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Monday 9:00am ET....Today's News....New Phase In Concussion Saga

  • NFL Concussion Payouts Approved; Player Registration Ends Today
  • NFL Hires Former 49ers GM Trent Baalke As A Football Operations Consultant
  • Tickets To PGA Championship Available On Secondary Market Only 
  • Rutgers Opens Football Practice Complex Named For Battaglia

Start your morning with Buzzcast, a 3-minute podcast on today's top stories.
Today: Charlotte braces for big week and final thoughts on Canton.

 Also, get a jump on the big stories in this week's SBJ in the First Look podcast.

NFL Concussion Payouts Approved; Player Registration Ends Today

The first payouts from the NFL concussion settlement -- some worth as much as $5M -- "have been approved." But the registration process will end today, "closing the window during which players can potentially receive cash awards." More than 18,400 out of the roughly 21,000 retired players have registered, and about $100M in awards has been "approved so far." After today, the roughly 2,500 ex-players who have "not registered may be entirely shut out of the settlement, which is expected to cost" the NFL more than $1B over the life of the 65-year deal (N.Y. TIMES, 8/5).

NFL Hires Former 49ers GM Trent Baalke As A Football Ops Consultant

The NFL has hired former 49ers GM Trent Baalke as a "football operations consultant," according to sources. Baalke reportedly will be "working in the league's operations department in an advisory role on game-related matters, officiating, player development and evaluation, and officiating video review." Baalke was fired by the 49ers in January after 11 years with the organization (ESPN.com, 8/6). Baalke's new position "seems similar" to the one Tom Coughlin had with the league before joining the Jaguars' front office (SACRAMENTO BEE, 8/7).

Tickets To PGA Championship Available On Secondary Market Only

Tickets to this week's PGA Championship at Quail Hollow Club starting today "will no longer be available -- online or on site -- from the PGA of America." The PGA has said that "more than 200,000 fans are expected to attend Charlotte's first-ever golf major." Passes are "still for sale on the secondary market" (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 8/7). More than 800 media members were credentialed, with the tournament to be broadcast in "more than 200 countries." Temperatures during the tournament are "expected to surpass 80 degrees, but rain is also in the forecast" (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 8/7).

In a front-page piece, the CHARLOTTE OBSERVER goes with the header, "Charlotte Readies To Cash In On PGA Championship Tourism Dollars."

Rutgers Opens Football Practice Complex Named For Battaglia

Rutgers yesterday unveiled a new "state-of-the-art football practice complex with a price tag" of more than $8M. The Marco Battaglia Practice Complex is named after the former Rutgers TE in a "unique gesture created by an athletics record-sized naming-rights donation from boosters Jeff and Amy Towers." The outside facade "features plaques commemorating the program's six" College Football HOFers, as well as "listing each bowl trip and each All-American." The facility also includes "two new Kentucky Bluegrass fields" and a "separate FieldTurf playing surface with CoolPlay technology" (Newark STAR-LEDGER, 8/7).

Minnesota United Extends Streak Of 20,000-Plus Home Crowds

Minnesota United's 4-0 home loss to the Sounders on Saturday night drew a "lower-bowl sellout crowd" of 22,649 at TCF Bank Stadium, marking the "third consecutive crowd to break 20,000 for the Loons." This was also the "largest crowd since the home opener March 12, when United opened the upper decks for sale, that drew 35,043." Minnesota United Coach Adrian Heath said, "We're relevant in the city." MF Sam Cronin: "The energy tonight was great from the very beginning" (STARTRIBUNE.com, 8/5).

NBC Sports Buys Revolution Golf, Company With 2 Million Subscribers

By John Lombardo

NBC Sports has acquired Revolution Golf, a digital video golf instruction and e-commerce company with about 2 million subscribers. The deal, terms of which were not disclosed, adds to NBC Sports digital assets that also include GolfNow, an online tee time reservation company. NBC Sports Group President of Golf Mike McCarley said, “As we continue to evolve for the future, Revolution Golf adds another subscription-based business that is not dependent on rights fees.” N.Y.-based Revolution Golf was founded in '09 and has about 30 employees. It will be operated out of NBC Sports’ Golf Channel offices in Orlando.

Revolution Golf Founder & CEO Justin Tupper in a statement said, “We can enhance our video content by utilizing Golf Channel’s expertise, expanding current e-commerce offerings to a wider range of products and ultimately scaling our business by tapping into NBCUniversal’s global reach.”

Orange County Breakers Win WTT Title Before Sellout Crowd

The World TeamTennis Orange County Breakers on Saturday completed a 22-18 defeat of the San Diego Aviators to become WTT champions. The event was "played before a sellout crowd of 1,450" at the Omni La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, Calif. Attendees included Int'l Tennis HOFers Rod Laver and Billie Jean King, a former WTT majority owner (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE,8/7). 

Speed Reads....

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell is "expected to attend Giants practice" today, according to sources. His visit is a "precursor to a special Town Hall event for select season-ticket holders at MetLife Stadium" later this afternoon (Bergen RECORD, 8/7).

In the latest round of a "tit-for-tat battle" between AEG Live and Azoff-MSG, L.A.-based KIIS-FM’s Jingle Ball event is moving across L.A. from AEG’s Staples Center to the Forum in what "appears to be a multi-year deal," according to sources (VARIETY.com, 8/5).

The Univ. of Richmond has chosen Collegiate Sports Associates to "serve as a consultant in the coming search" for a new AD (RICHMOND TIMES-DISPATCH, 8/5).

Mets P Noah Syndergaard last night made his "highly-anticipated" cameo on HBO's "Game of Thrones." While Syndergaard "didn't receive a speaking role," he did appear as a soldier "hurling a spear at an opposing army" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 8/7).

Quick Hits....

"Worst press box, worst booths for television. It’s a joke; it really is. ... I will never step foot in that ballpark again. Ever" -- White Sox broadcaster Ken Harrelson, on vowing to never return to Wrigley Field (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 8/7).

"Growing up seeing video games, being around video games ... for us to be added is long overdue but it's a step in the right direction" -- Dallas Wings G Skylar Diggins-Smith, on WNBA players and teams being added to EA's "NBA Live 18" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 8/7). 

"I’ve won four tournaments this year. I think I can show I can play with the big guys already this year. I’m not an in-the-future kind of guy. I’m trying to be right now" -- Alexander Zverev, on where he stands in tennis after winning the ATP Citi Open over the weekend (WASHINGTON POST, 8/7).

Morning Hot Reads: Fantasy Islands

The WALL STREET JOURNAL writes the coming NFL season "presents an important test" for DraftKings and FanDuel, which are "working to court casual players -- not just pros -- amid scrutiny over whether or not their games constitute illegal gambling."

The HUFFINGTON POST profiles sports lawyer Jeffrey Kessler: "Forty years after stumbling into sports law, the prominent antitrust attorney is fighting to reshape college sports -- and get players paid."

Also:

Twitter Me This....

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

Today's Back Pages....

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-TimesPhiladelphia
Daily News

In Case You Missed It....

Some of the top news items from yesterday's edition of Weekend Rap:
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This Week In SportsBusiness Journal....

This week's In-Depth explores how and why teams track the "life cycle" of their tickets, explaining how data from the secondary market can be employed in marketing strategies.

Check out our First Look podcast to explore more of this week's stories and themes.

Spanning The Global....

The most-read Global stories today on SportsBusiness Daily:

1) Arsenal Owner Kroenke Bans Trophy-Hunting Shows From TV Streaming Service
2) BT's Football Strategy Uncertain After Consumer Division CEO John Petter Leaves
3) Neymar-PSG Deal 'Transcends A Business Transaction,' MediaCom VP Says
4) Plans To Create New Stadium For AS Roma Reportedly In Jeopardy
5) Unnamed Chinese Investor Reportedly Attempting To Buy A Stake In ManU

Final Jeopardy!

Friday night’s “Final Jeopardy!” category was “Men of Science.”

“The symbols for six chemical elements spell out his name, beginning with cobalt, phosphorous and erbium.”

Friday night’s edition of “Jeopardy” featured the category “Quarterbacks.”
$200: “In a mind-boggling combo of DNA, this Patriot and his supermodel wife welcomed a baby boy to their family in 2009.”
$400: “How long did it take Hall of Fame voters to go over this Green Bay quarterback’s winning candidacy in 2016? Between 6 and 9 seconds.”
$600: “In 1950 QB Jim Hardy had a record eight of these turnovers in a 45-7 loss but the very next week, threw 6 touchdowns.”
$800: “Tim Couch, Brady Quinn, Trent Dilfer and Johnny Manziel are four of the 20+ quarterbacks to start for this team since 1999.”
$1000: “He won the Super Bowl as a quarterback in 1999 and as a GM in 2016.”

Laugh Track: Wrestling For Position

CBS’ Stephen Colbert said, “The WWE has trademarked the bible verse numbers '3:16.' It is the most inappropriate case of commercializing the Bible since King Solomon's Baby-Sized Ginsu Knives. ‘Cut that baby in one swipe!’ Now, the WWE trademarked ‘3:16’ refers to one of the bible's most quoted verses, John 3:16: ‘For God so loved the world, that he gave his only son, that those who believe in him shall not die but have eternal life.’ Or, as the WWE will now put it, ‘Christ-A-Mania is running wild!! Woo, baby!’ running wild! Woo, baby!’ … Anyone who's read their Bible knows Jesus was betrayed by Judea's famous wrestling heel, ‘Rude Judas the Betrayin' Dudas.’” Colbert said, “If the WWE owns 3:16, we're going to have to update the way we teach the story of Jesus. So now, introducing: Weighing in at 120 pounds, hailing from Nazareth, Judea, the messiah of muscle, the savior of steel! Jesus!” At that point, a man dressed as Jesus walked on-stage and told the audience, “I’m going to walk all over you like water!” (“The Late Show,” CBS, 8/4).

 

Sunday’s edition of HBO’s “Last Week Tonight” featured host John Oliver discussing President Trump’s plan to expand the Border Patrol by 5,000 officers. Oliver noted in earlier efforts to expand the force from 10,000 to 20,000 officers, “recruitment was aggressive and the government advertised everywhere, even at one point” sponsoring a NASCAR ride in '07. Oliver: “They sponsored a NASCAR team, putting the Border Patrol in such fine company as other actual NASCAR sponsors, Depends underwear and Boudreaux’s Butt Paste, a product for -- I assume -- people who want their butt pasted closed” (“Last Week Tonight,” HBO, 8/6).

Final Jeopardy....

“Who was Nicolaus Copernicus?”

Correct responses to the “Quarterbacks” category:
$200: “Who is Tom Brady?”
$400: “Who is Brett Favre?”
$600: “What are interceptions?”
$800: “What are the Browns?”
$1000: “Who is John Elway?”