The NBA today formally announced a multiyear sponsorship deal with Diageo, which gains category exclusivity as the league's spirits partner. Diageo's Ciroc and Crown Royal brands will be integrated into NBA and D-League marketing initiatives, and the Baileys brand used in conjunction with the WNBA. Crown Royal will integrate the NBA into its "Reign On" campaign. It also will launch a lifestyle-themed video series titled "On Point" on TNT featuring TV personality Terrence J (NBA).

Diageo VP/PR & Entertainment Marketing Dan Sanborn said that the brand's ad agencies "are already working on new ads playing up the official NBA connection." The Ciroc brand will be designated as "The Toast of the NBA" (ADAGE.com, 11/20).

Promoters of the IndyCar race in St. Petersburg, Fla., today announced that Firestone has entered into a multiyear deal to sponsor the event, which will now be called the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. Terms of the deal were not released. Next year's race is scheduled for March 28-30, with tickets going on sale Dec. 1. Firestone also is the title sponsor of another IndyCar race: the Firestone 600 at Texas Motor Speedway (IndyCar).

Baseball HOF President Jeff Idelson said that the Hall's 75th anniversary celebration in '14 "will stretch across four weekends, beginning in the spring." Idelson said it "all starts with the two elections coming up," referring to the Expansion Era Committee voting results to be announced at MLB Winter Meetings on Dec. 9, and the BBWAA results to be announced on Jan. 8. He added, "We could be in for a very big induction weekend." The official 75th anniversary is June 12 (THEDAILYSTAR.com, 11/20).

NBC Sports Group today announced that Bob Costas will serve as a host both for NBC's primetime and late night coverage of the '14 Sochi Games. Costas has served as a primetime host for every Olympics on NBC since '92. With the assignment, he becomes the first 10-time Olympic primetime host in U.S. TV history.

Meanwhile, NBCSN tonight at 11:00pm ET will air a special episode of "Costas Tonight" titled "No Day For Games: The Cowboys and JFK." The special focuses on perceptions of the team in the wake of the '63 assassination of JFK. It features interviews with 10 former Cowboys players and personnel (NBC Sports Group).

Putnam Investments today announced that it will launch a marketing campaign built on its sponsorship of the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Association as its athletes compete in the FIS World Cup leading up to the start of the '14 Sochi Games. The "Performance in Motion" campaign will run across print, digital and social media outlets, debuting Nov. 29 with the World Cup event in Beaver Creek, Colo. The ads feature Gold Medal-winning skier Ted Ligety, whom Putnam has sponsored individually since '09 (Putnam Investments).

BLEACHER REPORT's Mike Freeman today writes under the header, "The Inside Story Of How The NFL's Plan For Its 1st Openly Gay Player Fell Apart." He writes an NFL player "was going to publicly say he was gay and then play in the NFL." Freeman's account is "based on interviews with approximately one dozen people, including team and league officials, current and former players, and gay-rights advocates." Sources "refused to identify the team or the player" (BLEACHERREPORT.com, 11/20).

The ATP today formally named Chris Kermode Exec Chair & President. He begins a three-year term on Jan. 1, based at the organization's London office (ATP). Kermode, currently the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals Managing Dir, was "selected ahead of a group of tennis insiders" (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 11/18 issue).

U.S. skier Lindsey Vonn suffered a “partial tear to her ACL in her right knee,” among other injuries, during a crash yesterday. Her publicist in a statement said that after resting for a couple days, Vonn will “pursue aggressive physical therapy” in hopes of competing at the '14 Sochi Games (USATODAY.com, 11/20).

Panther Racing today announced a multiyear sponsorship deal with Charter Media for the '14 IndyCar season. The deal includes at least one race as the primary sponsor and associate sponsorship for all other races in '14 (Panther Racing).

The city of Orlando has indicated that Dec. 3 is the due date for proposals on architectural and design services for MLS expansion club Orlando City SC's new $84M, 18,000-seat stadium (BIZJOURNALS.com, 11/20).

SI this week features Alabama QB A.J. McCarron on the cover with the header, “King Crimson” (THE DAILY).

"His successes go far beyond Xs and Os. ... He recruited the first black scholarship athlete to North Carolina, and helped integrate a restaurant and a neighborhood in Chapel Hill. That's the kind of character he represented on and off the court" – President Obama, awarding the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Basketball HOFer Dean Smith (Mult., 11/20).

"I've become sort of the Godfather of broken legs" – Former NFLer Joe Theismann, on his willingness to offer advice to Lightning C Steven Stamkos, who earlier this month suffered a fractured right tibia (FOXSPORTSFLORIDA.com, 11/20).

"We're taking the business model of online poker and applying it to the skill-based game of motor racing online" – Ignite Game Technologies CEO Jonathan Haswell, whose company developed the Simraceway video game, on offering cash and other prizes to winners of online races (USATODAY.com, 11/20).

"I don't know if anyone wants to hear it or not, but I've got an opinion. I really don't like it. I'm just going to say one word: Confusing" – Golfer Tommy Gainey, on the PGA Tour's wraparound schedule this season (GOLFWEEK, 11/22 issue).

MASN Nationals analyst F.P. Santangelo: "Thank you to #MASN & the #Nats for believing in me and thank you to the best fans in baseball. Looking forward to the Nat Williams era!"

Boston Globe's Pete Abraham: "RedSox were once furious when the MLBPA didn't approve their trade for A-Rod. Years later it's the gift that keeps giving. Wow."
 
Chicago Tribune's Chris Kuc: "#NHLJets are advising fans they will not be allowed into tomorrow night's game against #Blackhawks if they're wearing a hockey helmet."

Philly.com's Jonathan Tannenwald: "Rawlins cites Portland and Kansas City as among the 'many models we can look to' in MLS."

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

MLB.com's Carrie Muskat posted a picture of Baseball HOFer Ernie Banks receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Obama at the White House.

The Shirley Povich Center for Sports Journalism will host a panel on “The Future of Sports & Television” at the Univ. of Maryland’s Eaton Theater.

The San Jose Sports HOF will induct its 19th class during a ceremony at HP Pavilion.

The Warriors during tonight's game broadcast on CSN Bay Area will break the latest ad in their "We Are Warriors" campaign. The spot features G Klay Thompson and fan Toni Marshall.

$732M – Amount by which Seattle taxpayers "would end up subsidizing" the proposed downtown sports arena, according to an analysis by a Bellevue business valuation company (BIZJOURNALS.com, 11/20).