A $40M settlement has been completed that "will pay college football and basketball players" dating to '03 "for the use of their likenesses in NCAA-branded videogames." The payouts "could go to more than 100,000 athletes, including some current players, who were either on college rosters or had their images used in videogames made by Electronic Arts." The payments "could range from as little as $48 for each year an athlete was on a roster to $951 for each year the image of an athlete was used in a videogame." The settlement is with EA and Collegiate Licensing Co., and "does not include the NCAA." The case against the NCAA is "scheduled for trial early next year" (AP, 6/1).

Prospective Clippers Owner Steve Ballmer, who bid a record $2B to purchase the franchise, said he is ready to "live out the dream and make this kind of America's team." Ballmer: "I've got big dreams for the team. I'd love to win a championship. I'd love the Clippers to be the most dynamic, vibrant team and name in professional sports. But I got a lot to learn" (L.A. TIMES, 5/31). 

Meanwhile, banned Clippers Owner Donald Sterling on Friday "filed an antitrust lawsuit against the NBA and Commissioner Adam Silver" in U.S. District Court in L.A., seeking more than $1B in damages. The 14-page complaint "criticized the league's handling" of Sterling's $2.5M fine, lifetime ban and move to terminate his ownership (L.A. TIMES, 5/31).

Phil Mickelson "confirmed that FBI agents investigating insider trading approached him this week at the Memorial Tournament." The FBI and SEC are "analyzing trades Mickelson and Las Vegas gambler Billy Walters made involving Clorox at the same time activist investor Carl Icahn was attempting to take over the company" (AP, 5/31). Mickelson: "I have done absolutely nothing wrong. And that's why I've been fully cooperating with the FBI agents, and I'm happy to do so in the future, too, until this gets resolved" (CBSSPORTS.com, 5/31).

Dolphins Owner Stephen Ross said the NFL's return to L.A. "will certainly be within five years." Ross yesterday at the NFL Career Development Symposium at the Wharton School of Business said, "It's a question of finding that site where we can really build a stadium, get the approvals and move on. I know that's probably one of the great priorities of the NFL today." He added it will "be a team that moves" to L.A., opposed to an expansion franchise (USATODAY.com, 5/31).

Two front-page pieces on controversies surrounding FIFA and the World Cup ran today:

The SUNDAY TIMES reports under the header, "Plot To Buy The World Cup: Huge Email Cache Reveals Secrets Of Qatar's Shock Victory." Qatar's victory in its '22 World Cup bid "was sealed by a covert campaign" by former FIFA Exec Committee member Mohamed bin Hammam, who "used secret slush funds to make dozens of payments totalling more than $5M to senior football officials to create a groundswell of support for Qatar’s plan to take world football by storm" (SUNDAY TIMES, 6/1). In a statement today, Qatar's bid committee "vehemently" denied the allegations (THE DAILY). With the allegations, FIFA's "controversial choice ... is again under scrutiny amid calls to re-run the vote" (AP, 6/1).

The N.Y. TIMES runs with the header, "Fixed Soccer Matches Cast Shadow Over World Cup." An investigation of match fixing that allegedly took place ahead of the '10 World Cup in South Africa "gives an unusually detailed look at the ease with which professional gamblers can fix matches" (N.Y. TIMES, 6/1).

For tonight's Pirates-Dodgers "Sunday Night Baseball" matchup on ESPN, the cast of "Baseball Tonight" will be on site and deployed throughout the ballpark as part of a special broadcast. The cast, which will first host "Baseball Tonight: Sunday Night Countdown" at 7:00pm ET, will collectively call the action from the various spots (ESPN).

Philadelphia Inquirer, Daily News and Philly.com co-Owner Lewis Katz died last night "in the crash of a private jet at a Massachusetts airfield." The aircraft "crashed at Hanscom Field and erupted into a fireball," killing all seven people on board. Katz, who was 72, once owned the Nets and Devils and invested in YES Network (PHILLY.com, 6/1). NBA Commissioner Adam Silver wrote in a statement, "Lewis was a trusted friend and valued member of the NBA family. He was a visionary businessman who touched the lives of so many with his tireless pursuit of innovation and enterprise" (NBA).

Cubs President of Business Operations Crane Kenney revealed during an interview on WSCR-AM that he has "signed a five-year extension" through '19 (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 6/1).

A source said that the hacker group Anonymous is "preparing a cyber-attack on corporate sponsors of the World Cup in Brazil to protest the lavish spending on the soccer games in a country struggling to provide basic services" (REUTERS, 5/30).

ESPN's Mike Greenberg reviewed Roland Lazenby's book, titled "Michael Jordan: The Life," in a special to the N.Y. Times. He wrote Lazenby "didn't set out to write a gossipy tell-all, and he did not." Rather, Lazenby "navigates both the peaks and valleys with an easy style" (N.Y. TIMES, 6/1).

The Wall Street Journal Magazine features Brazil F Neymar on the cover of its June edition and dubs him the "breakout star of the World Cup" (THE DAILY).

"All I can tell you is it doesn't matter what’s the number, Jerry's not selling. Only he can make that decision" – Cowboys COO & Exec VP Stephen Jones, on speculation about the value of the franchise in the wake of Ballmer's offer to purchase the Clippers for $2B (DALLASNEWS.com, 5/30).

"The team name is not a slur" – NFL VP/Labor Policy & Government Affairs Adolpho Birch, on whether the Redskins team name is a racial slur (ESPN.com, 5/30).

"I don’t see -- unless the Lord heals me in the next week or two -- I wouldn't see myself being physically prepared to take on the grind of coaching a basketball team right now" – Knicks President Phil Jackson, on why he is not considering coaching the team in the '14-15 season (ESPN.com, 5/30).

"You say 100,000 things that are right and fun and then you say one thing that is bad and destroy everything. The risk versus reward isn't very good on this deal for people in our position, but you realize why it's cool for the fans too" – NASCAR driver Tony Stewart, on why he is cautious about what he puts on social media (USATODAY.com, 5/31).

The L.A. TIMES' Kevin Baxter writes the '94 FIFA World Cup in the U.S. "remains the most transformative event in U.S. soccer history, one that rescued the national federation from bankruptcy, gave birth to a top-tier professional league and proved to doubting sponsors and a skeptical public that the sport could make it here."

The PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE's Craig Meyer writes Robert Morris Univ.'s December decision to cut seven sports is "the most recent case study in an increasingly common trend of universities both big and small moving toward leaner athletic departments." Meanwhile, the POST-GAZETTE's Dent, Sanserino & Werner review the declared majors for players on top 25 NCAA football and basketball teams, and find that many schools "have athletes clustered in areas of study."

Elsewhere:

• Cobb County (Ga.) exec defends decision to remove ballpark deal critics from meeting.
• Despite the hoopla over Donald Sterling, offbeat owners "are nothing new in sports."
• Why the premise of the Bills building a new stadium is "basically flawed."

ESPN's Andrew Brandt: "EA settlement shows players' fear of long protracted litigation. After attorney fees and split among 100,000 players, not much."

Texans RB Arian Foster: "The ncaa cartel won't last much longer.."
 
Octagon Hockey Dir Allan Walsh: "CFL owners should be ashamed of themselves. The league has a new $40M per year TV deal. Players just looking for their fair share. #CFLPA"

ESPN's John Buccigross: "We use correct term of Stanley Cup Final when talking NHL. Not Finals. There is only one Final. Get this changed in your sport, Lebron! #dap"

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