The NFL suspended Colts Owner Jim Irsay for six games and fined him $500,000 for violating the league's Personal Conduct Policy after he pled guilty today to a misdemeanor count of driving while intoxicated stemming from his March arrest. The suspension begins tomorrow at 5:00pm ET. Irsay "will be barred from the team facility" and will be "eligible to return" after the Colts-Texans game on Oct. 9. The league "waited for months for Irsay's legal problems to resolve following the arrest" (NFL.com, 9/2).

Irsay "will spend one year on probation," during which he "will be drug tested." Judge J. Richard Campbell ordered that if Irsay is arrested again for operating while intoxicated within the next five years, "the charge will be a felony offense." The full sentence includes 60 days in the Hamilton County Jail, but 58 were suspended, and Irsay was "given two days of credit for the one day he served" (INDYSTAR.com, 9/2).

The Braves on Sept. 16 will hold a formal ground-breaking ceremony for their new ballpark in Cobb County, Ga. That will mark the "start of the construction phase of the project, 'putting it on schedule to host fans for Opening Day 2017.'" The team has said that the venue will seat 41,000, "with the upper and middle of three decks cantilevered to push seats closer to the field." The Braves "plan more indoor spaces and club areas than at Turner Field." Also, concourses will be wider, "most with direct views to the field" (AJC.com, 9/2).

The Eagles' new anthemic campaign for the start of the NFL season is up and "Silver Linings Playbook" star Bradley Cooper does the voice-over. A two-minute version of the work from the team and agency 160over90 is up on the team’s flyeaglesfly.com website. Eagles Senior VP/Business Ari Roitman said the long-form ad will be cut into three 30-second spots, the first of which will break on TV in the Philadelphia market during Thursday's Packers-Seahawks NFL opener. The ad also includes music from John Legend and The Roots.

IMG today named Karen Brodkin President of Business Affairs. The longtime Fox Sports exec will work out of IMG’s office in L.A. and manage all of IMG’s legal and contractual work worldwide. The position is the latest in a series created by IMG’s new owner WME as it looks to have the divisions across IMG work more closely together and collaborate on new and existing business. IMG hired former Turner exec Greg D’Alba as head of global sales to create more sales collaboration across the company and Ogilvy exec Doug Scott to collaborate with divisions on marketing and branded content.

Brodkin, a former SportsBusiness Journal Game Changer, spent 16 years at Fox Sports and most recently worked as Exec VP/Business & Legal Affairs. She helped negotiate and structure many of Fox’ biggest deals, including rights agreements with the NFL, MLB, NASCAR, Pac-12, UFC, Big East and others. Before joining Fox, she worked as an entertainment attorney with L.A.-based companies that represented Spike Lee, Garth Brooks, Warner Bros. and others.

Nickelodeon today formally announced plans to launch its new "NickSports" programming block tomorrow night on the Nicktoons network. The two-hour weekly block will air Wednesdays from 9:00-11:00pm ET featuring a mix of original programming and content from the NFL, MLS and NASCAR. Shows will include Rob Dyrdek's "Wild Grinders," "NFL Rush Zone" and documentaries such as "Little Ballers." The block also will feature full-length movies (Nickelodeon).

Nickelodeon execs said that they "firmed up the idea of launching a sports block after the TV ratings success of the 'Kids Choice Sports' awards show." That show, hosted by Michael Strahan, "pulled in a big audience during prime time" (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 9/1 issue).

CNBC contributor Mike Murphy noted women's wear is 30% of UA's revenue. Murphy: "I love this Gisele signing" ("Fast Money Halftime Report," CNBC, 9/2).

Startup water brand Formula Four today formally announced its roster of football endorsers: Saints coach Sean Payton, Bengals QB A.J. McCarron and Pro Football HOFer Michael Irvin. All three "will appear in point-of-sale and digital/social testimonial ads." Formula Four CMO Allan Klassen said that "endorsers receive a percentage of profits for sales in their home markets." The brand is "pushing into the Southeast U.S. with distribution at retailers" such as Albertsons and Winn-Dixie (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 9/1 issue).

The Univ. of Texas today rolled out its newest license plate designs, which come "either in the traditional burnt orange color with white letters or in black with white letters." The designs bear the "Hook 'em Horns" motto (BIZJOURNALS.com, 9/1).

Sportsnet today announced a three-year TV rights deal with the Canadiens, becoming the team's official English-Language regional rights holder (Rogers).

The NBA today announced that three international teams – Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv, Maccabi Haifa and Flamengo – will travel to the U.S. and Canada for nine preseason games against nine NBA teams in October. The nine games will be the most ever played by international teams on a North American tour (NBA).

Fifth Third Bank has agreed to a multiyear renewal of its primary sponsorship for Roush Fenway Racing’s No. 17 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Ford driven by Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Fifth Third first partnered with RFR in '12 and has sponsored the No. 17 the past three seasons (Fifth Third Bank).

WGN Radio today announced that longtime Cubs broadcaster Pat Hughes will receive a plaque on the WGN Radio Walk of Fame (WGN Radio).

"When I suck, I’ll retire. I don’t plan on sucking for a long time. Hopefully that leads me to being here, and there’s no place I’d rather be" – Patriots QB Tom Brady, on his future with the team (“Dennis & Callahan,” WEEI-AM, 9/2).

"I'm not going to argue that there's no value in the Redskins brand, but a new name with a winning team would be far, far more valuable" – Forbes Exec Editor Mike Ozanian, on the possible financial benefits of the Redskins changing their name (ESPN.com, 9/2).

"I just wonder if Under Armour, in some respects, wins by losing. That's a lot of money" – CNBC's Scott Wapner, on Nike retaining Kevin Durant with a $265M-plus deal ("Fast Money Halftime Report," CNBC, 9/2).

Portland Business Journal's Matthew Kish: "Under Armour stock up more than Nike on first day of trading since Nike won the endorsement battle for hoops star Kevin Durant."

Newsday's Neil Best: "Mike Tirico said appropriate approach to him is to minimize use of name 'Redskins' in telecasts but not eliminate it until name is changed."

PR consultant Joe Favorito: "Congrats @BaseballHall on exceeding 16 million visitors! Wonder how many people woulda gone to Cooperstown w just Howe Caverns in area, lol."

NFL.com's Judy Battista: "I'll miss reading @mchappell51 Colts coverage, but I will miss more seeing him every time I am in Indy. A gentleman & a pro. Congrats, Mike!"

The Hockey News' Ryan Kennedy: "Los Angeles is having 'replica ring' night when the Kings host St. Louis on Oct. 16. That sounds like a cool giveaway."

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

Nissan's latest Heisman House ad campaign includes this digital spot featuring '11 winner Robert Griffin III and '12 winner Johnny Manziel.

Comcast SportsNet Bay Area will premiere “Peruball: Jim Harbaugh in South America,” which chronicles the 49ers coach's recent mission trip, at 9:00pm PT.

Golf Channel will host U.S. Ryder Cup team captain Tom Watson’s press conference at 6:00pm ET. The press conference will be held before an audience of fans at Studio 8H in N.Y., home of “SNL.”

ESPN’s Matthew Berry will appear on NBC’s “Late Night with Seth Meyers” at 12:35am ET.

60 – Number of buses full of students Boston College brought to Saturday's game against UMass at Gillette Stadium. UMass "packed more than 1,500 incoming freshman onto an armada of 54 buses" (BOSTON HERALD, 8/31).