The NFL is again hosting a women’s summit during Super Bowl week, following the inaugural event last year in S.F. Like last year, Commissioner Roger Goodell and his wife, Jane Skinner, are speakers. Goodell used his occasion in '16 to disclose the Rooney Rule would expand to encompass women for league office positions. This year, NFL sponsor Procter & Gamble's feminine brands Secret and Always are participating and bringing a group of female athletes to a new forum called Plays for Life.

The Feb. 3-4 conference will have contributions from comedian Amy Poehler’s organization Smart Girls, AwesomenessTV – owned by Comcast, Hearst and Verizon – and other groups whose mission is to improve the confidence of girls and give them platform to succeed. Around 250 Houston-area teen girls are expected to attend. NFL CMO Dawn Hudson said, "We recognize the opportunity and value of using our biggest platform – the Super Bowl – to support the development of the young women in the Houston community."

Liberty Media formally "completed its takeover" of F1 yesterday, with Bernie Ecclestone out as CEO and Chase Carey taking over that role. Carey previously served as F1 Chair, but the Monday announcement "solidified his operational control." With the deal, Liberty Media Group will be renamed the Formula One Group. Meanwhile, former Mercedes Team Principal Ross Brawn becomes F1 Managing Dir of Motor Sports, while former ESPN sales exec Sean Bratches becomes Managing Dir of Commercial Operations (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 1/24).

Charlotte residents this afternoon will have the chance to weigh in on the proposal to "demolish Memorial Stadium" and build an MLS venue. Mecklenburg County (N.C.) commissioners will then vote on the plan Thursday morning at the "start of their annual budget retreat" (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 1/24). This comes after the Charlotte City Council in closed session yesterday "heard for the first time details about a proposal to spend" $43.75M on the stadium project. The council could take a "final vote" on the funding Friday afternoon (CHARLOTTEOBSERVER.com, 1/23).

The Players’ Tribune today announced the launch of a podcast network in partnership with DGital Media. The TPT podcasts will feature athlete-hosted shows, a flagship show and other programs on topical issues, as well as oral histories of big sports events and moments. They will roll out throughout the year and will be available on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn, iHeart, Google Play, SiriusXM and other platforms. The first podcast, which goes live Thursday, will be focused on the Giants' first Super Bowl-winning team, with first-person accounts from Lawrence Taylor, Bill Parcells and other members of the '86 squad. The 60-minute podcast will be narrated by Michael Strahan.

Read more on how TPT is making audio a "major priority."

The Cobb County (Ga.) Commission today will hold a public discussion over the Braves' claim that "county taxpayers owe" $14M for "roads, bridges and other infrastructure improvements" at the new SunTrust Park (AJC.com, 1/23). The Braves have "already paid most of those expenses, and team officials say the county is contractually obligated to reimburse them." The county claims that it it "has already paid that – and much more." The dispute "has been on-going since December" (ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION, 1/23).

The Las Vegas Stadium Authority board is expected to vote Thursday to appoint Houston-based law firm Andrews Kurth as its legal representation in collaboration with Las Vegas-based Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck. Andrews Kurth has "provided legal services for the financing, development, leasing and operations of several major- and minor-league stadiums in Texas," including Super Bowl LI host NRG Stadium. The Authority also is expected to "select a vice chairman" to Chair Steve Hill (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 1/24). 

The Hornets will fund two $60,000 college scholarships and "establish a mentoring program for those two scholarship winners." Charlotte-area high school seniors can apply online at Hornets.com starting today. The "driving forces of this gesture" were G Kemba Walker, F Marvin Williams and coach Steve Clifford. Players, coaches, the team's charitable foundation and the NBA are contributing to the program. Each scholarship will provide $15,000 annually for up to four years at a North Carolina public university (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 1/24).

TNT's Charles Barkley during last night's pregame coverage "expressed his dismay" about the net's choice to air the Knicks-Pacers game. Barkley said to studio host Ernie Johnson, "Hey Ernie, seriously, why are we showing the Knicks?" Johnson then "tried to segue to a live look-in." He said, "There are nine games tonight." Barkley interrupted, "And this is the one we came up with?" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 1/24).

NBC Sports Group today will unveil its '17 LPGA TV schedule, which features the highest number of Golf Channel-televised events in LPGA history with 33. That number includes four of the five LPGA majors (THE DAILY).

ESPN's “O.J.: Made in America” was nominated for an Academy Award in the Best Documentary Feature category (THE DAILY).

Atlanta's host committee for the '18 CFP title game today will introduce its "year-long marketing campaign for the event." The campaign is titled, "I'm in" (BIZJOURNALS.com, 1/19).

NFL sponsor PepsiCo and Tastemade have launched Game Day Grub Match, a digital content series in which chefs compete to create gameday food. Former NFLer Hines Ward is one of the three judges for the contest. Each dish must use at least two PepsiCo products (THE DAILY).

"It was just like a weird sort of standoff between me and X Games. It was like a lover's quarrel. I said something, they said something, and it was like, what are we doing? This is dumb. I'm happy to be invited back and to compete" – Snowboarder Shaun White, on returning to this year's Winter X Games in Aspen after being uninvited last year (ASPEN TIMES, 1/24).

"Right now, I don't think a lot of the analytics out there are really very deep. They're really just different stats, in my mind. They're not deeper stats. They're not giving us a whole  bunch more information" – Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill (DETROIT NEWS, 1/24).

THE MMQB goes with the header, "Hartford’s White Whale: How the Patriots Almost Became Connecticut’s Team." Robert Kraft was "on the verge of moving his team out of Massachusetts in the late 1990s." At the "last minute, an NFL executive on the rise – Roger Goodell – stepped in and helped get a new stadium built in Foxborough." Also, SPORTSONEARTH.com examines how the Patriots-vs.-Goodell angle tops all other Super Bowl LI narratives.

Also: 

• Why Tom Brady's friendship with Donald Trump is "a big deal."
• NHL All-Star Game's three-on-three format is a hit with players.
• Spurs PA announcer Jonathan Sanford recognizes his unique opportunity.

With Ecclestone gone, F1 will now be led by youngsters Carey, 63, and Brawn, 62. I hope they are ready for the job at such young age.

— Pablo Elizalde (@EliGP) January 24, 2017

I love NASCAR's willingness to tinker around the edges to increase popularity & interest. May not always get it right, but effort is great.

— Tim McGhee (@tpmcghee) January 24, 2017

When Johnny Manziel is offering the POTUS advice about using social media - correct advice, no less - you know we are in trouble.

— J.W. Cannon (@cannonjw) January 24, 2017

#NWSL league office has recently grown from 3 to 6 with approval to double the staff to 12 by the end of the year.

— Dan Lauletta (@TheDanLauletta) January 23, 2017

The Tampa Sports Authority's exec committee will discuss a potential six-year lease for the USF football team to play at Raymond James Stadium. The proposed lease includes a five-year option.

The Grizzlies are expected to officially announce their new NBA D-League team that will be based in Southaven, Miss.

The NFL will announce a Play 60 field in Orlando to kick off Pro Bowl week.

A 2-minute hit on the stories you need to know ... Subscribe on iTunes ... Check out our podcast home.

The Morning Buzz offers today's back page sports covers from some of North America's major metropolitan tabloids:

 N.Y. Post  N.Y. Daily News Newsday   Boston HeraldChicago Sun-Times

Sam Snow, a DC-area cab driver, got a "surprise meeting with his choice" for greatest QB of all time when Broncos GM John Elway was in town for President Trump's inauguration. However, Snow did not realize that Elway and his wife, Paige, who filmed the encounter, were among his passengers (DENVERPOST.com, 1/23).

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

“The title of this hit from a 1933 Disney ‘silly symphony’ inspired a Tony-winning 1962 drama and an Oscar-nominated 1966 film.”

Last night’s edition of “Jeopardy” featured the category “From Chumps to Champs.”

$200: “They went from 29-53 in 1979 to 62-20 and an NBA title in 1981; adding Bird, Parish and McHale will do that.”
$400: “From 1962 to 1968, they never finished higher than 9th; in 1969, amazingly, they won the World Series.”
$600: “After a last-place finish in 2007, they dropped the ‘Devil’ from their name; in 2008, they won 31 more games and the A.L. pennant.”
$800: “After never making the playoffs in their first six years of existence, this northwest team scouted the way to an NBA title in 1977.”
$1000: “The Twins went from last in 1990 to the 1991 World Series, where they beat John Smoltz and this team that did the same thing.”

NBC’s Jimmy Fallon said Tom Brady was "being mocked for wearing a giant coat on the sidelines" during Sunday's AFC Championship game. Fallon said, “People were like, ‘Forget the footballs, deflate your jacket’” (“The Tonight Show,” NBC, 1/23). ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel said of Brady, "He will be making his seventh appearance in a Super Bowl, which is nice to finally see something good happen to Tom Brady” (“Jimmy Kimmel Live,” ABC, 1/23).

Actor Dennis Quaid appeared on ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live” last night, and Kimmel said the “last time here you were talking about you went to play golf with Bill Clinton when he was in the White House.” Kimmel asked, “Have you golfed with our current president, Donald Trump?” Quaid said he had golfed with Trump, “about four years ago,” and said both Clinton and Trump “have pretty good swings.” Quaid noted Trump “only played two holes with us.” When asked why only two holes, Quaid said, “Because he had better things to do.” Kimmel asked, “Did he cheat? We hear he cheats on the golf course.” Quaid: “You know, you never know.” Kimmel asked, “Did President Clinton cheat on the golf course?” Quaid: “That was called a presidential pardon” (“Jimmy Kimmel Live,” ABC, 1/23).

Australian-born actress Cate Blanchett appeared on NBC’s “The Tonight Show” last night and talked about her son being a “huge Knicks fan” and attending a recent game where “they didn’t play particularly well.” Blanchett: “See, the thing in your country is that when your team isn't playing well, everyone leaves … and my son was almost crying and he came over to me and said, ‘This is not fun for me, we need to go.’” Blanchett: “I say, ‘We can't leave because we've got to stay and support them,’ and I start applauding for anyone who gets anything through the basket.” Blanchett said when you “look at the size" of Knicks F Kristaps Porzingis “you need to raise the basket." She said, "The game has become ridiculous. I hadn't seen a professional game until I came to this country and the guys are so tall now.” Blanchett added her children “love basketball, and at least they don’t play cricket” (“The Tonight Show,” NBC, 1/23).

“What is ‘Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?’” The play and film were “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?”

Correct responses to the "From Chumps to Champs" category:

$200: “Who are the Celtics?”
$400: “Who are the Mets?”
$600: “Who are the Rays?”
$800: “Who are the Trail Blazers?”
$1000: “Who are the Braves?”