La Liga club Real Madrid has agreed to a new shirt sponsorship deal with Emirates airline for the next five seasons, meaning the club's "famous white strip" on its kit will carry the slogan "Fly Emirates." No official figures were released for the deal, but it is reportedly worth up to $38.9M a year. The Dubai-based airline replaces online betting firm bwin, which has sponsored Real's shirts for the past six years in a deal reportedly worth about $30M annually (REUTERS, 5/30).

Leah LaPlaca is changing duties at ESPN, moving from the company's programming department to its affiliate group. In her new role as VP/Digital Video Distribution, LaPlaca will report to Senior VP/Digital Video Distribution Matt Murphy. ESPN Exec VP/Programming Norby Williamson in an internal memo to employees wrote LaPlaca and her team "will work on the syndication of ESPN.com content and short-form programming for the SEC Network," in addition to providing content for ESPN's distributors. Williamson: "This move will strengthen our relationship with our colleagues in Affiliate as we continue to work together to create and distribute quality content."

LaPlaca had been VP/Programming, where she managed ESPN's relationships with the NFL, NBA and golf. LaPlaca's former direct reports, Senior Dir Doug White (NBA) and Dir Matt Volk (NFL), now will report to VP Julie Sobieski. LaPlaca's golf responsibilities will report to VP John Papa.

Jets rookie QB Geno Smith today "denied the notion" that Jay-Z was "involved in the recruitment process before" Smith hired the rap mogul’s Roc Nation Sports to represent him last week. Smith: "Jay-Z didn’t recruit me. I chose Roc Nation Sports for management because it was something that myself and my family came to a conclusion and we felt comfortable with." Smith’s decision to hire Roc Nation's Kim Miale "over several established agents" has prompted inquiries (NYDAILYNEWS.com, 5/30).

For the first time in 25 years, CBS Sports will have a new producer overseeing "The NFL Today." The network named Drew Kaliski producer for the pregame show. He replaced Eric Mann, who held that position since '88. Kaliski had been a producer at CBS Sports Network, last year launching "NFL Monday QB" and overseeing the network's Super Bowl week productions in New Orleans during the week leading up to the game. Previously, he was a senior producer at NFL Network who worked on "Total Access" and the scouting combine. Mann will stay at CBS Sports as a producer.

Fenway Sports Group, the owners of Liverpool and the Red Sox, in a court filing today blasted an effort to get it to turn over all documents related to its '10 purchase of the EPL club. Former LFC lender Mill Financial has been suing in New York state court another former club lender, RBS, arguing the Scottish bank prevented Mill itself from being able to buy the club. Earlier this month, Mill asked the New York court hearing the case to issue subpoenas compelling Fenway to turn over all documents related to the purchase.

“Neither … FSG nor the court should have to go through the time and expense required to pare down Mill’s blunderbuss requests so that they are limited even in the most tangential way to the contract disputes between two parties before this court,” Fenway attorney David Pegno of Dewey Pegno & Kramarsky wrote in the motion. The motion also pointed out Mill had never asked FSG for the documents. Mill was a lender to embattled Liverpool co-Owner George Gillett, who defaulted on his debt. That gave Mill his stake as collateral. Its position got wiped out in the sale to FSG.

The New York court set a hearing date of June 13 to hear arguments over Mill’s motions to get Fenway, and former Liverpool co-Owner Tom Hicks, to turn over documents related to the sale. A spokesperson for Hicks said he declines to comment.

Georgia AD Greg McGarity said that SEC presidents, ADs and coaches "have discussed the possibility of the conference implementing a conference-wide substance-abuse policy." If the presidents bring it to a vote and pass it tomorrow, the SEC would become the first college conference with such a policy. The penalties for positive tests would be the same for each institution and "not determined by the individual schools." However, it is "not definite that the presidents will have enough support to bring it to a vote" (ESPN.com, 5/30).

Speaking at the '13 Intersport Activation Summit today, Ram Advertising Head Marissa Hunter said Chrysler had a problem four years ago with its Ram Truck brand in the Kentucky market. Its market share lagged far behind Ford, and Chrysler's trucks struggled to get consideration from horse trainers, jockeys and others who use trucks every day. It took a big step to correct that problem in '10 by signing a deal with Churchill Downs and activating against the Kentucky Derby. In the negotiation, Chrysler secured space for its brand on jockey pants and branding in the winner’s circle at the Derby and stables at Churchill Downs.

The brand launched a new campaign around the '10 Derby using the tagline, “Guts. Glory. Ram.” In subsequent years, it added a “Horsemen’s Lounge” staffed by Ram Truck ambassadors who served owners, trainers and jockeys. This year, it added a Ram Longhorn truck on the red carpet and loaded it with red roses, which made it a popular photo opportunity for spectators.

Hunter said that local dealer leads "grew more than 350% as a result of the Churchill Downs sponsorship." She said, “This for us is a huge win. Louisville has long been Ford country. We basically had no presence there. From a marketshare standpoint ... that place has been owned by Ford for years and years and years. So we’re very excited that what we’re doing there at Churchill Downs seems to be paying off.”

See upcoming issues of THE DAILY for more, and check out our On The Ground blog for updates.

Minor League Baseball today named the four finalists in its ongoing "#FoodFight" campaign to choose the top concession item in the affiliated minors. The finalists are Fantastic Freeze Sundae from the Toledo Mud Hens, the Roasted Corn from the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, the Knucksie from the Gwinnett Braves, and the Nuke Dog from the Durham Bulls. The online promotion began with 64 candidates earlier this month, and will conclude June 6. The finalists represent a clean sweep for the Triple-A Int’l League.

Fox Sports has acquired U.S. media rights to the European qualifiers for the UEFA Euro 2016 tournament and the '18 FIFA World Cup. Fox will have exclusive rights to all of the qualifying matches (EPLTALK.com, 5/30).

The Southern Conference today announced that it had extended invitations to East Tennessee State, Mercer and VMI to join the conference July 1, 2014 (SoCon).

"It’s a monumental task. But the public has not been given the chance to weigh in on this. … When you’re talking about so much public money, the public ought to have a seat at the table" – Grassroots group Common Cause Georgia Exec Dir William Perry, on launching a campaign against public funding for the new Falcons stadium (BIZJOURNALS.com, 5/30).

"I initially was reluctant, because I'm such a Bay Area person. But as I started talking to the mayor and saw what was happening, I felt like maybe this was something I needed to do" – Incoming NBA Kings Owner Vivek Ranadive, on vacating his investment in the Warriors in order to lead the group for the Sacramento franchise (SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, 5/30).

"I think it's sad that you can't go to your whatever clubs and just have a little fun and get everybody to get a good laugh. They come to see their coaches, and they're all true-blue Bulldogs or whatever contingent they're with. It makes it less fun" – Georgia football coach Mark Richt, on coaches needing to be more cautious with their public comments amid today's pervasive media (AP, 5/30).

"We're losing units (of NCAA tournament revenue). Units are money. ... The commissioner overseeing (scheduling), that's a good business decision. If scheduling is holding us back, holding some institutions back it needs to be fixed" – Florida AD Jeremy Foley, on the SEC averaging fewer than four NCAA basketball tourney berths over the last five years (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 5/30).

AP's Joseph White, who covers the National Spelling Bee for the wire: "This next speller likes LeBron. I hope he's asked to spell the name of Duke's coach."

Reuters' Simon Evans: "Been more local news coverage in Miami of Beckham visit than of any actual game of soccer held here in recent years. #starfactor"

St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Joe Strauss: "When did Ohio State become a clown show? #GeeWhiz"

Goal.com's Seth Vertelney: "Hey remember that time Chivas USA fired their coach after 12 games in a 1 am press release that was run through Google Translate?"

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

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, CBS' Bill Cowher, Baseball HOFer Yogi Berra and numerous other sports celebrities will take part in a Living SunSmart Foundation gala at Maritime Parc in Jersey City, N.J., to mark the end of Melanoma Awareness Month.

David Beckham showed up on the Staples Center Kiss Cam during the NHL Kings' Stanley Cup Playoffs Game 7 win against the Sharks in the Western Conference Semifinals.

117 – Number of Fortune 500 companies (nearly one in four) using NASCAR in their marketing. This is based on the updated annual Fortune 500 list released this month (NASCAR).