NASCAR Chair & CEO Brian France this morning during his annual state-of-the-sport press conference said the governing body is "in a good spot" in its search for a new title sponsor despite the process “taking a little longer than I thought.” France, speaking before the sold-out Sprint Cup finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, said, “It’s a big, important agreement -- not just dollars and cents; it’s about the right fit. We don’t want to announce anything certainly around this weekend. ... we’ll have to see how it finally pans out.” NASCAR this summer said an October announcement was the most likely scenario. Monster Energy was among the finalists for the role, according to sources and a published report by Motorsport.com, but Monster VP/Sports Marketing Mitch Covington declined comment Friday when asked via e-mail about the talks.

France was also asked about other aspects of the business side of the sport, including ratings and attendance, the health of teams, the charter system and his support for Donald Trump. France: “We’re very pleased with our position in sports. The audience isn’t going away, it’s sliding to different places, consuming in different ways. ... Would I like to have everything perfect? Of course I would. But that’s sports and the competitive business.” 

Daniel Suarez yesterday became the "first international driver to win any NASCAR championship" with his victory in the Xfinity Series finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Suarez, who hails from Mexico, "won the Xfinity Series championship in his second year driving for Joe Gibbs Racing," backing up his '15 Rookie of the Year victory (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 11/19). Suarez "thanked fans and his native country in Spanish in victory lane." Team Owner Joe Gibbs said, "This is going to be a big deal for our sport. It's huge." Suarez is the first Drive for Diversity driver to win a championship (ESPN.com, 11/19). NASCAR Chair & CEO Brian France: "We’re very proud of him and proud it validates our diversity plan in a significant way” (Adam Stern, Staff Writer).

Sources said that in a "continued effort to try to improve ratings, one idea the NFL is discussing is moving" the 9:30am ET games played in London to 1:00pm start times. The idea would be to "close a viewing window the NFL had created that extended the day and possibly detracted from the interest in other games." Changing the London kickoff time "would take away one of those added windows, a move to combat what many believe to be an oversaturation of games and start times" (ESPN.com, 11/20). 

Hurricanes President Don Waddell on Friday said that Owner Peter Karmanos is "not actively looking to sell the team." Waddell disputed a rumor the franchise "could be sold and relocated." Speculation had "heated up again" with a report that Karmanos "might be close to selling." The speculation was that Quebecor, the Montreal-based communications company that "backed the NHL expansion bid by Quebec City, was interested in buying the team from Karmanos" (Raleigh NEWS & OBSERVER, 11/19).

Boxer Andre Ward defeated Sergey Kovalev in a "controversial decision" last night to become the WBO/WBA/IBF light heavyweight champion, winning by a unanimous score of 114-113. Kovalev's promoter, Kathy Duva, said that there is an "immediate rematch clause and they will be exercising it." The two fought at T-Mobile Arena in front of 13,310 fans, "most of which were cheering" for Ward (LAS VEGAS SUN, 11/20). The crowd "erupted in cheers" when Ward was declared winner (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 11/20). Despite "inordinate hype, Kovalev-Ward managed to live up to its billing" (SI.com, 11/20).

49ers QB Colin Kaepernick on Friday took to Instagram to "unveil what he is calling the 'Million Dollar Pledge.'" Kaepernick in September vowed to give $1M to underserved communities. Last week's announcement said the pledge is "now in its second month and directed people to check out [a] now-established website, www.Kaepernick7.com." The site "provides details on the organizations to which Kaepernick has given money, along with specific donation amounts." The site also "declares that the mission of Kaepernick's foundation is to 'fight oppression of all kinds globally, through education and social activism.'" Kaepernick "finished the Instagram post with a quote attributed to Malcolm X" (ESPN.com, 11/18). 

Cubs co-Owner Todd Ricketts is "up for a top spot in the Trump administration," meeting yesterday with President-elect Donald Trump and Mike Pence. Ricketts met a "little less than an hour" with Trump, Pence, Chief of Staff designate Reince Priebus and incoming Senior Adviser Stephen Bannon. Ricketts' business background "fits, if not as a commerce secretary, in a senior post as an economic adviser or as an undersecretary or agency head." The Ricketts family members were "among the biggest donors to the RNC" in the '16 campaign cycle (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 11/20). Meanwhile, Trump today "is huddling" with WME-IMG co-CEO Ari Emanuel (POLITICO.com, 11/20).

Pistons coach and President of Basketball Operations Stan Van Gundy on Friday said that the organization had been "made aware Pistons customers included select Donald Trump voters who didn’t appreciate" his comments last week on the newly elected president. Van Gundy said, "It didn’t come directly to me. But I know there was some (flak). ... The key points is, and I think [Pistons Owner Tom Gores] would echo this, we want to stand at all times with equality and justice for everyone, whether it’s race, sexual orientation, or gender. And that will sometimes require taking a stand against some things. Those are ideals our organization will stand for, and fans will" (DETROIT NEWS, 11/19). 

The Rutgers wrestling team yesterday defeated Princeton 19-16 in front of 16,178 fans at High Point Solutions Stadium, the "much-hyped outdoor match billed as the Battle at the Birthplace." The crowd was the second-largest in NCAA wrestling history. The match was "contested in the north end zone and started nine hours before kickoff" of the Penn State-Rutgers football game (Newark STAR-LEDGER, 11/20).

CBS' "60 Minutes" tonight airs a discussion around the U.S. women's national team and its "fight for gender equity" and the need for equal pay. The episode, "The Match of Their Lives," features USWNT players Carli Lloyd, Becky Sauerbrunn, Christen Press and Morgan Brian. In a preview released Friday, Lloyd said, "We feel like we are treated as second class citizens. They don't care about us as they do the men." Press added, "This is about gender discrimination. And I don't think positive change happens in the world unless it has to." The show airs at 7:30pm ET (EXCELLESPORTS.com, 11/18).

ABC is "exploring the possibility of a new 24-hour digital news channel." Sources said that it "wouldn’t launch until next year." ABC "used to have its own stand-alone news channel, ABC News Now, which it rolled together with Univision’s Fusion" (NYPOST.com, 11/20). 

Saturday's Michigan-Ohio State football game, which pits the 2nd and 3rd-ranked teams in the country against one another, will be "center stage on ESPN's 'College Gameday.'" The program "will be two hours longer" than usual and begins at 7:00am ET (DETROITNEWS.com, 11/19). 

Former 49ers Owner Eddie DeBartolo Jr. will be honored with his Pro Football HOF ring "at halftime" of today’s game against the Patriots (SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, 11/19). 

MLSE Live tonight will name WWE as the newest inductee into its Air Canada Centre ICONS program (MLSE). 

Menswear brand Trumaker signed Redskins TE Vernon Davis as its "first brand ambassador" (TWITTER. com, 11/18). 

All grandstand seats for today's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway "are sold out" (TWITTER.com, 11/18). 

The legal fight by former Clippers Owner Donald Sterling over the $2B sale of the franchise "ended Friday in a quiet settlement" with the NBA. Details "weren’t immediately available" (L.A. TIMES, 11/19). 

Under Armour will "open a 17,000-square-foot store" in downtown Detroit this spring (DETROIT NEWS, 11/20). 

Former Blues CEO Michael McCarthy is "being considered for a 'senior role'" with the Bucks. McCarthy "most recently has worked as a media consultant" for N.Y.-based The Legacy Agency (JSONLINE.com, 11/18). 

"Came on the road for a home game and won the SEC East. Pretty cool, isn't it?" – Florida football coach Jim McElwain, on his team's 16-10 victory against LSU in Baton Rouge yesterday (CBSSPORTS.com, 11/19).

“We will be talking to every weatherman and -woman in New England, and crosschecking their forecasts. The chances of having the right weather are pretty high, but they’re not 100 percent” – U.S. Ski & Snowboard Association President & CEO Tiger Shaw, on the governing body holding two women's World Cup races in Killington, Vt., next weekend, where weather has been unpredictable in the past (N.Y. TIMES, 11/20).

“We need to look at the traditional concept of one long race. Two 40-minute races with a 40-minute break in the middle when the drivers could be interviewed, cars worked on, would be [attractive] to viewers, the TV companies, the sponsors, and advertisers would love it" – F1 CEO Bernie Ecclestone, on potential improvements to the sport's races (LONDON TIMES, 11/20).

"The Chargers have the ball. That's my answer. No public money. The Chargers have the ball” – San Diego Councilwoman Barbara Bry, on the Chargers' quest for a new stadium after the team's failed ballot measure (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 11/19).

The BOSTON GLOBE's Bob Ryan writes under the header, "Athletes Shouldn’t Be Pressured To Speak On Issues Of The Day." If a player chooses to speak out, it is "very often a lose-lose proposition." If a player "chooses to become involved in the public dialogue, it is not without risk," as there "could be financial ramifications, with regard to endorsements."

The CHICAGO SUN-TIMES' Rick Morrissey wrote Bears Owners the McCaskey family "aren’t going anywhere, and neither are the Bears." The "problem is that the McCaskeys aren’t like your typical NFL owner." They "don’t care about money" and they "don’t spend the money on themselves." They "care about the Bears," but they have "no idea what they’re doing when it comes to building a championship team."

Elsewhere:

• Taking a look at "what's the matter with college basketball."
• The Cubs have "plenty to ponder when designing World Series rings."
• Cal Ripken Jr. reflects on the success of his family's foundation.
• Young talent puts N.Y. at the "top" of the list to be sports' next "Titletown."
• The U.S. can "look towards its athletes as examples of unity."
• Reviewing an upcoming book about the life of Pro Football HOFer Chuck Noll.
• The 45-year-old fighter who "may be Russia’s favorite American."

Crosstown rivalry feels like Ghost Town rivalry...lots of empty seats in Rose Bowl stands for USC-UCLA..

— Bill Plaschke (@BillPlaschke) November 20, 2016

The final SEC Championship Game in The Georgia Dome will also fittingly be the same as the first in the Dome in 1994.

— Chuck Dunlap (@SEC_Chuck) November 19, 2016

For those who tune out tennis after US Open, tune back in for Murray-Djokovic today. No year-end men's final has ever had more on line
#1

— Christopher Clarey (@christophclarey) November 20, 2016

Fatigue/burnout, even for the season-ending winners. "The big thing for me is I have 5 weeks without touching a club & I cannot wait." -Fitz

— Will Gray (@WillGrayGC) November 20, 2016

The @Coloradoan's Sunday A1 and sports cover (horizontal). Final game ever at Hughes Stadium, the Rams' home since 1968. cc @APSE_sportmedia pic.twitter.com/29DE92f7Xy

— Matt L. Stephens (@MattStephens) November 20, 2016

$800,000 – Estimated box office sales for the debut of "Bleed For This" on Friday, the "second boxing movie of the season" after "Hands of Stone" (SHOWBUZZDAILY.com, 11/19).