ESPN will move “First Take” from ESPN2 to ESPN, a move that ESPN execs believe will increase viewership for the nearly 10-year-old franchise. The move to ESPN’s 10:00am-12:00pm ET timeslot starts Jan. 3. Two hours of “SportsCenter” will replace “First Take” on ESPN2 -- the Hannah Storm interview show “SportsCenter Face to Face” and the David Lloyd-Cari Champion-hosted “SportsCenter Coast to Coast.” “First Take” has struggled with viewers since Skip Bayless left the show in the summer and was replaced by Max Kellerman. Since Labor Day, when Bayless launched the competing show “Undisputed” on FS1, “First Take” viewership is down 33% compared to the previous year, according to the website SportsTVRatings.com.

ESPN execs said they expected to take a ratings hit when Bayless left -- not because Bayless went to a competitor and launched a competing show. Rather, it was because the biggest faces of ESPN’s “Embrace Debate” strategy -- Bayless and Stephen A. Smith -- were breaking up. It will take a while for Smith, Kellerman and host Molly Qerim to establish the same chemistry. “Skip could have left to work on a lobster boat and ratings would have suffered,” said ESPN Exec VP/Programming & Scheduling Burke Magnus. “We knew there would be an impact with Skip and Stephen A. splitting up. It would be naïve and disingenuous to believe or say otherwise.”

While he predicted that the move to ESPN will help ratings, Magnus said he had considered the move well before Bayless announced his departure, “This is something that we’ve talked about for a long time,” he said. “We believe the ratings impact has settled down now, and we’re seeing our numbers start to grow.”

Disney on Thursday afternoon reported a Q4 profit of $1.77B, up 10% from a year earlier, “but failed to deliver on analysts’ expectations." The company’s "closely watched media networks group, which includes crown jewel ESPN, also had a difficult quarter." Disney attributed its operating income decline at the cable division “partly to lower advertising and affiliate revenue at ESPN, in addition to higher programming and production costs." Disney CFO Christine McCarthy said that ad revenue at ESPN was "down 13% in the quarter, hurt in part by a 'significant decrease' in advertising for daily fantasy sports leagues" (L.A. TIMES, 11/11).

PGA of America VP Paul Levy today at the PGA of America's annual meeting in N.Y. is "expected to become the president of the association for a two-year term," succeeding Derek Sprague. Levy said that he "hopes to help the PGA with its overall strategic plan rather than having a two-year agenda that might or might not be continued under the next president." Employment and education are "areas where Levy feels a particular passion" (Palm Springs DESERT SUN, 11/9). When Levy addresses reps of the association’s 28,000 members, his message "isn’t likely to be dramatically different than those conveyed by the presidents that have preceded him" (GOLFWEEK.com, 11/10). 

Sacramento City Council members last night "approved the final environmental impact report and development agreement" for the 244-acre downtown railyard site, which includes plans for 19,621-seat soccer stadium. The approval of the $226M soccer stadium comes "at a key time" in USL club Republic FC’s quest to "earn an expansion spot" in MLS. A committee of MLS owners "exploring potential expansion cities met earlier this week" in N.Y., and the league’s full ownership board is "expected to discuss expansion again in December" (SACRAMENTO BEE, 11/11).

UFC President Dana White told TMZ yesterday that President-elect Donald Trump told him he would "plan to attend" UFC 205 at MSG tomrorow night. White said, "Donald originally told me that he would come to the fight if he won. I don't think Donald really realized what his duties were going to be had he won" (FOXSPORTS.com, 11/10). Trump attending the event "would be a security nightmare to be sure, as America has been inundated with protests since the election, but it wouldn't be out of character for Trump, and White would welcome him with open arms" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 11/10). 

SI is expanding its annual Sportsperson of the Year event, shifting the gala to Barclays Center and offering public access for the first time. The Time Inc. brand has partnered with Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment and will hold the event on Dec. 12. Traditionally an invitation-only dinner, SI will sell a limited number of VIP packages through Quint Events beginning at $1,500 per person. “December 12 will be the biggest, most ambitious Sportsperson event in SI’s 62-year history, and we are both thrilled and honored to bring such a crown jewel event to Brooklyn and one of the premier venues in all of sports,” said SI Group Editorial Dir Chris Stone.

The shift to Barclays Center extends a multiyear effort by SI to expand one of its biggest franchises, an initiative that has also involved increased involvement of prior Sportsperson of the Year winners and an appearance by former President Clinton at the ’14 awards event.

The California Legislative Analyst's Office yesterday recommended that the legislature "appoint an oversight committee" to the LA's bid for the '24 Games. The LAO report also "concludes that the Games will have little long-term economic impact on the region and raises questions about whether state agencies will demand to be reimbursed for Olympic-related costs." LA 2024 officials have projected a $4.27B budget for the Games, which are expected to produce $4.83B in revenues (ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, 11/11).

Bulls G Dwyane Wade in his return to Miami last night "received a standing ovation" from heat fans after his initial introduction. Fans chanted "D-Wade!," and those cheers "only got louder after he made his first basket." They "grew to a fever pitch when during the first time out of the game a two-minute tribute video for Wade played on the big screens inside the arena." Heat Owner Micky Arison and President Pat Riley "stood and applauded in their usual seats courtside" (MIAMI HERALD, 11/11).

Fox Sports’ Joe Buck appeared on NBC’s “The Tonight Show” last night, with host Jimmy Fallon calling him a “man at the top of his profession.” Fallon complimented his broadcasting of World Series Game 7, saying there were “just rave reviews, they just love you.” Buck: “Well no, unless you’re on Twitter then there are no rave reviews.” Buck said of broadcasting through the rain delay in Game 7, “It’s a little bit intimidating because you know 40 million people are hoping to see the end of this game and you’ve got to kind of lie a little bit and go, ‘Well, it’s stopped raining. It looks like they’re going to pull the tarp off here soon,’ and eventually you get back to baseball.” Buck was promoting his new book, “Lucky Bastard,” and said he wanted to put some “personality” into the book because “sports people are boring” (“The Tonight Show,” NBC, 11/10).

This year’s Forum at the N.Y. Marriott Marquis at Times Square will feature an interview with Duke Univ. AD Kevin White and his two sons Brian and Danny, who are both in the family business of college athletics. All three of the Whites will weigh in on the daily challenges they face and how often they lean on each other for advice and support. For more information and to register for the Forum, visit www.IntercollegiateAthleticsForum.com.

A source said the Rams will "break ground" on their $2.6B stadium in Inglewood next Thursday (LATIMES.com, 11/10).

SMU "set a record for men's basketball season tickets sold with more than 5,100" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 11/11).

“There's gonna be an issue if this is the playoffs and you have guys calling from upstairs to make that decision. I'm not gonna go off easy, I'm telling you that” – Rangers G Henrik Lundqvist, on the NHL’s concussion protocol (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 11/11).

“Sports is like a little bit of cocaine. It can be very powerful” – Liberty Media Chair John Malone (N.Y. POST, 11/11).

“There’s been a call to action for athletes to stand up and use the platform. But that doesn’t mean you need to talk about minimum wage when you know nothing about that. You don’t need to talk about policy when you know nothing about policy” – Jets WR Brandon Marshall, on athletes speaking out on non-sports issues (NEWSDAY, 11/11).

"The Ravens are now 1-0 all time while dressed as purple crayons against a team named after a color" -- Baltimore Sun writer Jonas Shaffer, on the team's color rush uniforms worn last night against the Browns (Baltimore SUN, 11/11).

MLIVE.com's David Mayo writes under the header, "Stan Van Gundy accepts free-speech ramifications in condemning Donald Trump." In the wake of the Pistons coach's criticism of Trump and those who voted for him, fans on either side of the political divide "can exercise their speech freely, too." There are many ways to spend the entertainment dollar, "hardly limited to, a 4-4 professional basketball team."

The WASHINGTON POST asks whether Cavaliers F LeBron James will remain active in politics now that Hillary Clinton lost the election. James, who throughout his career was "extremely hesitant" to get involved in politics, campaigned for Clinton. Now, "for a man whose reputation is centered on winning, what comes next?"

Also: 

• LAFC supporters groups influencing MLS club's new stadium design.
• MLB's race to secure young, Ivy League-educated GMs has "homogenized the game."
• Red Sox ownership reflects on the departures of Theo Epstein, Terry Francona.
• The Cubs-Indians World Series offered "fireworks baseball sorely needed."
• Al Michaels looks back at his call of the Patriots' Super Bowl XLIX-sealing INT.
• The issue of parking has "popped up once again" on Under Armour's new campus.
• Harvard is making moves to become a "legitimate basketball powerhouse."

Conor McGregor is funniest interview in sports. Nobody sells a fight like he does. https://t.co/iyDtDnRKk2

— Michael McCarthy (@MMcCarthyREV) November 11, 2016

The NBA not taking serious action against Cuban for arbitrarily pulling credentials from ESPN journalists says horrible things.

— Rick Bonnell (@rick_bonnell) November 11, 2016

Ernie Johnson is so friendly and his voice is so beautiful that when he reads your neighbor's infuriating Facebook post on TV we all applaud

— Pablo S. Torre (@PabloTorre) November 11, 2016

Do I think it likely baseball is seriously impacted by Trump? No. But it's definitely possible, and worth discussing.

— Craig Calcaterra (@craigcalcaterra) November 11, 2016

I did not know Gary Thorne called the Kings-Canadiens game last night, he still got it, come back to hockey Gary, we miss you #NHL

— Rob Taub (@RTaub_) November 11, 2016

If you see a tweet we will not want to miss, send it to us at editorial@sportsbusinessdaily.com

Nike will open a new retail location, Nike Soho, in N.Y.: a five-story, multi-sport, 55,000-square-foot digitally connected store.

Last night’s “Final Jeopardy” category was “Natural Wonders.”

“Roughly half the size of Texas, it’s the largest structure made by living creatures and can even be seen from space.”

Meanwhile, ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel said of the Cavaliers visiting the White House on the same day as Trump, “There was one awkward moment when LeBron James grabbed a basketball to sign it, turned out to be Donald Trump's head but otherwise it went without a hitch.” Kimmel said of MLB destroying Indians World Series championship apparel, “They usually donate the stuff to charity, but not this time because they claim it's because they need to protect their brand by not putting those championship shirts out there for the team that wasn’t champion. But the real reason is the logo is a cartoon Indian and you can't really ship that to India. That's confusing. So they’re destroying the shirts instead. So now, I guess, people in third world countries will be forced to wear those ‘I'm With Her’ shirts” (“Jimmy Kimmel Live,” ABC, 11/10).

Comedy Central’s Trevor Noah talked about Trump visiting the White House, calling the segment “Pardon The Introduction” in reference to ESPN’s “Pardon The Interruption.” Noah: “One of the moments when you realize how big this change is going to be is that right behind Donald Trump during their meeting, the man who ran one of the most divisive, racially charged campaigns in memory, behind him is a bust of Martin Luther King, Jr. That bust right now must be thinking, ‘I have a nightmare.’ To signify the momentous occasion, Barack Obama had a new image behind him: A painting of ‘Crying Jordan’ that he put up. Trump was, like, ‘Oh, you put a picture up of yourself I see’” (“The Daily Show,” Comedy Central, 11/10).

  
Last night’s edition of ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live” featured host Jimmy Kimmel talking with Rams DE William Hayes who during this season of HBO’s “Hard Knocks” noted he does not believe dinosaurs ever existed. Kimmel said, "There are two interesting things about William: One is he believes in mermaids and the other is he does not believe in dinosaurs.” Kimmel took Hayes on a field trip to the L.A. Natural History Museum (“Jimmy Kimmel Live,” ABC, 11/10).

“What is the Great Barrier Reef?”