• NFL, Tencent Reach Deal For Digital Streaming Rights In China
• NFL, EA Sports Team Up For "Madden" Esports Competition
• Pro-Pirates Crowd Of 2,596 Attends MLB Little League Classic
• Chip Ganassi Racing Lands Credit Card Processor First Data As Sponsor

The NFL today announced a deal granting Tencent "exclusive digital streaming rights for NFL games in China" as the league "expands" its presence in the country. Under the three-year agreement, Shenzhen-based Tencent "will stream live and on-demand" NFL preseason, regular-season and playoff games, "plus the Super Bowl and other content in China." Financial details were not disclosed. The NFL has "pushed aggressively in recent years and reports growing interest as Chinese consumers armed with smartphones seek more diverse sources of mobile sport and entertainment" (AFP, 8/21).

The NFL and EA Sports today announced that they are partnering to "create a nationwide 'Madden NFL 18' tournament involving all 32 teams." The league also said that a "bigger commitment to an esports league is coming." The newly formed Madden NFL Club Championship "will begin with local tournaments in each NFL market." Each team "will organize and market their own tournaments, which may be hosted at NFL stadiums and other team facilities." The championship-round events "will be held at the Pro Bowl in Orlando and Super Bowl LII in Minneapolis" (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 8/21 issue).

EA and the NFL "ran a similar competition last year on a smaller scale." NFL Chief Strategy Officer & Senior VP/Consumer Products Chris Halpin said that the "teams involved 'loved it, loved the model,' but one of the criticisms he heard was that 'my favorite team's not in it.'" Halpin: "We need all 32 (teams), and for the fans externally, it makes more sense if every team is represented" (AP, 8/21).

The Pirates defeated the Cardinals 6-3 last night in the MLB Little League Classic in Williamsport, Pa., where the "crowd of 2,596 favored the Pirates, and the gameday experience resembled contests in Pittsburgh." Members of all 16 LLWS teams attended the game, and "most of the evening was dedicated to the youth." Significant work was done to 91-year-old BB&T Ballpark at Historic Bowman Field’s "playing surface and dugouts to prepare them for big-league play." A "city of tents was erected behind the ballpark to accommodate clubhouse functions and the media" (USATODAY.com, 8/20).

Chip Ganassi Racing this morning is expected to unveil a new sponsorship deal with credit card processor First Data, according to sources. Ganassi has scheduled an 11:00am ET press conference at the NASCAR HOF to unveil the deal. Terms were unclear as of presstime, but the company is expected to serve as sponsor for a handful of races this year on Kyle Larson’s No. 42 Chevy in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, with the team hoping to grow that in '18. The deal has B2B connections as First Data does work with Credit One Bank, one of Larson’s primary sponsors.

The WNBA Fever and Mystics at yesterday's game in Indianapolis stood with "mouths closed and arms interlocked" during the national anthem, with the display meant to oppose "bigotry, hate and racism." The players "wore matching white T-shirts, long-sleeved with a pink ribbon on the front, over matching blue warmup pants" (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 8/21).

We stand UNITED. 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/My9u4S2msH

— Indiana Fever (@IndianaFever) August 20, 2017

Boxer Manny Pacquiao "will return" to Brisbane, Australia, later this year to face Jeff Horn in a "Battle of Brisbane rematch." This comes after Lord Mayor Graham Quirk said that the city council "had withdrawn its pre-commitment of financial support, as Pacquiao had not committed to the event." It is "understood the fight will be at Suncorp Stadium in November." The council in July spent about US$1.3M on the Battle of Brisbane, and Quirk said that the "circumstances would be different for the rematch and the council would now negotiate spend" (SMH.com.au, 8/21).

Industry execs talk about some of the stories they are keeping an eye on this year:

Attendance for yesterday's Saints-Chargers game at StubHub Center was 21,197, a "few more than" the Chargers' first exhibition on Aug. 13 (ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, 8/21).

The BIG3's semifinal weekend at Seattle's KeyArena drew 8,583 fans (SEATTLE TIMES, 8/21).

The AVP Manhattan Beach Open final yesterday took place in front of a "standing-room only Stadium Court crowd of about 5,000" (Long Beach PRESS-TELEGRAM, 8/21).

Wrigley Field's weekend series between the Cubs and Blue Jays saw a "Canadian invasion," with Jays fans being "loud and into every game" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 8/21).

Charlotte-born evangelist Billy Graham yesterday was honored during the Triple-A Int'l League Charlotte Knights’ “Faith and Family Night” at BB&T Ballpark. Graham himself was not in attendance, and his grandson Will "spoke up" on his behalf (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 8/21).

"Just say it @Buster_ESPN" -- Tigers P Justin Verlander, on ESPN MLB analyst Buster Olney's report concerning MLB's home run surge. Verlander's tweet included a "syringe and a baseball emoji" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 8/21). 

"As women golfers we always get shortchanged. ... Even from the PGA Tour down, I just don’t think we get really the respect we deserve. ... Hopefully things start to change, especially in sponsorships" -- Golf HOFer Juli Inkster, on the status of women's golf (GOLFCHANNEL.com, 8/20). 

"A lot of it is geared toward how it’s marketed. Basketball and football is always going to be more marketable. … There’s not that many of us. As a kid, if they’re seeing more playing football and basketball, they’re going to gravitate more toward football and basketball" -- Pirates 2B Josh Harrison, on the decline of African-Americans on MLB rosters (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 8/21). 

"They’re talking about the fight for Los Angeles. And Raiders fans have been telling me we already won that fight, and that the Rams and Chargers are fighting for the No. 2 and 3 spots" -- Raiders Owner Mark Davis, on his team's popularity in L.A. (L.A. DAILY NEWS, 8/20).

The MONTREAL GAZETTE writes under the header, "It's Time for Athletes -- And Sports Leagues --To Take A Stand For Justice."  The S.F. CHRONICLE goes with, "Sports And Society Intersect, And We'll Keep Writing About It." The BOSTON GLOBE writes there is a "divide over" President Trump "among NASCAR fans," while SI takes a look at sports writers' social media accounts in the Trump age. Meanwhile, Packers TE Martellus Bennett draws up a political cartoon.

The AP noted the Mariners' Amada Hopkins is the "first full-time female baseball scout in more than 50 years," but she "does not view herself through that prism or want to be viewed as a trailblazer." While Hopkins is "starting to get comfortable with the history she has made," she "doesn’t want that to be her entire story in baseball."

Also:

• Has recent CTE study diluted excitement for college football?
• Vegas resident helps Golden Knights teammates embrace Sin City.
• Cal athletics faces some hard truths.
• Jordan Spieth's rise to sport's elite started in Junior Golf.
• MLB still figuring out how to deal with its diversity issue.
• Success of MLB's domestic violence policy difficult to measure.
• The California League keeps minor league baseball simple. 

@MLB @MLBPAA a day and night to be very proud of. From concept to execution, the players made today a day we will never forget. So well done

— Karl Ravech (@karlravechespn) August 21, 2017

This Solheim Cup was a powerful statement for the quality of women's golf. So many simply amazing matches!

— Ron Sirak (@ronsirak) August 20, 2017

Looks like the Commissioner is now Jerry-proof.

— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) August 21, 2017

Strange. Nowhere in the Yankee PR game notes does it say he has set a record for consecutive games with a K.

— Bob Ryan (@GlobeBobRyan) August 20, 2017

The city of Fayetteville, N.C., breaks ground on the future ballpark for the Astros' Class A Advanced affiliate projected to start play in '19. Astros President of Business Operations Reid Ryan, Senior Dir of Business Operations Dan O'Neill and Carolina League Buies Creek Astros GM David Lane will be in attendance. 

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

Friday night’s “Final Jeopardy!” category was “World Landmarks.”

“Completed in 1884, the Washington Monument became the tallest manmade structure but four years later was surpassed by this.”

Model Kate Upton appeared on NBC’s “The Tonight Show” Friday night and said she is “very competitive” with her boyfriend, Tigers P Justin Verlander. Upton said Verlander “is kind of helping me” with her golf game. Upton: “Anytime Justin gets mad that I’m not catching on to something or not as good as him, I’m like, ‘You know, Arnold Palmer found the time to teach me. Maybe you should.’” NBC's Jimmy Fallon: “Arnold Palmer taught you how to golf. That is insane.” Upton said after she golfed with Palmer, they had dinner together and she “ordered an ‘Arnold Palmer.’” Upton: “It’s probably the highlight of my life.” Fallon: “I’ll have a him” (“The Tonight Show,” NBC, 8/18).

Friday’s edition of NBC’s “The Tonight Show” featured the recurring segment “Thank You Notes.” NBC's Fallon: “Thank you, Triple H, for sounding less like a WWE superstar and more like an extra strength hemorrhoid creme.” But immediately after Fallon wrote the note, Triple H appeared on-stage to his wrestling theme music, picked up Fallon and body-slammed him on his desk, destroying it in the process. Triple H then sat in Fallon’s chair and said calmly, “'Summer Slam' airs live this Sunday, August 20, on the WWE Network. We’ll be right back with Jon Hamm” (“The Tonight Show,” NBC, 8/18).

“What is the Eiffel Tower?”