ESPN/ABC announced plans to launch “Saturday Night NBA on ABC” on Jan. 23 at 8:30pm ET. The series features an exclusive eight-game schedule that will be announced in the coming weeks. "NBA Countdown" will proceed the games at 8:00pm. With the new series, ABC and ESPN will now combine to televise NBA games four days a week -- Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday (ESPN/ABC).

Sprint CEO Marcelo Claure today is schedule to “have a video conference with Miami Mayor Tomas Regalado and the mayor’s staff” to discuss building a soccer stadium for an expansion MLS franchise. Claure’s business partner David Beckham will not be at the meeting and there is “no indication” that talks will involve the Univ. of Miami or a joint stadium with the school (MIAMI HERALD, 7/17).

The Univ. of Illinois has reached a tentative agreement with Sodexo to “provide hundreds of meals each for athletes and fans in premium seats at Memorial Stadium and State Farm Center.” The five-year, $10M contract, which still must be approved by Illinois trustees, “includes an option for a five-year renewal” for nearly $11.3M. Per the deal, the school also negotiated a contract with Sodexo to “provide concessions at all athletic facilities, which was formerly handled in-house” (NEWS-GAZETTE.com, 7/16).

New Hampshire Motor Speedway this weekend has several activities planned to celebrate the track’s 25th anniversary. Banners honoring “each NASCAR Sprint Cup race at NHMS and its winner will be on display under the main grandstand concourse.” A new 25-foot-wall that “recognizes memorable moments” at the track has been erected in the fan zone. NHMS Exec VP & GM Jerry Gappens: “I think the 25th anniversary is a special occasion and we’re making a big deal about it” (New Hampshire UNION LEADER, 7/17).

Meanwhile, the track earlier this week announced that Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race will be called the 5-hour Energy 301. The energy drink company also serves as the primary sponsor of Michael Waltrip Racing's No. 15 Toyota driven by Clint Bowyer, "who has two Sprint Cup wins at NHMS" (FOXSPORTS.com, 7/15).

Japan is “scrapping controversial plans for an expensive new centerpiece stadium” for the ’20 Tokyo Games. Architect Zaha Hadid’s ultramodern stadium design has “been the subject of fierce debate in Japan, particularly since the cost of the project rose" to US$2.02B (CNN.com, 7/17).

Meanwhile, Rome Mayor Ignazio Marino is “promoting the use of existing venues in the city’s bid” for the ’24 Games. The city is “planning to incorporate many of the facilities that were used” for the ’60 Games.  Marino yesterday took part in a seminar at IOC HQ as “part of the new invitation phase for potential host cities” (AP, 7/16).

MLS players ratified their five-year CBA, which runs through the ’19 season. The MLSPU said that 91% of its members “voted in favor of the deal” (AP, 7/16).

Saint Louis Univ. has reached a multimedia rights partnership with Learfield Sports through ’20. The deal marks the first time in school history that it has outsourced its athletic rights (Learfield Sports).

A crowd of 40,304 yesterday attended the opening day of Del Mar racetrack’s 76th summer meet (L.A. DAILY NEWS, 7/17).

Chevrolet runs a full-page ad in USA Today with Angels CF Mike Trout standing next to the truck given to the All-Star Game MVP: “Congrats To Mike Trout On Winning Back-To-Back Chevys. (And Also That Whole All-Star Game MVP Thing” (THE DAILY).

“There were just certain things we weren’t going to be able to get beyond. … There were certain things that weren’t going to work with the way they were set up. Without getting into opening closets and digging up bones, that’s the best way to keep it” – Former Angels GM Jerry Dipoto, on his decision to resign on July 1 (L.A. TIMES, 7/17).

“We expect a crowd of around 6,000 and we are parking everyone off the island. We’ll be shuttling them to Belle Isle. We want to be good neighbors and leave no negative footprints behind” – Red Bull Global Rallycross COO Chip Pankow, who is holding races in Detroit this weekend (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 7/17).

“It used to be that (reporters) took time to put a story together. … Now it’s just instant reaction. It’s like, who can say it first?” – Bruins President Cam Neely, on journalists' use of social media (BOSTON HERALD, 7/17).

“A lot of folks come to Fenway Park, and maybe it's a day they're eating our delicious hot dogs ... But there are still thousands of people looking for something healthy” – Aramark Senior Exec Chef for Fenway Park Rob Abell, on the Red Sox growing vegetables and herbs in a 5,000-square-foot rooftop garden at the venue (AP, 7/16).

Starting a petition for a 5-second delay on golf broadcasts that'd prevent missed 3-footers from making it to air.

— Ashley Mayo (@AshleyKMayo) July 17, 2015

Related moment: Becky Hammon today chatting w/ Nuggets' Mike Malone, who tells her how his young daughters really want a picture with her.

— Sam Amick (@sam_amick) July 17, 2015

#TampaBay & @Hooters trying to set world record for largest fantasy football draft party ever on Aug 2 @rjstadium: http://t.co/bBQEPVEX7P

— Brett McMurphy (@McMurphyESPN) July 17, 2015

Del Mar Turf Club like the United Terminal at O'Hare when every flight comes in at the same time. Much more to see, tho.

— Nick Canepa (@sdutCanepa) July 17, 2015

Good morning from Montreal. #CFCTour pic.twitter.com/Ic7zEbp1sY

— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) July 17, 2015

Tiger Woods “might have a new rival – and it has nothing to do” with Jordan Spieth or Rory McIlroy. Woods on Tuesday was asked about retirement and said, “I don’t have my AARP card yet, so I’m a ways from that.” Following Woods’ 4-over 76 in the first round of the British Open, the AARP yesterday fired back at Woods on Twitter: “It’s better to be over 50, than it is to be over par” (ESPN.com, 7/16).

The Wynn Las Vegas and Encore will begin hosting the two-day Fantasy Sports Combine, which will include talks by fantasy experts, broadcasters and other sports personalities including Mike Shanahan and Mike Ditka.

Last night’s 11:00pm ET editions of ESPN’s “SportsCenter” and FS1’s “Fox Sports Live” both led with the first round of the British Open. ESPN followed with highlights from the NBA Summer League and MLB news and notes. FS1 followed with NFL news and notes and favorites to win the World Series along with MLB news and notes.

The DULUTH NEWS TRIBUNE writes of the current state of the card memorabilia industry: "What was a bustling billion-dollar industry in the early 1990s has crashed like Jose Canseco's reputation."

The Vancouver PROVINCE looks at the rise of analytics in the NHL and asks the question, “How many useless stats are out there in the NHL these days?”

Also:

• Why it’s time to do away with the NFL’s franchise tag.
• How fraudsters rooked a former NHLer out of his retirement.
• Complexities abound for Boston’s ’24 Olympics bid.
• Similarities between Roger Goodell and the captain of the Titanic.
• Why it’s vital for the SEC to tackle talk of race, Confederate flag.
• The greening of sports in the U.S. and where we're all headed next.
• Will there be any sellers when it comes to the MLB trade deadline?

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

“Alfred Dreyfus was among the thousands who marched through the streets of Paris in his 1902 funeral procession.”

Actor Bill Hader appeared on NBC’s “The Tonight Show” last night to promote his upcoming film, “Trainwreck,” which also stars Cavaliers F LeBron James. Host Jimmy Fallon said to Hader, “You act great against LeBron James. It’s almost like you guys have been buddies for like 25 years. Did you even think you had chemistry with LeBron James?” Hader replied laughing, “No.” Hader said in one scene he plays one-on-one against James and “it was awful and Judd Apatow would be like, ‘Just go up for a layup,’ and then I would get denied, just swatting everything.” Hader: “Then on one take I scored a layup on him and I ruined the take because I scored and I started celebrating." 

Fallon said, “I'm proud to announce that for the second year in a row, I took home the ESPY Award for ‘Most Crying While on the Treadmill,’ second year in a row. That's right, hundreds of athletes traveled to Los Angeles last night to attend this year's ESPY Awards and to say hi to their old flame Kim Kardashian” (“The Tonight Show,” NBC, 7/16).

“Who was Emile Zola?”