The NFL today announced that the '16 Super Bowl will be known as "Super Bowl 50," with the league opting not to use the Roman numeral "L" in the title of the event at Levi's Stadium. The change will be for one year only, with the '17 game at Reliant Stadium to be dubbed "Super Bowl LI." Roman numerals have been used for every NFL title game since since Super Bowl V in '71. The league today also released the national and regional logos for the '16 game (NFL).

NFL VP/Communications Brian McCarthy tweeted, "Concept of using the #50 instead of L for Super Bowl 50 began shortly after Super Bowl XL in 2006. good to finally unveil." ESPN's Jeremy Schaap: "If the Roman numeral for 50 was Z rather than L, they wouldn't mess with it." Yahoo Sports' Dan Wetzel: "Don't care what NFL says, sticking with Super Bowl L in honor of Caecilius of Pompeii. This anti-Latinism has to stop."

ESPN's Brett McMurphy today cited sources as saying that broadcaster Tim Brando has joined the SEC Network (TWITTER.com, 6/4). The news means that Brando's "long-rumored move" to the soon-to-debut network "appears to be closer to reality." No official announcement has been made by Brando or the SEC. His role "was not immediately clear, though some type of studio hosting presence seems like a strong possibility." Brando has been "without a TV gig" since leaving CBS Sports in January (AL.com, 6/4).

ESPN Films and espnW today announced plans to launch a new short films series, "Nine for IX Shorts," this July, with a preview of the series debuting today on espnW.com. The film available today is "Love & Payne," directed by Hannah Storm, which examines the life of the late Payne Stewart through the eyes of his widow, Tracey. The series is an extension of the "Nine for IX" series of feature-length documentaries that aired on ESPN last summer. Robin Roberts and Jane Rosenthal return as executive producers (ESPN).

The Broncos have agreed to a multiyear partnership with Colorado-based oil and gas producer Noble Energy on a series of community initiative and charitable programs. Also under the deal, Noble will be the naming-rights partner of the Sports Legends Mall, a fan interactive area near the Ring of Fame monuments at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Features of the mall will include an oversized gas-powered grill unique among NFL venues (Broncos). 

NBC Sports ramps up its pre-Belmont Stakes coverage tonight at 6:30pm ET, with NBCSN airing the 30-minute documentary “California Chrome: The Unlikely Champion.” The NBC-produced film is narrated by Bob Costas and details how Steve Coburn and Perry Martin, co-owners of the Triple Crown hopeful, teamed up with trainer Art Sherman and jockey Victor Espinoza to win the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes. NBC Sports is devoting a record 16 hours of coverage to the Belmont Stakes, including a two-and-a-half-hour show that will begin at 4:30pm Saturday on NBC. California Chrome could become the first Triple Crown winner in 36 years if he wins the mile-and-a-half race on Saturday.

Digital youth sports programmer The Whistle has acquired L.A.-based website The Lacrosse Network. Financial terms were not disclosed, but TLN President Samir Chaudry and other execs from the company will remain on the BOD and take on broader responsibilities within The Whistle. The deal continues an accelerating period of growth for the outfit, which earlier this year debuted a multichannel, YouTube-based content network combining material from its various league partners and independent entities. That network now has more than 4 million subscribers and more than 100 digital channels under its management.

TLN programming has included live broadcast, documentaries, highlights, and other original material. The Whistle co-Founder & CMO Jeff Urban said, "We're big believers in lacrosse. We think the sport is white hot, and these are guys who have started down the multichannel network path like us, are digital natives and built up a great following. We see this is as a very strategic and opportunistic acquisition."

49ers TE Vernon Davis and Fantex co-Founder & CEO Buck French appeared on CNBC's "Squawk on the Street" this morning to discuss the company's practice of issuing stock tied to an athlete's future earnings. Davis said, "It's all about developing your brand, and with Fantex they're a brand-building entity." Davis noted Fantex will receive 10% of his "future brand income," and it is "just how can I use leverage and continue to build my brand." French said if Davis were to get injured, he "would have to disclose that to us and we would disclose it to investors because technically, people are investors in Fantex, not directly in Vernon Davis. His obligation is contractually to us" (CNBC, 6/4).

The Bulls today announced a multiyear renewal of their sponsorship deal with Illinois-based Advocate Health Care. As part of the agreement, the team's training facility will be named Advocate Center (Bulls).

Herbalife today announced the launch of "CR7 Driven to Perfection," a social media campaign around Portugal F Cristiano Ronaldo that calls on fans to submit videos on what drives them to succeed. The winning video will appear on Ronaldo's Facebook page (Herbalife).

Topps today formally announced the launch of the "Topps BUNT 2014" app for Android platforms. "Topps BUNT 2014" is the exclusive MLB trading card app (Topps). Read a review of the app.

Paylocity has agreed to sponsor golfer Brooks Koepka. Paylocity is a cloud-based payroll and HR software solutions (Paylocity).

SI this week has four different covers of its FIFA World Cup preview issue. The cover athletes are Argentina F Lionel Messi, Portugal F Cristiano Ronaldo, Uruguay F Luis Suárez and U.S. F Clint Dempsey (THE DAILY).

"Callaway would stick behind him until they slammed the jail cell door shut. There’s such a degree of public goodwill towards Phil, people will say he’s innocent until proven guilty” – Gilford Securities analyst Casey Alexander, on sponsors sticking with Phil Mickelson during his insider trading investigation (BLOOMBERG NEWS, 6/4).

“Our chairman, (Terry) McGuirk, directed me that I’d be here until we get in the new ballpark. And that’s my plan anyway” – Braves President John Schuerholz, saying he does not plan to retire anytime soon. The Braves' new ballpark is slated to open in '17 (MARIETTA DAILY JOURNAL, 6/4).

"The Dan Patrick Show" Producer Paul Pabst: "Grant Hill said he did not think the Clippers bidding process was fair. 'It wasn't clean.'"

CBS Sports' Seth Davis: "I've been wondering for years why a Division III AD wouldn't hire a woman to coach a mens team. This is long overdue. … People say she wouldn't be able to motivate. If she controls scholarship money and playing time, she can motivate."

Bloomberg News' Tariq Panja: "Despite all of the chaos around FIFA in last few years how many sponsors have walked? zero."

L.A. Times' Joe Flint: "Execs signing deals to stay in their current jobs is the equivalent of a plane landing safely and not worth a story even on a slow day."
 
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The official Yahoo Sports feed posted this image of Broncos Super Bowl XLVIII champion T-shirts being shipped to Africa to be given away to the needy.

A kickoff party for Austin's inaugural X Games will be held at the Belmont downtown. The event will benefit the V Foundation for Cancer Research.

The NHL Rangers will host a free outdoor viewing party at 8:00pm ET at Bryant Park for Stanley Cup Final Game 1 against the Kings in L.A., with presenting sponsorship from Chase. A Fan Fest presented by Coca-Cola Zero begins at 4:00pm ET.

California Chrome jockey Victor Espinoza will appear on CBS' "Late Show" at 11:35pm ET.

In this video from Ireland-based bookmaker Paddy Power, world-renowned theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking uses his keen scientific mind to break down England's chances in the FIFA World Cup.

142,033 – Unique visitors on NBC Sports Live Extra for Kings-Blackhawks NHL Western Conference Finals Game 7, making it the best authentication-required NHL game ever and the best authenticated or unauthenticated game of the '13-14 season (NBC).