NFL owners this afternoon approved continuing playing regular-season games in the U.K., though contrary to expectations the league did not specifically approve playing more than one game per year there. Instead, the owners' resolution, according to the NFL, "enables the league to determine the appropriate number of UK games per season, based on the popularity of the sport in the market and the number of teams that volunteer to play as a home team." NFL owners in '06 approved a five-year overseas run beginning in '07, and played one regular-season game a year in London. That resolution expires after the Bears-Buccaneers game in London later this month.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell had said last month he hoped to have two games a year in London, but that is not what the new resolution precisely calls for. NFL VP/Int’l Chris Parsons noted that the league would push to have teams return to the U.K. on a more regular basis to increase fan support. Whether the broad geographic definition in the resolution means that the league expects to play games outside of London is unclear.

NFL owners today also voted to award Univ. of Phoenix Stadium the right to host Super Bowl XLIX in '15. The vote was between Arizona and Tampa Bay. The Glendale venue last hosted the game in '08, when the Giants beat the Patriots in Super Bowl XLII. Arizona won by "simple majority after the second ballot." The Tampa Super Bowl Committee had "bought a billboard in Houston, asking owners to bring the Super Bowl back to Florida" (USATODAY.com, 10/11). 

CAA Sports has decided to restructure its international operations and as a result, longtime soccer exec Peter Kenyon, who was assisting the agency in growing its international sports business, is leaving the company by mutual agreement, CAA said today. “As a result of a strategic restructuring related to CAA Sports’ international business, Peter Kenyon and CAA Sports have jointly decided to end our employment relationship,” CAA Sports said in a statement. ”We are proud of the work we have accomplished with Peter. Led by a team that includes a number of recently added executives, we have seen consistent success, in the U.S. and around the world, creating meaningful opportunities for the agency and clients in the global sports marketplace.”

Kenyon, who was hired in '09 and formerly held chief executive positions with EPL clubs Chelsea and Manchester United, was based in CAA's London office. Kenyon worked alongside CAA Sports co-Heads Howard Nuchow and Michael Levine. Kenyon's departure is related to a decision to restructure CAA Sports from a geographically-based leadership approach to a practice-based approach, a source said. Attempts to reach Kenyon for comment were unsuccessful. Two international sports execs who Kenyon hired, Philippe Le Floc'h and Peter Draper, are also leaving, a source said. Le Floc'h was based in Dubai and Draper was based in London. Attempts to reach them for comment were also unsuccessful.

Nike Brand President Charlie Denson today said that the company "will continue to invest heavily" in China and plans to double sales in the country by '15. Denson: "We certainly will continue to invest in China, and very aggressively. We are very excited about the growth opportunities here." Nike "now plans to expand distribution to second and third-tier cities." Denson "didn't confirm the market talk that Nike will build a new campus in Shanghai" (XINHUA, 10/11).

The three main parties in the ongoing Dodgers bankruptcy case – the team itself, MLB and FSN – today each hardened their legal positions in advance of a session tomorrow that will set rules for a key evidentiary hearing beginning Oct. 31 in Wilmington. MLB again said that the Dodgers' only viable plan to emerge from bankruptcy is to sell the club, and Owner Frank McCourt's proposed plan to sell the club's TV rights would significantly serve his personal financial needs fueled by his ongoing divorce, and potentially create another liquidity crisis as soon as '13.

"The delay attendant to Mr. McCourt's frolics is harming the [Dodgers] and every party in interest. … So these cases are at a critical crossroads," MLB said in its filing. Fox, meanwhile, again lent its support to the league, and said that if its current rights deal extending through '13 is rejected in the name of a new rights the sale, the RSN would likely receive a largely rejection damages claim that would dilute the club's other creditors. Fox had previously sued the Dodgers on its own, but in this instance is asking the judge to deny the McCourt TV rights plan.

The Dodgers responded that MLB Commissioner Bud Selig is significantly overreaching in his bid to sell the team, and does not have unfettered power. "The Commissioner does not have the authority to force an owner to sell its team, as the Commissioner has sought to do both before and during these bankruptcy cases," the club says in its latest filing. "The Commissioner has acted outside his authority, and failed to comply with basic rudiments of due process, in refusing to approve any license of the telecast rights as a pretext to force a sale of the Dodgers. The Commissioner has also violated his duty of good faith and fair dealing."

The club argued further that the April appointment of Tom Schieffer as club monitor violated league rules. 

Fox Soccer has renewed its media rights deal with England's FA for six more years through the '17-18 season. The current agreement, giving Fox Soccer rights throughout the U.S. and Caribbean, was set to expire in '12. The deal includes the FA Cup tournament, as well as England's national team home qualifiers and friendlies. It also includes the Community Shield, the annual matchup between the winners of the FA Cup and the EPL champion (Fox Soccer).

USOC sponsor Kellogg Co. today announced details of its Team Kellogg's program, which consists of past, present and hopeful U.S. Olympic and Paralympic athletes. Per Kellogg's sponsorship with the USOC, Team Kellogg's athletes will share their personal nutritional habits and their favorite breakfast routines on the company's Facebook page. The athletes taking part in the promotion include MLS Red Bulls F Juan Agudelo, table tennis player Michael Landers, long jumper Dwight Phillips, TV commentator and former swimmer Summer Sanders, swimmer Rebecca Soni, Paralympic track & field athlete Casey Tibbs and beach volleyballer Kerri Walsh (Kellogg Co.).

ESPN tonight at 8:00pm ET will debut the new documentary "The Dotted Line" from director Morgan Spurlock. The film examines the sports agent industry and profiles agents Peter Greenberg and Eugene Lee, along with their clients Mets P Johan Santana and NFL hopefuls Jacquian Williams and Robert Hughes, prior to being drafted (ESPN). Spurlock discusses the motivation and inspiration for the film on GRANTLAND.com.

VARIETY.com's Brian Lowry writes the film "could hardly be more timely given the recent spate of college football scandals." BLEACHER REPORT's Austin Schindel writes, "These men are not Jerry Maguire and don’t want to be. They do what they have to do to win the client and make sure that they get everything they need." 

Roush Fenway Racing today announced that Fluidmaster will serve as the primary sponsor of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series No. 17 Ford for Sunday's Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway (Roush Fenway Racing).

Padres 2B Orlando Hudson will serve as a guest analyst on MLB Network's "MLB Tonight" on Wednesday and Thursday. Hudson previously served as a guest on the net during last year's ALCS (MLB Network).

The USA Sevens rugby tournament has partnered with Station Casinos to host the 3rd annual Las Vegas Invitational amateur rugby competition, which will be held Feb. 9-12, 2012 (USA Sevens).

“The bottom line folks is Mickey is a mean mouse. And he has stepped into that pile at ESPN” – Entertainer Hank Williams Jr., on being dropped from ESPN's "MNF" intro following his controversial remarks during an appearance last week on Fox News ("The View," 10/11).

"While they would want to use platform to market their newest signees, their whole marketing strategy is not necessarily tied to the NBA schedule" – Wharton School Sport Business Initiative Managing Dir Derrick Heggans, on the NBA lockout having little effect on the sales of Under Armour's basketball shoe line (BIZJOURNALS.com, 10/11).

"If Missouri is to change horses, it wouldn’t be for 2012” – Interim Big 12 Commissioner Chuck Neinas, predicting Missouri would not change conferences, if at all, until the ’13-14 school year (KANSASCITY.com, 10/11).

T’Wolves and Lynx Senior VP/Ticket Sales & Premium Seating Ryan Tanke: "To the estimated 15,000 filling the streets, and the 1,000's at Target Center, thank you. #loslynx #loschamps"

Horizon Media Senior VP & Dir of Research Brad Adgate: "Phoenix beats out Tampa to host 2015 Super Bowl, in all likelihood a lot warmer than the 2014 Super Bowl which will be in New Jersey."

ESPN's Trey Wingo: "NFL sets date for SB 48: 2/2/14. ensures no conflict w/ Winter Olympics in Sochi Russia. temperature could be the same though...."

AP's Ralph Russo: "Boston College AD sent apology to ACC's presidents/ADs for speaking 'inappropriately & erroneously regarding ESPN’s role' in expansion."

WTMJ-AM's Trenni Kusnierek: "My heart goes out to friends who work in @NBA Here's to hoping those caught in the middle of fighting millionaires don't take biggest hit."

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

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Derrick Goold offers this photo of batting practice at Busch Stadium. The field is decked out with an arch-themed grass pattern and the addition of NLCS logos along the first and third base lines.

Panasonic execs will discuss details of the company's deal with MLS and U.S. Soccer during halftime of the U.S. men's national team' match against Ecuador at Red Bull Arena.

The Ramsey County, Minn., Charter Commission will host a public hearing on proposed ballot language that could block county funding for a new Vikings stadium in Arden Hills.

Florida Atlantic Univ. will hold a select-a-seat event to allow fans to check out available seats and purchase tickets for the school's new football stadium.

GMR Marketing will hold its monthly networking breakfast tomorrow morning in Charlotte.

ESPN2 will debut "El Diez," a scripted Spanish-language soccer drama, following the net's coverage of the Mexico-Brazil int'l friendly at 9:30pm ET. The first two half-hour installments will be shown tonight ahead of the series' run on ESPN Deportes starting Oct. 30.  

High-profile basketball exhibitions continue while the NBA lockout persists. The latest Drew League-Goodman League matchup on the Long Beach State Univ. campus gave fans a chance to see NBA stars despite the work stoppage. It also gave some commentators from the area Gazette newspapers a chance to try their hand at a SportsCenter-style highlight narration.

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$750 – Amount the Browns have donated to political campaigns since '09, the "lowest giving total of all the NFL teams." NFL owners and execs gave more than $1.4M to federal candidates in that period, with more than two-thirds of that going to Republicans and 29% to Democrats (BIZJOURNALS.com, 10/10).