• Pandemonium In Philadelphia As Eagles, Pats Advance To Super Bowl
• Looking Ahead To Super Bowl: Vikings' Loss Drops Ticket Demand 
• NFL Names Three Finalists For Walter Payton Man Of The Year
• Fanatics Allowing NBA Jersey Exchanges If Player Is Traded

Start your morning with Buzzcast, a 3-minute podcast on today's top stories.
Today: With Super Bowl match-up set, it’s another manic Monday.

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

The Patriots and Eagles are in the Super Bowl after both teams earned home victories in yesterday's NFL conference title games, and the atmosphere in Philadelphia was "particularly charged." After the Eagles' 38-7 win over the Vikings, one downtown intersection was "filled curb to curb with rowdy but orderly fans estimated to exceed 2,000." Police "closed Broad Street to make space for the crowds from City Hall to Spruce Street, estimated to be 5,000 to 10,000 strong." Police officers with "cans of shortening, dubbed 'Crisco Cops,' started lathering up light poles in Center City" (PHILLY.com, 1/21). Some Eagles fans "donned dog masks, and those won't go out of style" (PHILLY.com, 1/21). Philadelphia had waited "more than a decade to host another NFC Championship, and based on the atmosphere in the parking lots on Sunday afternoon, it felt like most of the city had been drinking that long" (Newark STAR-LEDGER, 1/22).

Coinciding with the Pats' 24-20 win over the Jaguars, yesterday marked the "24th anniversary of Robert Kraft taking ownership of the franchise." Kraft becomes the "first owner in history to have his team in nine Super Bowls," and the 10th Super Bowl trip for the franchise overall is also a league record (BOSTONSPORTSJOURNAL.com, 1/21).

Congratulations to the @Patriots and the @Eagles, The AFC and NFC Champions! In honor of their upcoming trip to the big game our lights are now shining in their colors. Who will you be cheering for on February 4th? 🏈 pic.twitter.com/IsDZLLbrmG

— Empire State Bldg (@EmpireStateBldg) January 22, 2018

With the Vikings eliminated from the playoffs, Super Bowl tickets "got a bit more affordable" on the secondary market. The NFL avoids the "first ever Super Bowl played by a team in its home stadium" (ESPN.com, 1/21). The Eagles last night "announced ticket and travel packages" for the Super Bowl, available through PrimeSport.com (PENNLIVE.com, 1/21). The opening betting lines peg the Eagles as the "biggest Super Bowl underdogs" since '09, when the Steelers were 7-point favorites over the Cardinals. Las Vegas sports books have the Patriots favored by as many as 6.5 points (ESPN.com, 1/21).

FRONT-PAGE HEADLINES: Philadelphia Daily News: "Best In Show" ... Boston Globe: "Coming Back For LII" ... Minneapolis Star-Tribune: "Home, Sick" .... Florida Times-Union: "Destiny Falls To Dynasty"

The NFL yesterday named three finalists for the Walter Payton Man Of The Year award: Panthers TE Greg Olsen, Ravens TE Benjamin Watson and Texans DE J.J. Watt. The winner will be announced in Minneapolis on Feb. 3 (NFL).

• Olsen started Receptions for Research through his foundation in '09 “after his mother battled and survived breast cancer.” The program has distributed more than $3.5M since its inception (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 1/22).
• Watson’s One More Foundation “recently partnered with the International Justice Mission, the world’s largest international anti-slavery organization working to combat human trafficking” (BALTIMORE SUN, 1/22). SBJ examined Watson's leadership skills last summer.
• Watt is being recognized for his “philanthropic efforts to provide relief in the wake of Hurricane Harvey.” He helped raise $37M through an “online fundraising initiative that he launched with an initial goal of $200,000” (CHRON.com, 1/21).

As the NBA trade deadline nears, Fanatics today announced that it will "offer fans a chance to exchange for either the new jersey of their favorite player or to get a different jersey of a player on their team, if the player whose jersey they recently bought gets traded." If a consumer "buys a jersey on the site within three months of a player leaving that team, the fan has two weeks to make an exchange." If the jersey is purchased with an American Express card, the fan can make the exchange if the player "leaves within 12 months of the purchase" (ESPN.com, 1/22).

Bud Light has partnered with The Players' Tribune to create an original video featuring Pro Football HOFer Jerry Rice. Financial details were not disclosed. This marks TPT's first partnership with the beer brand. In the video, which will debut on TPT's social channels today, Rice shows up at a flag football game with beer disguised as a Bud Light delivery driver before joining the game.

Sources said that Twitter COO Anthony Noto is “in discussions to become the next chief executive” of S.F.-based online financial firm SoFi, and he is “likely to make a decision in the coming days.” However, Twitter “might lobby hard to keep him” (WSJ.com, 1/20). RECODE's Peter Kafka wrote Noto is Twitter’s “most important full-time employee” (TWITTER.com, 1/20).

Sources said that Vikings offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur “will be named head coach” of the Giants this week pending a second interview (ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS, 1/22).

The D-backs received MLB’s '17 “Best Integrated Marketing Platform” award for their partnership with A-B InBev (D-backs).

The union that represents Golf Channel’s technicians will “vote on a new contract” early this week (GOLFWEEK.com, 1/20).

The USWNT defeated Denmark 5-1 last night in San Diego “before an announced crowd of 17,526 at SDCCU Stadium” (L.A. TIMES, 1/22).

“It’s an once-in-a-lifetime chance to be a part of what I think is the greatest sporting event on Earth at a very limited cost” -- Toronto Mayor John Tory, on the city looking to host ’26 FIFA World Cup matches (TORONTO STAR, 1/22).

“I love California. The main reason why I don't live in San Diego or California is taxes to be honest” -- Golfer Jon Rahm, after winning the PGA Tour CareerBuilder Challenge in La Quinta, his second Tour win in the state (Palm Springs DESERT SUN, 1/22).

"Tom did a great job and he’s a tough guy. We all know that, alright? But, we’re not talking about open-heart surgery here" -- Patriots coach Bill Belichick, on heavy media coverage of Tom Brady's minor hand injury (Mult., 1/22).

"Those dog masks and the t-shirts that they’ve been selling have led to $100,000 raised for Philadelphia area schools, so that’s a win there" -- ESPN’s Elle Duncan, on Eagles OT Lane Johnson and DE Chris Long's underdog initiative to support the team's playoff run without QB Carson Wentz (“SportsCenter,” ESPN, 1/21).

The L.A. TIMES goes with, "Dodgers Test Fans' Loyalty With Steep Increases For Season Tickets Even In The Cheap Seats." The top deck of Dodger Stadium has seen a 45% price increase over two years, making the total cost of season-tickets "now $2,649, or $820 more than two seasons ago, $505 more than last year." Now a "lifetime of Dodger love" is "being tested."

Also:

• The story behind that "bleeping amazing Saints front page."
• WALL STREET JOURNAL looks at Nashville's MLS deal.
• NFL hopes for "first zero-waste" Super Bowl in regards to recycling.
• Heat F Justise Winslow "provides assist to pair of families in Houston."
• Tennis commentator Doug Adler aims to "restore credibility" after ESPN exit.

We are now at 144 women and girls expected to make victim impact statements in Larry Nassar’s sentencing this week.

— Kate Wells (@KateLouiseWells) January 22, 2018

It makes my heart smile to see Chris Berman and Tom Jackson reunited on @espn for NFL PrimeTime.

— Stephania Bell (@Stephania_ESPN) January 22, 2018

Unless you're a network exec, the audience delivered by a Pats-Eagles Super Bowl will have no effect on your life.

— Bryan Curtis (@bryancurtis) January 22, 2018

I can't believe this wasn't covered on any of the pregame shows yesterday, but the moment you saw Wentz strolling around on the sidelines with that swagtastic cane and limp, it was over for the Vikings.

Huge turning point.

— Chris Kroeger (@Kroeger) January 22, 2018

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

MLB Network's Jon Paul Morosi will host an MLB exec panel made up of fellow Harvard graduates at the Harvard Club in Boston. The panelists are Marlins President of Baseball Operations Michael Hill, A's GM David Forst, MLB Senior VP/Baseball Operations Peter Woodfork, Rockies GM Jeff Bridich and Red Sox VP/Player Development Ben Crockett. Tickets are $75. 

New Titans coach Mike Vrabel will be introduced at Saint Thomas Sports Park in Nashville at noon CT. 

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

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

“It’s the only world capital whose name is derived from an Algonquin word.”

Friday night’s edition of “Jeopardy!” featured the category “The Boston Tangler.”
$200: “Youtube shows three vintage fights between the Islanders’ Clark Gillies and Terry O’Reilly of this Boston NHL team.”
$400: “In 2008 it was this Manny ‘being Manny’ when he tangled with teammate Kevin Youkilis in the Red Sox dugout.”
$600: “In the 1987 Eastern Conference Finals, this Celtic legend and three-time league MVP had a Piston-punchin’ good time with Bill Laimbeer.”
$800: “This great 19th century bareknuckle heavyweight champ was known as the ‘Boston Strong Boy.’”

Friday night’s edition of NBC’s “The Tonight Show” featured the recurring segment “Thank You Notes.” Host Jimmy Fallon said, “Thank you, Saints wide receiver Tommylee Lewis after the Vikings' stunning victory, for looking like everyone in the moment they realized they left their phone in an Uber” (“The Tonight Show,” NBC, 1/19).

See the latest trailer for "Tom vs Time," the new Facebook Watch show about Tom Brady.

“What is Ottawa, Canada?”

Correct responses to the “The Boston Tangler” category:
$200: “Who are the Bruins?”
$400: “Who is Manny Ramirez?”
$600: “Who is Larry Bird?”
$800: “Who was John L. Sullivan?”

 

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

 

 

Also:

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

MLB Network's Jon Paul Morosi will host an MLB exec panel made up of fellow Harvard graduates at the Harvard Club in Boston. The panelists are Marlins President of Baseball Operations Michael Hill, A's GM David Forst, MLB Senior VP/Baseball Operations Peter Woodfork, Rockies GM Jeff Bridich and Red Sox VP/Player Development Ben Crockett. Tickets are $75.