UNC athletics

North Carolina released its new 12-year contract with multimedia rights holder Learfield today, revealing that the school stands to make $151.75M guaranteed through '28-29. Learfield, UNC’s longtime partner, will pay the school $144.75M in royalties, plus a $3M signing bonus, which was paid to the school earlier this year. Another $4M will go to capital projects and tech upgrades.

A clause in the contract also addresses campuswide marketing, saying that the school will receive 70% of revenue from sales of campus (non-athletic) assets. UNC will have the opportunity to make performance bonuses from conference and national championships in football and men’s basketball, national championships in Olympic sports and top finishes in the Learfield Director’s Cup, ranging from $10,000 to $100,000 (Michael Smith, THE DAILY).

Meanwhile, UNC officially unveiled its 10-year contract with Nike, which calls for the brand to remain as the school’s exclusive supplier of athletic footwear and apparel through June '28. This is the third extension of the partnership, which began in '93 (UNC).

The Mariners and T-Mobile today formally announced that they have entered into a multiyear ballpark naming-rights deal that "will align with their new lease agreement of 25 years, with an annual value" of $3.5M. The "total value of the naming rights" will be $87.5M. Revenue from the deal will be "targeted for the maintenance and capital improvements" the team is obligated to perform and which total about $25M annually. As part of the deal, a "popular fan area" in the outfield will now be called the "T-Mobile 'Pen" (FORBES.com, 12/19).

The long awaited Independent Review of Integrity in Tennis has concluded that the ITF failed to perform effective due diligence on the effects of selling scoring data from tens of thousands of matches at the lowest pro levels of the sport, unleashing an integrity crisis that one investigator described as a “tsunami.” The review calls for the cessation of selling data from these lower-tier events and the elimination of gambling sponsorships at all pro events. The report did not find an integrity problem as the higher levels of the sport, like the ATP, WTA and Grand Slams.

The ITF, which first entered into a data deal in '11 and then again in '15 with Sportradar, and other tennis bodies have previously pledged to abide by the recommendation. “The Panel recognizes that these recommendations will have an adverse impact on the ITF’s revenues, a substantial part of which is reinvested in promoting tennis at what is essentially a developmental level of the game,” the report said. "The Panel therefore recommends that the other International Governing Bodies should contribute greater funds to assist the ITF’s critical function of developing the next generation of professional tennis players."

The ITF renewed with Sportradar for $70M through '20. In the past, the two entities have declined to assess how much of that figure can be attributed to the lowest rungs of the sport. The ITF in a statement pointed to the reforms the report endorsed, but a spokesperson declined to elaborate if the association would restructure the Sportradar deal. Sportradar could not immediately be reached for comment, though a spokesperson previously disputed that its data deal had led to corruption at the lowest levels of the sport. Because pay is so low at the lower levels of tennis, that makes players more susceptible to fixing matches. Before '11, the scores were not sold to gambling houses, so this had not been a concern.

Former NYRR President & CEO Mary Wittenberg has taken over as "president of a popular U.S.-based pro cycling team that was rescued last year by an investment" from an international education company. EF Education First "stepped in to sponsor the cycling team formerly known as Cannondale-Drapac." Wittenberg’s job "will include identifying partnership opportunities and exploring resources to benefit the team, along with liaising between EF leadership and EP Pro Cycling staff." She left NYRR in '15 after 10 years leading the marathon organizer (WSJ.com, 12/19).

Austin officials today "finalized a deal" to build an MLS stadium on "city-owned land." City Manager Spencer Cronk signed a lease/development deal with Precourt Sports Ventures, the "result of negotiations that were approved by the Austin City Council in August." PSV will privately finance a $200M stadium at McKalla Place, and the city "will own the 20,000-seat facility and lease it back to the team." PSV agrees to pay $8.25M in rent "over a 20-year lease term," and the ownership group also will kick in $3.64M to "Capital Metro to be used on transit facilities." The Austin FC franchise "will likely begin play" in '21 at the new venue (STATESMAN.com, 12/19).

Precourt Sports Ventures

Former NASCAR and Champ Car driver A.J. Allmendinger will join NBC Sports' motorsports coverage in a multiyear deal beginning next month. Allmendinger will appear on IMSA SportsCar Championship coverage and on NBCSN's "NASCAR America" (NBC).

Live streaming company SportsCastr is partnering with with Stats LLC to collaborate on developing new offerings (SportsCastr).

The NLL is partnering with WPP-owned sports marketing agency Two Circles, with a focus on game day and digital media (NLL).

U.S. Ski & Snowboard has reached a deal with Probar, which becomes the NGB's official protein bar, nutrition bar, energy bar, energy chew and nut butter (USS).

The Univ. of Wisconsin-Milwaukee athletic department announced an expanded five-year partnership with the Orthopaedic Hospital of Wisconsin. The school claims that this is the "largest-ever sponsorship in the UWM program's history" (BIZJOURNALS.com, 12/19).

The NASCAR HOF in May will launch a special exhibit celebrating Richard Childress Racing's 50th anniversary: "RCR 50: Only in America" (NASCAR HOF).

"It's a mobile business. If they're trying to limit it to land-based operators on one particular block in a state, then it feels like an effort that will not reap the rewards they're hoping it will" -- The Action Network Chief Content Officer Chad Millman, on how sports betting is better suited for mobile platforms than brick-and-mortar sportsbooks (Memphis COMMERCIAL APPEAL, 12/19).

"I applaud the NCAA for thinking outside the box and believing this would be an interesting way to bring schools from one conference together" -- Big East Commissioner Val Ackerman, on the conference being chosen by the NCAA to represent the U.S. at the '19 Pan Am Games (ESPN.com, 12/18).

With overhauled 2019 schedule, some questioned what kind of fields new events in Detroit & Minnesota will be able to draw. First piece of that puzzle in place as @b_dechambeau commits to 3M Open in early July.

— Will Gray (@WillGrayGC) December 19, 2018

Syracuse has sold out its ticket allotment for the Camping World Bowl. Orange taking over Orlando.

— Stewart Mandel (@slmandel) December 19, 2018

I don't want this message to get lost in the shuffle: taking 3 weeks off in a 5 year span of time is neither smart nor healthy.

I know we're all grinding to grow the space & our roles in it, but balance is a key driver to success. Take the time to recharge.

— Bryce Blum (@esportslaw) December 19, 2018

FOX analyst DeMarco Murray is considering taking the RB coach job on the University of Arizona staff, under Kevin Sumlin, per source.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 19, 2018

Prep for the Winter Classic is underway at Notre Dame Stadium! pic.twitter.com/XDSQQvSPcs

— Travis Robinson (@TRobinsonWNDU) December 19, 2018

MLB released this video to begin the 100-day countdown until Opening Day '19.

20 -- Approximate number of "groundbreaking ceremonies for soccer-specific stadiums" in MLS that league Commissioner Don Garber has attended, "by his own rough estimate" (CINCINNATI ENQUIRER, 12/19).