” – Kentucky Speedway GM Mark Simendinger, referring to Austin Dillon’s crash (DAYTON DAILY NEWS, 7/7).

“Sometimes you wish the net was bigger and covered the people that don't have a chance to react. I wouldn't sit that close” – Braves SS Andrelton Simmons, on a fan sitting behind the dugout at last night’s Braves-Brewers game being injured by a line drive (AP, 7/7).

“We spent a lot of time debating his name. We felt we were covered in the DH” – Royals manager Ned Yost, who is managing the AL team in the MLB All-Star Game, on his decision not to select Yankees DH Alex Rodriguez (CBSLOCAL.com, 7/7).

ADWEEK.com on EPL club Manchester United: "International matchups are just one tactic from the Man U marketing playbook. Through its storied history, the franchise has tried out numerous promotional techniques, offering lucrative lessons for others." Also in ADWEEK, a look at "5 Tools You Need To Update Your Sports Marketing Playbook."

The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER notes, "In hockey-mad Canada, TV audiences for NHL games are tumbling, thanks in part to cord-cutting and digital media. It turns out the country's national game is hardly immune to a generational shift in overall TV viewing habits."

Also:

• An inside look at the messy saga of ESPN's "Black Grantland."
• Cost-of-attendance becoming the new normal in college sports.
• A breakdown of all potential Big 12 expansion candidates.
• Team USA's WWC success briefly overshadows FIFA scandal.
• How LeBron James subtly manipulates contract terms, team rosters.
• Vikings tap many sources, public and private, to fund new stadium.

With Nike locking up Michigan, one wonders what kind of ripple effect that deal will have on negotiations with Texas.

— Bryan Fischer (@BryanDFischer) July 6, 2015

I don't encounter it often, but whenever someone says or writes "the MLB" I am stricken with rue.

— Dayn Perry (@daynperry) July 7, 2015

Vin Scully talking about how he didn't understand why Sandberg resigned until he watched the Phillies play. Best.

— Molly Knight (@molly_knight) July 7, 2015

If the Bucks move to Seattle, we should rename the team "Starbucks". Unfollow me now.

— Michael Barr (@michaelcbarr) July 7, 2015

Both ESPN’s 1:00am ET edition of “SportsCenter” and FS1’s 1:00am edition of “Fox Sports Live” lead with coverage of MLB highlights. “Fox Sports Live” followed with discussion of the MLB All-Star rosters while “SportsCenter” moved on to highlights of 76ers C Jahlil Okafor’s Summer League debut.

ESPN’s Keith Olbermann called out his “world’s worst” persons in sports: Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun for misleading readers about Phil Kessel’s hot dog habits. Olbermann also blasted Dodgers manager Don Mattingly for causing “pointless, endless replay delays” with challenges and a Michigan toddler named Collins for being disruptive during the Women's World Cup final ("Olbermann,” ESPN2, 7/6).

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

 “‘Gladiator’ is close, but this film has the earliest historical setting of any Best Picture Oscar winner.”

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

For $200: “We bet Hitler didn’t know this winner of four gold medals in Berlin was ‘The Buckeye Bullet.’”

For $400: “In 2014, this Dodger became the first pitcher since 1968 to be MVP of the National League.”

For $600: “In a sport where 1-0 finals are not rare, this man scored his 1,000th goal in Rio in 1969.”

For $800: A video clue showed a map of the Caribbean Sea with a highlighted route from Key West to Havana, Cuba. The clue read, “Here is the 52-hour, 54-minute swim journey of nearly 111 miles, taken by this 64-year-old woman in September, 2013.”

For $1000: “In 2014, Odell Beckham Jr. of this NFC team wowed football fans with his spectacular catches.”

“What is Ben-Hur?”

Correct responses to the “Superathletes” category:

For $200: “Who was Jesse Owens?”

For $400: “Who is Clayton Kershaw?”

For $600: “Who is Pelé?”

For $800: “Who is Diana Nyad?”

For $1000: “Who are the New York Giants?”