The Red Wings today unveiled details of the team’s planned new arena and surrounding multipurpose entertainment district, which will open in the summer of ’17. The development, overseen by team Owner Mike Ilitch’s Olympia Development, will be integrated with Comerica Park, Ford Field and other attractions in downtown Detroit (Red Wings).

Olympics leaders yesterday backed IOC President Thomas Bach's proposals for "setting up an Olympic television channel, reshaping the bid city procedure, and adding more flexibility to the sports program." Bach's platform will be "put to a vote" at a special IOC session in Monaco from Dec. 8-9. Creation of an Olympic TV channel "is one of Bach's main projects." The IOC said the new bidding process would give "more flexibility" to bid cities. Any changes "would go into effect for the bidding" for the '24 Summer Games (AP, 7/19).

The NCAA has "eliminated a much-debated name-and-likeness release from the set of forms" that D-I athletes sign annually. The removal of what is known as the Student-Athlete Statement, which "includes a series of other releases on disclosure of personal information and eligibility, is yet another indication that the NCAA is trying to distance itself from legal entanglements that have arisen as a result of growing questions about who owns college athletes' names and likenesses" (USATODAY.com, 7/18).

The Patriots are "suing Bacardi for breach of contract after the rum maker backed out of a deal that included plans for a 20,000-square-foot pavilion, to be called Casa Bacardi, on the grounds of Gillette Stadium." The team last week "accused Bacardi of bad-faith negotiating and said it wasted time and money on what was supposed to be a 10-year, multimillion-dollar exclusive sponsorship agreement." The Patriots said in their complaint that everything "was on track to begin construction in the spring and finish the pavilion by Sept. 1 ... until Bacardi mysteriously went silent in early April" (BOSTON GLOBE, 7/19).

A lawyer for prospective Clippers Owner Steve Ballmer "told a judge Friday that Donald Sterling's stalling tactics are threatening to doom" the sale of the team by "pushing it past a contractual deadline." Ballmer's attorney Adam Streisand "implored the judge to make a swift decision." He said the deal "ends on Aug. 15" (AP, 7/18).

Also on Friday, L.A. Superior Court Judge Michael Levanas "rejected one of the central arguments" Sterling has "used in hope of maintaining a voice in his family trust." Levanas said that he "had no authority to throw out the testimony and written reports of two doctors" who found Sterling "mentally incapable of continuing as a trustee" (L.A. TIMES, 7/19).

The Thunder-owned NBA D-League Tulsa 66ers will "relocate 100 miles southwest" beginning with the '14-15 season and "join their parent club" in Oklahoma City. SpiritBank Event Center in Bixby, Okla., "decided it would no longer offer" arena space to "anyone, including the 66ers." The Thunder are "now in negotiations with Oklahoma City officials to lease the Cox Convention Center for the 66ers’ 24-game regular season home schedule" (OKLAHOMAN, 7/19).

R&A CEO Peter Dawson today addressed construction progress on the golf course for the '16 Rio Games, saying, “I think we were very fortunate to start this process earlier than many other sports. While other sports were concentrating on the London Games, golf was looking further forward to Rio." Dawson added, "I'm glad we got started early because progress was painfully slow for quite some time, but I'm delighted to say that progress has accelerated in the last four months or so. If we keep going at this rate, we will have the course grassed by November, which will mean there’s two full growing seasons down there, which is certainly enough to get the course into perfect shape for the modern professionals" (“2014 Open Championship,” ESPN, 7/20).

The Ottawa Redblacks last night in their first game as a CFL expansion club defeated the Toronto Argonauts before a "capacity crowd of 24,326" at newly renovated TD Place Stadium (OTTAWA CITIZEN, 7/20). The crowd's "excitement was palpable" (OTTAWA CITIZEN, 7/20). However, some at the game complained of "long lines at concessions, plugged-up toilets, and a concession stand that had to be closed in the north side." Glitches aside, fans "seemed to have a wonderful experience" (OTTAWA SUN, 7/20).

Musician Jon Bon Jovi has "officially joined the Toronto group that has retained its own investment banking firm to represent its interests in the Bills sales talks," according to a source (BUFFALO NEWS, 7/19).

Brady Aiken, the first overall pick in the '14 MLB Draft, "did not sign with the Astros" by Friday's deadline (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 7/19).

Univ. of Oklahoma AD Joe Castiglione will chair the NCAA D-I men's basketball committee for the '15-16 school year. He will serve as Vice Chair in '14-15 under Utah State AD Scott Barnes (AP, 7/18).

The Vikings on Friday "suspended special teams coordinator Mike Priefer for three games following a six-month investigation into accusations made by former punter Chris Kluwe that Priefer made anti-gay remarks" (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 7/20).

The WNBA All-Star Game was played yesterday "in front of a raucous crowd of 14,685 at US Airways Center" (USATODAY.com, 7/20).

WNBA President Laurel Richie said that the Warriors "have a strong interest in an expansion team" (SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, 7/20).

Last night's Galaxy-Sporting KC match drew a crowd of 21,493, "the largest crowd in Sporting Park regular-season history" (K.C. STAR, 7/20).

Mortenson Construction officials "used 4-D modeling Friday to give the public a virtual tour of the structural steel work" on the Vikings' new stadium that "will begin in earnest this month" (FINANCE-COMMERCE.com, 7/18).

The '14 Run To Home Base brought 2,600 people to Fenway Park yesterday "to raise money for military members suffering from mental trauma and brain injuries" (BOSTON GLOBE, 7/20).

"I'm a Diamondback. ... What Kenny Rosenthal writes or other people, I would imagine a lot of it was just tied to I worked there before and I'm on the hot seat here" – D-Backs GM Kevin Towers, on reports that the Padres were considering him for a senior advisory position (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 7/19).

"I'm very confident that's going to be passed" – Univ. of Missouri AD Mike Alden, on whether the NCAA BOD will grant the power five conferences autonomy next month (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 7/20).

"We've fought for many years to at least try to get to a level playing field. This seems like it would create the opposite" – Univ. of Central Florida football coach George O'Leary, on the proposed autonomy for the power five conferences (ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS, 7/19).

"They take their time and it's like kicking stones until they get their (signal). It's kind of a four-corners stall until you get the thumbs up or thumbs down" – Nationals President of Baseball Operations & GM Mike Rizzo, on how managers' disputes with umpires have changed since the introduction of expanded instant replay (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 7/20).

"It’s maybe the best stadium I’ve ever been to. It’s my favorite" – Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez, on his experience at Target Field for last week's All-Star Game (ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION, 7/20).

"They have a lot of chutzpah to start this when they do" – ESPN's Paul Finebaum, on the SEC holding its '14 football media days in July, six weeks before the season begins (N.Y. TIMES, 7/20).

The N.Y. TIMES MAGAZINE's Michael Sokolove writes under the header, "The Trials Of Graham Spanier, Penn State’s Ousted President." A man of "ceaseless energy and considerable ego, Spanier led the university as it grew from a remote outpost of American higher education into a top-tier public university." But now, he "wants to tell his story and clear his name."

The WASHINGTON POST's Sally Jenkins notes her father, Golf Digest's Dan Jenkins, did not attend this week's British Open, which "constitutes not just a concession, but some kind of historical event, because the last time he was absent from a major the club heads were made of persimmon, and not every Tour wife was a blonde." Before this weekend, Dan had attended 45 straight British Opens and 179 straight majors for either Golf Digest or SI.

The S.F. CHRONICLE's Al Saracevic writes the entire Bay Area is "suffering from a bad case of SFS, also known as 'Stadium Fatigue Syndrome.'" Saracevic: "A day barely goes by without another stadium-related headline, touting someone's new castle or another threat to leave. Sports fans like sports. Not commercial real estate."

Elsewhere:

Longtime NBA writer Peter Vecsey: "Impeccable source reveals Players Assn 2 name Exec Director Monday. Finalists: Steve Mills & Arn Tellem, angling 2 run union 4 last 3 CBAs."
 
GolfChannel.com's Rex Hoggard: "Rory's Man U comment didn't go over well with the Liverpool fans. But a solid acceptance speech nonetheless. #TheOpen"

Detroit Free Press' Mark Snyder: "Continually impressed with the Ilitches' and Dan Gilbert's commitment to the city. Regardless their benefit, it's tough to swim upstream."

Fox Sports Ohio's Joe Reedy: "Fans at Comerica Park sing Happy Birthday to Tigers/Red Wings owner Mike Ilitch."

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