Louisville has signed a five-year, $40M shoe and apparel deal "to remain with adidas." The agreement, running through the '18-19 academic year, "ranks among the nation's top five shoe and apparel deals for all college programs." Louisville has been affiliated with adidas for the past 16 years. Louisville's $8M per year deal is "slightly below Notre Dame's, but similar to that which adidas signed with Michigan" (ESPN.com, 4/17). adidas also will invest in Louisville's "advertising campaigns, equipment room expansion, video technology, spirit squads and form an internship program that provides scholarships to at least 20 students working with the athletic department" (COURIER-JOURNAL.com, 4/17).

Thunder F Kevin Durant appears in “the latest TV advertisement from Sprint, which begins airing tonight across network and cable TV.” Durant is “the first athlete to star in the new episodic Frobinsons campaign for Sprint.” In addition to TV, Durant “will be featured in digital extensions supporting the Sprint Framily Plan.” This is the third TV ad in which Durant has “starred for Sprint and is the third year for Sprint as the official wireless telecommunications provider to the NBA.” NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon will “become the next celebrity athlete to make an appearance with the Frobinsons” (Sprint).

The Univ. of Michigan today announced that Pro Football HOFer Dan Dierdorf will be the radio analyst for the school's football games beginning with the '14 season. Dierdorf will join Jim Brandstatter in the booth. Brandstatter will move to the play-by-play position after serving as color commentator the past 34 years. Dierdorf and Brandstatter were teammates at UM from '69-70. The move comes after Dierdorf retired from the CBS television booth following this past NFL season (Univ. of Michigan).

Swan Racing is "re-evaluating its two-car venture" in NASCAR's Sprint Cup Series "after sponsorship failed to materialize." Swan has "fielded Toyotas for rookies Parker Kligerman and Cole Whitt" in its second full season. It "made a splash" at the start of the season by announcing an associate sponsorship deal with rapper 50 Cent's SMS Audio brand. Swan Racing is owned by oil and gas entrepreneur Brandon Davis, who "largely has funded it out of his pocket since buying the team" late in the '12 season (USATODAY.com, 4/17).

The Pirates have signed a sponsorship agreement with FedEx Ground for the '14 season that will see the company receive signage in PNC Park and on-air mentions during all radio broadcasts. FedEx Ground will launch a program in which it will make a $200 donation to the Miracle League of South Hills, Penn., for every stolen base the Pirates record this year. The company also will be the title sponsor of a free T-shirt giveaway on Sept. 19 (Pirates).

ESPN tonight will debut its latest "30 for 30" documentary – "Bad Boys" – which profiles the Pistons of the late '80s and early '90s. The film features interviews with former players Isiah Thomas, Bill Laimbeer, Joe Dumars, Dennis Rodman, Adrian Dantley, Mark Aguirre, Michael Jordan, Kevin McHale and James Worthy. The film is directed by Zak Levitt and produced by NBA Entertainment. Levitt helmed previous NBA-focused docs such as "The Dream Team," "The Doctor," "The Announcement" and "Once Brothers" (THE DAILY).

VARIETY's Brian Lowry wrote Levitt "makes several questionable choices," from having Kid Rock "as his tough-talkin' narrator – a nod to the town, yes, but grating over the course of two hours – to introducing Pistons alums with staged posturing for the camera, which feels like something out of a weak reality show" (VARIETY.com, 4/11). The BOSTON BLOBE's Gary Washburn wrote the "still simmering beef" between Aguirre and Dantley was "perhaps the most interesting aspect" of the film (BOSTON GLOBE, 4/13). The DETROIT FREE PRESS’ Steve Schrader wrote the doc “captures the spirit of that era, the Pistons and Detroit" (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 4/7).

The Coyotes announced a multiyear agreement with Fanatics Retail Group to manage the team's retail store at Jobing.com Arena. Fanatics Retail Group is the business division of online retailer Fanatics.com (Coyotes).

adidas has signed Australian NBA Draft prospect Dante Exum as an endorser (adidas).

The SI cover this week features a group photo of survivors of the '13 Boston Marathon bombings (THE DAILY).

"It doesn't really affect me, but so many guys would probably benefit from it and not take as many painkillers, which have worse long-term effects. So I would vote yes. I just think it makes sense" – Clippers F Blake Griffin, on whether the NBA should allow player to use medicinal marijuana (ROLLING STONE, 4/24 issue).

"The lucky ones play until their mid-30s. With that perspective, I shrink my professional career with each year that I remain in college. It's ironic, but true" – Duke F Jabari Parker, who announced today he is turning pro after his freshman season (SI.com, 4/17).

"Being the mayor in that situation was a lot like being the point guard. I had to make everyone happy" – Sacramento Mayor and former NBAer Kevin Johnson, on helping keep the Kings from relocating (NYTIMES.com, 4/17).

"When you watch television, things start to not look that distinctive. This shoe won't have that problem" – Nike Designer Tinker Hatfield, on the Jordan XX9 shoe released today in N.Y. (ESPN.com, 4/17).

MLB.com Twins beat reporter Rhett Bollinger: “Looks like we're going to have the coldest regular season game ever played outdoors in Minnesota. Game time temp will be 31 degrees. The previous record for coldest outdoor game in Minnesota was 32 degrees set on May 2, 1967 at Metropolitan Stadium."

NBCSports.com’s Aaron Gleeman: “Bert Blyleven spends the entire Twins broadcast reading off a sheet with numbers and notes. Like he doesn't even rephrase stuff. Just reads.”

Chicago Sun-Times’ Rick Telander: “The meeting of NU football alums (and half dozen active players) last night at Evanston Civic Center was a wild, heated thing of beauty.”

USA Today’s Dan Wolken: “ADs have a lot more leverage than they often realize when their coach is hunting for a raise.”

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

Tulane Univ. football coach Curtis Johnson posted these images of the school's new football helmets.

The CBC combined archival footage with the sounds of Metallica's "For Whom The Bell Tolls" in this larger-than-life segment welcoming the start of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

1 – Number of Canada-based teams in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, with only the Canadiens having made the postseason. That is the same as the number of Canada-based teams in the NBA Playoffs, with the Raptors qualifying. Both teams are the three seed in the Eastern Conference of their respective leagues (THE DAILY).