• World Congress Of Sports: David Levy Highlights Day One
• Patriots Visiting White House Today; Several Players Skipping Trip
• Mike Dee Withdraws Name From Consideration For BC AD Position
• Bucs Expected To Announce Team Will Be Featured On "Hard Knocks"

The '17 CAA World Congress of Sports opens today at the Monarch Beach Resort in Dana Point, Calif. Turner President David Levy will discuss Turner’s initiatives in sports, entertainment and original programming and its efforts to leverage content across TV, digital and mobile platforms. Also, a roundtable including leaders from across the industry will discuss today's sports business trends and pressing issues; and a panel will examine the state of RSNs and what the future may hold for them. See the full agenda.

HOW TO KEEP UP: Watch our social feeds for all the latest from the conference, including how to catch our streaming interviews with top newsmakers. Find us on Facebook at facebook.com/sbjsbd, and on Twitter at @SBJSBD and using the hashtag #sbjwcs. Also check out our Instagram feed. And look for more coverage later today and tomorrow in THE DAILY.

The Patriots visit the White House today to celebrate their Super Bowl victory, and “cozying up” to Tom Brady and company will give President Trump a “brief reprieve from the turbulent news cycle of his administration” (BOSTON GLOBE, 4/19). Patriots DT Alan Branch is among several players not making the trip. He said that comments Trump made during an “Access Hollywood” interview “sparked the decision not to visit” the White House. Branch said that the team “has not pressured him to change his mind.” Other players not attending include former TE Martellus Bennett, LB Dont’a Hightower and free-agent RB LeGarrette Blount (PROFOOTBALLTALK.com, 4/19). The visit will come just hours after former Patriots TE Aaron Hernandez hanged himself in his jail cell (Mult., 4/19).

There has been “some buzz” that White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer, a noted Patriots fan, “will be hanging out” today with WEEI-FM’s Gerry Callahan and Kirk Minihane (BOSTON HERALD, 4/19).

Former Padres and Red Sox exec Mike Dee issued a statement yesterday saying in part that he has informed Boston College that he has withdrawn his name from consideration for the school's open AD position to "pursue another opportunity in the world of sports." Dee's statement comes after a recent report that BC President William Leahy was leaning towards hiring him. Dee was "always a wild card choice because of his absence of any experience as a college administrator." His withdrawal "puts the search back into the category of candidates with college experience" (TMGCOLLEGESPORTS.com, 4/18).

The Buccaneers will make a "major announcement" this afternoon, where the team is expected to reveal that it has been selected to be featured on HBO's "Hard Knocks" this season. The Bucs have scheduled a news conference for 1:00pm ET. For the "past several weeks, everyone from" co-Chair Joel Glazer to GM Jason Licht and coach Dirk Koetter have been "bracing -- if not embracing -- the inevitability" that the Bucs would be chosen for "Hard Knocks" this year (TAMPA BAY TIMES, 4/19). The Bucs "would be the 10th different team to participate in the program in the 12-season run that featured new material" (SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS, 4/19).

Univision Deportes is launching Spanish-language sports radio stations in 10 U.S. markets today as part of a push to expand its brand onto radio. Believing that it can serve a Spanish-speaking audience that is not listening to English-language sports radio stations, Univision’s 10-station launch (9 AM stations; 1 FM) will cover half of all U.S. Hispanics. The move sets Univision Deportes up as a competitor to ESPN Deportes Radio, which has around 40 Spanish-language stations in 14 states. Univision Deportes Radio expects to add more sports radio stations to its portfolio, as it considers today’s move as a launch phase.

A group of DC businesspeople and sports titans, headed by former DC2024 Chair Russ Ramsey, have launched the Professional Fighters League, which will feature a $10M prize pool and $1M cash payouts to individual champions. Ramsey is a co-Founder of the new league, along with DC venture capitalists Donn Davis and Mark Leschly, and will serve as its Exec Chair. Among investors in the league are Monumental Sports & Entertainment Chair Ted Leonsis and members the Lerner family, which owns the Nationals. Other investors in the Professional Fighters League identified so far include Riot Games co-Founder & CEO Brandon Beck and Dodgers CFO Tucker Kain (WASHINGTON POST, 4/19).

The AVP today will announce its roster of sponsors for the '17 Pro Beach Tour season, with five new brands coming on board. Among the new brands is Boston Beer's Truly Spiked & Sparkling hard sparkling water, which will be served in the Club AVP & Beer Garden at events in California. Frontier Communications also is a new sponsor this year at California stops. New sponsors for the complete season include sports drink Kona Deep, sunscreen brand KLĒNSKIN and apparel brand Rox.

Returning sponsors this season include Wilson, gummy vitamin brand SmartyPants, Obrigado Coconut Water, energy bar brand Power Crunch and appliance brand Breville. The Tour's eight-stop season begins in Huntington Beach, Calif., on May 1, followed by stops in Austin, N.Y., Seattle, S.F., Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach and Chicago.

A new Predators ice facility and community center in Bellevue area of Nashville “became one step closer to becoming a reality in Metro Council.” Council members yesterday “approved the bill on first reading that gives them permission to spend just more than” $2M on about eight acres of land for the project, which could open in ‘18. The problem is “there isn't enough space for the project right now, so more land is needed” (NEWSCHANNEL5.com, 4/18).

PBR this morning will announce that this weekend's Tacoma Invitational at Tacoma Dome will be streamed on Twitter. Users will be able to watch the stream on pbr.twitter.com or PBR's profile whether they are logged in or out of the social media site. The stream will feature ads and also will show off the move PBR is undertaking this weekend to have rock band Warrant play as a house band throughout the event in between rides.

Competitor Group has expanded its relationship with Michelob Ultra, making the beer the title sponsor of the Rock 'n' Roll St. Louis Half Marathon. As part of the deal, Michelob has also extended its partnership as the official beer and post race celebrations sponsor across the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Series' 22 events in the U.S. Michelob has served as the official beer sponsor of the series since '12 (Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Series).

Syracuse Univ. is “set to unveil a new ticket plan in an attempt to boost student attendance at sporting events held at the Carrier Dome.” Students will “get to pick from four different options with a pass that will apply to football, men's and women's basketball and men's and women's lacrosse games at the Dome.” The four options to attend games “include varying benefits.” Students will “receive an email” today with sign-up instructions for the new ’17-18 season pass (SYRACUSE.com, 4/18).

The Jacksonville Downtown Investment Authority yesterday "unanimously selected" Jaguars Owner Shahid Khan's Iguana Investments Florida to be "master developer for 70 acres of riverfront property stretching from The Shipyards to Metropolitan Park." Iguana Investments "made its second pitch in two years after it won the nod" in '15 (FLORIDA TIMES-UNION, 4/19).

Taxpayers contributed more than $4.6M for an NFL stadium in Las Vegas in the first month that a "new increase on area hotel taxes went into effect -- ahead of projections for the state's share of the project" (AP, 4/18).

The NHL will hold its '17 NHL Awards and Expansion Draft to reveal the initial roster of the Golden Knights from T-Mobile Arena on June 21. It will be aired on NBCSN and Sportsnet at 8:00pm ET (NHL).

Spectra Ticketing & Fan Engagement announced yesterday that it has extended its 34-year partnership with the Univ. of Memphis (Spectra).

"When Eli Manning walks into your office and he says, 'These are my game-used items,' I'd like to think that I can believe that" – Steiner Sports Founder & CEO Brandon Steiner, on the memorabilia controversy the Giants QB finds himself in. Manning has a contract with Steiner Sports (NJ.com, 4/19).

"Golf can be made fun. I know we're struggling with it right now. The golf industry is flat. It's hard to get people access into the game. ... How many of our kids look up and see the world? They're always looking down (at phones or other devices) and typing things. That's what we're trying to fight" – Golfer Tiger Woods (ESPN.com, 4/18).

"The good thing is it’s a deterrent. That’s why we have so much testing. Guys don’t want that in the game" – Angels P and player rep Matt Shoemaker, on Pirates LF Starling Marte's 80-game suspension for PEDs (ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, 4/19).

“If I'm a Grizzlies fan, while that’s a nice design, if they don't win the series, I'm not going to walk around with a ‘Take That For Data’ t-shirt when the data says 4-0 or 4-1 Spurs” – ESPN’s Michael Smith, on the Grizzlies tweeting out a version of a shirt featuring the quote from coach David Fizdale (“SportsCenter,” ESPN, 4/18).

"The naming rights market doesn't normally yield much more than a couple million dollars per year in the smaller markets. It isn't enough to make a true difference" – Bengals VP Troy Blackburn, on why the team does not sell stadium-naming rights to Paul Brown Stadium (USA TODAY, 4/19).

The PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW wrote Steelers Chair Dan Rooney's passing signals a "changing of the guard" not only with the team but in NFL circles as well. The unofficial club of NFL owners was a "collection of larger-than-life, almost mythical figures." The "last of the old guard is gone," but Rooney's impact "lives on."

THE RINGER noted President Trump will "assume his duties as sports-fan-in-chief" today, as the Patriots will be the first championship team to visit the White House during his term. For President Obama, sports was a "true passion and a tool of political stagecraft." But "it's a new world now."

Also:

• E-sports in the Olympics "could happen before you know it."
• A 17-year-old's death "points to flaws in concussion test."
• NASCAR drivers begin wearing heart-rate monitors during races.

In the past 16 hours I've had to explain to my 7 yo what steroids are and suicide is. ... Get your (bleep) together sports.

— Will Graves (@WillGravesAP) April 19, 2017

As I ponder how I feel about Aaron Hernandez' death, I also ponder Dan Rooney. Makes me realize the huge variance the word "sad" encompasses

— Jason Cole (@JasonColeBR) April 19, 2017

It is just a shame Hemingway never got to write about the TNT Bulls.

— Bill Barnwell (@billbarnwell) April 19, 2017

At some point, do we have to accept that since soccer only gets faster, referees are increasingly poorly equipped to keep up with it all?

— LeanderAlphabet (@LeanderAlphabet) April 18, 2017

Since the @Bucks are in the #NBAPlayoffs tonight, we made a special hat to give to the @POTUS. #MAGA pic.twitter.com/qMNvFXsb4G

— Scott Walker (@ScottWalker) April 18, 2017

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

“The U.S. Navy’s photonics mast has replaced this familiar device.”

Last night’s edition of “Jeopardy!” featured the category “Baseball.”
$400: “In 2016 Cleveland’s hopes died as this team won it all for the first time since the year Grover Cleveland died.”
$800: “Babe Ruth was the first to wear No. 3 for the Yankees; this man was their first No. 4.”
$1200: “Before they were named for their hosiery, this American League team was known simply as the Americans.”
$1600: “In 2012 Miguel Cabrera got on his horse and became the first hitter to win this distinction since 1967.”
$2000: “Wins Above Replacement is a statistic in this field of baseball statistical analysis.”

NBC’s Jimmy Fallon said Giants QB Eli Manning is “accused of selling fake sports memorabilia to collectors.” Fallon: “He said that he's signed helmets that had been worn during a game when they haven't been. Turns out that's not the only questionable sports merchandise he's been pushing lately. Take a look at this commercial I saw.” The announcer for the “commercial” said in a heavy New York City accent, “Do you love sports collectibles and Eli Manning? Then you're gonna wanna come down to ‘Eli Manning's Totally Real Sports Collectibles!’ We've got everything, like an iPhone 7 signed by Babe Ruth, a game used football from Super Bowl LI and, a signed Air Bud rookie card and of course, a 2017 New York Knicks NBA championship ring.”

"What is a periscope?"

Correct responses to the “Baseball” category:
$400: “Who are the Cubs?”
$800: “Who was Lou Gehrig?”
$1200: “Who are the Red Sox?”
$1600: “What is the Triple Crown?”
$2000: “What is Sabermetrics?”