Google has signed on as the NBA's All-Star voting partner through a new multiyear deal. All-Star Voting '19 presented by Google will tip off Christmas Day before concluding on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Jan. 21. Fans will be able to vote by searching on Google, through the Google Assistant and via the NBA App and NBA.com. Five “2-for-1 Days” will allow fans to have their votes count twice on Jan. 3, 4, 10, 11 and 21. The All-Star Game will be played in Charlotte on Feb. 17, and it will follow last year’s format in which rosters will be chosen by the two captains drawing from the pool of players voted in (NBA).

David Baker "is remaining" as President & CEO of the Pro Football HOF under a five-year extension, and he also "will take the role" of Chair of the new Johnson Controls HOF Village. Baker will oversee the $889M mixed-use development under way around the HOF's Canton campus, "as well as continue running the hall." He has been with the HOF since '14 (AP, 12/17). Baker has been "commended for his efforts to increase the amount of national programming the Hall offers and to improve the nonprofit's financial situation" (CANTONREP.com, 12/17).

MLS this afternoon made a "significant overhaul to the MLS Cup playoffs." The playoff fields have "been expanded by two teams -- one in each conference -- and home-and-away series in the middle rounds of the playoffs have been replaced with single-game knockout matches all the way through the tournament." In another "much-discussed development, the entirety of the MLS Cup playoffs will be conducted in between two FIFA international windows during which friendlies and meaningful international matches are conducted." As part of the change, "Decision Day," the "final matchday of the regular season, and the MLS Cup championship match have both been pushed up about three weeks" (CINCINNATI.com, 12/17).

The Warriors announced Chase Center COO Stephen Collins will join Oak View Group in July following the completion of the team’s new sports and entertainment project. Collins joined the Warriors in his current role in May '15 and will have the same title with OVG. The $1B Chase Center is set to open in September. Collins in his current job is responsible for design, construction and operational efforts around the new facility. The Warriors plan to hire a GM for the arena who will work with Collins during the transition period.

The Dodgers announced the addition of former Red Sox radio play-by-play man Tim Neverett to their broadcast team. Neverett, who had called Red Sox games for the last three years, will call a select number of Dodgers games on both radio and TV. He will handle play-by-play duties on SportsNet LA during Joe Davis' national work for Fox and on radio for longtime announcer Charley Steiner, who has requested to cut back on his schedule. The Dodgers also announced a contract extension for Steiner through the '21 MLB season (Dodgers).

Las Vegas Motor Speedway has signed a deal with Massachusetts-based digital marketing agency ThriveHive for the company naming rights to the track’s media center. Terms were not released for the multiyear deal, but a source valued the pact in the mid six figures annually. The media center will be rebranded as the ThriveHive Digital Center, and the company will get branding and signage throughout the media center and trackside, plus some hospitality assets. ThriveHive will also get to hold a B2B event at LVMS where the track will bring out local small businesses as part of the deal.

LVMS has been working with ThriveHive for the past couple years to expand and make more efficient its digital advertising presence, including SEO and digital ad placements. Over the last year, the track discussed the possibility of ThriveHive adding an advertising component to their relationship since the company’s clientele is small- to mid-sized business owners, which the NASCAR industry and fanbase is replete with. SMI is also now talking to ThriveHive about hiring the company to help out on some of its digital marketing efforts across SMI’s other seven speedways, though those details are not yet finalized.

DragonSpeed "confirmed a part-time" IndyCar program in '19 with the "intention of going full-time the following year." The FIA World Endurance Championship team "has confirmed its expected deal for its sportscar regular Ben Hanley to pilot the team's single-car entry" in IndyCar. It has also "signed Chevrolet as its engine supplier." DragonSpeed plans to "make its on-track debut" at the official preseason test in Austin on Feb. 12-13 (AUTOSPORT.com, 12/17).

Our sister publication, The Esports Observer, runs a regular briefing recapping the week that was in esports. This week: The longest partnership in esports is on the table for another three years; Immortals’ CEO passes on his reins; and the professional scene for Heroes of the Storm is abruptly canceled.

The 76ers named TruMark Financial Credit Union an official team partner under a multiyear deal. TruMark becomes the team's first-ever official credit union (76ers).

Credit One Bank has signed on as a founding level multiyear partner with the Triple-A PCL Las Vegas Aviators, owned by The Howard Hughes Corp. (Credit One Bank).

"We have a good product here at UB. We want to get our hooks into them and keep bringing them back" -- Univ. at Buffalo AD Mark Alnutt, on attendance increases for men's basketball. Alnutt acknowledged that a pilot program allowing for alcohol sales at Alumni Arena "has contributed to ticket sales" (BIZJOURNALS.com, 12/17).

“I have a very limited artistic skill-set. For whatever reason, I can draw shoes. There’s not very many things I can draw though" -- Nets G Spencer Dinwiddie, on designing his own game sneakers (THEATHLETIC.com, 12/17).

Good morning! I am thrilled to announce that I will be joining The Turner Sports Family this month! I’ll be partnered w/ ⁦@ripcityhamilton⁩ for the rest of the @nba season including playoffs, broadcasting ⁦@NBAonTNT⁩ VR! Join in on the fun!🏀😍 https://t.co/Xskyg2ZtdQ

— Stephanie Ready (@StephanieReady) December 17, 2018

If CFB commissioner for a day
1) Get rid of divisions
2) Everyone plays same number of league games
3) Win your conference to compete for National Championship
4) Move ineligible downfield barrier to 1 yard instead of 3 yards
5) Give players their Name & Likeness back

Your Turn

— Joel Klatt (@joelklatt) December 17, 2018

Nebraska adds 2025 home game w/Akron. Zips will receive $1.45 million for game. Also NU & Akron reach settlement w/Akron receiving $650,000 for 2018 cancelled game

— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) December 17, 2018

Sorry that I dissed ‘Game On’ in my tweet about Cris Collinsworth’s slides. I didn’t mean to upset Carrie or her fans, and I'm all about supporting women too. I just miss ‘Waiting all day for Sunday Night.'

— Jessica Smetana (@jessica_smetana) December 17, 2018

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

The Browns rolled out this brief Christmas-themed video, drawing a parallel between Santa's reindeer the team's offensive line, led by assistant coach Bob Wylie.

6,000 -- Number of main stadium seats that the NFL is now allowed to price higher than the base price for a club seat or suite ticket, as voted on by the owners last week in Dallas. Previously, "only 2,500 seats could be priced higher" (SPORTS BUSINESS JOURNAL, 12/17 issue).