NBC Olympics today formally announced a deal in partnership with the USOC to acquire U.S. media rights to the '14 Sochi and '16 Rio Paralympic Games. NBC Olympics is buying the rights from the Int'l Paralympic Committee. There will be a combined 50 hours of Sochi Paralympics coverage on NBC and NBCSN, and a combined 66 hours of coverage from Rio (NBC Olympics).

This marks a "major increase in broadcast coverage from the 5.5 hours of tape-delayed coverage" NBC offered during the London Paralympic Games. Additionally, NBC Sports Group "has agreed to provide live streams to all Paralympic events that include American athletes for USParalympics.org." Unlike the Olympic Games, "anyone with a computer connection can stream these Paralympic events" (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 9/23 issue).

Further details emerged today about Puma's sponsorship extension with Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt, including that Bolt will earn an estimated $10M annually. A source said that Bolt will earn that amount "for each of the next three seasons and the same amount if he competes again" in the '17 track & field world championships in London. The source added that once Bolt retires from competition, he will be paid $4M per year "to act as a Puma ambassador." Puma CEO Bjorn Gulden after taking the job in July "made the renewal one of his initial priorities" (REUTERS, 9/24).

Visitors to Yankee Stadium for the team’s last six home games are seeing the earliest available licensed merchandise for the NHL’s outdoor games. A kiosk in the ballpark's Great Hall, just outside the Yankees Home Plate store, is selling a variety of licensed merchandise for the NHL Stadium Series, part of six outdoor games on the NHL schedule for the upcoming season. There are Reebok jerseys, caps from New Era, pins and pucks from Wincraft and Majestic Ts.

As an interesting side note, some of the merchandise for the NHL-sanctioned event carries the Yankees logo. Special jersey designs for all of the outdoor games are expected in time for the holidays. On Jan. 26, the Rangers will play the Devils at Yankee Stadium in a matinee, before the Rangers play the Islanders in a night game on Jan. 29.

The sponsorship deal that the Red Wings and Amway inked in November '10 "is over." Red Wings Senior Communications Dir John Hahn said, "It has ended." Amway reps also "confirmed the partnership has ended." The multi-platform deal marked the "first time in Wings history that the team agreed to a 'presenting sponsor.'" Analysts speculated it was a seven-figure deal, and some predicted the team's forthcoming venue "could be named" Amway Arena (DETROITNEWS.com, 9/24).

SI this morning conducted its first studio audience production of its daily live digital video show “SI Now” as part of the ongoing Advertising Week in N.Y. “SI Now,” which debuted in June, has been produced out of a newly developed digital video studio at Time Inc.'s N.Y. headquarters. But this morning's session occurred at the nearby Times Center in front of more than 200 industry execs and featured “SI Now” anchor Maggie Gray, SI writers Peter King, Tom Verducci, and Chris Mannix, MLB Exec VP/Baseball Operations Joe Torre and Knicks F Amar'e Stoudemire.

"'SI Now' is one of the things really leading the way of where Time Inc. is going as a company, and something that really helps differentiate our brand," said Time Inc. Exec VP and Sports Group President Mark Ford. Torre was asked about MLB Commissioner Bud Selig's impending retirement after the '14 season, and said, "It is real this time that he's not going to go past next year." Torre, however, dismissed his own chances of succeeding Selig. "I'm too old for this stuff. But even to be mentioned like that is a privilege," he said.

Delta Air Lines and Syracuse today announced a sponsorship deal that makes Delta the official airline of Syracuse Athletics and designates it as the charter carrier for Syracuse football for the '13 season. Delta will be featured on gameday signage at the Carrier Dome and sponsor in-game promotions during football, basketball and lacrosse games. Delta serves as the charter carrier for 41 NCAA football programs and has marketing deals with Boston College, BYU, Duke, Georgia Tech, Georgia, Michigan, Minnesota and North Carolina (Delta Air Lines).

With the NBA season tipoff set for Oct. 29, the league this afternoon is gathering its commercial partners for a two-day meeting in N.Y. The "Partner Summit" will include a state-of-the-league address from Commissioner David Stern and Deputy Commissioner & COO Adam Silver, along with panels on social media, TV partners, partner activation, digital media, social responsibility and multicultural marketing. Several NBA players will participate, including Thunder F Kevin Durant and Knicks C Tyson Chandler.

"The Book Of Manning," part of the "SEC Storied" series of documentaries, debuts tonight at 8:00pm ET on ESPN. The film from writer/director Rory Karpf chronicles the story of the quarterback-rich Manning family, from father Archie's playing days to the NFL success of sons Peyton and Eli.

VARIETY's Brian Lowry writes despite the "cloying Hallmark Card music and Southeastern Conference-approved pom-pom waving," the film is "pretty fascinating stuff." USA TODAY's Chris Strauss writes, "While the childhood footage provides some nostalgic levity, the film goes a little deeper into some of the family's darker times." NEWSDAY's Neil Best writes, "It is Archie's story that drives the narrative, including a playing career now mostly forgotten among younger fans."

The NCAA has "reduced the harsh sanctions" imposed on Penn State Univ. for the Jerry Sandusky child abuse scandal. The organization said that it is "gradually restoring football scholarships the university lost because of the sanctions." Five scholarships will be restored "beginning in the next academic year, and the amount will increase going forward" (CENTREDAILY.com, 9/24).

UCLA AD Dan Guerrero and football coach Jim Mora announced a campaign to raise private funds for a new training facility to be located on the west side of Spaulding Field. The project is estimated at $50M (UCLA).

Fox Sports Latin America and Bellator MMA announced a multiyear partnership that will make Fox Sports the exclusive carrier of Bellator throughout Latin America (Fox Sports).

NBA TV is bringing back "NBA Inside Stuff" featuring co-hosts Grant Hill and Kristen Ledlow, with new episodes to debut Saturday, Nov. 2 at 12:00pm ET. The series last aired in '05 (NBA).

"Like any investment, you want to continue to go with a company that's going in the right direction and this is a company I feel that's going in the right direction" – Nets coach Jason Kidd, on owning a small stake in the team (ESPNNY.com, 9/24).

"Until the state can solve the problem by building new prisons then these two empty spaces should be used" – Brazilian judge Sabino Marques, who is president of the watchdog group tasked with monitoring the prison system in the Amazon region, on using the 44,000-seat Amazonia Arena as a prisoner processing center after the '14 FIFA World Cup (BLOOMBERG NEWS, 9/24).

"What kind of statement are you making as an organization when one of your players admits that he needs help and you say, 'Fine, you can get help but only after you play for us?'" – L.A. Times columnist Bill Plaschke, on the 49ers allowing DE Aldon Smith to play in Sunday's game against the Colts ("Around The Horn," ESPN, 9/23).

For more quotable comments from the world of sports business, check out today's "TV Timeout" feature on our On The Ground blog.

Yahoo Sports' Jon Finkel: "KIA can't be happy about Blake Griffin's son's name... After all their ad support, he goes with... Ford."

Blogger Amanda Rykoff: "The Royals broadcasters use the first names of the players too much ('Alex!' 'Sal!') but they are entertaining as all hell."

Charlotte Business Journal's Erik Spanberg: "Get well wishes to NASCAR TV veteran @SteveByrnes12, on medical leave for rest of this season. Byrnes hosts Race Hub on Fox Sports 1."

MSP Sports Founder Tim McGhee: "At this point, Emmert is just as concerned about fixing his image as he is the #NCAA. Only time will tell if he'll make real changes."

THE MMQB's Andrew Brandt: "There is still a Referee-related labor dispute: I'm told NFL and Replay Officials have been negotiating for months, without resolution."

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

Rangers G Henrik Lundqvist speaks his first language, Swedish, in a new Head & Shoulders ad.

NASCAR driver Carl Edwards will appear on CBS' "The Late Late Show" at 12:35am ET.

12 – Number of NASCAR Sprint Cup races in '14 for which Jimmy John's will serve as the primary sponsor of Stewart-Haas Racing's No. 4 Chevrolet driven by Kevin Harvick. The QSR, which will serve as an associate sponsor for all remaining Cup races, first began sponsoring Harvick in '10 in the Nationwide Series (NASCAR.com, 9/25). The team has sold primary sponsorship for 34 of 38 races on the No. 4 car (TWITTER.com, 9/24).