Cavaliers draftee Kyrie Irving has "struck an endorsement deal" with Nike. Irving, the No. 1 overall NBA draft pick this year, announced the deal today via Twitter, posting, "Feels good to officially be part of @nikebasketball!" A tweet from Nike basketball today read, "Welcome, Kyrie. Your game and hard work earned you this. Expect greatness!" Irving joins Kemba Walker, who was selected ninth overall by the Bobcats, as first-round draft picks who have signed shoe deals. Walker signed with Under Armour last week (SPORTINGNEWS.com, 7/14).

Veteran licensed apparel marketer Bill Hampton died unexpectedly on his way to the airport after the ESPY Awards last night. The cause of death is undetermined. Hampton, 51, was Senior Dir of Pro Leagues at Under Armour, where he had worked since '06. He was well known across sports marketing and merchandising circles, having held similar positions with the NFL league office and with the Browns. His brother Clay Hampton is Senior Dir of Operations for the N.Y. Jets, and their father, Bill, equipment manager with the Jets for more than 30 years.

Under Armour Founder Kevin Plank called Hampton "one of the most beloved people on our brand" in an internal e-mail this morning. 16W Marketing Partner Frank Vuono hired Hampton at NFL Properties in the '90s. "I can’t think of many people across the league that didn’t know him," Vuono recalled. "He was a larger-than-life guy who always made you smile and you always smiled when you thought of him. I’m sad, but that is what I’m doing now – smiling."

Under Armour Dir of Men’s Brand Marketing Brad Charron on Twitter this afternoon wrote, “Billy Hampton was the best of all of us. It's a huge loss for our company! We r all thinking about Hamp's family now.”

New Turner Sports NBA analyst Shaquille O’Neal today appeared on SI’s “Media Circus Podcast” and told host Richard Deitsch he signed with TNT because “it was a better fit” than ESPN, which also pursued the recently retired NBA star. O’Neal said, “Especially with Charles, Kenny and Ernie. Those guys are very, very real. It was my favorite show, and I was just glad to have the opportunity to join.”

Expanding on his reason for choosing Turner, O’Neal said, “I wanted to be a good, clean, honest businessman. I didn’t want to put people in a bidding war. Both sides made very good offers … but I thought Turner/TNT was the greater fit for me.” O’Neal said he considered an offer from ESPN he called “very competitive,” but added, “I didn’t get into this for a monetary aspect, so I didn’t want to put two great entities in a bidding war” (SI.com, 7/14).

Bobcats officials have confirmed that negotiations on a new sponsorship deal with Anheuser-Busch InBev "are close to completion." Budweiser has "been one of the Bobcats' major backers since the team entered the NBA" in '04. Budweiser's more recent deal expired after the '10-11 season. Terms of the new deal have not been disclosed. Budweiser and the team's other founding sponsors – Coca-Cola, Presbyterian Hospital and Lowe's – "are estimated to be paying $1 million each per year to the Bobcats" (BIZJOURNALS.com, 7/14).

Ohio State Univ. has renewed its deal with Nationwide Arena to manage that venue and Schottenstein Center. The move "helps alleviate" the Blue Jackets of "some of the operational expenses they normally would incur" and gives the NHL club "another year to help solve" its annual $12M deficit. Schottenstein Center manager Xen Riggs said of the Jackets, "It's taking them longer to put together the long-term piece than we expected. We renewed for another year with the idea it won't last a year" (THEOTHERPAPER.com, 7/14).

Ford today announced the launch of the Octane Academy consumer program tied to its sponsorship of action sports drivers Ken Block, Brian Deegan, Tanner Foust and Vaughn Gittin. The program gives fans a chance to win spots in four day camps throughout the year, each one hosted by one of the aforementioned drivers. The Octane Academy will launch at X Games 17, where Ford returns as the event's official automotive sponsor. Fans will be able to submit Octane Academy applications on site in L.A. Ford has released an online video promoting the effort (THE DAILY).

The USGA and Pinehurst have unveiled the logos for the '14 U.S. Open and U.S. Women's Open. For the first time ever, there will be a dual logo to celebrate the first pairing of the U.S. Opens at the same course (USGA).

Steve Stricker has signed a multiyear endorsement deal with Avis Rent A Car. Stricker began wearing the Avis marks on his collar today at the British Open (Michael Smith, SportsBusiness Journal).

The Western Athletic Conference (WAC) today is expected to announce that it will add the Univ. of Texas at Arlington as a member "next summer" (STLTRIB.com, 7/14). 

The Padres will wear '83 throwback uniforms during tonight's home game against the Giants to honor former club manager and Baseball HOFer Dick Williams, who passed away last week at the age of 82 (Padres).

"Sometimes AP staffers ask if they're free to comment in social media on matters like sports and entertainment. The answer is yes, with a couple of reasonable exceptions. First, trash-talking about anyone (or team or company or celebrity) reflects badly on staffers and the AP" – Memo to AP staffers regarding the organization's social media guidelines (NEWS.YAHOO.com, 7/14).

"It fits into our NASCAR Green efforts well and it brings increased horsepower to the sport. Anything that makes the cars go faster will have the drivers on-board” – NASCAR VP & Chief Sales Officer Jim O’Connell, speaking today to the National Corn Growers Association Corn Congress in DC about the sanctioning body's deal with American Ethanol (THE DAILY).

National Sports Marketing Network Exec Dir Jennifer Karpf: “As someone who has booked hundreds of #sportsbiz execs for past 13+ yrs. @danawhite is among the best speakers.”

NFL Digital Media exec Meredith Battin: “Peter guber getting more laughs at #varietysportsbiz conf than Seth Meyers at espys.”

U.S. soccer G Hope Solo: “Ill ask my dear friends @nikesoccer to sell my beloved purple gk jersey! everybody wants to look like barney! Just glad I can pull it off!”

Bulls announcer Chuck Swirsky: “Calling out SI on this one...Jeter on the cover over USA women's soccer team? No way.”

If you see a tweet we will not want to miss, send it to us at editorial@sportsbusinessdaily.com.

Minneapolis-area sports talk station KFAN-AM produced this time-lapse video showing the inflation of the newly replaced Metrodome roof.

Watch The Clip

$1.42M – Price for which the oldest known soccer rule book was sold at auction by Sotheby's in London. The "handwritten pamphlet from 1857" was put up for auction by Sheffield FC, "the world's oldest soccer club." Sheffield FC sold the book to raise money for the club, "which plays seven tiers below the Premier League" (AP, 7/14).