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Sunday, October 19, 2:30pm ET

Weekend Rap.... Latest News.... All Bets Are On?

Sports Betting Could Start Next Weekend In N.J. After Christie Signs Bill

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie on Friday "signed a revised sports-betting bill, and Monmouth Park officials almost simultaneously said they planned to begin taking bets" on NFL games at the horse track next Sunday. But Christie signing the bill "does not necessarily mean that sports betting will indeed start next weekend." State officials and others "expect the bill signing to lead to a legal battle" very similar to '12, when the NFL and four other sports organizations "obtained an injunction from a federal judge that prevented enactment of an earlier state sports betting law" (Bergen RECORD, 10/18).

FIFA Refuses To Publish Ethics Report On World Cup Bidding

FIFA will not make public its investigation into the "scandal-plagued bidding process for the next two World Cups." FIFA's independent Ethics Committee Adjudicatory Chamber Chair Hans-Joachim Eckert said publishing the report would put his committee "and FIFA itself in a very difficult situation legally." Instead, he has "promised to prepare an overview of the main findings." FIFA Chief Investigator Michael Garcia is "among those asking for the report's release," and U.S. Soccer Federation President Sunil Gulati and UEFA President Michel Platini have "joined in that call for transparency" (L.A. TIMES, 10/18).

Popovich Fires Back At Suns' Sarver: "Facts Get In Your Way"

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich yesterday responded to comments made by Suns Owner Robert Sarver during Thursday's Spurs-Suns preseason game, which Popovich and five Spurs players did not attend. Sarver apologized to the crowd at U.S. Airways Center, saying, "This is not the game you paid your hard-earned money to watch." Popovich: "The silliness begins. Most wise individuals would check facts before they made statements. Unless you’re interested in putting on a show. In that case, the facts get in your way, as in this case. ... The only thing that surprises me is that he didn’t say it in a chicken suit" (MYSANANTONIO.com, 10/18).

Broncos Unveil Statue Of Owner Pat Bowlen At Mile High

Bowlen statue unveiled outside Mile High
The Broncos last night unveiled a "larger-than-life statue" of team Owner Pat Bowlen during a private ceremony at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. The tribute "was commissioned and financed by a group of community leaders with sponsorship ties to the Broncos." The 9-foot statue "captures Bowlen in his customary pose on the sideline, wearing a business suit, cowboy boots and sunglasses." It will be "placed in the center of the Ring of Fame Plaza, which is outside the stadium on the south side" (DENVER POST, 10/18). Bowlen's wife, Annabel, said, "Pat has never sought the spotlight and never asked for the accolades during his 31 years as owner of the Broncos. It's very humbling for our family to have Pat receive this recognition" (KDVR.com, 10/18).

ESPN To Debut Continental Tire Series Putting MLSers In Lamborghini

ESPN FC and the ESPN family of networks tonight will air the first portion of a seven-part series in which six MLSers "will be put behind the wheel" of a '14 Lamborghini as part of league sponsor Continental Tire's "What'Cha Got" promotion. The players "will be taking the car through a course in the parking lot of an MLS stadium under the watchful eye" of a professional driver. The players are Houston MF Giles Barnes, Sporting K.C. MF Graham Zusi, Fire G Sean Johnson, Galaxy F Chandler Hoffman, FC Dallas D Stephen Keel and Chivas USA G Dan Kennedy (NYTIMES.com, 10/15).

Earthquakes Sell Out Final Game At Buck Shaw Stadium

The Earthquakes last night "closed 54-year-old Buck Shaw Stadium" with a draw against the Whitecaps in front of "a sellout crowd of 10,525." The team next year plans to "open an 18,000-seat stadium" across from Mineta San Jose Int'l Airport (SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, 10/19). Earthquakes D Jason Hernandez, the team's only remaining player from when it re-entered the league as an expansion franchise in '08, said of MLS' smallest facility, "Buck Shaw will live on in people's minds. It is something we were really proud of. It felt like a fortress at times" (SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, 10/18).

MWC Championship Game Inks Sports Authority As Title Sponsor

Colorado-based retailer Sports Authority will serve as title sponsor for the '14 Mountain West Football Championship on Saturday, Dec. 6. This marks the first time a title sponsor has been named for the championship game. Learfield Sports secured Sports Authority on behalf of the MWC. Sports Authority will receive exposure through the conference's TV and radio inventory, in-game signage, conference-wide promotional spots, digital and social media opportunities (Learfield).

WTA Suspends Russian Official After "Williams Brothers" Remark

The WTA "fined and suspended" Russian Tennis Federation President Shamil Tarpischev after he referred to Serena and Venus Williams "as 'the Williams brothers' on a Russian television program last week." WTA Chair & CEO Stacey Allaster on Friday announced that Tarpischev "was being fined $25,000, which she said was the maximum allowed under WTA rules." Allaster said Tarpischev would also be suspended from "any involvement with the WTA" for one year (N.Y. TIMES, 10/18).

Weekend Briefs....

Last night's Notre Dame-Florida State game on ABC earned an 8.5 overnight rating, the "best non-BCS rating" for a college football game on an ESPN network since Notre Dame-USC in '12 (TWITTER.com, 10/19).

The Canucks last night "played to a less-than-capacity crowd at Rogers Arena" against the Lightning, "snapping a string of 474 consecutive sellouts." The last time the Canucks "didn’t play in front of a full house at home was on Nov. 12, 2002" (SPORTSNET.ca, 10/18).

A Sacramento Superior Court judge on Friday "rejected a pair of environmental lawsuits" filed by groups opposing the NBA Kings' new downtown arena. The ruling "clears away much of the lingering uncertainty" over the project (SACRAMENTO BEE, 10/18).

MLB Rangers co-Chair Ray Davis said that he "would like to extend the contract" of President of Baseball Operations & GM Jon Daniels "by the time spring training starts" (ESPNDALLAS.com, 10/17).

The Wild on Friday announced a multiyear partnership with St. Paul-based Bremer Bank, which includes naming rights for the Suite Level at Xcel Energy Center. The entitlement will also include brand integration throughout the level (Wild).

The Ravens and Verizon Wireless have teamed up "to host a HopeLine wireless-phone recycling drive" at today's home game against the Falcons. The annual event "recognizes Domestic Violence Awareness Month" (Baltimore SUN, 10/19).

Quick Hits....

"There was so much noise on the outside, circling, that it could be deafening at times. You just wanted to pound your head against the desk" – Bills President & CEO Russ Brandon, on the seven-month period between the death of late Bills Owner Ralph Wilson Jr. and the sale of the team to Terry and Kim Pegula (BUFFALO NEWS, 10/19).

"This is Idzik’s way of warming up to the owner Woody Johnson because quite frankly, John Idzik has been a poor GM. Period. It’s indisputable. This isn't about Rex (Ryan) or saving Rex’s job. This is about Idzik saving his own behind" – CBS Sports Network's Brandon Tierney, on the Jets trading for WR Percy Harvin (“That Other Pregame Show,” CBSSN, 10/19).

"We’ll see how it goes. They want to try it, and we’re the guinea pigs" – Nets G Deron Williams, on today's experimental, 44-minute Celtics-Nets preseason game (ESPN.com, 10/18).

"You know, it's only about the third time I've said this is going to be my last race. But this is really going to be the last one" – NASCAR driver Terry Labonte, on his plan to retire following today's Sprint Cup Geico 500 at Talladega Superspeedway (AP, 10/18).

"As an industry, we have always tried to find ways to get in the mainstream conversation. When 15 million people watch me outside of my comfort zone every week, I would say we definitely are getting in the conversation" – NASCAR team owner Michael Waltrip, on how his appearance on this season of ABC's "Dancing With The Stars" exposes a mainstream audience to racing (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 10/18).

"The Big Ten gives you motivation to get it done now. If you can't get it done now, it'll never get done" – Rutgers basketball coach Eddie Jordan, on the school's need to upgrade the 37-year-old Rutgers Athletic Center and build a basketball-specific practice facility (NJ.com, 10/17).

Weekend Hot Reads....

The MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL's Bob Wolfley "asked a variety of people connected to the game of baseball and the business of baseball to assess" MLB Commissioner Bud Selig's legacy and "offer judgments about his tenure" ahead of his retirement. Those interviewed range from Brewers Owner Mark Attanasio to former NBC Sports Group Chair Dick Ebersol.

Joe Posnanski in a special to his former paper, the K.C. STAR, writes of whether he is bitter that he had to cover the Royals' many losing seasons while current writers get to cover their success, "The short answer is: No, of course not. ... The longer answer is: Yes. Are you kidding? Of course, I’m bitter." Meanwhile, the BOSTON HERALD's Michael Silverman, a K.C. native, writes this World Series "poses the single greatest threat to whatever’s left of my professional composure."

Elsewhere:

Twitter Me This....

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Back Pages....

The Weekend Rap offers today's back page sports covers from some of the nation's major metropolitan tabloids:

   N.Y. Post  N.Y. Daily News Newsday Philadelphia Daily News  Boston Herald

Hit The Ground Running: The Week Ahead....

THE DAILY’s Week Ahead: Oct. 20-26

MONDAY
• Broadcasting & Cable’s HOF Event (honorees include ESPN Exec VP/Sales & Marketing Sean Bratches, Horizon Media President & CEO Bill Koenigsberg, NBC Sports Group Chair Mark Lazarus and MLB Commissioner Bud Selig) - N.Y.
• Folio’s MediaNext Conference begins - N.Y. 
• DigiDay Agency Summit begins - Austin, Texas
• BNP Paribas WTA Finals begin - Singapore
• ATP World Tour Swiss Indoors Basel begins - Basel, Switzerland
• ATP World Tour Valencia Open 500 begins - Valencia, Spain

TUESDAY
• World Series begins: Giants-Royals
• NBA BOG meeting begins - N.Y.
• Sports Diversity & Inclusion Symposium begins (hosted by the PGA of America, in conjunction with MLB, MLS, NASCAR, NBA, NCAA, NFL, NHL and USOC) - Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.
• SMA Conference begins - Philadelphia
• Soccerex Americas Forum begins - Barbados

WEDNESDAY
• IOC Exec Board meeting begins - Lausanne, Switzerland
• Bridgestone America’s Golf Cup play begins - Buenos Aires, Argentina
• PBR Built Ford Tough World Finals begin -  Las Vegas

THURSDAY
• PGA Tour’s The McGladrey Classic begins - Sea Island, Ga.
• LPGA Tour’s Blue Bay LPGA begins - Hainan Island, China

FRIDAY
• FIFA Women’s Player of the Year and Women’s Coach of the Year candidates announced
• CONCACAF Women’s Championship: Semifinals - Chester, Pa.
• Champions Tour AT&T Championship begins - San Antonio
• PBA Tour’s Geico PBA World Series of Bowling begins (season-opening event) - Las Vegas
• NBA Canada Series: Knicks-Raptors - Montreal
• Michigan Sport Business Conference - Ann Arbor, Mich.

SATURDAY
• NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Kroger 200 - Martinsville, N.C.

SUNDAY
• NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Goody’s Headache Relief Shot 500 (Chase for the Sprint Cup: Eliminator Round, Event #1 of 3) - Martinsville, N.C.
• NFL Int'l Series: Atlanta vs. Detroit - London
• CONCACAF Women’s Championship: Final - Chester, Pa.

Note: Events are subject to change. Information about upcoming events can be sent via email to calendar@sportsbusinessjournal.com.