The Marlins are “moving forward” with selling the team to a group led by Jeb Bush and Derek Jeter, and ownership is “optimistic” a deal will be reached. The Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson reports there is an “agreement in principle, pending MLB approval,” for current Marlins Owner Jeffrey Loria to sell to the Bush/Jeter group for $1.3B. Bush will be the “control person” for the group, which has “more than 5 investors.” Jeter plans to have an “active role” with the team (TWITTER.com, 4/25).

This comes after a BLOOMBERG report earlier today claiming the Bush/Jeter group had "won the auction" for the team (BLOOMBERG NEWS, 4/25).

New BAMTech CEO Michael Paull did not discuss the upcoming launch of an ESPN-branded, multi-sport OTT service, which is planned for later this year. However, in his first public comments since joining the company in February, Paull described a market that would be ripe for such a service. “I think of sports as entertainment,” Paull said during a one-on-one Q&A session at NAB in Las Vegas today. “There are certain people who are hardcore sports fans who want to watch every game or their favorite teams. That’s a particular type of fan. But I don't know a lot of people who didn't want to watch the World Series, who didn't want to watch the Super Bowl. Especially this past year, they were both incredibly entertaining.”

Paull came to BAMTech from Amazon, a company that last month committed $50M to stream 10 NFL “TNF” games next season. When asked about that deal, Paull spoke of a trend where more companies will use sports as a way to engage their audiences. “The next wave is going to be about content,” he said.

NAB continues today and tomorrow with a “sports series” of speakers. Later this afternoon, NBA Deputy Commissioner & COO Mark Tatum speaks, and there will be a panel with Bleacher Report CRO Rich Calacci, Playstation Vue head Dwayne Benefield, Roku GM Steve Shannon and Mashable Founder & CEO Pete Cashmore. Tomorrow, Turner’s Craig Barry, the NHL’s Keith Wachtel, AEG’s Todd Goldstein and the NBA Kings’ Chris Granger will speak on a panel called “Sports and the Business of Broadcast.”

The Rockets tonight are "pulling out all the stops to get fans in their seats" in time for tipoff of Game 5 of their first-round playoff series against the Thunder. Rapper/singer Travis Scott, who is from Houston, will perform before the game at Toyota Center. The Rockets also are "offering beer, soft drinks, hot dogs and nachos for $1" from 5:30-6:30pm CT ahead of the 7:00pm tipoff. In addition, former NBAer Vernon Maxwell will address the crowd (CHRON.com, 4/25).

Sunday's telecast of Capitals-Maple Leafs Stanley Cup Playoffs Game 6 earned an average rating of 4.89 on CSN Mid-Atlantic and 1.35 on NBCSN in the DC market. The combined rating of 6.24 for the game, in which the Caps eliminated the Leafs in OT, was the "third-highest on record for a Capitals first-round playoff game on cable." It trails only the Game 7 loss to the Canadiens in '10 (8.10) and a Game 7 OT win against the Bruins in '12 (8.01), "both of which were played on Wednesdays." Including games broadcast nationally on NBC, Sunday marked the "sixth-highest rated first-round Capitals game" in the DC market on record (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 4/25).

The Texans will "spice up the third day of the NFL Draft by having their picks announced from space." Astronaut Peggy Whitson will "introduce the team's picks and send it down to Earth for the live announcements," while astronaut Scott Kelly will "help make the Texans' announcements for the fourth and fifth rounds." On the final day of the Draft, the Texans currently have two fourth-round picks, a fifth-round pick and a seventh-rounder (CHRON.com, 4/25).

The IOC today announced the creation of a new 13-member panel on cyber security. The organization said the new commission will guide the "IOC's strategy for information security, including cyber-security." It also will make recommendations for an "appropriate strategy for the effective, secure and sustainable use of technology" for the Olympic Games (AP, 4/25).

A source said that former Auburn football coach Tommy Tuberville "will not run for governor in Alabama" in '18 after two months of exploring the possibility (247SPORTS.com, 4/25).

Illinois State Univ. will outsource its comprehensive multimedia rights to Learfield in a new 10-year deal (Learfield). 

Robert Seidman's Sports TV Ratings Twitter feed and website is taking a "hiatus." Seidman tweeted the move is "100% about lack of access to data that would allow something remotely resembling *daily* posting" (TWITTER.com, 4/25).

Sportsnet will launch an all-sports radio station – CISL-AM – in Vancouver this fall (Sportsnet).

The cover of SI this week features high school baseball phenom Hunter Greene: "Baseball's LeBron Or The New Babe?" ESPN The Magazine features Cavaliers F LeBron James on the cover: "Has LeBron James Finally Reached His Breaking Point?" (THE DAILY)

      

"This wouldn’t be an official NASCAR event if we didn't fire off some sponsor appreciation" – NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt Jr., at today's press conference formally announcing his retirement at the end of this season (FS1, 4/25).

"When we think the time is ready, we will look at it again" – Puma CEO Bjoern Gulden, on getting involved with U.S.-based sports ("Bloomberg Surveillance," Bloomberg TV, 4/25).

Churchill Downs Inc. (CHDN) has done away with free passes for holders of 100 shares. Good news: Stock up 17.4 percent over last 52 weeks.

— Tim Sullivan (@TimSullivan714) April 25, 2017

Other teams', leagues' PR people who prematurely break up interviews could learn from Giants. Bumgarner spoke until media out of questions.

— John Shea (@JohnSheaHey) April 25, 2017

Homestead-Miami Speedway says calls to ticket office "very, very strong" ... Weekend tickets available now. Single-day tickets May 5.

— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) April 25, 2017

@tcraggs22 Deitsch will continue to not break media news, but at least he's claimed an excuse this time.

— Barry Petchesky (@barry) April 25, 2017

Baseball HOFer and heart transplant recipient Rod Carew will take part in a first pitch ceremony for the A's-Angels game as part of national Donate Life Month efforts.

Oberto Beef Jerky kicks off a national marketing campaign featuring Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski (playing shuffleboard) and ESPN's Stephen A. Smith. Seahawks CB Richard Sherman helped direct the spot.

$23,500 – Total amount raised by Autotrader's #Speed4Need charity challenge in collaboration with Team Penske NASCAR drivers Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski. The effort, which concluded April 16, will benefit the drivers' nonprofit foundations (Autotrader).