The average ticket price to Saturday's Kentucky Derby "has fallen from around $1,100 last month to below $800 this week," according to data from secondary ticket marketplace TickPick. Average ticket prices "rose last year in the first week of May from about $1,300 to $1,900." As of early Friday afternoon, general admission tickets to the infield and paddock "were going for $75 on Ticketmaster." As of 1:00pm ET on Friday, StubHub "listed 1,023 tickets available ... the most expensive being a pair of seats in Millionaires Row each priced at $3,675" (COURIER-JOURNAL.com, 5/5).

Meanwhile, Vineyard Vines has signed a five-year contract extension with Churchill Downs as the official style of the Derby through '21 (Vineyard Vines).

Celebrity chef and restaurateur Bobby Flay will join NBC’s Saturday coverage of the Kentucky Derby. Flay, who has invested in several thoroughbreds in recent years, discussed his involvement in the sport for an SBJ feature in January. NBC's coverage also will feature a segment in which NBC analyst Jerry Bailey helps golfer Jason Day try to pick a Derby winner with a closest-to-the-pin effort at TPC Sawgrass' famed "Island Green" par-3 17th. See the full video (THE DAILY).

MLS officials during Friday night's Whitecaps-Rapids game in Colorado will test the league's Video Assistant Referee technology for the "first time" during a regular-season contest. This comes as MLS "prepares to officially implement the replay technology this summer." The league is "calling it an 'offline' test, meaning it will have no impact on the game, and the officiating crew will do its usual job." A "surrogate referee" will review close calls using video feeds from broadcaster Altitude but "will not have any contact with the game referees." The "hope is for VAR to eliminate more obvious mistakes without addressing subjective calls" (DENVER POST, 5/5).

The Buccaneers are "moving forward with plans to build a long-awaited indoor practice facility that will allow the team to practice through harsh tropical summers." The team has "filed plans with the city to build a 112,660-square-foot indoor practice facility" that is "roughly nine stories" tall on their property at One Buc Place. A Buccaneers spokesperson on Friday confirmed that "construction is underway on the facility's foundation" (BIZJOURNALS.com, 5/5).

ExxonMobil has renewed its sponsorship of esports property Rocket League Championship Series, a competition produced by Twitch and "Rocket League" publisher Psyonix. The energy company will again highlight its Mobil 1 lubricant brand with the deal, which covers the upcoming seasons 3 and 4. Twitch Dir of Global Esports Sponsorship Nathan Lindberg called a renewal from a non-endemic sponsor “very rare” and a “noteworthy indication of where the industry is heading.” Financial terms were not disclosed. "Rocket League" game play is a hybrid of demolition derby and soccer, with teams of three or individuals scoring goals with rocket-powered cars.

The Blues and Blues Alumni have partnered with the American Red Cross to raise money to help victims of recent floods in the St. Louis region. During Friday night's Western Conference Semifinals Game 5 against the Predators at Scottrade Center, the Blues will raise proceeds through the team's 50/50 raffle, memorabilia sales and the Blues for Kids silent auction. Bidding in the auction opened Thursday morning and will close at the end of the second intermission (Blues).

NBA agent Dan Fegan did not “orchestrate” the gender discrimination lawsuit that another former employee, Joyce Li, filed against ISE, Li’s attorney, Toni Jaramilla said Friday. Jaramilla said that Li contacted her months before ISE fired Fegan for cause and started the legal battle against the powerful agent. Jaramilla said she reached out to ISE with a letter to discuss the claims on Feb. 3, more than a month before Fegan was fired.

Jaramilla said, “For ISE to state that my client, Joyce Li, was somehow prompted to file a lawsuit because of Dan Fegan’s own interest actually demonstrates the company’s sexist attitudes,” Jaramilla said. “Ms. Li is an experienced and intelligent woman who can independently recognize when her legal rights have been violated. She can decide on her own accord whether filing a legal action will be the solution to addressing the gender inequality in the male-dominated sports industry. Ms. Li’s lawsuit was brought under the Equal Pay Act and has nothing to do with any legal dispute between ISE and Mr. Fegan.”

ESPN has signed on-air personality Adam Amin to a multiyear extension (ESPN).

IMSA Continental Tire Sportscar team CJ Wilson Racing announced a partnership with HD Radio (CJ Wilson Racing).

Adidas has added four new WNBA endorsers: Sparks G Chelsea Gray, Lynx G Alexis Jones and sisters Sparks F Nneka Ogwumike and Sun Chiney Ogwumike (Adidas).

Chevy Racing on Friday unveiled the pace car for this year's Indianapolis 500, a white Corvette (Team Chevy).

"Baseball would be hard because it's so hot. There would have to be a dome" – Cubs 3B Kris Bryant, who is from Las Vegas, on the possibility of the city landing an MLB team (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 5/5).

“He is walking clickbait” – ESPN’s Kate Fagan, on LaVar Ball (“OTL,” ESPN, 5/5).

"It’s an innovative way to get young kids to play, bring it out of the old age a bit and into the new age" – Golfer Andy Sullivan, on the European Tour's new GolfSixes event, which features walk-out music, pyrotechnics and a team format (AP, 5/5).

"There are great opportunities for crossover among audiences. A number of gamers are excited they now have an NBA team to root for, and a number of Heat fans who are gamers also are super excited" – Heat Exec VP & CMO Michael McCullough, on the NBA's new 2K esports league (MIAMIHERALD.com, 5/5).

Really impressed from the work that @CLTMotorSpdwy is doing on the Road Course design it will bring new character to the place

— Max Papis (@maxpapis) May 5, 2017

Kudos to @GolfChannel, @GOLFonCBS & @TrackManGolf for striking a deal to get Trackman data & tracer back on Golf Channel telecasts. #pgatour

— Jeremy Schilling (@jschil) May 5, 2017

Big & Rich will do the prerace concert at Charlotte later this month -- 1 p.m. before the Coca-Cola 600. #nascar

— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) May 5, 2017

S/O to @BenSuttonISP for his induction 2nite @NCSHOF. Congrats boss! Would be there but @WakeBaseball calls!!@DemonDeacons #welldeserved

— Stan Cotten (@StanCottenWF) May 5, 2017

Cheapest tickets for #Blues/#Preds Game 5 are now $51, exactly half the price they were when the series began: https://t.co/8VsgSLbHau

— Bucci Mane (@Buccigross) May 5, 2017

That @KyleLarsonRacin / @CocaColaRacing livery tho 🔥🔥🔥 #GEICO500 pic.twitter.com/k52HLMHP3w

— TalladegaSuperspdwy (@TalladegaSuperS) May 5, 2017

Saturday

The Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce will honor the D-backs as its '17 Corporation of the Year at the 59th Annual Black & White Ball and Business Awards at 6:00pm PT. 

CBS Sports goes behind-the-scenes for the making of its new "Voice of Golf" campaign, which began rolling out last month. 

3rd – Rank for Yankees RF Aaron Judge in jersey sales on MLBShop.com over the last week, behind only Cubs 3B Kris Bryant and 1B Anthony Rizzo (TWITTER.com, 5/5).