TD Ameritrade today announced a three-year deal through '16 to sponsor the NFL. The online brokerage views the move as a way to "tell more about its services and increase the chances of its ads being seen." The company, "which switched advertising agencies earlier this year, plans to launch a new ad campaign this fall." CMO Denise Karkos "declined to discuss how much TD Ameritrade is spending on the NFL sponsorship deal," but she said that "it won't replace any of the company's other advertising" (AP, 9/4).

The deal gives TD Ameritrade exclusivity in the Personal Investing, Online Brokerage, and Wealth Management categories. It includes opportunities to sponsor league events, including the Super Bowl (THE DAILY).

Google during tonight's Packers-Seahawks game on NBC is debuting a 30-second spot that marks the "first phase of a multi-year campaign to promote the company's rebranded mobile app and its voice-guide search feature" (ADAGE.com, 9/4). 

Meanwhile, the Giants today announced that they are producing a series of "NFL Play 60" spots featuring DE Jason Pierre-Paul, CB Prince Amukamara and S Stevie Brown. The ads were produced by in-house production team Big Blue Entertainment along with the team's Community Relations Department (Giants).

The NFL has hired IMG to handle media rights sales and distribution across Asia for the next three seasons. The deal expands IMG’s work with the NFL beyond the TV licensing work it has done in Europe for the past five years. In Asia, IMG will sell the rights to the entire regular season, playoffs and Super Bowl. It also will sell programming like “NFL Gameday,” “NFL Extra” and the NFL Draft. The league previously handled licensing agreements in Asia independently. The Asian markets with the most interest in the NFL include Hong Kong and Thailand.

Pro Merch today unveiled its line of licensed T-shirts featuring NFL players. The reveal of the shirts, which will be sold exclusively at Target, marks the formal launch of the brand's partnership with NFL Players Inc., the licensing arm of the NFLPA. The designs feature current players such as Peyton Manning, Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees, Adrian Peterson and J.J. Watt, as well as former players such as Pro Football HOFer John Elway.

Also today, Team ProMark announced the launch of its line of licensed NFL cases and screen protectors for both the iPhone 5/5S and Samsung Galaxy S5 phones at Sprint stores across the U.S. (THE DAILY).

The Big East Conference is "starting a year-round digital network that will be distributed on Fox Sports' online platform." The deal was announced at today's Bloomberg Business Summit by Big East Commissioner Val Ackerman, who said that the network "will cover 80-100 games per year as a supplement to the conference's men's basketball agreement with Fox." It also "will produce highlights, and cover news," and will be available on Fox Sports Go. Ackerman added that the conference is "considering other types of programming" (BLOOMBERG NEWS, 9/4).

The Cubs are “raising overall season-ticket prices for the first time in four seasons,” but most of the ’15 increases will “be among the highest-priced seats at Wrigley Field.” Season-ticket invoices show that 80% of tickets “will have no change or will drop slightly in price.” About 20% of tickets in premium seating areas “will see an average increase” of 6%. The result will be “an overall increase among all season-ticket prices” of just less than 2% (CHICAGOBUSINESS.com, 9/4).

Thunder F Kevin Durant today announced that he has signed a deal with Oklahoma City-based Orange Leaf Frozen Yogurt, becoming the company's "first brand ambassador." He will own an "undisclosed percentage of the company, his first such partnership since he joined" Roc Nation last year. Roc Nation President & Chief Strategy Officer Michael Yormark said that "more partnerships are in the works, and his goal is to get Durant more deals than any NBA player" (AP, 9/4).

Sacramento-based Sleep Train Inc. today was sold to Mattress King for $425M. The company holds the naming rights to the NBA Kings’ current arena, but Sleep Train Founder & CEO Dale Carlsen said that he expects the deal “to remain in place” until the building is replaced in two years (SACBEE.com, 9/4).

Tide is bringing back its NFL-themed "Color Captains" effort. The campaign features a player from each NFL team serving as a "photojournalist" throughout the season. Several of the participating players have changed since last year's inaugural effort (THE DAILY).

Lexus returns as a sponsor of ESPNW.com's "In The Game With Robin Roberts" for the third consecutive year (ESPN).

The Knicks will hold training camp at the U.S. Military Academy "for the first time since 1966." The team says it will practice in West Point Sept. 30-Oct. 4 at Christl Arena (AP, 9/4).

Boxer Manny Pacquiao is ringing the NYSE Closing Bell today at 4:00pm ET (THE DAILY).

“We want to make sure that we understand that everyone in the league is held to a higher standard. … People expect more from the NFL” – NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, on the discipline the league hands out for violations of its personal conduct and drug-testing policies (“Mike & Mike,” ESPN Radio, 9/4).

"I'm excited for our business. I'm also excited for Josh. ... He's gonna be our best salesman" – Ohio-based Sarchione Auto Group Sales Manager Jeff Sarchione, on Browns WR Josh Gordon working at the car dealership during his one-year suspension from the NFL (FOXSPORTS.com, 9/4).

"We couldn't get to an agreement about it because it's such a controversial decision to change from what we know to a sin bin, but there was a good discussion about it" – Former ManU manager and current UEFA coaching ambassador Alex Ferguson, on UEFA looking into using a penalty box similar to ice hockey (GOAL.com, 9/4).

Wall Street Journal's Jason Gay: "It's tempting to eliminate the middleman, whether you're selling NFL or cookies. But what if middle man is paying $40 for a $4 cookie?"

SI's Pete Thamel: "No one quite knows how this college football playoff will work. But ND-OSU is another example of what a boon it's been for scheduling."
 
Altitude TV's Kyle Keefe: "Congratulations to @AltitudeTV On the air for 10 years! We launched September 4th, 2004."

Edmonton Journal's Jim Matheson: "Josh Cooper let go in Nashville? Very good nhl beat guy for Preds. Bad on Tennessean."

The MMQB's Peter King: "RIP Joan Rivers. What a unique person. Even took time on our HBO 'Inside the NFL' awards show one year to do a red carpet segment w/us. Joan Rivers not a football fan. She asked Marino that day how many times he'd won the Super Bowl."

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

The official feed of Richmond Int'l Raceway posted this image of the Gwaltney Turn 3 Fun Zone Ferris Wheel, inviting fans to "stop by" the renovated area during the track's upcoming NASCAR race weekend.

The PGA Tour will present Jack Vickers with its Lifetime Achievement Award in conjunction with the start of the BMW Championship at Cherry Hills Country Club in Colorado.

This brief video from LegoLand Discovery Center Boston offers a 360-degree view of the Gillette Stadium replica the museum recently added to its collection.

Verizon IndyCar Series champion driver Will Power will appear on CBS' "Late Show" at 11:35pm ET.

9 – Average minutes reduced in game time per nine innings in the first 30 days since the independent Atlantic League of Professional Baseball implemented its Pace of Play initiative on Aug. 1 (ALPB).