• NBA Launching New "Voices" Platform To Promote Social Causes
  
• Jaguars Fans Descend On EverBank Field To Celebrate Playoff Win
  
• Marc Jenkins Leaving Learfield To Become Patron Technologies CEO
  
• Golden Knights' Inaugural Fan Fest Draws 10,000 To Downtown Vegas

Coinciding with Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the NBA today is launching a "new initiative called NBA Voices and a new interactive webpage, voices.nba.com, to address social injustice and promote inclusion, diversity and equality." NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said, "Since our players stood up and in essence there was a call to action by the NBA family, we are incredibly proud that we have executed over 200 events in communities around the country in every NBA city. ... With the case of NBA Voices, we recognize that access to that platform was important to our fans. It was really in response to our fans saying to us, Where do we go to learn more about what it is that you are doing, and what we can do?" (ESPN.com, 1/14).

NBA players leading up to MLK Day have been wearing special warmup shirts that feature quotes from King's "I Have A Dream" speech.

Thousands of Jaguars fans "gathered at EverBank Field" last night to celebrate the team's 45-42 playoff win over the Steelers. The team arrived in Jacksonville around 9:30pm ET and "reached the stadium after a 20-minute trek." The crowd "erupted in applause and cheers after the entire roster and coaching staff made its way onto the field" (FIRSTCOASTNEWS.com, 1/15). The fan support left Jaguars Owner Shad Khan "visibly moved and appreciative of the team's long-awaited ascension." Khan said, "It's been everything we thought and more. The city deserves it and the team deserves it" (FLORIDA TIMES-UNION, 1/15).

WATCH LIVE as the team returns from their win over the Steelers to thousands of fans in @EverBankField. #DTWD https://t.co/ibMuQ29sFf

— z-#Sacksonville (@Jaguars) January 15, 2018

Marc Jenkins, who has served as Learfield COO since joining the company in '14, is leaving at the end of the month to become CEO at Patron Technologies, a business owned by Providence Equity. In his nearly four years at Learfield, Jenkins was instrumental in directing the company’s massive growth through more than a dozen acquisitions. Jenkins, who previously worked for NASCAR and the White Sox, evaluated acquisition targets and then took the lead on integrating the new lines of business into the greater company, including Paciolan last year. Jenkins also has been integral in planning for the merger with IMG College, along with CEO Greg Brown, Chief Legal Officer John Raleigh, Chief Revenue Officer Andy Rawlings and Chief Administrative Officer Temple Weiss.

Jenkins already was a member of Patron's board, and as CEO, he will be responsible for growing the ticketing technology business. Providence, which formerly owned Learfield, acquired Patron in July. Patron does not do much in the sports space and is not considered a competitor. Jenkins will be with Learfield through the end of January and will continue in an advisory role after his departure. Weiss will oversee Learfield's extended business lines of ticketing/marketing solutions, brand solutions and venue solutions until Jenkins' replacement is named.

A crowd of 10,000 "crazed" Golden Knights fans yesterday attended the team's inaugural Fan Fest in downtown Las Vegas, which was postponed from October in the wake of the Oct. 1 mass shooting. The event produced a "pep rally atmosphere," as team Owner Bill Foley "led the crowd in a 'Go Knights Go' chant and Golden Knights TV broadcasters Dave Goucher and Shane Hnidy introduced the players" (LVSPORTSBIZ.com, 1/14). Fans "crammed against metal barricades" as players "walked a red carpet underneath the Fremont Street Experience canopy." Players made "frequent stops to sign autographs and take photos with fans." The event was produced in partnership with the D Las Vegas hotel/casino (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 1/15).

Fox Sports during yesterday's Vikings-Saints playoff game debuted a new spot promoting next month's Daytona 500, entitled "Holiday." The spot makes use of the "Daytona Day" theme, which Fox is rolling out for a third straight season as a way to posit that the 500 doubles as a social gathering for fans and casual observers, much like the Final Four or Super Bowl. The spots have drawn strong takes from some NASCAR media members and fans for not emphasizing on-track action enough, but Fox says the campaign is targeted at casual and non-fans.

Dyehard Fan Supply has acquired its third retail merchandise company in the last month -- Louisville-based All Pro Championships -- as it attempts to roll up enough businesses to form a national network. All Pro is a sports merchandising company founded in '78. Dyehard, owned by Ben Sutton’s Teall Capital, previously has invested in similar retail merch businesses in New York and North Carolina. With additional investments coming, Dyehard is putting together a national network of merchandise capabilities at sports, music and entertainment events.

All Pro offers expertise in retail merchandising, e-commerce and wholesale distribution. The company has handled merchandising programs for the '84 L.A. Games, NBA Finals, World Series, Davis Cup, Kentucky Derby, MLB All-Star Game and America's Cup, as well as pro football championships. All Pro maintains a 16,000-square-foot office and distribution center in Louisville with approximately 20 full-time employees that service more than 2,000 local, regional and national accounts.

Conference USA has reached a new partnership with Nebraska-based athlete marketing platform Opendorse aimed at investing in building the brands of its players and partner universities on social media. The deal allows C-USA and its universities to share content through the social channels of current student-athletes, alumni, coaches and sports administrators. The conference will launch the partnership in its promotion of this year's basketball tournament at The Star in Frisco (C-USA).

Sources said that Danica Patrick's camp could be closing in on making an announcement in the coming days related to her bid to drive in this year's Daytona 500 and Indy 500 before retiring (Adam Stern, Staff Writer).

Boston-based WBZ-AM co-host Marc Bertrand was in a "terrifying car wreck Saturday" and his return date to the station is "unclear" (BOSTON HERALD, 1/15).

Last night's UFC Fight Night 124 at Scottrade Center saw an "attendance of 10,052 fans that produced gate receipts of $812,995" (MMAWEEKLY.com, 1/15).

The Univ. of Arizona last night named Kevin Sumlin as the school's new football coach, and he "will be introduced to Tuscon on Tuesday morning." AD Dave Heeke reportedly "placed a big emphasis on character" in the search for Rich Rodriguez' replacement (ARIZONA DAILY STAR, 1/15).

The Vikings' last-play touchdown to defeat the Saints in last night's NFC divisional game inspires radically different treatment on the front pages of the New Orleans Times-Picayune and Minneapolis Star Tribune.

"It was the loudest environment I’ve ever been in. The atmosphere was the best I’ve ever seen. They helped us today. ... And the good guys won" -- Vikings coach Mike Zimmer, on the U.S. Bank Stadium crowd in yesterday's win over the Saints (ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS, 1/15).

"We're thinking about adding some hot water this year" -- Cubs Chair Tom Ricketts, on the club possibly upgrading the visitors clubhouse at Wrigley Field (Chicago DAILY HERALD, 1/15).

"A lot of people from those countries emigrated to the United States to improve their lives, and they’ve made this country better. So I’m just going to ignore that comment" -- Celtics F Semi Ojeleye, whose family hails from Nigeria, on President Trump's controversial comments last Thursday (BOSTON HERALD, 1/15).

The SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE writes one year ago this week, the city's sports fans "one and all were made to see the inconvenient truth" that the Chargers "belonged not to them but to the Spanos family." And the "only approval" the  family needed to move their company, "as it turned out, was that of the NFL."

The MONTREAL GAZETTE goes with, "Let's Send A Message, And Stop Supporting The NHL During The Olympics." Canadian hockey fans "feel left out because they are left out."

On MLK Day: 

• Lakers make team visit to National Civil Rights Museum.
• How celebrating Dr. King's legacy is "part of Memphis Grizzlies' DNA."
• Basketball HOFer Lenny Wilkens on King's impact, political issues of today.

Also:

• Before Trump "blasted Haiti," one NBAer "went on hunger strike for its people."
• How the Raiders paired with a Minnesota company to build Vegas stadium.
• Penn State suddenly "growing into 'Hockey Valley.'"
• New Packers GM "must build on Ted Thompson's solid foundation."
• Clauson-Marshall Racing's hospitality gives glimpse into future of dirt racing.

Generally new stadiums struggle to be as loud as old stadiums. Not the case here in Minneapolis. Great, great venue.

— Dan Wetzel (@DanWetzel) January 14, 2018

I love having Tom Coughlin in the press box. Some fantastic under-his-breath commentary.

If you think he’s happy with the Jaguars currently up 21-0… not even close. Absolutely ripping into the team every chance he gets.

I truly wish, for all of you, that he was mic’d up.

— Jeff Darlington (@JeffDarlington) January 14, 2018

Giants probably just dialed 10 of the 11 digits of Pat Shurmur's phone number and then had to hang up.

— Tom Rock (@TomRock_Newsday) January 15, 2018

London had no idea we’d been sending them the second best team in the AFC this whole time

— Mike Golic Jr (@MGolicJR57) January 14, 2018

The potential weird thing that could come from this strike is the PGA Tour figuring out the future of digital coverage on the fly.

— Ryan Ballengee (@RyanBallengee) January 14, 2018

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

Oklahoma State booster T. Boone Pickens is "closing the energy-focused hedge fund he has run for the last two decades as his health declines." Pickens "cited both his deteriorating health and weak financial performance as reasons for closing" BP Capital in a letter that he published Friday. A spokesperson for Pickens "declined to comment on the fund’s size or returns." The fund had managed more than $2B a decade ago (WSJ.com, 1/12).

Friday night’s “Final Jeopardy!” category was “African Countries.”

“With more than 90 million people it’s Africa’s third most populous country, though it’s more than 90% desert.”

This weekend’s edition of NBC’s “Saturday Night Live” featured cast member Kenan Thompson portraying LaVar Ball during the “Weekend Update” news segment. Ball answered questions from co-anchors Colin Jost and Michael Che about LiAngelo and LaMelo Ball playing in the Lithuanian professional basketball league. Che asked, “Were they okay with that?” Thompson: “Man, they living the dream, Michael! I told them, ‘Pack up your things, we moving up! I’m taking you out of this dump called Los Angeles and we’re going to Prienu Vytautas, where the forecast is always a crisp -2 degrees Celsius and a 100% chance of freezing rain.” Che then brought up the ‘F’ rating the Big Baller Brand received from the Better Business Bureau. Thomspon: “Man, don’t you talk to me about no Better Rating Business Bureau. I told my kinds that ‘F’ stands for ‘phenomenal’” (“SNL,” NBC, 1/13).

Friday night’s edition of NBC’s “The Tonight Show” featured the recurring “Superlatives” segment, highlighting players from this weekend’s Eagles-Falcons divisional round playoff matchup (“The Tonight Show,” NBC, 1/12).

“What is Egypt?”