The NCAA today said that it had reached a settlement to pay $20M to "current and former college athletes to bring to a close the video games case" originally filed by Sam Keller. The players who would "most likely receive payments would be men’s basketball and football players who were on the rosters of certain teams" when the EA video games were sold. That could include current players, but the NCAA said that "there would be a 'blanket eligibility' waiver, so the players and their colleges would not be punished for receiving payments" (NYTIMES.com, 6/9).

ABC has now seen audience increases for both games of the NBA Finals. Game 2 last night delivered an 8.9 final rating and 15.01 million viewers, up 5% and 3%, respectively, from an 8.5 rating and 14.57 million viewers last year. Through two games, the NBA Finals are averaging an 8.9 rating and 14.93 million viewers, up 2% and 4%, respectively, from an 8.7 rating and 14.4 million viewers at the same point last season. This year’s two-game average is down 13% and 9%, respectively, from a 10.2 rating and 16.44 million viewers in ’12 for the Heat-Thunder matchup.

Secondary-market ticket aggregator TiqIQ said that prices for tonight's Kings-Rangers Stanley Cup Final Game 3 at MSG "have dropped slightly," 11% since the Rangers' Game 2 loss. However, they "remain the most expensive" Cup Final tickets "since TiqIQ has kept track of data." Game 3 "will be the cheapest" at MSG, with an average price of $1,713.32. The "get-in price of $871 is still 20% above the secondary market get-in price of $725 for a possible Game 5" at Staples Center (FORBES.com, 6/9).

California Chrome co-Owner Steve Coburn, along with his wife Caroline, appeared live in-studio on ABC's "GMA" this morning to discuss his comments immediately following Saturday's Belmont Stakes. Coburn said as of this morning he felt "very ashamed" of himself. Coburn: "I need to apologize to the winners. They ran a beautiful race. Their horse won the race, they deserve that. I did not mean to take anything away from them." Coburn apologized again and was brought to tears, saying, "I wanted so much for this horse to win the Triple Crown for the people of America and I was very emotional. … (But) it's a learning process for us and I'm going to do better. I'll promise you I'll do better" ("GMA," ABC, 6/9).

The NBA today announced plans for the third annual NBA Canada Series, with presenting sponsorship from Bell. The '14 iteration will feature two preseason games: Kings-Raptors at Vancouver's Rogers Arena on Oct. 5, and Knicks-Raptors at Bell Centre in Montreal on Oct. 24. Tickets for both games go on sale Saturday. The series will once again include interactive fan events and community outreach programs (NBA).

The Hornets today launched a Teacher Innovation Fund that will provide "money for teachers to try new classroom strategies." The team is kicking off the fund with a $250,000 grant, "including dollars provided" by Lowe's and FS Carolinas, and team officials said that their "intent is to provide $70,000 a year in grants to local teachers." Team Owner Michael Jordan today took part in a launch event at Hornets Nest Elementary in Charlotte (CHARLOTTEOBSERVER.com, 6/9).

Jordan at the event said of the team's recent rebrand, "Obviously the city loves the name change. We knew that it would be something like this because of the survey that we did. But we didn't think it would be to this magnitude. We can build from this as an organization" (CHARLOTTEOBSERVER.com, 6/9).

The Redskins hired lobbying firm McGuireWoods Consulting late last month, according to "newly-filed lobbying disclosures," amid the "political fight brewing over the team's name" (POLITICO.com, 6/9).

CNBC’s Carl Quintanilla will join HBO’s “Real Sports” magazine program as a correspondent (HBO).

Budweiser today officially opened the Budweiser Hotel by Pestana at Copacabana Beach in Rio (Budweiser).

NHL Network today announced that former Penguins coach Dan Bylsma will join the net as a studio analyst for coverage of tonight's Stanley Cup Final Game 3. NHL Network will broadcast from Chase Plaza outside MSG (NHL).

United Airlines has launched the "Route for the Home Team" social media promotion, in which fans of the Cubs, White Sox, Indians, Astros and Nationals can submit photos to win flights, hotel stays and game tickets (United Airlines).

"They want to destroy, not the game, but they want to destroy the institution" – FIFA President Sepp Blatter, saying there is "a plot" to destroy soccer’s ruling body following accusations in a U.K. newspaper that the process to award the '22 World Cup to Qatar was tainted by bribery (BLOOMBERG NEWS, 6/9).

"Connecting with fans posting through social is a critical opportunity for advertisers, who can engage with these viewers and potentially capture the momentum of Twitter TV activity around games" – Nielsen Senior VP & Head of Global Sports Practice Stephen Master, on advertisers embracing social media as a stand-in for TV commercials during the FIFA World Cup (MASHABLE.com, 6/9).

"It would be a very strong bid which would have the sympathy of a lot of people, not only in the Olympic family but inside the whole movement" – IOC President Thomas Bach, on Rome possibly bidding for the '24 Games (AP, 6/9).

FoxSports.com's Bruce Feldman: "What a sh-tshow this is for the NCAA RT @slmandel Am I really watching an NCAA attorney paint NCAA violator Jim Harrick as a valued mentor?"

Bloomberg News' Tariq Panja: "Secret world of Latin American football in full effect. Meetings of Asian, african groups were open. Media told to leave S American meeting. … Managed to catch just the one back slap before press asked to leave South American confederation meeting."

The Hornets' official account: "Kindergartner: 'Are you still friends with all the cartoon guys from Space Jam?' Michael Jordan: 'Of course! We go way back.' #SwarmToServe"

FoxSports.com's Leander Schaerlaeckens: "Someone just put on a Red Sox-Tigers came at the Sao Paulo FC training facility. In Portuguese. They're dubbing Verlander's ingame interview."

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

Amid a flood of digital activation this week leading up to the FIFA World Cup, U.S. Soccer is putting out individual videos profiling members of the national team under the banner "One Nation. One Team. 23 Stories." This entry features veteran F Clint Dempsey.

NBA TV will air "The 84 Draft," a documentary about the draft that featured five future Basketball HOFers and is considered the greatest in league history, at 9:00pm ET. The documentary is narrated by Lakers G Steve Nash.

44,230 – Number of football season tickets Mississippi State has sold for the '14 season, breaking the previous record of 44,212 established in '12 (WLOX.com, 6/6).