The CFL Redblacks defeated the Stampeders 39-33 in OT last night to win the "first Grey Cup for the city" of Ottawa "since the Ottawa Rough Riders won" in '76. The game drew a "capacity attendance" of 33,421 at Toronto's newly renovated BMO Field, "although there were empty seats." Tickets "were being peddled for about half price on the grey market outside the stadium" (CP, 11/27). There "sure looked to be a lot of empty seats on a night that no one would have stayed home because of the weather" (OTTAWA CITIZEN, 11/28).

After the "forced, slightly depressed week that was, the CFL needed this to be a game," and fans in attendance "got one hell of a game." All of the "free tickets that swirled around Toronto like shreds of glitter in a snow globe landed," and the stadium was "full" (TORONTO STAR, 11/28). The game will go down as "one of the biggest upsets in Grey Cup lore" (TORONTO SUN, 11/28).

The Bears fell to 2-9 yesterday in losing to the Titans, and before the game announced that only 59,494 tickets were sold for the game at 61,500-seat Soldier Field and that "11,056 of those tickets went unused." The actual attendance number was 48,408, a "sure sign the Bears' loyal fan base is turned off by three consecutive losing seasons" (ESPNCHICAGO.com, 11/27). The 48,408 number "hardly passed the eye test." For an afternoon, the "Bears' home stadium became Chicago's biggest library" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 11/28).

Dolphins fans at Hard Rock Stadium yesterday "booed louder than they had all season" prior to a game against the 49ers, directing their "thunderous fury" on Colin Kaepernick. The 49ers QB earlier this season "praised former Cuban leader Fidel Castro for Cuba's literacy accomplishments." The comments came prior to Castro's death (PALMBEACHPOST.com, 11/27). This comes after Cuban-born MIAMI HERALD columnist Armando Salguero questioned Kaepernick about Castro and wrote a Saturday column with the header, "Unrepentant Hypocrite Colin Kaepernick Defends Fidel Castro" (MIAMI HERALD, 11/27).

After the game, Kaepernick said, "What I said was that I agree with the investment in education. I also agree with the investment in free universal healthcare. ... Trying to push the false narrative that I was a supporter of the oppressive things that he did, it's just not true" (South Florida SUN-SENTINEL, 11/28).

U.S. Ski & Snowboard Association President & CEO Tiger Shaw said this weekend’s Audi FIS World Cup event at Vermont’s Killington Resort "exceeded our expectations in every way." A crowd of 8,000-9,000 turned out yesterday to watch local favorite Mikaela Shiffrin win “first place in the slalom.” That followed an estimated crowd of 16,000 on Saturday for the giant slalom. The "size of the crowds were record-breaking” for the first World Cup event in New England in 25 years (MASSLIVE.com, 11/27).

The Univ. of Texas System Board of Regents today is expected to "post a special meeting" for later this week to formally approve Tom Herman as UT's new football coach. Herman, who was formally introduced last night, is "due to receive a five-year deal" averaging more than $5M, "in the same range" as former coach Charlie Strong. One "detail to watch" will be whether Herman's deal will be "fully guaranteed, as former AD Steve Patterson did with Strong," producing a nearly $11M buyout (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 11/28).

England's FA yesterday announced that it was "broadening an internal investigation" into former players' claims of sexual abuse by coaches at the developmental level. The body said that it had appointed lawyer Kate Gallafent to oversee the investigation and that it was "working closely with the police in pursuing the claims." At least six former players "have said publicly that they were molested as boys in the youth programs" (N.Y. TIMES, 11/28).

Major sports leagues are again lining up Cyber Monday deals via their official online stores. NFLShop.com offers 25% off orders of $25 or more, while MLBShop.com ofers 25% off all orders. The NHL is taking 30% off orders of $50 or more, with MLSStore.com taking 20% off orders north of $25. The NBA's online store is giving consumers 25% off everything, while the NASCAR.com Superstore is going with 30% off all orders, plus free shipping (THE DAILY).

The Motorsports Marketing Forum kicks off Wednesday in Las Vegas. At this year’s event, you will hear from a cross-section of execs from F1, Formula E, IndyCar, NASCAR, Supercross and the NHRA, as they address many of the topics facing the industry today. Plus, key learnings and business insights from execs outside of motorsports. To register, visit www.MotorsportsMarketingForum.com.

Eurosport today announced that it will have "exclusive broadcast rights in Germany for the next four Olympics" from '18-24, "leaving public broadcasters ARD and ZDF shut out" (AP, 11/28).

ESPNU will re-air Saturday's Ohio State-Michigan game at 1:00pm ET today and 3:00pm tomorrow. Big Ten Network will re-air it today at 11:00am, 5:00pm and 11:00pm (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 11/28).

A sellout crowd of 17,695 was on hand yesterday as the Sounders beat the Rapids in the second leg of the MLS Cup Western Conference Finals at Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Colorado. The Sounders will make their first MLS Cup Final appearance Dec. 10 (DENVER POST, 11/28).

The WWE today will formally announce that Mars’ Snickers brand has "renewed as presenting sponsor of WWE’s flagship WrestleMania event." WrestleMania 33 is scheduled for April 2 at Orlando’s Camping World Stadium (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 11/28 issue).

"I don't see any Shaqs or LeBron James' or Tim Duncans in this draft, so I don't think that's the right way to do it" – Mavericks Owner Mark Cuban, on the notion of tanking the season. The Mavs currently own the NBA's worst record at 3-13 (FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 11/28).

"I've had my butt kicked up over my shoulders enough this season that I really don't need my butt kicked any more. I've got to figure out how not to get my butt kicked" – Browns coach Hue Jackson, who claims that team management has been supportive despite an 0-12 record (Cleveland PLAIN DEALER, 11/28).

"The easiest thing to do is to recreate something rather than build it from scratch. We really like the Edmonton facility" – Coyotes President & CEO Anthony LeBlanc, on the Oilers' Rogers Place providing inspiration as the Coyotes eye a new arena (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 11/28).

"I don't think Atlanta has seen the enormousness of the college football games that are going to be played here in the next month" – Peach Bowl CEO Gary Stokan, on the upcoming month of games in Atlanta that includes the SEC championship and a CFP semifinal (ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION, 11/28).

The N.Y. TIMES in an A1 piece examines how it was "primarily baseball, along with boxing and other Olympic sports, that came to symbolize both the strength and vulnerability of Cuban socialism" under late Cuban President Fidel Castro. Successes in those sports allowed Castro to "taunt and defy" the U.S. "on the diamond and in the ring and to infuse Cuban citizens with a sense of national pride." But "international isolation and difficult financial realities led to the rampant defection of top baseball stars, the decrepit condition of stadiums and a shortage of equipment." Meanwhile, USA TODAY looks at ties between Cuba and professional baseball ending with the country's revolution.
 
Also: 

• SI.com's Richard Deitsch convenes panel on sports' role during presidential election.
• A look at how technology drives sports TV deals and causes of NFL ratings decline.
• Ohio State win sets up potential for controversy in latest CFP rankings.

I'm a Washington Redskin until I die but that atmosphere in the coliseum for a Raider game is just.....wow! ... https://t.co/bIqmueeCGz

— Kevin Durant (@KDTrey5) November 28, 2016

Does @CFL sell "The Play Will Be Reviewed By The Command Centre" shirts with ref Andre Proulx in a Darth Vader mask? They should. #GreyCup.

— Jay Onrait (@JayOnrait) November 28, 2016

Seems like a good time to point out that Sounders would have made playoffs under any configuration MLS has ever had.

— Jeremiah Oshan (@JeremiahOshan) November 27, 2016

The MLSE Foundation will present a $1M donation to Right To Play during the 76ers-Raptors game. MLSE Chair Larry Tanenbaum and MLSE Foundation Exec Dir Michael Bartlett are scheduled to take part in the presentation.

Todd Stansbury begins his stint as Georgia Tech AD.

The three-day HSBC Golf Business Forum begins at the Sawgrass Marriott Golf Resort & Spa in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.

The Time Inc. BOD has “rejected” a takeover offer headed by Edgar Bronfman Jr., who teamed up with Access Industries. The group “recently submitted a bid … to buy the company for $18 a share,” a 30% premium “over Time Inc.’s Friday closing price of $13.80.” Time Inc. publishes “some of the most prestigious print brands in the business,” including SI (N.Y. POST, 11/28).

Friday’s “Final Jeopardy!” category was “Entertainers.”

“He won a Tony and later an Oscar for the same role and decades later, published a memoir called ‘Master of Ceremonies.’”

Friday’s edition of “Jeopardy!” featured the category “Game 7 Pitchers.”

$400: “2001: Arizona’s Curt Schilling vs. this team’s Roger Clemens.”
$800: “1968: Mickey Lolich vs. this Cardinal.”
$1200: “1965: This Dodger lefty vs. the Twins’ Jim Kaat.”
$1600: “1985: The Cards’ John Tudor vs. Bret Saberhagen of this club.”
$2000: “1986: Bruce Hurst vs. Ron Darling as these two teams squared off.”

“Who is Joel Grey?”

Correct responses to the “Game 7 Pitchers” category:

$400: “Who are the Yankees?”
$800: “Who is Bob Gibson?”
$1200: “Who is Sandy Koufax?”
$1600: “Who are the Royals?”
$2000: “Who are the Red Sox and the Mets?”