• Red Wings Open Little Caesars Arena With Sellout, Win Over Wild
• Devils' New Video Board Is NHL's Largest Center-Hung Display
• On Day Of Opener, Golden Knights Still Lack Coverage On Cox
• Nashville MLS Stadium Plan Draws Ire Of Fairgrounds Supporters

A sellout crowd of 19,515 last night attended the Red Wings' first regular-season game at Little Caesars Arena, a 4-2 win over the Wild with "plenty of highlights" (DETROIT NEWS, 10/6). The venue will "set a new standard for modern NHL facilities." Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill said the rink is the the "best in the world." NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman "gave the arena rave reviews" (USA TODAY, 10/6). Bettman also said that league events such as the draft and All-Star Game "will be held in the arena in a few years, after construction is finished of the neighborhood surrounding the arena" (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 10/6).

Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment's Hugh Weber (l) and Trans-Lux' J.M. Allain

The Devils have installed the NHL’s biggest center-hung video board at Prudential Center. Produced by N.Y.-based Trans-Lux, the board measures about 9,600 square feet and stands among the world’s largest in-arena center-hung displays. Team officials would not disclose the cost. The board, which is Trans-Lux' first at a pro arena, contains 20 individual displays and four HD TVs attached to its underbelly. All of the components were manufactured in the U.S., at plants in St. Louis and Burlington, N.J. The Devils’ regular-season opener is Saturday at home against the Avalanche.

The Golden Knights play their first regular-season game tonight against the Stars in Dallas, but there is "still no deal to show" the team's game on Cox Communications, the "biggest cable TV purveyor in the Las Vegas market." Owner Bill Foley "sold the team's regional broadcast rights" to AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain with the "goal of making his NHL team a regional western Rocky Mountains brand." But the RSN does not have carriage on Cox, and it is a"corporate sibling" of Cox competitor DirecTV. Foley last month said that he was "confident that Cox and AT&T SportsNet would strike a deal." But he is now "less than 24 hours away from failing on that prediction" (LVSPORTSBIZ.com, 10/5).

Supporters of Nashville's fairgrounds last night "blasted Mayor Megan Barry's proposal" for a $250M MLS stadium during a "public comment session provided by the Metro fair board." The "packed meeting" drew around 200 spectators, and speakers "gave an earful, making clear their distaste for a plan that would dramatically overhaul the site." Several "criticized plans to give 10 acres" to John Ingram's prospective MLS ownership group for a "future mixed-use development, with some calling it a 'gift' of public land that shirks the duties" of the fair board. A few "accused the administration of ramming the project through without doing their homework" (Nashville TENNESSEAN, 10/6).

MSG Co. and entertainment dining and hospitality brand Tao Group today will announce their first joint project -- a Tao-designed members-only suite at the arena. MSG earlier this year purchased a controlling stake in Tao Group, which operates dining and nightlife venues across the globe. Dubbed Suite Sixteen, the MSG space will have packages ranging from suite access membership for those with event tickets to memberships with reserved seating for two. The suite, which will be open for MSG’s 180-plus events annually, will have 28 stadium seats along with sofas and chrome tables, as well as a range of food and drink curated from Tao restaurants.

NBC Sports will air the '17 Ironman World Championship for the first time this year, planning coverage across several platforms throughout the day on Oct. 14. Coverage begins on NBCSN at 12:30pm ET, with the NBC broadcast network and NBCSN airing live look-ins intermittently in the afternoon. The finish will air at 8:30pm on NBCSN. The entire event will stream on the NBC Sports app and Ironman.com.

A federal court judge has scheduled a trial in Eugenie Bouchard’s lawsuit against the USTA for Feb. 19 after the group yesterday declined to file a motion seeking the case be dismissed. Bouchard is suing the USTA over a locker room fall she took at the '15 U.S. Open resulting in a concussion, which she alleged occurred because of negligence on the Open’s part. The WTA Tour is in Hungary and Dubai the week of the scheduled trial in Brooklyn, likely meaning Bouchard would have to forgo playing that week, barring a settlement.

Last night’s edition of ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live” aired a “commercial” promoting StubHub Center for “meditation retreats” on Sundays. Host Jimmy Kimmel said the Rams and Chargers both “are having trouble filling seats” in L.A. Kimmel: “The Rams' attendance dropped 26,000 fans per game this season. And they're in first place, by the way; it's not like they're doing badly. The Chargers only have 27,000 seats at the StubHub Center. It’s a soccer stadium. They can't even seem to fill half, but they claim they do. It doesn't look that way on TV. The Eagles were in town last week, and even Sean Spicer was like, ‘Wow, that is a small crowd you guys got there.’ They're building a new stadium that holds more than 70,000 fans. The future, in other words, does not look bright for the Bolts. But it isn't over yet. In fact, a very smart marketing team for the Chargers has a new spin that I think is going to help them sell more tickets” (“Jimmy Kimmel Live,” ABC, 10/5).

The 6th annual Michigan Sports Business Conference takes place today and kicks off with Allen & Co. Managing Dir Steve Greenberg being interviewed with longtime friend and Palace Sports & Entertainment Vice Chair Arn Tellem. The day will end with a one-on-one with Turner Sports’ David Levy. The event kicked off last night at a dinner at the Junge Family Champions Center near Michigan Stadium featuring a conversation with men’s basketball coach John Beilein.

Today will feature six main sessions and four breakouts, and other scheduled speakers include Barstool Sports Founder Dave Portnoy, NFL Senior VP Vishal Shah, Twitter’s Laura Froelich, Visa’s Kate Johnson and Bruin Sports Capital’s David Abrutyn. A full agenda can be seen here. The event is co-hosted by the Univ. of Michigan’s Ross School of Business and School of Kinesiology’s Sports Management Program. Many attendees are staying through Saturday night’s Michigan State-Michigan football game, which airs on ABC.

A source said that the NLL is "looking to add a team in New York" (N.Y. POST, 10/6).

Capitals-Senators last night drew 16,529 fans for Canadian Tire Centre's season opener, "just short of a sellout of 17,000" (OTTAWA CITIZEN, 10/6).

Florida-based rail service Brightline has been named the official train service of the Heat and AmericanAirlines Arena. The company and team will create promotions and packages maximizing the in-person NBA experience for South Florida fans (Brightline).

"You don’t want this circus. We just talked last week about how you thought Delanie Walker getting a death threat cost them the game. Well, you can imagine what’s coming with this" -- Former Titans GM Floyd Reese, on why the team has not signed Colin Kaepernick in the wake of QB Marcus Mariota's injury (TENNESSEAN.com, 10/5).

"There's officially a worse player who wore that No. 2 jersey than me" -- Former Buccaneers QB Chris Simms, on Bucs K Nick Folk, who missed three field goals in last night's home loss to the Patriots (TWITTER.com, 10/6).

The San Jose MERCURY NEWS writes under the header, "NFL's National Significance Is Fading Away." Internet live streaming, "video games and all sorts of other televised sports have combined to threaten the league’s monopoly on weekend entertainment -- even before recent controversies." Now it is "becoming a trend for irate fans not to watch the NFL at all." 

The CHARLOTTE OBSERVER goes with, "NASCAR Walks A 'Delicate Tightrope' Avoiding Politics In Trump Era." The racing body "faces a precarious balance between staying loyal to traditional fans, working to appeal to new, younger fans and appeasing sponsors who are becoming more outspoken" on societal issues.

Also:

• Bob McCown on the birth of Toronto's The Fan 590-AM.
• UFC looks to be "distraction in light of Las Vegas shooting."
• THE MMQB looks at safety at NFL games post-Vegas tragedy.
• College football's visiting locker rooms "aren't nice for a reason."
• Dodgers organist "boosts team's hip factor with savvy music."
• Blues having to "look elsewhere for practice ice."

Costas and Kaat are giving a clinic on how to broadcast a baseball game on MLB Network.

— bob raissman (@nydnraiss) October 5, 2017

I am so looking forward to a week of the @Indians and @Yankees twitter accounts going at each other... https://t.co/Uc3BPd0Xz4

— Rachel Nichols (@Rachel__Nichols) October 6, 2017

Just had the pleasure of seeing Bob Miller walk through the Bob Miller Press Box...always lovely to see him. Looks great, says he feels fine

— Helene Elliott (@helenenothelen) October 6, 2017

We are all on edge. Everyone's offended. Everyone wants the upper hand.
We'd be better off exhaling, listening to and respecting each other.

— Kimberly Jones (@KimJonesSports) October 6, 2017

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

I may be on Wall St this morning but I've got my uniform on and I'm ready to go. Let's go Cats! See you in Tampa tonight. #oneterritory pic.twitter.com/ta0qspMHjs

— Doug Cifu (@Dougielarge) October 6, 2017

USA Bobsled & Skeleton has invited to its November training camp "The Freeze," the famous Braves groundsman who this season "became an Internet sensation for racing fans at games while wearing a sky blue bodysuit and ski goggles." Team USA recruiter Mike Dionne said that because Nigel Talton, who ran track for Iowa Wesleyan, "is 'a smaller guy' he thought he'd be better suited for skeleton than a bobsled" (WASHINGTON POST, 10/6).

Golf HOFer Greg Norman kicks off the Mateship Charity Golf Tournament in DC, marking the 100-year alliance between his native Australia and the U.S. in support of the American Australian veterans' scholarship fund. Norman shares hosting duties with Australian Ambassador to the U.S. Joe Hockey.

The CHARLOTTE OBSERVER's Kevin Siers weighs in on Panthers QB Cam Newton's recent controversial comments to a reporter.

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 “Actors & Their Movie Roles.”

“He played Shakespearean title characters four times, receiving Best Actor Oscar nominations each time.”

Last night’s edition of “Jeopardy!” featured the category “Sports Stuff.”

$200: “A 2017 MLB rules change means a pitcher no longer has to toss four wide ones to accomplish this.”
$400: “Hands on top of the head is a football ref signal for illegal participation. If the ref puts his hands behind his head, it's a signal for loss of one of these.”

$600: “On April 9, 2017 Russell Westbrook had 50 points, 16 rebounds and 10 assists to break the season record for these.”
$800 (DAILY DOUBLE): “The PGA says that this sports term dates to a 19th century song about a monster who cackled, ‘Catch me if you can.’”
$1000: “With his 1981 title, John McEnroe was the last in tennis history to win the U.S. Open with one of these.”

Comedy Central’s Trevor Noah said after Panthers QB Cam Newton's controversial comments to a female reporter earlier this week, “you can see in Cam’s face he was like, ‘Man, I guess I’m going to be kneeling on Sunday. I’ve got to take a knee, right? Not just during the anthem, I’m going to kneel for the whole game.’” Noah: “At this point with so many scandals, the NFL is probably like, ‘Can we get back to concussions? Let’s just talk about concussions. These players are getting hurt!’ Actually if I was Cam I would use that, I’m not going to lie. In fact, if I was any NFL player I would know that I have one CTE card that I can play in my life.” Noah noted “on the bright side, if this is the worst thing an NFL player did to a woman this week, then we’re making progress” (“The Daily Show,” Comedy Central, 10/5).

CBS’ Stephen Colbert after airing a clip from Newton’s press conference said, “It's funny to hear a female talk about routes? Could he be more patronizing and insulting? That a woman wouldn't know about routes and truck sticking. Quick follow-up question: What are those things? Because I feel like I should know what they are now. Could you find that woman and have her call me? And this has hurt Newton. Today we learned that his sponsor, Dannon, has dropped him as a spokesman. It’s too bad, it was funny to see a male talk about yogurt” (“The Late Show,” CBS, 10/5).

“Who was Lawrence Olivier?” Olivier received Oscar nominations for “Hamlet,” “Henry V,” “Richard III” and “Othello.”

Correct responses to the “Sports Stuff” category:

$200: “What is an intentional walk?”
$400: “What is a down?”
$600: “What is a triple double?”
$800: “What is a bogey?”
$1000: “What is a wooden racquet?”