Beijing 2008 Olympic Gold Medalist RAFAEL NADAL "appears on course to play at the Rio Games after an encouraging update on his fitness." Nadal, who missed London 2012 because of injury, "is due to be Spain’s flag-bearer in Rio but is battling a wrist problem." Nadal is "scheduled to play singles, men's doubles and mixed doubles in Rio" (PA, 7/28). ... CBC Sports broadcaster STEVE ARMITAGE stepped down from the network's Olympic broadcast team. Armitage was scheduled to provide commentary for swimming and diving before being recently diagnosed with chronic heart failure. The Rio Olympics would have been his 16th Games as a broadcaster. ELLIOTTE FRIEDMAN will replace Armitage (CBC).
CHANGING THE GAME: A day ahead of Liverpool’s Int’l Champions Cup match against AC Milan on Saturday, Fenway Sports Management is hosting “Changing the Game,” a sports and technology summit, at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. Following Liverpool’s third kit reveal, which was broadcast on Facebook Live from the social media network’s Menlo Park HQ on Thursday, Facebook Head of Global Sports Partnerships DAN REED will be one of the event’s featured speakers. Other speakers include Intel CEO BRIAN KRZANICH, New Balance President & CEO ROB DEMARTINI, SpringHill Entertainment & Uninterrupted CEO MAVERICK CARTER, STRIVR CEO DEREK BELCH, EA Sports Chief Competition Officer PETER MOORE and Sacramento Kings Co-Owner and NRG eSports Chair & Co-Founder ANDREW MILLER. The topics the summit will cover are virtual reality, wearable technology, social and digital media, esports and big data and sports marketing (Anna Hrushka, SBD Global).
