The challenge of reaching young fans was a recurring theme on today’s opening panel at the ’18 CAA World Congress of Sports. For Cowboys Exec VP & Chief Brand Officer Charlotte Jones Anderson, that means staying relevant. Anderson: “How do we make them want to sit for the full experience? And if not, how do we take some of that content and offer it to them in a way that creates that same level of engagement?” Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott wants to be careful “not to overreact,” but has been surprised with student attendance levels at sporting events. Scott: “If you’re struggling to get students to walk half a mile for a $10 ticket, what’s gonna happen when they’re out in the work force and they see the price points?”

Ticketmaster North America President Jared Smith had a different take, noting that his company is seeing millennials spend more often for music than for sports. But he did note that leagues, with MLB being the leader, are creating more “cool factors” to make events more appealing to young fans. NBA President of Team Marketing & Business Operations and Chief Innovation Officer Amy Brooks noted her league is making similar youth efforts in the digital space, testing out different options with G League game telecasts on Amazon’s Twitch streaming platform.

Meanwhile, CBS Sports NFL analyst and Big3 Chair Amy Trask offered another perspective -- advising that the industry not alienate older populations when seeking to attract young fans. She noted one way sports is achieving this is by focusing on at-venue experiences that are important for those die-hard fans.

tony florez

The Indians and Twins are set to begin a two-game series at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico, with FS1 broadcasting tonight's game and ESPN airing tomorrow's contest. Twins LF Eddie Rosario said, "Fans are going to go crazy." Indians SS Francisco Lindor: "I can't wait to take the field in front of the fans in my homeland" (MLB.com, 4/16). Former MLBer Carlos Beltran "will throw out the ceremonial first pitch" for Game 1 (MLB.com, 4/16). A ceremony to "honor local citizens who went above and beyond the call to help others during Hurricane Maria" will be held "before the start of the first game" (OHIO.com, 4/16).

The A's tonight are celebrating 50 seasons in Oakland by offering "free admission and parking" for their home game against the White Sox, and about 70,000 people "have sent RSVPs indicating their intention to attend." The A's are "expecting a full house" of more than 65,000 at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, with the "tarps removed and seating normally used for football also accessible." The A's to date this season have drawn a total of 121,698 fans to their first eight home games (USA TODAY, 4/17). Both teams "will be wearing 1968-style uniforms" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 4/17).

A's manager Bob Melvin said, "It should be very exciting. ... When there's 15,000 (fans) here it sounds like 30,000. I don't know what the number's going to be, but it's going to feel like double that" (S.F. CHRONICLE, 4/17). It "could be an epic night, or it could be a nightmare, based on how inebriated and rowdy the Oakland 'fans' are" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 4/17).

Galaxy and Sweden national team F Zlatan Ibrahimovic will be the "global face of Visa's marketing campaign" for the '18 FIFA World Cup. Financial terms of the deal "were not publicly disclosed." In a new Visa promo spot, Ibrahimovic "holds up a jersey on which he has changed the 's' in VISA to a 'z,' and says, 'Zlatanized'" (FINANCE.YAHOO.com, 4/17).

Meanwhile, Ibrahimovic will appear tonight on ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live" at 11:35pm ET (THE DAILY).

Nate Silver's FiveThirtyEight is "moving to Disney-owned ABC News after five years" under the ESPN banner. The move is "part of ABC News' plans to fortify its political reporting in advance" of the '18 midterm elections. ABC News President James Goldston said that the site's "partnership with ESPN had 'run its course for both sides' and that ABC News would be a better fit for its emphasis on politics." ESPN held talks with "multiple other suitors," including The Atlantic and The Athletic (WSJ.com, 4/17).

Cardinals C Yadier Molina's M4 fashion brand has signed on to be an official partner of the MLB club. The Cardinals' Spanish-language radio booth will be renamed the M4 Radio Booth as part of the deal, and fans will also notice new M4 signage around Busch Stadium. The ballpark will also function as the exclusive retailer of M4 apparel in St. Louis (Cardinals).

Acting USOC CEO Susanne Lyons will not attend the first BOD meeting since she replaced Scott Blackmun in February, USOC Chief External Affairs Officer Patrick Sandusky said. The board started committee meetings today at the UCLA campus, and will hold its full board meeting tomorrow. However, Lyons will be in DC attending the U.S. Senate Commerce subcommittee hearing on how the USOC and other Olympic sports bodies handle sexual misconduct allegations. She will not testify. Lyons is still expected to take part in the standard post-board meeting media availability remotely, Sandusky said, but only if the Senate hearing concludes by then.

Uber has signed a four-year deal to become the official rideshare partner of Penn State athletics (THE DAILY).

Top amateur golfer Joaquin Niemann has signed a multiyear equipment contract with Ping. Niemann begins his pro career Thursday at the PGA Tour Valero Texas Open, where he will carry a Ping staff bag along with headwear displaying Ping branding (Ping).

Cheddar's new general news network, Cheddar Big News, launched today and will run VSiN video updates covering sports information and markets as part of its focus on the biggest news stories on a given day (VSiN).

Musical guests for next week's NFL Draft at AT&T Stadium include Spencer Ludwig, The Commonheart and White Reaper on Friday, with Tameca Jones and Vintage Trouble scheduled to appear Saturday (Cowboys).

John Amirante, the longtime NHL Rangers singer of the national anthem, has died at the age of 83. Amirante "was a fixture" at MSG from '80-'15 when he retired (NYPOST.com, 4/17).

"This process works, and it has worked for [coach Mike McCarthy] for a number of years. Obviously, that's why he's still here in his 13th season. We've had a lot of success here, and just got to trust the process" -- Packers QB Aaron Rodgers, amid rumors he is dissatisfied with some of the team's offseason moves (TWITTER.com, 4/17).

"I hope it opens the door for future players who want to come over from anywhere in the world. He's a unique talent who was able to succeed in his home country and his home league" -- Red Sox Senior VP & Assistant GM Eddie Romero, on the success of Angels P/DH Shohei Ohtani. Romero scouted Ohtani as a high school prospect in Japan (WEEI.com, 4/17).

“A little un-Canadian, don’t you think? Boasting, almost flaunting their dome” -- ESPN’s Bob Ley, on the Blue Jays tweeting that early-season MLB games can be played at Rogers Centre because it has a roof (“OTL,” ESPN, 4/17).

I wanna see if this kid Ohtani is really thaaat good tonite against MY boys....

— David Ortiz (@davidortiz) April 17, 2018

while there will be no decision in NJ sports betting case this week, the Sessions v. Dimaya ruling out today has a 5-4 majority - w the left + Gorsuch. a good reminder that it's not a lock that the right (or left) goes lockstep in all cases

— John Brennan (@BergenBrennan) April 17, 2018

Sharks are in position to be first NHL team ever to clinch a playoff series on the Golf Channel.

— Ray Ratto (@RattoNBCS) April 17, 2018

Patrick Sharp will be in studio serving as a guest analyst on NHL Live tonight & Weds on @NBCSN beginning at 6:30pm ET.

— Sean Leahy (@Sean_Leahy) April 17, 2018

As part of a series of podcasts with the 2018 Forty Under 40 honorees, Turnkey Sports interviewed Buccaneers Chief Ticketing Officer Ben Milsom. 

#NODRAW pic.twitter.com/h08PGoM7BY

— Gennady Golovkin (@GGGBoxing) April 17, 2018

Boston Marathon champion Desiree Linden appeared on NBC's "Today" show to discuss Sunday's race and becoming the first American woman to win in more than three decades.

$35,000 -- Base salary for NBA G League players for the '18-19 season. The league today announced that players will earn at least $7,000 per month over the five months of the season (G League).