• MLS Owners Set To Vote On Beckham's Miami MLS Expansion Bid
• Jaguars Sign First U.K.-Only Sponsorship With London Investment Firm
• WME-IMG To Assist Sounders In Selling Key Sponsorship Assets
• Maryland To Debut Completed First Phase Of Football Facility

MLS owners meet this morning in Chicago as part of All-Star Week, with David Beckham's Miami expansion bid "on the agenda." Beckham was "expected at a dinner with league officials" last night, and his group today "will present the latest details" of their $300M project to the MLS BOG. The owners "could vote to approve the deal as is," or they could approve it "contingent on the group fulfilling a few more requirements" (MIAMI HERALD, 8/2).

The Jaguars, who have played annually in London since '13, have inked their first U.K.-only sponsorship with London-based investment management firm LGT Vestra U.S. The firm, which targets Americans living in Europe, plans a variety of year-round joint B2B activities, including at the Jaguars' annual game at Wembley Stadium. The Jags’ U.K. sponsors do not get signage during the NFL Int’l Series games because the league sells those. LGT Vestra U.S. will get in-game recognition, but the LED is reserved for game and league sponsors.

The Jags already have two U.S.-based sponsors for the U.K. series -- Visit Florida and insurance firm U.S. Assure. Jags Senior VP/Int’l Development Hussain Naqi, who is based in London, wrote in an email, “There is a real groundswell of support for American football in this country, and the fact LGT Vestra U.S. is committed to growing the game and further raising the profile of the Jaguars brand in the U.K. is great news for our team. We’ll be every bit as committed to LGT Vestra U.S. by offering a strong and unique platform for them here in the United Kingdom, with Jaguars youth initiatives like Reward Rows and JagTag being just two examples.”

The Sounders have engaged WME-IMG to assist it in securing a title sponsor for a package that includes jersey sponsorship, matchday pitch rights and naming rights to the club's training facility. The Sounders' deal with Xbox, which has been jersey sponsor since its inaugural MLS season in '09 and also holds the matchday pitch rights, expires after the '18 season. This marks the first time WME-IMG has worked on a naming-rights partnership with an MLS club, and its global partnerships division will lead the efforts. The package of rights -- the club’s three most valuable assets since it does not control stadium naming rights -- could be valued at more than eight figures, said Sounders Majority Owner Adrian Hanauer.

The Univ. of Maryland today will "debut the completed first phase" of the school's $155M renovation of its football facility, Cole Field House. Construction began on the 61-year-old building in December '15, and the university "plans to break ground on the second part that includes the Center for Sports Medicine and Human Performance, an orthopedic clinic and the Academy for Innovation and Entrepreneurship during the ceremony with an expected completion" in '19. The first phase cost an estimated $45M. Maryland had been the "only Big Ten school without an indoor football facility" (BALTIMORESUN.com, 7/30).

The Missouri Supreme Court in a move that "could cost the Rams as much as $352,000" has "reversed an earlier decision focusing on how much taxes and fees the football team collected when it was still playing in St. Louis." The court yesterday ruled that an "administrative hearing commission erred when it found the Rams did not have to pay state sales tax on a special city entertainment fee that was tacked on to tickets" from '07-13. The case now goes back to that commission for "further deliberation." A time frame to resume the case was "not immediately available" (STLTODAY.com, 8/2).

Sports tech outfit Keemotion has secured $3.6M in Series A financing, with the round supported by several groups and individuals, including Dodgers ownership, R/GA Ventures and former NBA Commissioner David Stern. Keemotion's technology allows for organizations to have autonomous live production of sporting events. The investment will allow the company to grow its offerings, provide more solutions, expand into other sports and assist with staffing. Other Keemotion investors include 76ers and Devils co-Owner David Blitzer, DC United Managing General Partner Jason Levien, former Onexim Sports & Entertainment President Irina Pavlova and NBA free agent F Mike Dunleavy Jr.

See more on the tech firm’s plans in today’s issue of THE DAILY.

The USOC is taking its biennial fan tour to an overseas military base for the first time. On Feb. 19 at the U.S. Army Garrison Yongsan in Seoul, South Korea, Team USA and the Army will host a "WinterFest" to celebrate the PyeongChang Games. Singer Rachel Platten will perform. USOC partner Hershey's is a sponsor of the event and the domestic experiential fan tour campaign. USOC CEO Scott Blackmun said, "This unique opportunity to show our appreciation for the military community in Korea means a great deal to the USOC and the members of Team USA.” The base, about 80 miles west of the Olympic zone, is home to about 21,000 personnel and serves as HQ for the U.S. Army and U.N. command in South Korea.

Late night TV hosts weighed in on L.A. landing the '28 Games, with Comedy Central’s Trevor Noah saying, “A major event is coming to Los Angeles in the summer of 2028. And no, I'm not talking about the opening weekend of the 17th ‘The Fast & The Furious’ movie.” Noah: “The traffic is going to be insane, which is why the city has already announced that there will be a temporary ban on synchronized highway car dancing." More Noah: "Because this is Hollywood, there are going to be big some big changes to the Olympics. For example, the entire Chinese Olympic team is going to be played by white actors. ... In order to give the games a true L.A. feel, they will be introducing a couple of new events, including the white Bronco chase. ... Also, the L.A. decathlon, which is like the regular decathlon except you hire a Mexican immigrant to do the actual work for you” (“The Daily Show,” Comedy Central, 8/1).

ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel: “We have the Olympics in 2028. Only 11 more years and then, volleyball. I feel like between climate change and Kim Jong-un, it's optimistic to think we'll still have a Los Angeles in 2028.” They “already have a slogan. It's ‘Follow the sun,’ which is great advice if you want people walking directly into the ocean.” Kimmel: “I'm going to start a movement to try to get them to let Snoop Dogg light the torch with a big red, white and blue blunt” (“Jimmy Kimmel Live,” ABC, 8/1).

Darlington Raceway and Monster Energy have partnered to offer fans the chance to take part in on-track activities on Friday, Sept. 1, for free by recycling any size Monster Energy can (Darlington Raceway).

The 49ers have acquired high school sports TV program Cal-Hi Sports Bay Area. The show, which has been on air for the past 15 years and currently registers one million online views per year, has been rebranded "49ers Cal-Hi Sports Report" and will continue to feature a variety of sports from the Bay Area's 175 high schools (49ers).

Former UCF K Donald De La Haye has "sought donations and suggested his legal options might be limited a day after losing his football scholarship because he refused to stop taking ad revenue for his YouTube videos" (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 8/2).

NESN analyst Dennis Eckersley last night at Fenway Park "received a louder-than-usual cheer from the crowd," which he acknowledged by "flashing a peace sign and patting his heart." This comes amid Eckersley's ongoing public feud with Red Sox P David Price (BOSTON GLOBE, 8/2).

The Georgetown men’s basketball team "will not participate in the PK80 Phil Knight Invitational over Thanksgiving weekend in Portland." The event is "scheduled to celebrate" Nike co-Founder & Chair Emeritus Phil Knight’s birthday (WASHINGTON POST, 8/2).

Golden Knights G Calvin Pickard and the team are "conducting a contest to find the best images" to put on his goalie mask. Entries for the #Picksmaskcontest are being "accepted through the team’s website" and fans can "submit photos of their favorite designs." Winners will be announced Aug. 9 (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 8/2).

"It’s not minor. It’s not a total color change or anything like that. I think everybody is going to be very pleased with where it went" -- Titans Controlling Owner Amy Adams Strunk, on alterations made to the team's uniform for '18 (PAULKUHARSKY.com, 8/1).

"It's a struggle when you haven't had a censor button on the sidelines. You quickly find out I gave it the old college try, but it's not going to happen" -- Former LSU coach Les Miles, on auditioning for a college football analyst spot at Fox Sports (MONTGOMERY ADVERTISER, 8/2).

"This could be the greatest day in the history of the NFL. That the league finally acknowledged they will research marijuana is a huge deal" -- Former NFLer Kyle Turley, on the NFL offering to work with the union to study the potential use of marijuana as a pain management tool for players (S.F. CHRONICLE, 8/2).

"We’ve had a little bit of a boot camp, per se. Operationally, I had no idea how to do it. Like, what do you look at? Do you look at the field? Do you look at the monitor? You don’t really know how to do anything when you start off" -- CBS NFL analyst Tony Romo, on gearing up for his first year in the booth (MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL, 8/2).

"I apologize to Ice Cube & my Big 3 family, my fans and everyone disappointed by my absence in Dallas this past weekend. I have spoken with Ice Cube directly regarding the details of my absence" -- Allen Iverson, issuing an apology on his official Instagram page (INSTAGRAM.com, 8/1).

The MONTREAL GAZETTE writes, "While most Quebecers say they’re favourable to Formula E racing being held in Montreal, they’re unhappy with the way the Coderre administration managed the event, think it cost too much and was held in the wrong venue, a survey conducted for the TVA news network and the Journal de Montréal suggests."

Also:

• NFL softening marijuana stance could be key in CBA talks.
• What are the best throwback uniforms for every NBA team?
• Temperature is "about to rise again" in Yankees-Red Sox rivalry.
• Why Beyonce would make perfect sense as a Rockets investor.
• U.K.-based Perform Group has turned Sporting News "upside down."
• ACC football, MLS ascendant as SEC, NASCAR falter.

Fittingly, Cub fan Steve Bartman, who did nothing wrong, gets a WS ring. Governor who mocked him on TV is in prison. Chicago-style.

— ray stallone (@raysports) August 1, 2017

Some personal news- joining the Capitals later this month as PR asst. for the 2017-18 NHL season. Expect more hockey tweets, less politics🏒🦅 pic.twitter.com/11ViT4luF9

— Ben Cowlishaw (@btcowlishaw) August 1, 2017

Thumbs up to the kid who just Beat The Freeze. He definitely pulled a hamstring, but he still won.

— Andy McCullough (@McCulloughTimes) August 2, 2017

The media business is a challenge for everyone right now. It has been for 20 years. I am proud to be fighting that fight with Sporting News.

— Michael DeCourcy (@tsnmike) August 1, 2017

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

Proud to open the Wasserman Football Center, @UCLAFootball's new home!! #8Clap #GoBruins pic.twitter.com/IMLOxULZg3

— Casey Wasserman (@caseywasserman) August 2, 2017

N.C. State men's basketball will leave for Milan and make stops in Venice, Florence and Rome before returning on Aug. 12 as part of the team's trip to Italy.

As part of the Brewers' partnership with Southwest Airlines, P Zach Davies and C Stephen Vogt will work the ticket counter at General Mitchell Int'l Airport, welcoming arriving passengers to Milwaukee, while also helping board passengers and taking photos with fans in the airport.

A 3-minute hit on the stories you need to know ... Subscribe on iTunes ... Check out our podcast home.

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.”

Reddit co-Founder Alexis Ohanian appeared on ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live” last night and talked about his fiancée, tennis player Serena Williams, appearing on the cover of Vanity Fair. Ohanian said he was at the photo shoot and “there are photos of me as well with her, but they put those way in the back.” Ohanian noted Williams “won the Australian Open while pregnant.” ABC's Kimmel: “I’ll tell you what, no male player has ever done that.” Kimmel later said, “She might be the greatest athlete in American history.” Ohanian said he has “never picked up” a tennis racquet, and he was “so ignorant when we first met.” Ohanion: “I’d never even watched a match on television. I was such an arrogant football snob that I’d change the channel when tennis was on, and she’s actually offered to give me lessons. Well, I turned them down because I wanted to be the only person in the world who would ever turn down Serena Williams for tennis lessons” (“Jimmy Kimmel Live,” ABC, 8/1).

“What is the Great Barrier Reef?”