The U.S. men's national soccer team's match today against Portugal is "poised to take a run at viewership records" for a men's soccer game in the country. The 6:00pm ET kickoff on ESPN "should make it convenient for many to watch." The 19.7 million people who saw the U.S. "get knocked out by Ghana" at the '10 FIFA World Cup is the biggest audience for a game involving the U.S. men's team. The "best for any men's game" was the '10 Spain-Holland championship, seen by 24.7 million (AP, 6/21).

The Galaxy on Friday announced that their World Cup watch party today is sold out, with a capacity crowd of 600 expected (Galaxy). Meanwhile, the U.S. Soccer Federation's official viewing party in Chicago was moved from Arvey Field to Lower Hutchinson Field in Grant Park "in response to the large crowd" for last Monday's U.S.-Ghana game. A halftime show will include Fire F Mike Magee and former U.S. national team F Clint Mathis. The USSF is "sponsoring the viewing party along with the Chicago Park District and the Chicago Sports Commission" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 6/20).

MLS Commissioner Don Garber last night made an appearance on ESPN's "World Cup Tonight," saying, "The league's getting bigger. It's becoming more connected to the global game. Four years ago, we wouldn't have thought about having a Tim Cahill" in the tournament. He added, "The thought of signing David Villa would have been unthinkable. I remember sitting back in meetings and thinking, ‘What can we do to get Clint (Dempsey) or Michael Bradley in our league?’ It wasn't even thinkable at that point. Now, that's happened. You expand that to great players from Costa Rica and great players for Honduras. I think it's a statement that we are a league that has great aspirations, but also is able to stand toe to toe with our players with the rest the world" ("World Cup Tonight," ESPN, 6/21).

Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany "attacked some aspects of collegiate athletics in court on Friday, saying that college players at the highest levels are overworked and unable to fully participate in the college experience." While Delany "agreed with the NCAA's stand that players shouldn't be paid, he echoed many of the same arguments made by plaintiffs in the case." He "reiterated a proposal he's made" that freshmen athletes "be prohibited from playing a sport in their first year of school" (WSJ.com, 6/20).

Meanwhile, Delany also "painted a dire picture Friday of what college sports would look like if players were paid." He said that the Big Ten "likely would cease to exist and the Rose Bowl probably would not be played" (AP, 6/20).

Padres P Alex Torres became the first to "wear the protective cap approved for pitchers' use by MLB in a regular-season game" yesterday against the Dodgers. Torres "ordered the cap about a month ago and started wearing it sporadically while playing catch over the past week." He said, "The difference between how this hat and the regular hat feels isn't much" (MLB.com, 6/22). Fox Sports San Diego's Mark Grant said, "It surprises me how big it is. I know it’s obviously going to be bulkier, but to me, that’s way too big. I don’t design hats, but it’s going to be tough to sell to players to get them to wear that” ("Dodgers-Padres," FS San Diego, 6/21).

The Oakland-Alameda County (Calif.) Coliseum Authority has "delayed approving a 10-year lease" for the A's to "stay at O.co Coliseum, adjourning a meeting Friday without voting." Officials said that they "wanted to work out a few minor points and they expect to approve a contract at their next meeting, on June 27." The Coliseum authority "met in closed session for about two hours to discuss the proposal" (S.F. CHRONICLE, 6/21).

Samsung Mobile Arabia, an official Samsung Twitter account that is based out of Dubai, today tweeted a photo of Galaxy F Landon Donovan while erroneously wishing him good luck in the U.S.' World Cup match against Portugal. Donovan, who was cut from the U.S.' World Cup roster and thus will not play in the game, previously starred in a "futuristic, star studded commercial" as part of Samsung's Galaxy 11 campaign (USATODAY.com, 6/22).

Tennis players Stan Wawrinka and John Isner have been elected to "serve two-year terms" on the ATP Player Council. Others elected in the player vote include Kevin Anderson, Gilles Simon, Jurgen Melzer, Sergiy Stakhovsky, Raven Klaasen, Bruno Soares, Eric Butorac and Andre Sa. The new council's first meeting will be in N.Y. "before the U.S. Open in August, when it will elect" a president and VP (AP, 6/21).

U.S. women's national soccer team G Hope Solo yesterday morning was arrested for allegedly "striking her sister and her nephew" at a Kirkland, Wash., home. She "is being held without bail on two counts of investigation of fourth-degree domestic-violence assault" and "will have a mandatory court appearance" tomorrow. Solo, who also plays for the NWSL Reign FC, had been excused from the team's game on Thursday in Boston "due to a family commitment, but had been expected to be available" for today’s road match against the Western New York Flash in Rochester (SEATTLE TIMES, 6/22).

The '14-15 NHL schedule will be released today at 4:00pm ET (NHL).

Country singer Luke Bryan's concert last night at Heinz Field marked "the biggest concert in the history of the stadium," with a capacity crowd of 52,000 (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 6/22).

San Diego State Univ. yesterday morning held a "private memorial service" at the school's student union building in memory of late Baseball HOFer Tony Gwynn (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 6/22).

The USGA today runs a full-page ad in the Charlotte Observer thanking Pinehurst Resort, volunteers and fans for their support during the U.S. Open and U.S. Women's Open the past two weeks (THE DAILY).

"There’s enough soccer people now. That wasn’t the case before. I don’t feel like the sport needs to compete with other sports like we used to" — Fox Sports soccer analyst Eric Wynalda, on whether the sport can sustain its momentum in the U.S. after the World Cup (ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION, 6/21).

"It's usually your grandfather, your uncle or father who puts that glove in your hand and says, 'Let's go play catch.' As a black man, we've failed considerably through gang violence and through incarceration of a lot of our black males" — Reds Special Assistant to the GM Eric Davis, on why he feels African-American participation in baseball has been declining (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 6/22).

"To have this initiative with so many people on board, it mimics society. With laws changing, it's nice to be in step with society. I feel excited to be part of an entity that is so progressive" — WNBA Sky coach & GM Pokey Chatman, on the team's Pride Game today against the Shock on ESPN2 that will kick off the league's LGBT campaign (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 6/22).

"We’re going to study it hard. But I kind of like it. I kind of like the idea of more playoff games. We’re still below other sports" — NFL Jets Owner Woody Johnson, on the prospects of playoff expansion (Newark STAR-LEDGER, 6/21).

"I'm not much for government getting involved in the NFL" — U.S. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), on the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office's decision to strip the Redskins of their federal trademark protection ("Meet the Press," NBC, 6/22).

The ORLANDO SENTINEL's Matt Murschel asks, "Could the new College Football Playoff really deliver a crushing blow to FCS teams?" Strength of schedule will "likely play a larger role in determining whether a team qualifies" for the CFP, and Big Ten officials have "begun the process of encouraging their member institutions to eliminate FCS opponents from their future schedules."

The INDIANAPOLIS STAR's Mark Ambrogi writes local and national programs aimed at reversing the trend of inner-city black youth not playing baseball "have not seen an impact" in MLB, as the number of African-American players "has been in steady decline for 20-plus years." 

Elsewhere:

• Does USPTO belong in Redskins debate? Are political stances electorally motivated?
• Baseball "elevated morale" in Japanese-American internment camps during WWII.
• The "vast majority" of the 49ers' $1.3B Levi's Stadium project is complete.
• Why does MLB continue to allow its "most dangerous" substance, dipping tobacco?
• Why Kurt Warner deserves to be enshrined in the NFL Cardinals' Ring of Honor.
• Ralph Kiner represented when baseball was about "contemplation and laughter."
• Mark Emmert, Sonny Vaccaro are the "alpha and omega" of the Ed O'Bannon trial.

ESPN's Holly Rowe: "Really neat that NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has already reached out to Isaiah Austin & invited him to NBA draft despite diagnosis. #class"

Washington Post's Steven Goff: "Here in Sao Paulo, @OrlandoCitySC friendly vs Sao Paulo FC at Disney on live TV."

San Jose Mercury News' Tim Kawakami: "General point: Lacob wanted to lift the Warriors' profile and he has. Under Cohan/Rowell, national writers didn't care what the GSWs did..."

NASCAR VP & Chief Communications Officer Brett Jewkes: "They keep talking about World Cup Fever. Def haven't caught it."

Gothamist's Dan Dickinson: "Woof: US Soccer forced to move their Chicago viewing party to a new location where beer can’t be sold or drunk."

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