USOC Chair Larry Probst said the organization's BOD authorized CEO Scott Blackmun to finalize terms with L.A. on a bid for the '24 Games. Blackmun cautioned that the USOC and L.A. officials will not make any final decisions until the end of the month, and details still must be negotiated. Probst noted sides are enthusiastic and optimistic. Boston 2024’s primary problem – local support – is L.A.’s strength. In a USOC-sponsored poll of L.A. adults from Aug. 1-3, 81% of respondents supported a bid. That is nearly double the support registered for the failed Boston bid in its final weeks. Only 11% were opposed.

For more on the L.A. bid for the '24 Games, see today’s issue of THE DAILY.

The Univ. of Virginia and Nike have "quietly extended" their partnership for 10 years, "more than doubling the cash and apparel the university receives." The new deal is worth a minimum of $35M, or $3.5M annually. UVa's previous deal with Nike, set to expire next year, was valued at $11.8M for eight years, or $1.48M annually. Nike is "continuing to offer Virginia performance bonuses." UVa has "separate and far more modest relationships with Rawlings for baseball and Speedo for men’s and women’s swimming" (Hampton Roads DAILY PRESS, 8/13).

Meanwhile, the Univ. of Arizona and Nike have agreed to an extension through '25, with the company providing "footwear, apparel and equipment for all 20 of Arizona's teams." Financial terms of the deal, which took effect July 1, "were not announced." Arizona "has worn Nike for three decades, a rarity in today's college landscape" (ARIZONA DAILY STAR, 8/13).

Fox Sports signed a deal to have YouTube live-stream the season's first Bundesliga match on Friday, marking the first time Fox Sports will live-stream content to the video site. The pact is described as a one-game-only deal to help build awareness around Fox' agreement to carry the German soccer league for the first time this season. Friday’s Bayern Munich-Hamburg game at 2:30pm ET also will be carried on FS2 and the company’s RSNs. In addition to YouTube, Fox will stream the game on Fox Sports Go, Fox Soccer 2 Go and FoxSports.com.

NBCUniversal has agreed to make a $200M equity investment in Vox Media, whose sites include SB Nation, The Verge and Re/code (NBCU). Vox Media CEO Jim Bankoff said that the two companies "could cross-promote each other’s brands, create new premium advertising products and leverage new digital publishing technologies." He also said that Vox Media talent "could work with NBCUniversal properties" (N.Y. TIMES, 8/13).

Fox Sports has acquired StraightCast Media, a North Carolina-based developer of a mobile platform used by more than 200 NFL players to capture and distribute mobile video. StraightCast Media’s flagship mobile app, Gridiron Grunts, has been used by several TV networks to showcase behind-the-scenes and other exclusive video, and Fox will now seek to leverage the technology across other areas of its rights portfolio, including baseball, soccer and MMA.

The company was founded five years ago by former NFLers Jeb Terry and Ryan Nece, and Terry as part of the deal will join Fox Sports Digital as VP/Program Management. “We’re excited to have Jeb join Fox Sports Digital, and look forward to him leading the efforts to expand this athlete-driven content to more sports,” said Fox Sports Digital Senior VP/Product Development Devin Poolman.

China-based Li Ning in the first half of FY '15 "saw losses narrow and sales rise as it battles to regain its place in the mainland sportswear market." Li Ning today said that net losses shrank to US$4.5M, down from US$91.5M in the year-ago period. Revenue grew 16% to US$560M. The company "has struggled to shake off the image of a producer of cheap sports shoes that are little more than knock-offs of western rivals" (FT.com, 8/13).

Hartford City FC announced that it "will be joining the Major Arena Soccer League and working toward membership" in NASL. Club President Mitch Anderson said that the team "hopes to be playing in a new soccer-only outdoor facility" by '17. Anderson said NASL Commissioner Bill Peterson "has made it known publicly that he feels Hartford is a great venue because of what goes on at Rentschler (Field) with the U.S. team coming in" (HARTFORD COURANT, 8/13).

The PGA of America has “no plans to take two golf tournaments away from courses Donald Trump owns over the next seven years.” The Senior PGA Championship will be held at “one of Trump’s courses near Washington” in ’17, and the PGA Championship will tee it up at Trump’s course in Bedminster, N.J., in ’22 (AP, 8/13).

UFC officials confirmed that the MMA promotion “will return to Amway Center for a show on Dec. 19.” The main card will air on Fox at 8:00pm ET (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 8/13).

The IOC ruled out “conducting viral tests of Rio de Janeiro’s sewage-laden waterways ahead” of the ’16 Games (AP, 8/12).

Univ. of Washington Medicine announced the launch of the Sports Health & Safety Institute, made possible by a foundational donation of $2.5M by the NFL. The institute's mission will be to advance research, education and advocacy for the prevention and treatment of sports-related concussions (UW Medicine).

“I don’t tend to flatter people and make them look beautiful” – Courtroom artist Jane Rosenberg, on her sketch of Patriots QB Tom Brady from yesterday’s proceedings that has been turned into a meme on the Internet (BOSTON GLOBE, 8/13).

“You can’t fabricate anything. There’s cameras here 24 hours a day, so you do your business, and whatever they decide to put on the show, that’s who you are” – Texans DE J.J. Watt, on the team taking part in HBO’s “Hard Knocks” this preseason (CHRON.com, 8/12).

“If I wasn’t given another chance, I wouldn’t be standing here in front of you” – Bills coach Rex Ryan, on claiming LB Ikemefuna Enemkpali off waivers after he has cut by the Jets for punching QB Geno Smith in the face (N.Y. TIMES, 8/13).

“Certainly disappointing that they’re the same week. It’s obvious the decision I would make, but at the same time, it’s a tournament that’s close to my heart and one that I hope to get back to some day” – Jordan Spieth, on the PGA Tour John Deere Classic being contested the same week as the ’16 Rio Games golf competition next year (QCONLINE.com, 8/12).

“I remember the last time the PGA Championship was here. … My feet just went out from underneath me and I took a sheet of Cheeseheads out from behind. Fortunately, they were very good-natured about it” – CBS’ David Feherty, on the rolling hills and sand dunes at Whistling Straits (Appleton POST-CRESCENT, 8/13).

Last night’s 11:00pm ET edition of ESPN’s “SportsCenter” led with Brewers-Cubs, followed by Pirates-Cardinals, A’s-Blue Jays and Yankees-Indians. The first non-MLB report was the Deflategate hearing 17 minutes into the broadcast. Last night’s 11:00pm ET edition of FS1’s “Fox Sports Live” led with Mariners P Hisashi Iwakuma pitching a no-hitter against the Orioles, followed by Yankees-Indians, A’s-Blue Jays and Pirates-Cardinals. The first non-MLB story was the Deflategate hearing nine minutes into the telecast.

The ST. PAUL BUSINESS JOURNAL notes Parker Executive Search, which helped the Univ. of Minnesota hire former AD Norwood Teague, "has a history of facilitating hires that became controversial." 

ESPN.com covers the continuing fallout from the incident last August in which Tony Stewart's sprint car struck and killed Kevin Ward Jr. under the header, "No Easy Answers In Wrongful Death Suit."

Also:

• PGA's meteorologist stays on high alert at Whistling Straits.
• Why the ’15-16 NBA schedule is an improvement on previous iterations.
• Deflategate has raised NFL’s “Silly Season” to an art form.
• How will analytics affect the player-coach dynamic in tennis?
• Q&A with Missouri AD Mack Rhoades after three months on the job.

Alan Milstein, who's litigated against NFL and tried cases before Judge Berman, told me: “Berman will absolutely vacate Brady's suspension.”

— Michael McCann (@McCannSportsLaw) August 13, 2015

As a season ticket holder and fan my personal opinion is this pickup is embarrassing. We can do better https://t.co/sZT41OVlr0

— Mark Poloncarz (@markpoloncarz) August 12, 2015

Still amazed at how many cord-cutting stories ignore what you will lose if you drop pay TV. #advocacyjournalism

— Swanni (@SwanniOnTV) August 13, 2015

You can tell there are NFL preseason games tonight, as newspapers across the land roll out “5 Things To Watch” and features on backup QBs.

— Darin Gantt (@daringantt) August 13, 2015

#PGAChamp staffer @JordanPoepping delivered the #Wanamaker Trophy to the #WhistlingStraits first tee today! pic.twitter.com/QslJWzNvzK

— Lisa Schmitz (@turnleftlisa) August 13, 2015

Former NFLer Damien Woody will speak to 140 children from United Neighborhood Houses at Citi Field in the fourth and final Citi Kids event of the '15 season prior to the Rockies-Mets game.

Cavaliers F LeBron James will hold a news conference at Cedar Point, where his LeBron James Family Foundation is hosting its annual PROMISE Family Reunion. James will make an announcement involving his foundation and the city of Akron.

The Coca-Cola Company today named James Quincey President & COO, effective immediately. He will report directly to Chair & CEO Muhtar Kent. Quincey has been with Coca-Cola for 19 years and since '13 has served as President of Coca-Cola's Europe Group (Coca-Cola).

Last night’s “Final Jeopardy!” category was “21st Century Books.”

“Set in the Great Depression, this 2006 novel has an epigraph from ‘Horton Hatches the Egg.’”

NBC’s Jimmy Fallon said of North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un greeting the country's women's soccer team at the airport upon its return from winning the East Asian Cup, “I think the bigger story here is that a bunch of people got to leave North Korea and actually came back. That was your chance to get out!” (“The Tonight Show,” NBC, 8/12).

“What is ‘Water For Elephants?’”