ESPN has cancelled “Barstool Van Talk” after just one episode. ESPN President John Skipper in a brief statement this afternoon said, “While we had approval on the content of the show, I erred in assuming we could distance our efforts from the Barstool site and its content.” The show drew 88,000 viewers during its only airing late last Tuesday night at 1:00am ET. ESPN’s association with Barstool Sports drew criticism from “Sunday NFL Countdown” host Sam Ponder, who had been targeted in an article posted on the website several years ago (THE DAILY). Author Jim Miller writes, “Criticism from outside was matched by criticism from inside @espn & Skipper placed great deal of import on the later” (TWITTER.com, 10/23).

Under Armour Strategic Adviser Kip Fulks is "taking a sabbatical from the company," according to sources. Fulks has "held several roles within the company over the past two decades" and was "long seen" within UA as Founder, Chair & CEO Kevin Plank’s second-in-command. A source said that Fulks "started his leave earlier this month." Meanwhile, UA is "considering exiting some of its smaller sport categories as it works to stem declining sales." These categories "include, but aren’t limited to, tennis, outdoor gear and fishing" (WSJ.com, 10/23).

Charlotte's bid for an MLS expansion team is "dead." City council member James Mitchell said that the "combination of upcoming elections and a competing bid by Nashville dashed any remaining hopes." Tension and "disagreement last summer between city and county government over funding the stadium started the backslide." Mitchell today said that city administrators and Charlotte's economic development committee have "run out of time and won't be able to cobble together a proposal by December" (BIZJOURNALS.com, 10/23).

WWE, CAA co-Founder Michael Ovitz and Monumental Sports & Entertainment Vice Chair Raul Fernandez have invested in top-tier esports organization Cloud9, which closed a $25M funding round to help pay for buy-in fees in new esports leagues. The round was led by Founder Fund, an elite Silicon Valley firm that has backed Facebook, Airbnb and others. Founders Fund Partner Brian Singerman will join the board. Early Cloud9 backer Giants RF Hunter Pence increased his investment and will become a board observer, along with WWE.

Cloud9 Owner & CEO Jack Etienne said in August he would seek outside capital to help pay for $30M in combined entry fees into the Overwatch League, where Cloud9 will run the London franchise, and the League of Legends League Championship Series. Cloud9 fields teams in eight games.

The Trail Blazers have signed Rank + Rally, Levy’s merchandise group, to run the retail operation at Moda Center. The multiyear agreement covers six locations at the Portland arena, including the NBA’s first stand-alone Nike team store and a New Era branded shop, plus four existing Rip City Clothing Co. stands. For Rank + Rally, the deal marks its fourth NBA account. Rank + Rally also operates merchandise for the Bulls, Nets and Warriors.

The Menominee tribe has "purchased the naming rights" for the NBA G League Wisconsin Herd's arena in Oshkosh. The Herd are the Bucks' minor-league affiliate. Terms of the five-year sponsorship were not released. The $21M, 3,600-seat arena is being "constructed on the south side of Oshkosh and is set to be opened in time for the team's first home game Nov. 17." The new arena will be called the Menominee Nation Arena and "feature the thunderbird, an important part of the tribe's history" (JSONLINE.com, 10/23).

Callaway Golf has signed '17 NCAA Player of the Year Sam Burns, who will make his pro debut this week at the PGA Tour Sanderson Farms Championship in Jackson, Miss. (Callaway Golf).

Lagardere Sports has signed a worldwide deal with esports company RFRSH. The company will represent the media rights for Lagardere's Counter-Strike Blast Pro Series (Lagadere).

"We will wait every local paper out and let them continuously bleed until we are the last ones standing. We will suck them dry of their best talent at every moment. We will make business extremely difficult for them" -- The Athletic co-Founder Alex Mather (NYTIMES.com, 10/23).

"The award just doesn't hold a lot of weight when you've got someone on the list I've never heard of" -- USWNT MF Megan Rapinoe, on being named to the shortlist of candidates for FIFA's Female Player of the Year award alongside 18-year-old Venezuelan Deyna Castellanos, who does not play professionally (BBC.com, 10/23).

"We’re 2-1 now, so a much better record than the Warriors" -- Stephen Curry, on having President Obama as his golf partner (TWITTER.com, 10/23).

1 — Back tonight at 6 (we’re on ESPN2 tonight). Sitting on a few hot takes, to say the least.

— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) October 23, 2017

Costas, Michaels, Joe Morgan. Joe Buck all finalists for HOF's 2018 Frick Award

— bob raissman (@nydnraiss) October 23, 2017

Astros were willing to hit rock bottom in 2013 ($24 million payroll) to get here today. They were the Process before Sixers. And it worked.

— Tim Cowlishaw (@TimCowlishaw) October 23, 2017

McDonough RE: Bledsoe's tweet: "He said he was at a hair salon... I didn't believe that to be true. He won't be with us going forward."

— ABC15 Sports (@abc15sports) October 23, 2017

This video from the Portland Oregonian shows Timbers supporters unveiling a WrestleMania-themed tifo prior to Sunday's home game against the regional rival Whitecaps.

41% -- Percentage of Snapchat users who say that they use the app at sports venues, according to a recent survey commissioned by Snap and conducted by Greenberg Strategy. The results show a "huge gap between people who use Snapchat at parties and restaurants" (81% and 80%, respectively) and "those who use it at museums and sports stadiums" (RECODE.net, 10/22).