• Camping World Locks Up MLB's First LCS Presenting Sponsorship
• Jerry Jones Denies Report He Is Holding Up Goodell Extension
• Minnesota United Hiring Longtime T'Wolves Exec Chris Wright
• DNA Test Promotion At Ravens Game Postponed Amid Concerns

MLB has sold presenting sponsorships to both the ALCS and NLCS for the first time. A new and comprehensive five-year sponsorship with Camping World makes the RV/camping retailer the initial presenting sponsor of the championship series. It also will become the first presenting sponsor of MLB Spring Training in Florida and Arizona. The deal includes electronic behind-the-plate signage during the ALCS and NLCS and ad inventory on Fox, FS1 and TBS, as well as electronic and digital media, controlled by MLB Network and MLBAM. Baseball-themed advertising is anticipated, but not likely until next season.

Camping World under the deal also has the rights to make and sell some MLB licensed products through its own distribution channels. MLB Exec VP/Business Noah Garden said the licensing rights granted to Camping World will encompass outdoor recreational items, including pool toys and camping equipment. Camping World is expected to sell licensed outdoor equipment from MLB licensees, including Weber and Kingsford, and will eventually develop retail sections that will include its own MLB-branded products.

        

Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones responded to an ESPN report claiming he was "holding up a five-year extension" for NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. Jones said that the report is an "'exaggeration' and less than substantive." Jones: "All of that is without any substance at all. ... I’ve always supported Roger and let’s just leave it at that." He added that the issue of Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliott's suspension is "separate from the contract negotiations with Goodell." The commissioner was "reportedly close to an agreement on a five-year extension last month" (FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 9/18).

See today's issue of THE DAILY for more.

Longtime T'Wolves and Lynx exec Chris Wright today will be introduced as Minnesota United's "new CEO," according to sources. Wright has been T’Wolves and Lynx President for the past 13 years and "has spent 26 years with the organization." He served as VP/Sales & Marketing "before becoming president in the teams' business operations" (STARTRIBUNE.com, 9/17). Wright returns to soccer "more than 40 years after he first came from his native England to Pennsylvania to work summer soccer camps and 30 years after leaving the MISL" (SOCCERAMERICA.com, 9/18).

Biotech company Orig3n said that a promotion that would have offered "free DNA test kits to Ravens fans" at yesterday's home game against the Browns has been "put off until later this season." Orig3n, which was sponsoring the event, indicated that Maryland state officials "raised questions about the promotion." The effort "would have allowed participants to learn about their genetic makeup by swabbing the inside of their cheek, dropping the sample into a stadium bin and registering with the company online." But the idea "drew criticism," raising "privacy concerns" (Baltimore SUN, 9/18). 

The Kings-Coyotes game originally scheduled for tonight at Gila River Arena has been "canceled because of poor ice conditions following a concert Saturday in the building." It is "unclear when the Coyotes will be able to get back into Gila River Arena but the team hopes it is before their next preseason home game Saturday against the Sharks." The concert featured Latin pop singers Gloria Trevi and Alejandra Guzman (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 9/18). Gila River Arena is "managed by AEG" (also the Kings' parent company) and "owned by the city of Glendale" (L.A. TIMES, 9/18).

FC Cincinnati closed out its home schedule Saturday before a "USL single-game, regular season record crowd" of 30,417 for a 4-2 win over N.Y. Red Bulls II. FC Cincinnati this year drew 477,300 fans to "22 home matches across all competitions -- a per-match average of about 21,700" (CINCINNATI.com, 9/16). Prior to the team's launch last year, Cincinnati had a "scant soccer history compared to most other U.S. metro areas." But with the club's popularity, MLS is "taking a hard look at the city's expansion bid" (WASHINGTON POST, 9/18).

Raiders RB Marshawn Lynch helped place free Skittles vending machines "throughout the Bay Area" prior to yesterday's home opening win over the Jets at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. Five locations "throughout the East Bay had custom vending machines dispensing a free serving" of Skittles from 9:00am-1:00pm PT on Sunday. The impetus was "apparently for Skittles and Lynch to get Silver & Black fans 'game ready.'" The Mars candy brand has sponsored Lynch since '14 (San Jose MERCURY NEWS, 9/18).

Fox NFL studio analyst Jimmy Johnson was absent from coverage yesterday because he was "back home in the Florida Keys tending to the aftermath of Hurricane Irma." He was replaced by Tony Gonzalez (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 9/18).

Late Houston sports broadcaster Bob Allen yesterday was "inducted into the Astros' media Wall of Honor, located in the Minute Maid Park press box" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 9/18).

"Yes, I've never stopped. I'm ready right now. Working out daily" -- Free agent QB Colin Kaepernick, on if he wants to play in the NFL this season (TWITTER.com, 9/17).

"We’re not idiots. New York City probably has the largest base of college alumni in the world. We want them to experience the show, too" -- ESPN Senior Coordinating Producer Lee Fitting, on "College GameDay" heading to N.Y. this weekend for the first time (THEATHLETIC.com, 9/17).

"We already gave Chris Hansen a fair shake. We entered into an agreement with him. We negotiated that agreement with him several years ago and it had a list of prerequisites. One of them being ‘You need to get an NBA team awarded to Seattle before this project can advance.’ That hasn’t happened. So, we’re looking at KeyArena now" -- Seattle City Council member Tom Burgess, when asked last week if Hansen's project will get a "fair shake" as the council reviews the Oak View Group-KeyArena deal (SEATTLE TIMES, 9/18).

The GLOBE & MAIL wrote under the header, "CFL Divided Over League Decision To Abolish Full-Contact Practices." The league's "bold moves" last week to preserve player safety have been "widely commended by many, but privately, others within the league wonder if it will affect players' preparations for games or even make them less safe."

YAHOO SPORTS wrote the Jaguars are committed to being a "leader on the recovery" from Hurricane Irma. Jacksonville is a "small market by NFL standards," but it "still offers its charms, especially in times like this that can be a benefit, when the small-market, we’re-all-in-this-together vibe, takes over."

Also:

• Steelers honor late Dan Rooney at home opener.
• A's new ballpark plans a "hit-and-miss proposition."
• Nick DePaula on Russell Westbrook's place in sports shoe hierarchy.
• "Friends" helping Latino MLBers learn English.
• Nintendo's Switch "secretly hiding a copy of NES 'Golf."

LA attendance:
Chargers - 25,381
Rams - 56,612
NFL combined - 81,993

USC v. Texas - 84,714

— Bryan Fischer (@BryanDFischer) September 17, 2017

Freeman shoots free throw with TD run celebration. @SNFonNBC plays the old NBA on NBC theme to break. Brilliant. That's fun.

— Rich Eisen (@richeisen) September 18, 2017

The lighting in the Falcons stadium reminds me of how Madden '12 looked

— Gus Ramsey (@GusRamsey) September 18, 2017

Some NFL players clearly don't appreciate how much less money they would make without fantasy and gambling. It matters...a lot.

— Dave Finocchio (@DaveFinocchio) September 18, 2017

How to properly celebrate 10k snaps, should you ever find yourself in that situation pic.twitter.com/fe2CDzXUPX

— Joe Thomas (@joethomas73) September 18, 2017

Ticketmaster’s latest attempt to "stamp out scalping has spawned a new market -- not for tickets themselves, but for special codes that offer the opportunity to buy them." The concert promoter’s Verified Fan system "aims to identify 'real' fans and give them a shot at buying tickets without having to compete with scalpers." Now professional resellers are "offering hundreds of dollars for the codes that grant access to the hottest tickets" (WSJ.com, 9/16).

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

The Cornell ILR Sports Leadership Summit takes place at the Westin New York Grand Central. The opening panel -- "The Future Of Labor In Sports," -- features NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred.

The Golden Knights host a ceremony to celebrate the newly opened City National Arena in Summerlin, Nev., at 9:00am PT. Owner Bill Foley and several players will be on hand for a ceremonial puck drop.

Friday night’s “Final Jeopardy!” category was “Global Organizations.”

“’Connecting police for a safer world’ is the motto of this 190-member organization.”

Friday’s edition of NBC’s “The Tonight Show” featured the regular segment “Thank You Notes.” Host Jimmy Fallon wrote, “Thank you, Cincinnati Reds mascot Mr. Red, for showing us what it would look like if the Pringles guy lost his mind.” Fallon also wrote, “Thank you, wearing your favorite player’s jersey, for being the only time it’s socially acceptable to say you like someone by showing up to their job and wearing their clothes” (“The Tonight Show,” NBC, 9/15).

“What is INTERPOL?”