The Hornets have started the process of “flipping” the team store and box office at Spectrum Center. The Hornets Fan Shop will be relocated from the ground floor to the main lobby, one level above where it was originally built. The store will expand to 4,200 square feet, about 1,000 square feet bigger than its old space, enabling the Hornets to offer more Jordan Brand merchandise. The Hornets are the only NBA team to wear Jordan Brand uniforms.

During construction, a temporary team store with reduced hours will be set up inside the arena near the 5th Street entrance. The new box office will have 10 interior ticket windows. The arena’s three existing exterior ticket windows remain in place, along with Ticketmaster kiosks on both sides of the arena. The project, to be completed in September, is part of $34M in publicly-funded arena upgrades. AECOM and Charlotte-area firm LS3P designed the improvements.

Chick-fil-A Kickoff officials have decided to play the Alabama-Florida State and Georgia Tech-Tennessee games on Labor Day weekend with the Mercedes-Benz Stadium roof closed to "eliminate the variable of weather."  The opening date for the stadium "has been delayed three times because of issues related to construction of the retractable roof." But Peach Bowl President & CEO Gary Stokan said that his "decision to hold the college football kickoff event with the roof closed was unrelated to construction." He added that the Falcons "haven’t told him whether he would have the option of an open roof in September" (AJC.com, 4/24).

Meanwhile, a 73,000-pound falcon statue "has landed" at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The stainless steel structure, which will sit in the main plaza, is 41.5 feet tall and has a "wingspan of more than 64 feet" (BIZJOURNALS.com, 4/24).

73,000 pounds....

And it's all coming together! #MBStadium pic.twitter.com/XWzlOIA57y

— MercedesBenzStadium (@MBStadium) April 24, 2017

SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey spoke today at the AP Sports Editors region meeting in Birmingham, Ala., and addressed several media-related issues. Sankey said that he "hasn't evaluated" whether media "should be allowed to live stream press conferences" under SEC Network media rights. With an increase in cord-cutting, Sankey was asked if he worries about SEC schools "spending money at an unsustainable rate." Sankey: "We're very attentive to make sure we have the right relationships with our broadcast partners. ... I don't think you can make a direct correlation that you have this money coming in from a revenue source being allocated to facilities or salaries."

Sankey also was asked if college athletics is "headed toward a 'super-division' with the Power 5 and some other programs." Sankey:  "It's not an agenda item at any meeting. We've committed now to a new governance structure that's the big tent model of Division I. ... It is working. It can continue to work" (AL.com, 4/24).

Blue Bunny Ice Cream tomorrow will announce that it has signed on to become an official track partner of Kansas Speedway. Financial terms were not disclosed for the one-year deal, which makes the Iowa-based ice cream brand the official ice cream product of the ISC-owned track. Blue Bunny has been involved in personal deals with NASCAR driver Jimmie Johnson, but this marks the company’s first official deal with a track, team or league in motorsports.

To activate the deal, Blue Bunny will work with grocery stores in the K.C. area to give out youth ticket vouchers to consumers who purchase $10 or more worth of the company’s ice cream. Blue Bunny will have an on-site midway activation area at the track for next month’s national series race weekend, where it will sample and sell its ice cream. Blue Bunny is working with Charlotte-based Bespoke Sports & Entertainment on the venture.

Petitions for San Diego's proposed SoccerCity project today were turned in to the county registrar of voters, and development group FS Investors said that it "delivered more than 500 boxes of petitions calling for a referendum with more than 100,000 signatures." That is "more than enough to meet the city requirement for 71,646 city voters’ signatures to place the item on the Nov. 7 special election ballot." Registrar of Voters Michael Vu "will now have 30 days to verify the signatures and report back to San Diego City Clerk Elizabeth Maland." The proposal calls for "housing, offices, retail, parks and a professional soccer stadium" on the Qualcomm Stadium property (SANDIEGOUNIONTRIBUNE.com, 4/24).

Pegula Sports & Entertainment CEO Kim Pegula today announced the creation of PSE Hospitality Division, which will unite the management of all PSE food and beverage properties. The move also will create an organized structure to position the company to pursue additional restaurant and hospitality opportunities in Western New York and elsewhere. The new division will be led by PSE VP/Hospitality Dominic Verni, who originally joined the HarborCenter project to create the (716) Food & Sport restaurant (PSE).

The NBA and Brazil-based Vivo today announced a multiyear deal for NBA games and original programming to appear on the telecom provider's mobile, TV and broadband offerings. Vivo has about 75 million subscribers (NBA).

Bass Pro Shops has agreed to extend its title sponsorship of the PGA Tour Champions event at Big Cedar Lodge for four years through '21. The event is titled the Bass Pro Shops Legends of Golf (PGA Tour).

SkyCam during this week's National Association of Broadcasters Trade Show in Las Vegas will introduce SkyCommand, a centrally located remote studio center from which the SkyCam WildCat system can be controlled (SkyCam).

"I know (Sharapova) is important for the tennis, for WTA, for everything. She is a great person, a great player, a great champion, but this is my opinion" – Tennis player Roberta Vinci, who will face Maria Sharapova in this week's WTA Porsche Grand Prix, saying that she "does 'not agree' with organizers giving Sharapova a free passage into the main draw of their events" following the end of her drug suspension (AP, 4/24).

"There is zero margin for error. We've never missed a conversion yet" – MLSE Chief Venues & Operations Officer Nick Eaves, on the precision required to convert Air Canada Centre between its hockey and basketball configurations (THEGLOBEANDMAIL.com, 4/24).

"Player's stock is rising!" means "Agent says stock is rising."
"Player's stock is falling!" means "Rival agent says stock is falling."

— Andrew Brandt (@AndrewBrandt) April 24, 2017

The LA Chargers' draft war room is in San Diego, the media room and draft party is in Anaheim and first round press conference is in Carson.

— Arash Markazi (@ArashMarkazi) April 24, 2017

Serena Williams hasn't played since January, moves back to No. 1 this week. Just for those who think world golf ranking can be a bit odd.

— Doug Ferguson (@dougferguson405) April 24, 2017

Thunder staffer, as is customary, jokingly announced to media "Ladies & gentlemen: Steven Adams!" Today Adams responded, "Thank you, squire"

— Fred Katz (@FredKatz) April 24, 2017

Ben Franklin Institute dressed for Draft- will be home to Selection Square-the nerve center of Draft #NFLDraft2017 pic.twitter.com/JethepwNVH

— Peter O'Reilly (@ploreilly) April 24, 2017

UFC President Dana White and former UFC owner Lorenzo Feritta talk about the inception of the reality show, "The Ultimate Fighter," which just began its 25th season.

3 hours, 22 minutes – Average length of an Indians game this season. Last season, the "average MLB game lasted a few minutes past the three-hour mark" (CLEVELAND.com, 3/21).