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Sunday, Oct. 23, 3:00pm ET

Weekend Rap .... Latest News .... You're The Inspiration

Secondary Ticket Prices Sky High For World Series At Wrigley

The Cubs punched their ticket to the World Series last night with a 5-0 win over the Dodgers, and secondary market ticket prices for Games 3, 4 and 5 against the Indians at Wrigley Field are some of the highest on record. At presstime, the lowest ticket price on StubHub for Friday's Game 3 at Wrigley Field was going for $2,264 for a standing-room only pass. That is up significantly over prices for Games 1 and 2 in Cleveland. The lowest ticket price for Game 1 Tuesday at Progressive Field was $745 for a standing-room only pass (THE DAILY).

Wrigleyville last night "erupted in a joyous celebration" for the Cubs' first trip to the Fall Classic in 71 years (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 10/23). A crowd of 42,386 at Wrigley Field "made every pitch a life-and-death experience, while thousands of fans congregated outside to share in the glory" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 10/23). The Chicago Tribune's David Haugh: "Next year really is here, North Siders. It's really gonna happen. The Cubs have won the pennant" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 10/23). The Cubs are "four wins away from giving Cubs Nation its first World Series" in 108 years, "one for each red double-stitch on a regulation baseball" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 10/23).

Cubs Chair Tom Ricketts: "You think about all the people, with all this love for this team for so long. And now we got a chance, with four more wins, to really pay them back" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 10/23). Ricketts "walked through the upper deck in the fourth inning and was mobbed with joyful high fives" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 10/23). Meanwhile, a "slew of athletes and stars" were at Game 6, including Scottie Pippen, Chris Chelios, Jim Belushi and Eddie Vedder (CHICAGOTRIBUNE.com, 10/22).

Roger Goodell Expects Future Games At London's Twickenham Stadium

The Giants beat the Rams 17-10 today at London's Twickenham Stadium, the first time a UK game has not been at Wembley Stadium, and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said he expects "we'll see more games here (at Twickenham) and, who knows, maybe a franchise someday" (TWITTER.com, 10/23). The rugby stadium was "filled to capacity in a special 75,000-seat layout." Pregame festivities "got off to a stylish start with fireworks, flames and live music from English R&B star Craig David." Ticket scalpers outside the stadium "could be heard appealing to buy tickets from passers-by, complaining that the original allotment had sold out online within 20 minutes" (AP, 10/23).  

The league is trying to "create options for future scheduling" by playing at the "somewhat smaller Twickenham." Today's game showed the ball is "inching forward" on the NFL's "international initiatives" (L.A. TIMES, 10/23). In playing at Twickenham, the NFL finally had its "true English experience." Wembley would "look right at home" in an NFL city, but Twickenham is a "classic European stadium, both in context and history" (WSJ.com, 10/21). 

Report: High-Ranking NFL Team Officials "Dismayed" Over Brown Case

High-ranking officials from several NFL clubs are "dismayed at how they believe the Giants and the NFL handled" the domestic violence case surrounding Giants K Josh Brown. The net’s Jason La Canfora noted several officials suggested the “appearance of preferential treatment for that franchise” after Brown’s one-game suspension to start the season. But the NFL “strongly rejects those claims.” CBS led "The NFL Today" with discussion on the topic, while its "That Other Pregame Show" also aired a seven-minute discussion ("The NFL Today," CBS, 10/23). “Fox NFL Sunday” aired a report from its insider Jay Glazer about nine minutes into the broadcast, while ESPN’s “Sunday NFL Countdown” aired a report on Brown around 10 minutes in (THE DAILY).

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said that people outside the NFL "don't understand the difficulties of the situations regarding domestic violence," adding that the league has "more challenges regarding specific cases than people may realize." Goodell: "I understand the public's misunderstanding of those things and how that can be difficult for them to understand how we get to those positions, but those are things that we have to do" (SNY.tv, 10/22).

NBA's Silver Hopes Players Continue To Stand For National Anthem

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver on Friday said that he wants to see players "continue to stand" during the National Anthem when the regular season opens. Silver: "I don't know if the players are organizing anything. All I can say is what we have seen in multiple preseason games so far is our players standing for the national anthem." He said standing for the Anthem is the "appropriate thing to do." Silver: "There may be no organization in our society better positioned than the NBA and its players to try and have an impact on these difficult issues" (ESPN.com, 10/22).

Denasia Lawrence
, who performed the Anthem before the 76ers-Heat preseason game Friday, "did so while kneeling at midcourt." The Heat released a statement saying they had "no advance knowledge that she planned to kneel" (AP, 10/22).

Barclays Center Ice "Unplayable" For Islanders Game Friday Night

Islanders RW Cal Clutterbuck after the team's game against the Coyotes on Friday called the ice surface at Barclays Center "unplayable" in the third period. Clutterbuck: "The ice was real bouncy ... so there wasn't much to do but throw it on net." He added, "From about the 5-6 minute mark of the second, you knew it was one of those nights. You basically couldn't string three passes together" (NEWSDAY, 10/22). A source said that the floor piping system at Barclays Center "does not meet NHL standard requirements for ice-making." Barclays "has PVC piping," while all other NHL rinks "have steel pipes." PVC "cannot maintain ideal temp of 21 degrees for NHL play" (TWITTER.com, 10/22).

The N.Y. Post's Larry Brooks notes Islanders co-Owner Jon Ledecky and the team's ownership group "have the obligation to seek an arena of their own" for the team. Sources said that Islanders ownership has "held meetings" with reps from real estate company Sterling Equities to "discuss constructing an arena on what would be the third base/left field area of the parking lot" (N.Y. POST, 10/23).

NHL's Heritage Classic In Winnipeg Delayed Due To Sun Glare

The NHL "has pushed back" today's Heritage Classic outdoor game in Winnipeg between the Oilers and Jets "due to sun glare." It is "not known" when the game will start. The NHL said that intermittent sunlight on the ice "impacts player safety." It has "delayed previous outdoor games due to similar conditions" (GLOBALNEWS.ca, 10/23). Temperatures at Investors Group Field were in the high 40s as of presstime. The game was slated to begin at 3:00pm ET (THE DAILY). 

Meanwhile, more than 31,000 fans turned out yesterday to watch the Heritage Classic Alumni Game, and the crowd was "loving every minute" of it. Their "favourite moments were reserved" for Teemu Selanne, who had five points in the contest. It was an "amazing scene" before the game as players were introduced. The entire crowd was "standing as though in the presence of royalty." Players "put on as great a show as their 50- and 60-year-old legs would allow" (WINNIPEG SUN, 10/23). Hockey HOFer Wayne Gretzky said it "wasn't great hockey, but it was competitive" (AP, 10/22). The game "entertained a nearly full house of 31,317" (WINNIPEG FREE PRESS, 10/23).

AT&T Buys Time Warner For $85.4B; Move Could Alter Media Landscape

AT&T yesterday agreed "to buy" Time Warner for about $85.4B. The proposed deal is "likely to spur yet more consolidation among media companies" and creates a "new colossus capable of both producing content and distributing it to millions with wireless phones, broadband subscriptions and satellite TV connections." However, the deal is "likely to face tough scrutiny from government regulators increasingly skeptical of power being consolidated among a few titans" (N.Y. TIMES, 10/23).

U.S. F1 Race Returning To Circuit Of The Americas Next Year

Circuit of the Americas Chair Bobby Epstein yesterday said that there "would definitely be" an F1 U.S. Grand Prix race in Austin next year. Austin is "on the provisional F1 calendar" for '17, even as the '15 race weekend "was cursed with rain" and a drop in attendance. Meanwhile, Epstein added that he expected yesterday's crowd to "total about 100,000 as the combination of fast cars and Taylor Swift paid off" (AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 10/23). Swift said that a crowd of 80,000 "attended her concert" last night (USATODAY.com, 10/23).

Laurel Park Draws Big For Maryland Million Day; Breeders' Bid Coming?

Laurel Park drew a crowd of 21,722 for yesterday's Maryland Million Day, showing off the $30M renovation project that "has been going on" since early '15, part of the Stronach Group's long-range plan to "change the face of Maryland racing." Stronach Group COO Tim Ritvo said that the Maryland Jockey Club is now "positioned to bid" for the '20 and '21 Breeders' Cups and also is "planning to revive" the DC Int'l Stakes, which was run at Laurel from '52-'94 and was the forerunner to the annual Breeders' Cup Turf. The Maryland Million Day produced a handle of $4.476M (Baltimore SUN, 10/23). 

Devils Dedicate Statue To Martin Brodeur; Barkley Honored At Auburn

The Devils last night "dedicated a statue outside Prudential Center" to former NHLer Martin Brodeur. He was honored prior to Wild-Devils in a ceremony "attended by a few hundred fans on a damp, drizzly night" (AP, 10/22). The 900-pound bronze statue, titled "The Salute," was created by Jon Krawczyk, who worked with Brodeur on the design (Devils).

Meanwhile, Auburn Univ. "will be erecting a statue" in honor of Basketball HOFer Charles Barkley, who played there from '81-84. He is the fourth Auburn athlete "so honored, joining a trio of Heisman winners in Pat Sullivan, Bo Jackson and Cam Newton." Barkley: "It just means a great deal to me. ... It's going to be pretty cool." Jackson, a friend of Barkley's, "made the announcement on the jumbo video screen at Jordan-Hare Stadium" during last night's Arkansas-Auburn game (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 10/22).

Former NFLer Randall Cunningham yesterday "received a plaque marking his induction" into the College Football HOF as he took the field at Sam Boyd Stadium before the Colorado State-UNLV game. Cunningham is the "first UNLV player inducted into the hall" (LAS VEGAS SUN, 10/23).

Speed Reads....

The Nashville Sports Council is "close to finalizing a deal that will bring more college football to Nashville." Officials at Louisville and Western Kentucky are "working with the Sports Council on a contract for a game that would be played at Nissan Stadium" early in the '19 season (Nashville TENNESSEAN, 10/23).

adidas "finally unveiled" Rockets G James Harden's Volume 1 collection yesterday one year after he signed with the company(CBSSPORTS.com, 10/22).

Quick Hits....

"I didn't have anybody tell me that they thought it had been a waste of time" – Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby, on the conference finally deciding not to expand (ESPN.com, 10/22).

"The article pissed me off for this reason. If you call someone a coward, how are you not going to put your name on that quote? It's easy to point at someone and call them a coward behind like a shade or a shield. But why don't you put your name to it and then you can call us cowards? That's fine. Tell us that. ... That's weak to me, man" – Warriors G Klay Thompson, on an anonymous team official calling the Warriors "cowards" for their play in the NBA Finals (SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, 10/22).

"The Mara family has been a standup family in the NFL for a long, long time. I really do think they want to do right" – CBSSN's Chris Simms, on the Giants' handling of the Josh Brown scandal (“That Other Pregame Show,” CBSSN, 10/23).

Sunday Comic....

A sneak preview of SportsBusiness Journal's weekly editorial cartoon:

Weekend Hot Reads....

ESPN.com's Dan Rafael writes it is "hard to be a boxing fan right now." Rafael: "Too many fights we all want to see do not get made." Even when they sometimes get put together, it is "often torturous getting there," as it was with the Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao fight. Additionally, even when a "great match is made fairly easily with no drama," fans get the "bad news of injury forcing it to be canceled." Meanwhile, YAHOO SPORTS' Kevin Iole wrote about Team USA's "plan to make amateur boxing relevant again." Interest in professional boxing has "waned considerably over the past three or four decades," and interest in amateur boxing is "to the point of being almost non-existent."

Elsewhere:

Twitter Me This....

Today's Event: Women In Athletics Leadership Panel

Vanderbilt will host Breaking the Glass Ceiling: Women in Athletics Leadership, a roundtable discussion open to the public from 3:30-4:30pm CT. The panel of speakers includes SEC Associate Commissioner & Senior Woman Administrator Tiffany Daniels, Tennessee State AD Teresa Phillips, Vanderbilt Deputy AD Candice Lee, Predators Exec VP, General Counsel & CFO Michelle Kennedy and Ohio Valley Conference Commissioner Beth DeBauche. At 7:00pm, ESPN Senior VP/College Networks Rosalyn Durant will speak on "Diversity and Leadership in Collegiate Athletics."

Weekend Download

Orioles CF Adam Jones in partnership with the #MLBmemory bank program recently "visited a class at The SEED School of Maryland in Baltimore" disguised as substitute teacher Herbert Garfield, treating them with tickets to an Orioles' game that night.

Jones also was featured on Cartoon Network yesterday "in a World Series-themed episode of the show, 'Uncle Grandpa.'"

Today's Back Pages....

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

 N.Y. Post  N.Y. Daily News Newsday   Boston HeraldChicago Sun-Times

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

THE DAILY's Week Ahead Oct. 24-30

MONDAY
• ATP Tour Swiss Indoors Basel begins (Basel, Switzerland)
• ATP Tour Erste Bank Open 500 begins (Vienna, Austria)
• Sportel Monaco conference begins

TUESDAY
• Cynopsis TV Awards (N.Y.)
• NBA regular season begins
• World Series begins – Cubs-Indians (Cleveland)

THURSDAY
• Int’l Consensus Conference on Concussion in Sport (Berlin)
• PGA Tour Sanderson Farms Championship begins – CC of Jackson (Jackson, Miss.)
• WGC-HSBC Champions begins – Sheshan Int’l GC (Shanghai, China)
• LPGA Tour Sime Darby begins – (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)
• Future of Sport Conference – Univ. of Worcester (U.K.)
• World Football Summit begins (Madrid, Spain)
• Football Fest begins (Zagreb, Croatia)

FRIDAY
• Warsaw Sports Business Analytics Symposium (Eugene, Ore.)

SATURDAY
• NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Texas Roadhouse 200 – Martinsville Speedway (Martinsville, Va.)

SUNDAY
• F1 Grand Prix of Mexico - Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez (Mexico City)
• NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Goody’s Fast Relief 500 – Martinsville Speedway

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