The NHL's All-Star Skills Competition yesterday in Nashville featured "several laughter- and applause-inducing moments." Avalanche C Matt Duchene and Capitals C Evgeny Kuznetsov "sported cowboy hats during their Breakaway Challenge attempts," and Predators G Pekka Rinne "traded his stick for an acoustic guitar." Canadiens LW John Scott "received one of the loudest ovations during the pre-event introductions" (Nashville TENNESSEAN, 1/31). Fun, the one word "not uttered enough" in hockey these days, "triumphed" (THEHOCKEYNEWS.com, 1/30).

NBC Sports' Kathryn Tappen said the city of Nashville and the Predators "have truly outdone themselves." There has been "live music being played around town all day, every day, and that synergy between live music and the NHL will continue later this afternoon." Country music artists Vince Gill, Dierks Bentley, Charles Kelley and Chris Young will join the four coaches behind the bench for today's game ("Today," NBC, 1/31).

The Chargers will remain in San Diego "at least for one more season," as team Chair Dean Spanos on Friday announced that he will "renew negotiations with local government officials on building a new stadium." Spanos has also "reached an agreement that would enable him eventually to join the Rams in Inglewood." San Diego County Supervisor Ron Roberts said a Friday meeting with Spanos "had an 'incredibly positive tenor' and he expressed optimism a deal can be struck." The Chargers "would pay $1 per year in rent and contribute" their $200M NFL loan and seat-license fees "toward the cost of construction" (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 1/30). Spanos: "We want to be here in San Diego and we’re committed this year and we are going to give it 100% effort to get a new stadium” (CHARGERS.com, 1/29).

Sources said that the Chargers "believe they could know within two to three months whether a new stadium deal is realistic in San Diego." It "wasn't immediately clear" whether Chargers Special Counsel Mark Fabiani, who has "attacked [Mayor Kevin Faulconer's] proposals for the past year, will be involved when negotiations resume" (ESPN.com, 1/29). The SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE's Peter Rowe profiled Fabiani, writing under the header, "Mark Fabiani: The Man Chargers Fans Love To Hate."

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams and the sanctioning body on Friday approved a draft of the sport’s new charter system, appearing to clear the way for its passage before the start of the ’16 campaign, sources said. The deal is not officially signed yet, but barring an unforeseen snag, the system is now likely to be rolled out as soon as next week, or one week before the Daytona 500. The deal is for five years with a four-year option, sources said, so that it can run concurrently to NASCAR’s media-rights deals. For more, see tomorrow's issue of THE DAILY. 

Fans at this weekend's Rolex 24 At Daytona got their first look at the "phenomenal" DIS following the $400M Daytona Rising project. New amenities include "1,400 video monitors, enhanced technology, modernized bathrooms and huge concourses." DIS President Joie Chitwood III: "It's overwhelming -- what we were to what we are now. It's a complete transformation. I'm glad to hear that fans agree" (Daytona Beach NEWS-JOURNAL, 1/31). 

The opening of the NFL Experience in downtown S.F. yesterday "was a loud, colorful and sponsor-laden ceremony." A half-hour after the event opened, a long line "already had formed for close-up looks of the previous 49 Super Bowl rings" (SACRAMENTO BEE, 1/31). There also were "long lines" at the NFL Pro Shop. At 1:00pm PT yesterday, the checkout line "was at least 100 feet long" (MERCURYNEWS.com, 1/30). The SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS' Cam Inman gives a first-person account of the NFL Experience.

The NFL and its corporate sponsors for Super Bowl City "have plastered gi-normous mega-mammoth banners and imagery on many buildings" above the Justin Herman Plaza. Once inside Super Bowl City, "some of the stuff looks very cool," and all of it "looks very corporate-draped" (SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, 1/31). Musician Chris Isaak yesterday headlined the opening of Super Bowl City, where festivities also "included a dramatic relighting of the amazing Bay Bridge Lights" (SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, 1/31).

The city of Denver is holding a Broncos Country Fan Rally today from 1-2:30pm MT at the Civic Center as the team prepares to head to Super Bowl 50. The team flies out of Denver Int'l Airport at 1:45pm, as the rally "gets into full swing." The team's departure "will be live streamed on a giant screen at the rally" (DENVERPOST.com, 1/31).

Meanwhile, thousands of Panthers fans "gathered in Romare Bearden Park Friday afternoon for a rally before the team heads to the Super Bowl." Coach Ron Rivera and the "handful of Panthers players who stopped by to thank the crowd for their support" (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 1/30). But the CHARLOTTE OBSERVER's Theoden Janes wrote it "has to be considered a disappointment" that QB Cam Newton, LB Luke Kuechly and TE Greg Olsen all were "not in attendance" (CHARLOTTEOBSERVER.com, 1/29).

Vantiv Entertainment Solutions, a payment processing company that handles a "significant number of transactions" for DraftKings and FanDuel, notified the operators last week that it "would no longer handle their payments and in fact was leaving the industry altogether." It is "perhaps the biggest blow yet" to the DFS industry. Vantiv said it would "suspend all processing for payment transactions" related to DFS in the U.S. and its territories on Feb. 29. It is "not known what percentage of payments Vantiv handles in the industry, but it is seen as a major player" (N.Y. TIMES, 1/30). 

Meanwhile, Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood declared that betting on fantasy sports is "illegal under Mississippi law." Hood "issued that opinion Friday morning after receiving a request from the Mississippi Gaming Commission" (WMCACTIONNEWS5.com, 1/29).

AmericanAirlines Arena tonight will officially unveil the Xfinity East Plaza when the Heat take on the Hawks. The downtown Miami venue is a 23,000-square-foot outdoor space located on the east side of the arena. The Plaza includes a Bacardi Bar, areas for live music and/or entertainment, a variety of seating options, three Heat Store retail kiosks and a kiosk dedicated to New Era caps. Xfinity WiFi Internet access will be available for free on the Xfinity East Plaza (Heat).

The new NHL.com and NHL.tv "are set to launch" tonight and tomorrow, "with better video quality among the improvements" (BOSTON GLOBE, 1/31). NHL.com will "look different, including a clearer home page with more white space and a fit-for mobile presence." The pages will "emphasize video and images and much of the site can be customized." Player pages will "be more user-friendly and include need-to-know stats" (USATODAY.com, 1/30).

The Pirates on Saturday hired Brewers radio analyst Joe Block to work "alongside lead play-by-play man Greg Brown." Block, 37, called Brewers games for the past four seasons, "sharing a booth" with HOFer Bob Uecker. Block will "divvy up innings with Brown on the radio and television broadcasts." Steve Blass, Bob Walk and John Wehner "remain in place as color analysts." Block will have a "more prominent role in the Pirates' booth than he's had before" (PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW, 1/31).

Cavaliers F LeBron James started last night's game against the Spurs "wearing the wrong shorts." The game was ABC's "NBA Saturday Primetime" matchup, and James "had on the Cavs' standard-issue gold shorts" for the '15-16 season. But the rest of his teammates "were in their full Hardwood Classics uniforms, shorts included." The Cavaliers' equipment staff "brought the proper pair of shorts from the locker room for James to change into midway through the first quarter." A Cavaliers spokesperson said that it was a "mistake by a locker room attendant" (ESPN.com, 1/30).

SI's Michael Farber cites sources as saying that NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman has "signed a new contract" through '22. Bettman "declined comment, saying he never discusses his own situation" (TWITTER.com, 1/31).

Bettman yesterday announced the Kings will host the '17 All-Star Game at Staples Center, an event they "pursued to celebrate the upcoming 50th anniversary of the team’s entry into the NHL" (L.A. TIMES, 1/31).

Arizona State football season-ticket prices will rise an average of 5.9% on the remodeled west side of Sun Devil Stadium and 2.4% overall for more than 35,000 seats for a six-game home schedule (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 1/30).

The FAA has "banned all flights of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) around Levi's Stadium" before and after Super Bowl 50 next Sunday (SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, 1/30).

Spanish newspaper Marca reports La Liga club Real Madrid is "set to agree to a deal worth more" than US$1B with adidas. The deal is about 25% more than EPL club Manchester United's deal with the company that began in '15 (CBSSPORTS.com, 1/30).

“Either that or the other four guys are wearing the wrong shorts” – NBA TV’s Rick Fox, on Cavaliers F LeBron James wearing the wrong shorts during Saturday's game against the Spurs. (“NBA GameTime,” NBA TV, 1/31).

"We sacrifice your third child and anything else for the dollar" – North Carolina men's basketball coach Roy Williams, on the influence TV ratings have had on college basketball scheduling (Raleigh NEWS & OBSERVER, 1/30).

"It's so quick and fast the way this club is growing. This is amazing. A facility like this, not too many teams can afford that, and so we have this opportunity for 2017 [and] that's great" – Orlando City SC MF Kaká, on the club's unveiling of its new 23-acre, $20M training facility (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 1/30).

“There were more declined invitations for the Pro Bowl this year, 45, than there are spots on any one roster, 44, which goes to show you what truly makes a true Pro Bowler is the willingness to get on an airplane” – ESPN's Israel Gutierrez ("Sports Reporters," ESPN, 1/31). 

The L.A. DAILY NEWS' Tom Hoffarth writes only 91-year-old Jack Whitaker remains from the collection of talent that broadcast the first Super Bowl from the L.A. Coliseum. NBC and CBS "shared the live feed but had their own broadcast teams." Whitaker, who did the second-half play-by-play for CBS in '67, said, "It was as much a 'war' between the leagues as it was between the networks." Meanwhile, the L.A. TIMES' Chris Erskine also profiles Whitaker, writing it was a "genius move" for CBS to include him in its Super Bowl preview.

Nick DePaula of YAHOO SPORTS' THE VERTICAL writes under the header, "Inside The Sneaker Industry: How NBA Shoe Deals Work." There is a "common misconception among casual fans that only star players have shoe deals" when, in actuality, "every player in the league has some level of relationship with a footwear brand." Even bench players are "viewed as worthwhile brand partners who can contribute to a company's overall visibility across the league."

Elsewhere:

• Adam Silver's handshake style has "inspired double takes from players."
• Former NFLer Eddie George is starring "in the Broadway production of Chicago."
• The Big Air ski and snowboard event is "unlike anything we've ever seen" at Fenway.
• The Colts were "closer than you think" to moving to L.A. in the early '00s.

Honored to Sign a Long Term Deal w/ @Nike
Our Mission is to Change the Game & Impact Lives Globally! #Nike #JustDoIt pic.twitter.com/fzunAmkZCf

— Russell Wilson (@DangeRussWilson) January 29, 2016

Bettman says WCOH tickets on track so far, not sold out yet. Says NHL/NHLPA not expecting sell outs for every game.

— Ian Thomas (@byIanThomas) January 30, 2016

Just received text from Mark Rolfing from MD Anderson in Houston: Cancer is 100 percent gone. Happy day.

— Doug Ferguson (@dougferguson405) January 30, 2016

Doc Rivers in early running for quote of the year: "You got to forgive people. We built Richard Nixon a library.''

— Tim Dahlberg (@timdahlberg) January 30, 2016

By the way, today's the best baseball birthday of all time: Born today--Ernie Banks, Nolan Ryan and Jackie Robinson, Hall of Famers all.

— Stan Olson (@OlyBopper) January 31, 2016

Looks like the great @boudinbakery in SF is ready for #SB50 and my show in the most delicious way. pic.twitter.com/TWOwTKyAVh

— Rich Eisen (@richeisen) January 31, 2016