Hawks Managing Partner Bruce Levenson today said that he is "selling his controlling interest in the team, in part due to an inflammatory email he said he wrote in an attempt 'to bridge Atlanta's racial sports divide.'" Levenson in a statement said that he sent the e-mail "due to his concerns about low attendance and a need to attract suburban whites." He "voluntarily reported the email to the NBA." NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said that the league will "work with the Hawks ownership group and CEO Steve Koonin, who now will oversee all team operations" (AP, 9/7).

The Broncos tonight during the first TV timeout in their "SNF" game against the Colts "will pay tribute" to Owner Pat Bowlen, wife Annabel and the Bowlen family. Former NBC Sports Group Chair Dick Ebersol said Bowlen, who formerly chaired the NFL's broadcasting committee, "was the single major force in getting 'Sunday Night Football.'" The "SNF" concept "was hatched" in Nov. '04, when Ebersol and former NBC Sports President Ken Schanzer met with Bowlen at Broncos HQ. Ebersol: "You can say he was the father of 'Sunday Night Football.' It never would have happened without him" (DENVER POST, 9/7).

CBS' Dick Enberg yesterday during the U.S. Open reflected on the net's 47 years covering the tournament, as broadcast rights shift to ESPN next year. He said looking back is "a constant reminder of how young our champions were and how television, too, has matured from its spelling-out infancy." Enberg thanked "pioneers" Bud Collins and Jack Kramer for the "serving of the Open's black and white beginnings" and added "under the CBS watchful eye, the Open and television have grown to provide great theater" ("U.S. Open," CBS, 9/6).

Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott last night in a text message wrote that the conference "will review the incident" that occurred last night when USC AD Pat Haden "engaged with officials on the sidelines" during his team's win at Stanford (SI.com, 9/6). The incident was "a bizarre sideline scene," as Haden, a CFP selection committee member, "left the press box in the third quarter of a tied game ... to voice his frustration with officials about an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty against coach Steve Sarkisian." Haden when asked if he was concerned about the appearance created by a member of the committee on the field engaging the officials "shook his head and said, 'I'm the athletic director of my team as well'" (ESPN.com, 9/6).

An agreement "has been reached" by the NHL and the Nationals for Nationals Park to host the '15 Blackhawks-Capitals Bridgestone Winter Classic on Jan. 1, according to sources. No timetable for an official announcement "was given, though one source speculated it would happen 'before the end of the month'" (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 9/6).

The Yankees honored SS Derek Jeter prior to the team's game against the Royals today. The franchise made a $222,222.22 donation to Jeter's Turn 2 Foundation, gave him a trip to Italy and unveiled a portrait of Jeter in the Yankee Stadium Great Hall. Among those in attendance were MLB Commissioner elect Rob Manfred, Basketball HOFer Michael Jordan, MLB Exec VP/Baseball Operations and HOF manager Joe Torre and HOFers Reggie Jackson, Cal Ripken Jr. and Dave Winfield (THE DAILY).

Florida State Univ. after seeing its new uniforms in action during its season-opening game against Oklahoma State last Saturday has begun a process of returning its uniform colors to a more traditional look. The school said that the shades of its garnet facemasks and gold football helmets did not accurately represent those of the program's past. FSU yesterday against The Citadel returned to a facemask that more closely resembles the shade of garnet used on the jerseys. The school will continue making changes as the season moves forward (FSU).

Tennis player Kei Nishikori's "surprising victory" over Novak Djokovic yesterday at the U.S. Open "was the lead story on national Sunday morning TV news programs" in his home country of Japan. Osaka-based newspaper Asahi Shimbun issued a special online edition with the headline, "Nishikori Advances To The Final, Beats Djokovic At US Open Tennis" (AP, 9/7).

Nishikori said of being the first Japanese player in a men's Grand Slam Final, "I hope it's big news in Japan. I feel the support from Japan even from the TV. It's four o'clock in the morning, but I hope a lot of people are watching" ("U.S. Open," CBS, 9/6).

D-Backs Chief Baseball Officer Tony La Russa on Friday announced the firing of GM Kevin Towers and "immediately beginning the process of replacing him." Towers was "given the option of remaining in the organization in a different capacity but told reporters he wanted to wait until a new GM is hired before determining where he might fit." La Russa on a conference call "confirmed five" candidates to fill the GM vacancy (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 9/6). Towers, whose team is on track to miss the playoffs for the third straight season, was "a dead GM walking from the moment" the team hired La Russa (ESPN.com, 9/5).

Friday night's Brazil-Colombia friendly match at Sun Life Stadium was played before a sellout crowd of 73,429, the "largest ever for soccer in Florida." Fans "showed up ready to party for a World Cup quarterfinal rematch." The crowd topped the previous record of 71,124, set last November for a Brazil-Honduras friendly (MIAMI HERALD, 9/6).

Meanwhile, last night's Mexico-Chile friendly was played "in front of 67,175 fans at sold-out Levi's Stadium" for the facility's first in'tl soccer game (SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, 9/7). Early traffic to the game "appeared to run smoothly." The game was "another test of the transportation and parking systems that debuted badly in early August but have been improving with every event" (SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, 9/7).

Negotiations between the NFL and NFLPA "regarding potential changes to the sport's drug policies were ongoing" as of last night. It is unlikely a deal will be "completed and ratified in time for the suspensions of any players to be lifted" for today's games (WASHINGTON POST, 9/7).

49ers coach Jim Harbaugh on Friday said that DE Ray McDonald -- in the wake of his domestic violence arrest last weekend -- "would travel with the team to Dallas and play" in today's game against the Cowboys (SACRAMENTO BEE, 9/6).

Former NFLer Plaxico Burress tonight will "debut as an SNY analyst on 'SportsNite'" (TWITTER.com, 9/5).

The Broncos are "planning on hosting" golfers Rory McIlroy, Bubba Watson and Phil Mickelson at their game tonight against the Colts. The three are in Denver this week for the PGA Tour BMW Championship (DENVERPOST.com, 9/1). 

Int'l Tennis HOFer Martina Navratilova yesterday at the U.S. Open "got down on bended knee and proposed to her longtime girlfriend Julia Lemigova." The moment took place inside the Tennis Channel suite at Arthur Ashe Stadium and "was broadcast across the stadium jumbotrons" (N.Y. POST, 9/7).

Bellator 123 on Friday night drew "over 7,000 spectators" to Mohegan Sun Arena, marking a record attendance figure for the venue (SBNATION.com, 9/6). Meanwhile, UFC held its Fight Night 50 event less than 10 miles away at Foxwoods Resort Casino and drew an announced sellout crowd of 4,086, resulting in a live gate of $479,620 (MMAJUNKIE.com, 9/6).

"I think it’ll settle down. I think they were trying to get everyone’s attention. I believe they’ll let ’em play" – Patriots Owner Robert Kraft, on whether NFL officials will continue their preseason crackdown on defensive holding and illegal contact in the regular season (BOSTON HERALD, 9/7).

"We’ve done as much as we can do and we’ll continue to do so. ... We’ll do everything we can to break the impasse" – MLB Commissioner Bud Selig, on efforts to resolve the carriage stalemate between Dodgers RSN SportsNet LA and cable providers (L.A. TIMES, 9/6).

"That takes the guts out of you," – Colts WR Reggie Wayne, on how team Owner Jim Irsay will be impacted by his six-game suspension resulting from pleading guilty to DWI (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 9/7).

"We had a lot of fun ... in the old studio ... but it's gone. We are opening up new digs" – ESPN's Chris Berman, on the debut of a new set for "NFL Countdown" this morning ("Sunday NFL Countdown," ESPN, 9/7).

"Jacksonville seems to have a plan and from my perspective, that plan starts at ownership. Shahid Khan has been a tremendous addition to the Jacksonville Jaguars" – CBS Sports Net's Amy Trask, on the direction of the Jaguars ("That Other Pregame Show," CBSSN, 9/7).

The ARIZONA REPUBLIC's Dan Bickley wrote under the header, "NFL Is King, But 5 Issues Continue To Dog It." The league has "serious kinks in the armor, from no franchise in the country's second-largest market to an inconsistent disciplinary policy."

The Newark STAR-LEDGER's Conor Orr profiles Giants President & CEO John Mara, who "stands on the verge of his next master plan" as he closes out "arguably the best decade in franchise history." Mara "is a man informed by history and motivated by a healthy fear of failure."

The L.A. TIMES' Sam Farmer writes some NFLers, including Broncos QB Peyton Manning, are "not happy about the league's policy of wiring offensive linemen with microphones to pick up audio at the line of scrimmage to enhance TV broadcasts."

Elsewhere:

• SI media reporter Richard Deitsch shares his '14 NFL viewing guide.
• An increasing number of women are "head over heels" for fantasy football.
• Former cheerleaders' lawsuits "have emerged as an embarrassment" for the NFL.
• It "doesn't appear" that Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome "will be retiring" anytime soon.
• Andrew Siciliano is the "caffeine-fueled moderator" of DirecTV's Red Zone Channel.

As noted in Friday's issue of THE DAILY, Richard Sandomir in today's N.Y. TIMES profiles Steiner Sports Founder & CEO Brandon Steiner, who deals the "stock in trade of the multimillion-dollar sports memorabilia industry." His ability to "see a deep fan-athlete connection in even the most overlooked items has made him an outsize figure in the business and a key figure" in the selling of Yankees SS Derek Jeter’s final season (N.Y. TIMES MAGAZINE, 9/7 issue).

Elsewhere:

• With the NFL starting, the debate over the health of baseball "crops up again."
• WNBA Mercury's playoff run puts a spotlight on the gender pay gap in basketball.
• Orlando "faces financial, construction hurdles" in effort to host CFP title game.

Fox Sports' Troy Aikman: "Humbled beyond words w announcement UCLA is retiring my #8 jersey...can't wait to see former teammates, coaches & all UCLA fans Nov 28th."

ESPN Radio 950 Richmond's Greg Burton: "Shout out to @RIRprez & his staff for doing all they can to elevate fan experience. Too bad @NASCAR put a crap product on the track tonight."

Yahoo Sports' Jay Busbee, on last night's race being delayed due to a fan climbing the fence: "Brad @keselowski on the fence-climber: 'The Miller Lite was working.'"

Fox Sports' Stewart Mandel: "What Haden did was highly unusual, unbecoming, but I'm not sure I see how it affects his ability to select teams for the playoff."

Columbus Dispatch's Bill Rabinowitz: "Record crowd of 107,517 at Ohio Stadium (thanks to south side renovation that added 2,600 seats)."
 
ESPN's Trey Wingo: "So my college graduate daughter got her first job, my son played in his first college football game today...and football is back #greatweek"
 
If you see a tweet we will not want to miss, send it to us at editorial@sportsbusinessdaily.com.

Today marks the 35th anniversary of ESPN's launch (THE DAILY).

Yankees RF Carlos Beltran is hosting his third annual "Night in Old San Juan" charity gala benefiting his foundation, which helps provide students with learning experiences (Carlos Beltran Foundation).