The NFL on Friday announced that Senior VP/Events & Entertainment Frank Supovitz is leaving his position in June to start his own event management and consulting business. Supovitz will help run next month’s NFL Draft and the selection process for the site of Super Bowl LII. He joined the NFL in '05 after 13 years at the NHL as GM/Event Marketing and Group VP/Events & Entertainment (NFL).

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell today suggested that the league's "draft process might be adjusted again," with the league to consider stretching the event from three days to four. The draft would retain a seven-round format "regardless of the change." Goodell is "unsure whether the draft will remain in May or go back to April," as the league is "consiering several options for the draft's date and venue" (NFL.com, 4/25). 

Meanwhile, Subway has signed former UCLA LB Anthony Barr to be its annual spokesperson around the NFL Draft. Subway Senior VP & CMO Tony Pace said Barr, a projected first-round pick in next month’s draft, will do some print ads, as well as the usual social media and store appearances during the week of the draft. Barr is represented by JABEZ Marketing Group for endorsements and other off-the-field work (Terry Lefton, Editor-At-Large).

Under Armour and Seton Hall Univ. on Friday announced a deal making UA the school's exclusive outfitter for all 14 men's and women's varsity sports beginning July 1. UA will supply footwear, apparel and equipment for both practice and gameday uniforms. The deal marks the company's 14th partnership with a D-I school (Seton Hall). The five-year agreement sees UA "driving its stake further into the Greater New York market." Financials were not disclosed (BIZJOURNALS.com, 4/25).

Friday night's Bulls, Blackhawks and Cubs games all begin at 7:00pm CT, which was "nearly a logistical nightmare" for Comcast SportsNet Chicago. The "rare triple-play" had the RSN "scrambling to find a home for each of the broadcasts, something it achieved with the help" of Tribune Co. and WMAQ-NBC. Game 5 of the Blackhawks-Blues Stanley Cup Playoff series will air on CSN Chicago; Bulls-Wizards Game 3 will air on Tribune's CLTV; and the Cubs-Brewers game will air on the NBC affiliate's Cozi TV (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 4/25).

Richmond Int'l Raceway is holding a "Track Takeover" ahead of Saturday night's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Toyota Owners 400, allowing fans onto the racing surface in an effort to "bring more of them" and "bring them back." Richmond has previously allowed fans onto the front stretch, but on Satuday they will be able to "walk the entire surface, take in live music, tour a NASCAR hauler and pose for pictures." Track President Dennis Bickmeier said of the turnout, "We don't know if we're going to have hundreds of fans, or thousands" (AP, 4/24).

Nike CEO Mark Parker spoke to CNBC this morning live via satellite from Madrid, where the company was launching its "complete line" of soccer products. Parker: "We're seeing our (soccer) category continue to grow. We are the No. 1 (soccer) company in the world. … We feel that with the innovation that we're introducing around this World Cup that that's only going to get stronger and stronger." Parker noted Nike will have “more teams than anyone” in Brazil this summer, and "there is a price attached to that." He declined to put a dollar figure on the investment, but said, "It's significant."

Parker also addressed reports that Nike will shutter its wearable-hardware efforts. He said there has been "a lot of speculation" about the possibility of Nike and Apple bringing to market a collaborative device, but he would neither confirm nor deny that notion. Parker said Nike is "focusing more on the software side of the experience." Parker: “I think we will be part of wearables going forward. It will be integrated into other products that we create and then we'll look at expanding our partnerships to create more reach for the Nike Fuel and Fuel System that we have. It's really about actually expanding the reach of Nike Fuel and the best way to do that, we think, is through the best partnerships that we can find" ("Squawk on the Street," CNBC, 4/25).

The Pro Football HOF on May 3-4 will host what it is calling its first on-the-road Fan Fest at the I-X Center in Cleveland. Over 100 HOFers are scheduled to be on hand, marking the largest gathering ever of Pro Football HOFers outside of Canton. Jim Brown, Joe Namath, Barry Sanders, Lynn Swann, Terry Bradshaw, Marshall Faulk, Warren Sapp and Franco Harris are expected to be on hand. Pro Football HOF Enterprises President & CEO George Veras said, “We hope to grow it like a Comic-Con for NFL fans and we plan to nationally tour this show as an annual event.”

A general admission pass is $39.99 per show ($19.99 for ages 7-12, six and under free), with two shows held each day. A two-day adult pass costs $129.99. Attractions will include Bradshaw performing his one man show, “America’s Favorite Dumb Blond,” Larry King hosting talks with HOFers and football clinics conducted by the HOFers. To attend Bradshaw’s show requires an additional $70, while autograph sessions are $300 per session. The event is sponsored by Powerball and Dave & Busters, with NFL Network serving as Media Partner.

Veteran motorsports journalist Dave Despain will debut his new interview show on cable outlet MAVTV on Friday at 8:00pm ET. The former host of Speed’s "Wind Tunnel" will conduct a "series of in-depth conversations with some of the biggest names in auto racing." Despain signed a two-year deal with MAVTV to host "The Dave Despain Show" and to be "involved in other live-event programming on the network" (MULTICHANNEL.com, 4/24).

Sporting K.C. has signed a deal with MillerCoors making Coors Light the MLS team’s official domestic beer partner. The deal includes the creation of the Coors Light Cold Zone, an "exclusive terrace area in the southwest corner of Sporting Park" (BIZJOURNALS.com, 4/25).

UniversalSports.com had 604,017 live video streams of this year’s Boston Marathon with an average length of 32 minutes. Traffic came from 484,206 unique visitors (Universal Sports).

The NBA on Friday is opening the first NBA Café in the world in Manila, Philippines (NBA).

Greensboro Coliseum Managing Dir Matt Brown “expects to make a bid” for the venue to become an NCAA men’s basketball tournament site in '16 and '17. The bid would not be submitted until “early next year” (BIZJOURNALS.com, 4/25).

“Seahawks fans should be upset. They have an early bye. They have four primetime games and only one at home. They ought to be calling somebody” – NFL Network’s Jordan Babineaux, on the NFL schedule (“NFL AM,” NFL Network, 4/25).

"I had a promoter once but I had a game plan so I left him, took up my own business and, $400m later, here we are" – Boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr., on his approach to business (London INDEPENDENT, 4/25).

Scout.com's Chris Emma: "A high-placed #Northwestern source believes the union receives in the range of 60 'No' votes out of 75 players."

AP’s Steve Wilson: “Olympic diplomacy: IOC President Thomas Bach will be @UN headquarters on Monday to sign MOU for closer ties with United Nations.”

Buffalo News’ Mike Harrington: “There are a few more reporters in the cramped visiting room in St. Louis when the #Blackhawks are here than when the #sabres are.#circus.”

Newsday’s Neil Best: “Mike Francesa did promise that Fox's simulcast inconsistency "will sort itself out" in near future.”

FS Southwest’s Anthony Andro: “Since MLB has altered the transfer rule I wonder if Rangers manager Ron Washington will ask for his fine money back because of ejection.”

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

The PGA Tour's official feed posted this image of '14 Masters winner Bubba Watson wearing his green jacket while throwing out the first pitch for the Double-A Southern League Pensacola Blue Wahoos.

FRIDAY

The Univ. of Minnesota's Siebert Field baseball venue will host its first night game, with Penn State as the opponent. The Minneapolis Star Tribune's Sid Hartman will "throw the switch" in a special lighting ceremony.

Santa Anita Park will host its first twilight racing of this year's spring meet.

SATURDAY

The MLL Launch will play its inaugural game at FAU Stadium against the Outlaws. The game will be carrid live at YouTube.com/MLL.

The AFL KISS will allow fans attending Saturday's home game against the SaberCats to pose for pictures with the Rock & Roll HOF trophy given to the band KISS at their induction earlier this month.

Former independent Can-Am League member Newark Bears are hosting a team liquidation sale and auction at Bears and Eagles Riverfront Stadium.

The National Basketball Retired Players Association will hold its Legends Gala at Mohegan Sun Resort, with CNN's Wolf Blitzer serving as keynote speaker. Pat Summitt, Jim Calhoun, Richard Lapchick and Bill Russell will be feted.

Real Madrid produced this video of fans expressing what it means to be a supporter of the La Liga club.

SUNDAY

AFL games return to ESPN outlets for the first time since '08 with the Soul-Barnstormers game at 4:00pm ET on ESPN2. ESPN was the league's first national broadcast partner, carrying the first two Arena Bowls in '87 and '88.

10,697 – Current USL Pro regular-season attendance record, set at an Orlando City SC home game last August. Republic FC's first match in Sacramento on Saturday "will shatter" that record, with team officials expecting 15,000-20,000 fans at Hughes Stadium for a contest against the Harrisburg City Islanders (SACBEE.com, 4/24).