The Univ. of Kansas today named former Arkansas AD Jeff Long to the same position. Long, who was at Arkansas from '08-17, "replaces Sheahon Zenger, who was fired on May 21." He will make $1.5M per year for five years. Long has a "strong reputation in the college football community." He was the inaugural CFP selection committee chair in '14 and '15 and also was selected as the '15 AD of the Year by SBJ/SBD. Long will be introduced at a press conference at KU on Wednesday (KANSASCITY.com, 7/5).

The EPL has agreed to its "first broadcast deal with Facebook," with the social media company "winning exclusive rights to show live matches in large parts for Asia" starting in '19. Facebook is "understood to have beaten BeIn Sports and Fox Sports Asia in the auction to gain live broadcast rights in Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos" from '19-22 in a deal worth about US$264M. Facebook "will live stream all 380" EPL matches per season, marking its "biggest and most high-profile sports offering to date." This follows Amazon’s "breakthrough deal in the U.K. last month in which it gained the right to show 20 live matches per season." It is the "latest indication" of the EPL's "determination to appeal to streaming services as well as traditional broadcasters" (THETIMES.co.uk, 7/5).

ISC President John Saunders today discussed the company's Q2 attendance decline of 10% with financial analysts, and he "matter-of-factly mentioned the lack of star power" in NASCAR. Saunders: "We still have an issue with star power and hopefully this stable of young drivers coming along will start to win and build their brands." Few observers "would argue that the recent retirements" of high-profile drivers "have drained some of the star power from the sport." Three drivers -- Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr. -- have "combined to win 13 of the 17 races this year" (ESPN.com, 7/5).

MSG Co. Chair & CEO James Dolan said that his company "might buy" the 22 RSNs that Disney has agreed to sell to complete its Fox acquisition. Dolan: "We're paying attention. I suppose at the right price we might." He added, "We still think there's potential but the market is changing a lot and nobody is growing revenues much because everything is fully distributed and fully priced. The question is what happens from there." Dolan noted that RSNs are "valuable and throw off a lot of money." But he said, "It's a slow, declining revenue stream" (NBCNEWS.com, 7/5). 

Major League Eating Chair George Shea appeared on NBC’s “Today” show along with the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest men’s champion Joey Chestnut and female champion Miki Sudo. Chestnut yesterday set a new record with 74 hot dogs, and he said it "took every ounce in me to not stop and yell at the guys that were counting," because they had miscalculated the number of hot dogs consumed. Shea: “Those were the counters, not the judges. When the judges came in, we got it.” NBC’s Craig Melvin: “But the counters -- not to oversimplify this – they’ve got one job. They're counting the hot dogs going in the mouth.” Shea replied, “That is exactly what I said: 'You have one job.'” When asked how many hot dogs he could eat today, Chestnut said, “Enough to win” (“Today,” NBC, 7/5).

Pacers Sports & Entertainment "plans to convert" the former Jason's Deli space at Bankers Life Fieldhouse into "retail space so that it can expand its Pacers Team Store." Jason's Deli "will remain a sponsor" of the Pacers until at least '21 (IBJ.com, 7/5).

A "consortium of primarily Canadian companies will construct" the Gordie Howe Int'l Bridge in Detroit. The Windsor-Detroit Bridge Academy today announced that ACS Infrastructure Canada, Fluor Canada and Dragados Canada will "lead the years-long construction" (CRAINSDETROIT.com, 7/5).

UFC has designated a heavyweight Francis Ngannou-Derrick Lewis bout as the new "co-main event" for UFC 226 on Saturday, after Max Holloway-Brian Ortega was called off. The Paul Felder-Mike Perry fight is "moving to the PPV portion of the card" (TWITTER.com, 7/5).

"Players need to band together in this. Unfortunately, getting all the players to stay together is one of the toughest things, if you want to battle for something in the CBA. It is the toughest thing because the billionaire owners have deeper pockets than millionaire players" -- ESPN's Mike Golic, on the idea of fully guaranteed contracts in the NFL ("Golic & Wingo," ESPN Radio, 7/5).

"It’s not the sole motivating factor. I love to just go out there and compete. But at the same time, knowing that you can decide your own fate is comforting because you go out and put it all on the line and have nothing holding you back because you already know what the reward is" -- MMA fighter Rick Story, who will make his Professional Fighters League debut tonight, on the format and payment strategy the outfit uses for its fighters (WASHINGTON POST, 7/5).

"I haven’t met a player that we haven’t overpaid for yet, and they smile when I say that” -- Islanders President of Hockey Operations & GM Lou Lamoriello, on the team being aggressive in free agency despite losing C John Tavares (NYPOST.com, 7/5).

Detroit has hired Brooklyn's Gregg Polinsky as Director of Player Personnel, league sources tell ESPN. Ed Stefanski and Polinsky worked together for years with the Nets. Polinsky will take on a larger front office role with Pistons.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 5, 2018

Hate to see what’s happened at @NBCSPhilly. Worked with so many great, talented people there—and now so many are gone.

— Jawn Gonzalez (@_JohnGonz) July 5, 2018

day before deadline, 6 1st rounders not completely done: No. 4 madrigal, chisox (agreed, $6.4M slot, just not signed), No. 20 larnach, twins (close to deal), No. 21 turang, brewers (optimism), No. 25, mclain, dbacks, No. 30 ginn, dodgers, No. 31 mcclanahan, rays (all: work to do)

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) July 5, 2018

The man who was behind A-Rod’s nearly unfathomable image rehab, PR maven Ron Berkowitz, will fill in as a co-host on CBS Sports Radio and CBSSN’s national afternoon show, Tiki & Tierney on Friday. #nevertweetonvacation

— Andrew Marchand (@AndrewMarchand) July 5, 2018

If you see a tweet we will not want to miss, send it to us at editorial@sportsbusinessdaily.com.

What happens in Monte Carlo stays in Monte Carlo!!! (I HOPE!!!!) #myheadhurts #FTM pic.twitter.com/ZTVrpnjX09

— Michael Rubin (@MichaelGRubin) July 5, 2018

This digital segment from ESPN features Deyna Castellanos, a soccer player for the Venezuelan national team and Florida State, providing a first-hand look at FIFA World Cup Fan Fest events in Russia.

40,000 -- The NBA's estimated increase in postseason travel "if it scrapped its current conference format and took the top 16 teams" (AP, 7/4).