The NFL on Friday denied reports from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that the league knew before last week's NFL Draft that Rams DE Michael Sam had signed on with Oprah Winfrey’s OWN Network to document his efforts to become the first openly gay NFL player. NFL VP/Communications Brian McCarthy in an e-mail wrote, "The league did not know there was a deal for this show before the Draft. As to signing off on the project or granting rights to use logos/football footage: there is no such agreement with our office."

Sam's decision to sign with OWN for the project has led to criticism in some quarters for allegedly commercializing his situation and taking his eye off making the team.

Panini has signed Texans DE Jadeveon Clowney, the first overall pick in this year's NFL Draft. Under the agreement, Clowney will be featured in Panini’s '14-15 NFL/NFLPA trading cards, appear on Panini packaging and participate in Panini social media. As one of his first activations, he will participate in the May 28-June 1 NFLPA Rookie Premiere in L.A., which generally focuses on skill players and includes the first trading-card photo shoots.

Maryland Jockey Club President & COO Tom Chuckas on Friday said that he "will initiate discussions with Churchill Downs and Belmont Park about changing the schedule of the Triple Crown races to allow for more time between races." Chuckas said that he will "approach the talks with a new twist – that the races on the undercards of the Triple Crown contests also would benefit from the change." Changing the date of the Kentucky Derby is "highly unlikely, so any change to the schedule would have to be worked out" between Pimlico and NYRA (DRF.com, 5/16).

Stats LLC CEO Gary Walrath on Friday called the purchase of the data and analytics company by S.F.-based private equity firm Vista Equity Partners "transformative." He said the new owners have a clear goal of doubling the company over the next four years from its current annual revenue of $60M. The sale, set to close in about two weeks, was in excess of $200M, in line with industry expectations late last year when the sale process from outgoing co-owners AP and Fox Sports began.

Walrath said the company is aiming to add headcount at a rate of about 50% of ongoing revenue growth. Vista Equity Principal Christian Sowul played a key role in leading the purchase of Stats LLC, aided by fellow Principal Jim Hickey.

The Target Field Station transit hub will open Saturday, and Twins President Dave St. Peter said that he believes the station "will be a big plus for the team." Hennepin County Commissioner Peter McLaughlin said that it "will be the busiest transit location in the state of Minnesota." McLaughlin said the project cost about $80M "and on top of that the Twins, Target and United Properties put in an additional $4 million for a video board, some additional artwork, lighting and the like" (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 5/15).

The Browns are "sticking with their original plan to quell Johnny Manziel-mania by banning the national media from rookie camp this weekend." Of the "dozens" of national press credentials requested for Saturday's practice, "all have been turned down." Even NFL Network and USA Today, "which covered the Browns draft" from their Berea facility, were turned down. The N.Y. Post's Bart Hubbuch tweeted, "Of all the teams you'd think might welcome positive national pub, it would be the Browns. Instead, they told me to cancel my flight. SMH" (Cleveland PLAIN DEALER, 5/16).

Shares of WWE were "getting bladed" Friday after the company "updated its financial outlook" and announced the terms of its new TV deal with NBCU. WWE expects to see a $90M annual revenue increase from its prior deal, but that figure is "nowhere near the five or six fold increase investors had been hoping for" when talks began last winter (YAHOO.com, 5/16). At presstime, shares of WWE were trading at $11.23 per share, down 44% from the close of business yesterday (THE DAILY).

Knicks F Amar'e Stoudemire has partnered with The Art Of Shaving to launch the Lexington Collection, a shaving set inspired by Lexington Ave. in N.Y. (The Art Of Shaving).

2K Friday announced that "NBA 2K15" will include teams and players from the Turkish Airlines Euroleague as part of a multiyear deal with Euroleague Basketball (2K)

The Bobcats announced that the franchise will officially rebrand as the Hornets on Tuesday (Bobcats).

Churchill Downs in a statement said that some of Broncos WR Wes Welker's reported $57,194 in Kentucky Derby winnings "might not have been rightfully his." The track said a member of Welker's group "was the beneficiary of an overpayment north of $14,000 on a wager due to a tote malfunction" (ESPN.com, 5/16).

“It's a vanity purchase, among other things. As the world is awash in liquidity and billionaires there are folks who want to buy teams" – Brewers Owner Mark Attanasio, on purchasing sports teams ("Opening Bell With Maria Bartiromo," Fox Business, 5/16).

"We can operate with this model in the Premier League and we’re preparing a version of this model especially for the U.K.” – Doyen Group CEO Nelio Lucas, whose company lends cash to soccer clubs to sign players and expects to be repaid in three years (BLOOMBERG NEWS, 5/16).

“I was heartbroken she didn’t know who I was,” – ESPN’s Jeff Van Gundy, on musician Rihanna not knowing the broadcaster (“Clippers-Thunder,” ESPN, 5/15).

DC United Marketing Manager Andrew Minucci: “Wow my last day @dcunited. Special thanks to @Doug_in_motion @kylesheldon @amandalfarina @nathanafry and all #dcu fans for this wild ride!”

SI.com’s Richard Deitsch: “Colin Cowherd, who once pitched a TV sitcom to CBS about himself, just criticized AJ McCarron and Michael Sam for their reality shows.”

NFLPA Assistant Exec Dir of External Affairs George Atallah: “We love Saints players and Saints fans. The legislation aimed at players' injury benefit is something we have to fight.”

Writer Tommy Tomlinson: “Bobcats officially become Hornets on Tuesday. Rufus Lynx wanders streets drunk, head on sideways, pondering new gig at elementary school.”

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

SATURDAY
Rays P David Price will visit the MLB Urban Youth Academy in Compton, Calif.

Former Yale F Brandon Sherrod made his debut as a member of the '15 class of Whiffenpoofs late last month during a Library Jam event at Sterling Memorial Library.

FRIDAY
PBS will air “Plimpton! Starring George Plimpton as Himself,” a 90-minute documentary that is part of the net’s American Masters series.

SUNDAY
Former U.S. Olympian Edwin Moses will appear on Fox’ “The Simpsons” at 8:00pm ET.

12.84% – Percentage by which donations rose for colleges or universities in the year following a BCS bowl game or Final Four appearance from '02-11, compared with a 5.35% rise among all schools. The rise in donations was higher for "athletically successful" private schools at 28.21% than for public schools at 10.81% (WSJ.com, 5/15).