Atlanta United has signed a multiyear partnership with American Family Insurance that will make it the first official kit sponsor of the incoming '17 MLS expansion club. The insurance company’s logo will appear on the club’s first team jerseys, and it will also sponsor Atlanta United’s first team tryout tour. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, though it will put the club within the top tier of MLS clubs in jersey sponsor revenue, with the league average being between $3-4M in revenue annually. Atlanta United will unveil its jersey later this year.

NBC Sports execs yesterday promised a smooth ride in Rio despite numerous problems plaguing the Olympic host city. "We are ready and Rio is ready," NBC Sports Chair Mark Lazarus said. "This will be the biggest media event in history." NBC will turn a profit on the '16 Games, the second straight Games in the black after losing money in Vancouver ’10 and breaking even on London ’12, Lazarus also said. The network is close to reaching the $1.2B in ad sales mark, Exec VP/Ad Sales Seth Winter said.

During a press event at 30 Rock, Lazarus disclosed that the Opening Ceremony on Aug. 5 will air on a one-hour delay to better allow commentators and producers to explain the pageantry of the show. Almost all of the more than 6,700 hours of sports coverage will air live.

NBA owners will convene later today at the Encore at Wynn Las Vegas for their annual summer meeting. The agenda includes a report on team and league business operations and an update on CBA matters as both the league and the NBPA can opt out of the current CBA in December. Owners will also hear a report on arena projects in Sacramento, S.F. and Milwaukee, and there will be an update on the expanded team marketing territories. The league’s competition committee also will report to the owners. It is likely that owners will discuss the future of next year's All-Star Game in Charlotte as the league considers whether to move the game out of North Carolina due to HB2 legislation.

NYC FC, along with the city, adidas and the U.S. Soccer Foundation, will "build 50 soccer fields in New York City’s five boroughs over the next five years" in a $3M partnership "intended to increase participation in the sport and to promote health and social skills among young people in underserved neighborhoods." N.Y. Mayor Bill de Blasio today will announce the location "of the first eight fields at Millbrook Playground." The 50 fields will be "built on underused or rundown city property, including existing parks and school playgrounds." The four partners will "contribute $750,000 apiece" (N.Y. TIMES, 7/12).

The PGA of America, Lagardere Sports and Turner Sports have partnered on a 12-part weekly documentary series about Ryder Cup captain Davis Love III. The documentary, “The American Captain Presented by Mercedes-Benz” is made up of 12 five-minute episodes that offer behind-the-scenes footage showing Love getting the U.S. team ready for September’s match. The series launches today on Turner Sports’ digital properties, including Bleacher Report and RyderCup.com. It will run through Oct. 4, once the competition ends. The '16 Ryder Cup is scheduled for Sept. 27-Oct. 2 at Hazeltine in Minnesota. Watch a promo spot for the series.

Durham Bulls Athletic Park today will host fans to play Nintendo's Pokémon Go mobile game from 11:00am-1:00pm ET. Fans can purchase tickets for $5, with all proceeds benefiting Second Chance Pet Adoptions. Triple-A Int'l League Durham Bulls GM Mike Birling said, "Over our last homestand we found that the DBAP proved to be a hotspot for Pokémon, with characters popping up in all areas of the stadium." Popular spots for Pokémon in the ballpark have been in shallow center field and the left field corner underneath the Snorting Bull (Bulls).

Booking.com and Fanatics will be new sponsors for tomorrow night’s ‘16 ESPYs presented by Capital One. The brands will be “associate sponsors,” with Booking.com taking over ESPN’s Snapchat Discover and Fanatics creating a “Jersey Wall” that will serve as a red carpet backdrop for interviews and photos. ESPN also signed Cadillac, Gatorade, Grey Goose, Old Spice and Miller Lite as associate sponsors. Capital One returns as the event’s presenting sponsor.

Sherwin-Williams today is "set to make its promised $150,000 gift to the LeBron James Family Foundation" in honor of the company's 150th anniversary and the Cavaliers' NBA title. James' famous banner in downtown Cleveland will be "in the background" at the presentation. The company "was a co-sponsor of the June 22 Cavs celebratory parade in Cleveland." Sherwin-Williams "employs 3,000 people in Northeast Ohio" (CRAINSCLEVELAND.com, 7/11).

TNT's Kenny Smith yesterday afternoon hosted a Facebook Live chat "challenging black NBA players" to give 10% of their salary toward "causes that empower the black community." He said that he "will work with the NBA and major sponsors to garner support" (WUSA9.com, 7/11).

NFL free agent LaMarr Woodley starting today "will host a weekly sports talk show" on Detroit-based WFDF-AM. The two-hour show, "After The Game," will air at noon ET (CRAINSDETROIT.com, 7/11).

Italy-based Technogym has been named the official fitness equipment supplier for the Rio Games (Technogym).

A full-page ad in USA Today promotes the new mobile app for MMA Junkie, part of the USA Today network: "Scroll With The Punches" (THE DAILY).

"I’m a huge believer in Olympic golf. I am a huge believer in playing for your country. … This year, I just had to try and weigh a risk that does not present itself every year" – Golfer Jordan Spieth, citing the Zika virus as why he will not represent the U.S. at the Rio Games (Golf Channel, 7/12).

"You've got more chance of getting malaria in South Africa than you have in getting Zika in Rio" – Golfer Danny Willett, at a press conference confirming he will represent Great Britain in competition at the Rio Games (TWITTER.com, 7/12).

"I don't know what's going to happen, but we're optimistic that some of those players might come our way" – John Deere Classic Tournament Dir Clair Peterson, on the possibility that some players skipping the Rio Games will play in the Aug. 11-14 PGA Tour event (AP, 7/11).

"There's no discussions of expanding. We set the four-team tournament for 12 years and there's no discussion in our group about any kind of expansion" – CFP Exec Dir Bill Hancock (JACKSONVILLE.com, 7/12).

The AFP notes Rio de Janeiro Mayor Eduardo Paes "touts a 'transformation' of the 2016 Olympic city," but for many residents, "this shiny new Rio remains a world away."

BRANDCHANNEL.com examines Under Armour's marketing efforts this Olympic year under the header, "UA Steals Page From Nike's Ambush Marketing Playbook."

SILICON VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL headline: "The Finances Behind Making The U.S. Olympic Gymnastics Team."

Also:

• Have TV cameras for golf coverage become too invasive?
• When it comes to diversity, U.S. should "follow baseball's lead."
• Jaguars Owner Shad Khan expects on-field turnaround soon.

Finally tally of USA track and field Olympians skipping Games due to Zika fears: 0

— Tim Layden (@SITimLayden) July 11, 2016

Thoughts on MLB All-Star branding being so tied to the @Padres? I think it looks awesome but don't remember ever being so close to host team

— Mark A. Hodgkin (@Mark_Hodgkin) July 12, 2016

Ashley Manning is throwing husband Peyton a 'little retirement from football' party tonite in LA. AFC opponents not sad. @NFLAlumni

— Joe Browne (@JBeonTheHill) July 12, 2016

You cannot exaggerate Tim Duncan's historical impact. The ultimate no --- not low, NO --- maintenance superstar. He, Pop and SA were as one.

— Bob Ryan (@GlobeBobRyan) July 11, 2016

LIVE from San Diego. Petco Park #HRDerby scoreboard operations center during Stanton semifinals round. pic.twitter.com/8xyCme88JK

— GameplanCreativeCHI (@GameplanChicago) July 12, 2016

The second annual Sports Humanitarian of the Year Awards, presented by ESPN, will be held at The Conga Room at L.A. Live, with Laila Ali as host. Tennis HOFer Billie Jean King, Patriots Owner Robert Kraft and the Univ. of Missouri football team will receive Stuart Scott Enspire Awards.

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

“This comedy whose title aims to please says, ‘I charge you, O men … that between you and the women the play may please.”

NBC’s Jimmy Fallon said of Serena Williams wining her seventh Wimbledon title, “(Williams) now has a record-tying 22 Grand Slam titles. That’s right, she tied with the other Grand Slam record held by Chris Christie at the Denny’s in Paramus, New Jersey. … Female tennis players said that she is an inspiration, while male tennis players said, ‘Thank God we don’t have to play her.’ ... Due to the British pound losing value in the Brexit, Serena Williams’ Wimbledon prize went down from being worth $3 million to just $2.6 million, or as Serena put it, ‘Ah, just forget it. Not even worth cashing the check.’” Meanwhile, Fallon said UFC fighter Khalil Rountree yelling, “Mom, shut up!” at his mother mid-fight on the “The Ultimate Fighter 23” on Saturday is “probably the first time that someone has been more scared to leave the cage than get in.” During a segment called “Popular Mathematics,” Fallon said, “If you take Spongebob plus a football, it equals Michael Strahan.” Fallon also said, “If you take Stephanie Tanner plus Indian food, it equals Steph Curry” (“The Tonight Show,” NBC, 7/11).

Last night’s episode of CBS’ “The Late Show” began with host Stephen Colbert wearing a Cubs hat and hoodie, watching a Cubs game on TV. In the segment, Colbert attributed the Cubs’ success to his rubbing various lucky items, including actual Cubs players Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant and Jake Arrieta. Colbert reckoned the Cubs would end their championship drought “as long as I keep rubbing my lucky horseshoe, rubbing my lucky rabbit’s foot and rubbing my lucky three-legged rabbit, and keep rubbing my lucky three Chicago Cubs” (“The Late Show,” CBS, 7/11).

“What is 'As You Like It'?”