AT&T's $48.5B deal to buy DirecTV is "nearing approval by regulators." FCC Chair Tom Wheeler yesterday said that he "has circulated to his fellow FCC commissioners the agency's proposed order approving the acquisition." He said that AT&T and DirecTV "will have to agree to some conditions for the final approval" (USA TODAY, 7/22). The conditions include "requirements that AT&T expand its fiber-optic broadband service" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 7/22). Approval "could come within a matter of days" (L.A. TIMES, 7/22).

The deal "would create the country's largest television distributor with about 26 million subscribers, surpassing Comcast, the current leader" (N.Y. TIMES, 7/22).

The USGA today is slated to announce that it "will be bringing" the U.S. Open to Brookline in Massachusetts "for a fourth time" with the '22 event. The USGA also will announce that L.A. Country Club will host the '23 Open and Pinehurst No. 2 will host in '24. The '22 tourney will mark the "17th USGA national championship held" at Brookline, and the first since the '13 U.S. Amateur. The dates for the '22 U.S. Open are June 16-19 (BOSTON GLOBE, 7/22). 

A crowd of 93,226 attended last night's FC Barcelona-Galaxy Guinness Int'l Champions Cup match at the Rose Bowl, and the attendance was the "largest for a soccer game in the U.S. this year and the largest ever for a game" involving an MLS team. Barcelona was missing five starters, including Neymar and Lionel Messi, "both of whom were excused from a three-game U.S. tour after playing for their national teams in this summer's Copa America." Barca won 2-1 (L.A. TIMES, 7/22).

Most fans said that they "still would have bought tickets had they known Neymar and Messi would not play." But one fan " placed the blame on the event organizers for leading fans on to expect Messi and Neymar by including them in the marketing campaign for the match" (L.A. TIMES, 7/22).

Conference USA's two-day football media days continue, with Commissioner Britton Banowsky slated to speak this afternoon. Banowsky "felt holding the event in Boca Raton would be another step in fortifying the conference's progress in South Florida." After this week, Banowsky and other officials "will start to consider whether the event should return Boca Raton." Meanwhile, FAU AD Pat Chun said of Banowsky stepping down to join the CFP Foundation, "I don't know if anybody saw it coming" (South Florida SUN-SENTINEL, 7/22).

NBA officials today will formally announce plans for the Magic to play the Raptors at The O2 in London in a regular-season game on Jan. 14, 2016. Magic officials "had asked the NBA to play in England because the trip is a good business opportunity." The London game will mark the Magic’s "second overseas trip in the months ahead," as the club will play an Oct. 17 exhibition in Rio de Janeiro against Brazilian team Flamengo. The Magic "have made energetic efforts in recent years to attract foreign tourists to games at Amway Center" (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 7/22).

The Saratoga Springs City Council last night unanimously approved a resolution "calling for greater jurisdictional control over state-owned Saratoga Race Course," claiming that the city's "reputation, economy and identity were at stake." Council members said they were "concerned" the NYRA Reorganization Board, established in '12, "did not discuss with them major changes proposed for the 152-year-old track." The measure requests NYRA "establish regular communication with council members, and that the status of the board be resolved" (TIMESUNION.com, 7/21).

The East Rutherford, N.J., Borough Council last night voted to issue up to $675M in bonds to "help finance the long-stalled" $2.5B American Dream Meadowlands. This is "yet another crucial step in the completion of the massive shopping and entertainment project," first approved by the state as Xanadu in '03 (Bergen RECORD, 7/22).

The USWNT has added a pair of September soccer exhibitions against Australia "to its World Cup victory tour." The friendlies will be Sept. 17 at Ford Field and Sept. 20 at Legion Field in Birmingham (DETROIT NEWS, 7/22).

A title bout between middleweight boxing champion Badou Jack and challenger George Groves "has been postponed." The fight was scheduled for Aug. 22 in Las Vegas, with TV coverage from Showtime (ESPN.com, 7/21).

An announced crowd of 6,147 last night attended the WNBA Mystics-Shock game at BOK Center in Tulsa. The contest was the first for the Shock since the team announced an upcoming move to Dallas (TULSA WORLD, 7/22).

"He has not officially put his name forward yet, but he is a football man, he has the experience and, like any good leader, he has a lot of good people around him because you cannot do it alone" – England FA Vice Chair David Gill, on the potential of UEFA President Michel Platini running for FIFA President to succeed Sepp Blatter (PA, 7/21).

"I would just say this: I would not take DC off the table. Let me leave it at that" – Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe, telling WRVA-AM that the city is still in the running for the Redskins' future stadium plans (WASHINGTON POST, 7/22).

"One year doesn't make a trend. I think the Big 12 is smart to sit back and wait. I think they're smart to be deliberate and thoughtful about this" – CFP Exec Dir Bill Hancock, on the Big 12 opting not to add a football conference championship game (ESPN.com, 7/21).

"There were some American cities interested in the team but we knew Saskatchewan and Saskatoon were an option. To me, that’s where I wanted to be and this organization to be" – NLL Saskatchewan Rush Owner Bruce Urban, on relocating the team from Edmonton (EDMONTON JOURNAL, 7/22).

Last night’s 1:00am ET edition of ESPN’s “SportsCenter” led with Cubs-Reds, followed by Giants-Padres and Mariners-Tigers. The first non-MLB report was Barcelona facing the Galaxy in L.A. about nine minutes into the broadcast. Last night’s 1:00am ET edition of FS1’s “Fox Sports Live” led with Pirates-Royals, followed by Cardinals-White Sox and Mets-Nationals. The first non-MLB report, about 13 minutes into the telecast, was on Clippers C DeAndre Jordan writing in The Players’ Tribune concerning his decision to return to the Clippers after verbally agreeing to a deal with the Mavericks.

USA TODAY on the '16 Rio Games: "Although Brazil's strong economy and political stability was a selling point in hosting the first Olympics in South America, a sharp economic downturn and widespread corruption scandal have shifted attitudes toward hosting big events."

The N.Y. TIMES notes of the British Open, "When did golf become so youthful? Down the stretch of Monday's finale, the usual cast of leading men was nowhere to be seen." GOLFCHANNEL.com on why Jordan Spieth is just the star player the sport needs right now.

Also:

• Is the NBA ready for a woman in the head coaching position?
• Sports owners rely on public funds, despite their millions in the bank.
• Debate on Olympic profits and losses sometimes omits key details.
• Why Yard Goats may not be such a bad team name, after all.

Heard from several team execs questioning "rewarding" Adrian Peterson contractually. Star player leverage even after acts of last year.

— Andrew Brandt (@adbrandt) July 22, 2015

A lot of idiots sent me awful emails about Becky Hammon today. 100X likely did the same on her Twitter. Doesn't matter. She won. She'll win.

— Kelly Dwyer (@KDonhoops) July 22, 2015

DVR'ed the Players Awards on BET and it is unequivocally the greatest 2 hours of my summer. I almost don't want to watch it all at once.

— Bill Simmons (@BillSimmons) July 22, 2015

Mets' owners spend roughly 35 2015 Ben Zobrist commitments on just financing debt against team, network and stadium bond payments annually.

— Howard Megdal (@howardmegdal) July 22, 2015

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver and MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred are among the scheduled speakers at the Beyond Sport United event at Prudential Center. Devils, 76ers and Prudential Center CEO Scott O'Neil provides the opening address.

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

“In 1909, this Oxford student surveyed crusader castles in the Mideast; a few years later, he returned for less peaceful activities.”

USWNT F Alex Morgan appeared on ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live” last night, walking on-stage with the Women's World Cup trophy. Host Jimmy Kimmel noted, “It’s the World Cup. Aren’t you supposed to get a cup? With the Stanley Cup, there’s a cup.” Morgan: “That’s a really good point.” Kimmel added, “Like if you were to try to drink out of this it would be disaster.” Morgan noted she wrote some children’s books and had one for Kimmel’s daughter, but Kimmel said, “I am a real critic of these children’s books now.” Morgan: “So I hear. Oh gosh, I’m nervous for you to read mine.” Kimmel: “I go through the book and then I go, ‘This is terrible. Put this on the crap shelf.’” Morgan said, “I seriously hope that you don’t do that to my books.” Morgan said of being the first female player to appear on the cover of EA’s "FIFA" video game, “It’s an incredible honor to share it with Messi, and there are 12 women’s teams in the game this year and it’s the first time ever that women are featured in 'FIFA.'” Kimmel showed a photo of the large crowd USWNT’s victory parade in N.Y. depicting the large amount of fans present, “Look at how many people showed up. That had to be one of the greatest days ever.” Morgan said, “Hundreds of thousands of fans, and we were just soaking it all in for about an hour. It was incredible.” Kimmel: “They don’t even make ticker-tape anymore.” Morgan said “people just took all of the paper out of the shredder and throwing it at us.” Kimmel added, “People were showering you with expired legal documents” (“Jimmy Kimmel Live,” ABC, 7/21).

“Who was T.E. Lawrence?” 

Lawrence was better known as “Lawrence of Arabia” leading Arab troops against the Ottoman empire in the Middle East during World War I.