SMG will operate the Vikings' new stadium after beating AEG and Global Spectrum in an intense competition for the contract, said team Exec VP/Public Affairs & Stadium Development Lester Bagley. As part of a 10-year deal with a five-year option, SMG will pay a $6.75M annual guarantee to the Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority, the Vikings’ landlord. SMG’s extensive experience running four NFL stadiums in Chicago, Houston, Jacksonville and New Orleans was the deciding factor, Bagley said, as well as the nine Super Bowls it has been involved in over the years at its buildings. Minnesota will play host to the '18 Super Bowl one year after the '17 event at NRG Stadium, an SMG account.

The Vikings are kicking in an additional $49M in private money to meet overruns for the stadium project, which has total costs now officially over $1B. Also today, the stadium authority approved an agreement with the Vikings to include a potential MLS team as a tenant. The Vikings have committed to paying $340,000 in yearly rent plus game day expenses in return for collecting all revenues connected to the soccer team. Minnesota has not been officially awarded an MLS franchise.

Roush Fenway Racing on Friday announced a multiyear deal with Ortho to serve as the primary sponsor of the No. 16 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Ford driven by Greg Biffle. Ortho will debut on the No. 16 car during the Aug. 31 Oral-B 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway and will appear on the car for two more races this season before becoming the car's anchor partner in '15 (RFR).

Meanwhile, the "famed STP logo will once again grace" Richard Petty Motorsports' No. 43 car in Saturday's Sprint Cup Series Irwin Tools Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway. The team said that the "Petty Blue and red colors of STP" will appear on Aric Almirola's Ford in the race. The team also will be "promoting the return of STP to the car on Twitter with a special hash tag campaign of #ChaseBound." This will mark the "first time STP has been in the Chase in its 10-year existence" (NBCSPORTS.com, 8/20).

The Washington Post editorial board on Friday said that it "will stop using the word 'Redskins' when referring to Washington's football team." The board in a statement said, "While we wait for the NFL to catch up with public opinion and common decency we have decided not to use the slur ourselves except when it is essential for clarity or effect." The editorial board is "separate from the news-gathering side of the organization." Exec Editor Marty Baron said that the news arm "will continue to use the team's moniker" (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 8/22).

Cleveland on Saturday "arguably will be the busiest sports city in America," as "all three pro sports venues downtown will host games simultaneously." There are a "variety of other events going on," so that there will be "as many as 100,000 people downtown at the same time." Progressive Field will host an Astros-Indians game; the Browns host their preseason home opener against the Rams at FirstEnergy Stadium; and Quicken Loans Arena hosts ArenaBowl XXVII featuring an Arizona Rattlers-Cleveland Gladiators matchup (CLEVELAND.com, 8/20).

At 5:00pm ET ahead of the Browns game, Alfred Lerner Way for the first time will become "Dawg Pound Drive," an outdoor festival that will include a "beer garden, food trucks, music, face painting, activities for kids, giveaways and a zip line." The festival "will start three hours before every home game" (CRAINSCLEVELAND.com, 8/22).

The College Football HOF on Saturday will hold its grand-opening ceremony in Atlanta. The “tailgate-style event” outside the new facility will feature “visits from cheerleaders, mascots and the ESPN GameDay bus, as well as a kids’ football clinic, music, games and prizes.” Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed will “officiate the opening and be joined” by several College Football HOFers (ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION, 8/20).

The Cowboys "have officially broken ground" on their new HQs in Frisco, Texas. Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones and Frisco Mayor Maher Maso were both in attendance for Friday's ceremony at the 91-acre site (CBSLOCAL.com, 8/22).

Officials for AS Roma and the city of Rome on Friday announced plans for development around the Serie A club's planned new stadium, including a new Metro station, a pedestrian bridge and a park near the Tiber River. The development plans will be up for approval by Rome's City Council Sept. 3 (AS Roma).

Sources said that the NFL has fined Browns QB Johnny Manziel $12,000 for "making an obscene gesture" in a preseason game against the Redskins on Monday (ESPN.com, 8/22).

“This is an exemplary cornerstone franchise. Did it not send a weird message that the franchise seemed to think that it wasn't that big of a deal?” – ESPN’s Skip Bayless, on the Steelers letting RBs Le’Veon Bell and LaGarrette Blount play in Thursday’s preseason game despite being arrested for marijuana possession (“First Take,” ESPN2, 8/22).

“The NBA has a different licensing agreement with their players than the NFL does with theirs. In the NBA, if their tattoos are on their skin, they are technically owned by that player and can therefore be used in the games” – EA Sports gameplay designer Clint Oldenburg, on 49ers QB Colin Kaepernick successfully lobbying for his tattoos to appear in the “Madden” videogame (USATODAY.com, 8/22).

Actor Tom Hanks: "Opinion: Women’s World Cup is the best Soccer of the year. Hey FIFA, they deserve real grass. Put in sod. Hanx"

Timbers Owner Merritt Paulson: "@GrantWahl your whole issue this week was one of best i have seen. I read whole thing cover to cover last night. AAU DC story is unreal."

"Late Show with David Letterman" Exec Producer Eric Stangel: "NFL Lesson: It's a 12k fine to give the finger to the Redskins bench, but it's still fine to be called the Redskins."

Yahoo Sports' Greg Wyshynski: "Washington Post editorials will no longer use 'Redskins.' The checks the Post takes for ads from team likely will."

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

Technology company AKQA produced this video to showcase their collaboration with Nike on an LED basketball court in Shanghai. The court is part of the Nike RISE project, an effort to introduce young Chinese basketball players to Kobe Bryant's training techniques.

2 – Number of Foot Locker spots from its “Short Memory” series that appear on this week's Adweek/VidIQ top 10 branded video chart. The spot featuring Rockets G James Harden and Galaxy MF Landon Donovan comes in at 4th, while the Harden-Charles Barkley clip earns a 7th-place finish. Adidas’ “Instinct Takes Over,” which features Arsenal MF Mesut Özil, occupies the top spot (ADWEEK.com, 8/22).