The Big Ten today announced several future sites for its championship events, with Indianapolis securing the football title game through '21. United Center will host the men's basketball tournament in '19 and '21, "plus previously announced" '15, while Bankers Life Fieldhouse "gets the call" in '16, '20 and '22. With the '17 tourney last month awarded to Verizon Center, '18 is "the year of intrigue." Sources said that Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany "has targeted" MSG and "visited with MSG officials Wednesday" in N.Y. (CHICAGOTRIBUNE.com, 6/5).

A week out from the start of the FIFA World Cup, Rio de Janeiro Mayor Eduardo Paes today said that Brazil "was overly ambitious in its plans," but will "nevertheless pull off a good event." Paes said, "We made mistakes. We shouldn’t have done 12 stadiums, we should have done fewer cities. ... But I think we’re going to do great." While much of the infrastructure "isn't yet ready," Paes said that "enough is in place to guarantee that the event will go well" (THEGLOBEANDMAIL.com, 6/5).

Tonight’s MLB Draft at MLB Network studios in Secaucus, N.J., will feature the use of a Twitter Mirror celebrity photo station within the network’s Studio 42. MLBAM experimented with the Twitter Mirror during Spring Training, and tonight marks the first use of the element during the Draft. A tablet will be stationed along the third base line of the miniature infield of Studio 42 where draft picks, club reps and other celebrities can take photographs to be posted on Twitter. MLBAM and the network will also be encouraging each of the seven prospects slated to attend the Draft in person to take further pictures with the Twitter Mirror following their selections.

Sources said that three universities – Texas A&M, Arizona and Northwestern – have opted "not to sell football jerseys with star players' digits on them this upcoming season" because they are "worried about the ramifications of selling the numbers tied to student-athletes." A&M will only sell No. 12 jerseys, as in "12th Man," Arizona will offer No. 14, as in 2014, and Northwestern will sell only No. 51, the number worn by coach Pat Fitzgerald when he played. Arizona AD Greg Byrne: "We've been thinking about doing this for a while" (ESPN.com, 6/5).

The Hockey HOF today announced USA Today’s Kevin Allen as the winner of the ’14 Elmer Ferguson Memorial Award for excellence in journalism. Blackhawks play-by-play announcer Pat Foley was honored with the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award for broadcasting. Allen and Foley were “voted in by their respective associations and will receive their awards” in Toronto on Nov. 17 (NHL.com, 6/5).

The Cubs today formally announced a multiyear flagship deal with CBS-owned WBBM-AM that includes "live music events" at Wrigley Field. CBS plans to promote the team "across all seven of its Chicago stations" (CHICAGOTRIBUNE.com, 6/5).

The Twins today announced that they will install an eighth bronze statue outside Target Field on Sunday. The team "isn't saying whose likeness is on it," but "some possibilities" include Bert Blyleven, Tom Kelly and Frank Viola (BIZJOURNALS.com, 6/5).

The Int'l Ski Federation (FIS) today announced that Are, Sweden, will host the World Alpine Ski Championships in '19, beating out Cortina, Italy, in a "tense battle" that "came down to the wire" (SKIRACING.com, 6/5).
 
adidas announced the launch of its new adiPower pre-cooling vest and sleeves, touting that they will be worn exclusively by nine adidas-sponsored national teams at the '14 FIFA World Cup (adidas).

"It's critical, because you're making a big investment and it's also an opportunity to take the best player out there. It's one of those things that we expect that we're going to get a return on that pick" – Astros GM Jeff Luhnow, whose team owns the first pick in the MLB First-Year Player Draft, which begins tonight at 6:00pm ET (MLB.com, 6/5).

"On the issue of football, we should let the investigation run its course. But of course England is the home of football" – U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron, who was asked about the Qatar World Cup at a G7 news conference, hinting that Britain would be a suitable home for the '22 tournament (REUTERS, 6/5).

"For a while, I brought in more business just going to several races a year and hanging around the track than I did at the office” – John Hondros, who leads SunTrust Bank’s sports & entertainment specialty group, on signing up NASCAR drivers as wealth-management clients earlier in his career (BIZJOURNALS.com, 6/5).

CampusInsiders.com's Kristi Dosh: "@TimBrando says he looks forward to paying it forward to young broadcasters at @SECNetwork. He's always been an incredible mentor to me!"

NLL Dir of Business Development Dan Gacetta‏: "Great season! @NLL continues to draw big with over 850,000 fans this season."

Washington Post’s Steven Goff: "Have you seen the Michael Bradley 'SportsCenter' promo? Meh. Not MB's fault; just not one of SC's more clever spots."

Boston Herald's Ron Borges: "On train to NYC and Cotto-Martinez.. What does it say that Cotto gets top billing over middleweight champ? Star power and yrs. on HBO rule"

CSN Chicago's ‏Patrick Mooney: "During Cubs radio negotiations, Crane says a CBS exec asked why Tony Campana is no longer on the team."

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

As the Hornets re-introduce mascot Hugo today with appearances around the Charlotte market, one fan, South Carolina District Attorney Andy Cook, noticed that Hugo's shoes sport Jordan Brand logos. Cook's photo was then re-tweeted on the mascot's official feed.

The Coyotes will host a town hall meeting at 7:00pm PT at Ice Den Scottsdale. The event will be hosted by team play-by-play announcer Matt McConnell, with appearances by President & CEO Anthony LeBlanc, GM Don Maloney and coach Dave Tippett.

This video from BuzzFeed puts NBA players' earnings in perspective by comparing them to the salaries of various other professions, from fast food worker to U.S. President.

Warriors G Stephen Curry will be a guest on a special "Game Night" edition of ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live" at 8:00pm ET prior to NBA Finals Game 1.

71% – Ratio of wages to revenues in the EPL in the '12-13 season, "its highest ever level," according to Deloitte's Annual Review of Football Finance (FINANCIAL TIMES, 6/5).