The IMG Sports Marketing Symposium today featured a panel titled, “A Glimpse into the Future: What Will the Next Generation of Sports Marketing and Media Look Like?” in which much of the discussion hinged on how companies will continue to grow their social media use to create more conversation with fans and among fans. GM General Dir of Branded Entertainment Marketing Alliances Steve Tihanyi said, “People will continue to want to have their voice, in their own way they want to disseminate their thoughts and the way they’re creating content and distributing content.” ESPN CMO Carol Kruse mentioned marketers are still getting used to constantly overseeing social projects that they used to push aside once they finished. But WWE CMO Michelle Wilson reminded everyone that the whole point behind any marketing effort is to make money.

See a full agenda for the conference, and get highlights and updates from the sessions via SBJ/SBD's running blog and Twitter feed.

The Big 12 this morning announced that it has invited TCU to become the conference's 10th member. A source said that TCU athletic department officials were "scheduled to meet" at 11:30am CT today "to discuss the matter." TCU Chancellor Victor Boschini Jr. in a written statement said, "These discussions with the Big 12 have huge implications for TCU. It will allow us to return to old rivalries, something our fans and others have been advocating for many years." TCU is currently slated to join the Big East in '12 (STAR-TELEGRAM.com, 10/6).

Michael Ovitz reportedly has "left the board" of IMG. It is "not clear whether Ovitz resigned voluntarily" or whether IMG CEO Ted Forstmann "was required to legally dismiss him." Ovitz was "asked to resign this week after angering" Forstmann, who is battling brain cancer, and COO Mike Dolan "by maneuvering to take control of the company." Herb Siegel, "who had been allied with Ovitz, had also been asked to resign" (THEWRAP.com, 10/6).

Chuck Blazer today said that he will resign "as the No. 2 official of CONCACAF in December." Blazer has served as the organization's secretary general since '90. Blazer: "I've been running a governing body long enough. We've been through a little bit of a stagnation period. I want to do something entrepreneurial." Blazer said that he "would consider taking a club post" and that he will continue to serve on the FIFA Exec Committee, a position that runs through mid-'13 (AP, 10/6).

Best Buy U.K. has signed a deal to become the official technology retail partner of the NFL in the U.K. The company will "support a series of events aimed at promoting" the Oct. 23 Bears-Buccaneers game at Wembley Stadium. One such promotion will give shoppers a chance to win two tickets to the International Series game. The partnership comes after Best Buy in February aired its "first ever Super Bowl commercial on U.S. TV" (RETAILGAZETTE.co.uk, 10/6).

Footwork Productions, the company that collects David Beckham's endorsement income, reported total earnings in '10 of US$23M, up 31% from the previous year. The filing from the London-based company, which "doesn't include" his salary from the MLS Galaxy, shows the firm posted its "highest revenue" since '05. Beckham is "in-demand among companies seeking to promote their brand at next year's London Olympics," as evidence by his deal with Samsung announced in May (BLOOMBERG NEWS, 10/6).

Anheuser-Busch has reached an agreement with the Jaguars to purchase tickets to Sunday's game against the Bengals "to ensure the game airs on TV." Jaguars VP/Sales & Marketing Macky Weaver this afternoon said that "about 6,000 tickets" were still unsold for the game. Weaver did not release details of the deal with A-B, "but stressed that tickets for Sunday's game are still available to the public." Weaver: "We want fans to buy the tickets. ... Anheuser-Busch has agreed to buy some number that will allow the game to be on TV" (BIZJOURNALS.com, 10/6). 

The Cavaliers today announced that FS Ohio's John Michael "will be their new radio play-by-play man," pairing with color analyst Jim Chones on game broadcasts. Michael had served as the rinkside reporter for Blue Jackets game telecasts on FS Ohio. He replaces the retired Joe Tait, who "had been the team's play-by-play man since its inception in 1970 – with the exception of two seasons in the early 1980s." Mike Snyder, who had filled in for many of the games Tait missed last season, "will return to his previous role as pre- and post-game host" (FOXSPORTSOHIO.com, 10/6).

Central Michigan Univ. and Paciolan today announced that they are partnering to create Ticket Central, a centralized campus box office for purchasing tickets to all events on campus. The deal comes a day after Paciolan announced a 10-year renewal of its partnership with the Univ. of Southern California (THE DAILY).

The 49ers today said that they will "launch some preliminary work on their new Santa Clara stadium in the spring" (BIZJOURNALS.com, 10/6).

The NHL Kings today announced sponsorship renewals with Carl's Jr., ESPN Zone L.A. Live, EA Sports, Gold's Gym, Mercury Insurance and Regal Cinemas (Kings).

Bear Data Solutions has agreed to a deal to become the official IT and technological solutions provider of the Rams. Per the deal, Bear will receive scoreboard signage, game-day advertising in the Rams Insider magazine, Rams Radio Network promos and hospitality opportunities (Bear Data Solutions).

The Texans today announced a deal for LiveU to provide its live transmission technology that will allow fans to watch live pregame and postgame video from the team's website on their mobile devices (Texans).

“You know it has to go through people’s minds, especially ownership that would love to have a guy that’s supposed to be the second coming at the quarterback position” – ESPN's Mike Golic, on the idea of NFL teams tanking this season in order to draft Stanford QB Andrew Luck with the first overall pick in next year's draft (“Mike and Mike in the Morning,” ESPN2, 10/6).

“It’s good for the game every time he tees it up because it creates more attention, whether it’s his fifth comeback of the year or his 23rd comeback or whatever. He’s made more comebacks than Richard Nixon at this point” – Author John Feinstein, on Tiger Woods playing at the PGA Tour Frys.com Open this week (“Morning Drive,” Golf Channel, 10/6).

"So if we are serious potentially about the long-term growth of the club then I think we have to be serious about looking at what I call a new football stadium as part of a hub of a wider entertainment destination" – EPL club Queens Park Rangers CEO Philip Beard, on the need for a larger stadium (DAILYMAIL.co.uk, 10/6).

PR consultant Joe Favorito: "What #Mets fans needed. Naked pics of Jose Reyes in @ESPNMag His spread would have been more pages but he opted out after the first shoot."

Madison Square Garden Sports President Scott O'Neil: "Grilled at customs in Sweden on questions about the Rangers. Felt like 1st wk w BW Either a big hockey fan or I looked like shady character."

Turnkey Intelligence Senior VP Steve Seiferheld: "32% of #sbjsms crowd thinks boxing will grow most over next 10 years? Really? Huh, don't see that happening. Follow soccer. #sportsbiz."

EAG Sports Management CEO Denise White: "Love that ESPN is talking about Freedom of Speech right now. When is it crossing the line from Freedom of Speech to Offensive Nonsense? … Let's hear your thoughts on the Hank Williams controversy. What do you think? Will you miss his song on Monday Night Football?"

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

Islanders Corporate Communications Coordinator David Hochman posts this photo of LW Matt Moulson being interviewed for an EA Sports segment.

The Univ. of Oregon football team will reportedly wear "yet another" Nike-made uniform for their game against Cal. The "retro-inspired uniform boasts a throwback fighting duck mascot on the shoulder with the more traditional green and yellow colors" (OREGONLIVE.com, 10/3).

New NBA D-League team the Dakota Wizards will host a tipoff dinner and celebration in Bismarck. Several execs from the affiliated NBA Warriors are scheduled to be present, including team co-Owner Joe Lacob, Dir of Basketball Operations Kirk Lacob, Assistant GM Bob Myers. Also present will be Jim Weyermann, who serves as both Warriors VP/Franchise Development and Wizards President.

Bruins Owner Jeremy Jacobs and team President Cam Neely will be NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman's featured guest on the "NHL Hour" on NHL.com and Sirius XM Radio at 6:00pm ET.

The Thurgood Marshall College Fund will honor Bobcats President & COO Fred Whitfield at the eighth annual "Awards of Excellence" event.

Basketball HOFer Dominique Wilkins will be inducted into the Boys & Girls Clubs of America HOF at the organization's Great Futures Gala at The Great Atrium in Atlanta. Hawks President Bob Williams is scheduled to have a role in the proceedings.

This clip from Longhorn Network takes a behind-the-scenes look at former Texas F Tristan Thompson's experience on the day of the NBA Draft. The video demonstrates the type of content that will be on the network between live sporting events, as well as the net's ability to use archived ESPN footage in conjunction with newly generated content.

Watch The Clip

Golf Channel will begin coverage of the PGA Tour Frys.com Open at 4:00pm ET. Tiger Woods teed off at 3:10pm, so the majority of his round will be in the net's broadcast window.

$70M – Approximate price Redskins Owner Dan Snyder paid for the Lady Anne, a 224-foot "superyacht" that is "one of the 100 largest yachts in the world" (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 10/4).