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Sources: McLaren Racing close to announcing IndyCar entry....Federer, Nadal join ATP Player Council....Baker Mayfield signs deal with BodyArmor

Sources: McLaren Racing Close To Announcing IndyCar Entry

By Adam Stern
mclaren

McLaren Racing is in the advanced stages of forming an IndyCar partnership for next year, according to sources, and the team could announce its new deal in the near future. McLaren has been working on fielding a full-time entry in next year’s NTT IndyCar Series, and Schmidt-Peterson Motorsports continues to be the team that sources say McLaren is most likely to align with. In partnerships like this, SPM would help McLaren field an entry in the series by helping supply car parts and other key technology or even manpower. 

Federer, Nadal Join Djokovic On ATP Player Council

Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal are "joining Novak Djokovic on the ATP Player Council, bringing the Big Three together to reshape a board that has been roiled by conflict." Federer and Nadal "were elected" along with doubles player Jurgen Melzer. They will "fill spots vacated after Robin Haase, Jamie Murray and Sergiy Stakhovsky resigned from the board before Wimbledon." Djokovic prior to Wimbledon had said that the ATP's governance structure "prevented players from making 'significant changes.'" The power struggle on the council "included its decision in March not to renew the contract" of ATP President & Exec Chair Chris Kermode" (AP, 8/8).

Baker Mayfield Signs Sponsorship Deal With BodyArmor

Browns QB Baker Mayfield has become BodyArmor's latest pro athlete "partner, investor and spokesperson." He joins a group that includes Colts QB Andrew Luck, Rockets G James Harden, Angels CF Mike Trout, golfer Dustin Johnson, USWNT F Megan Rapinoe, Jazz G Donovan Mitchell and Red Sox RF Mookie Betts, among others. Terms of Mayfield's deal with BodyArmor "were not disclosed." BodyArmor said that Mayfield will be "appearing in national advertising campaigns, local retail activations, appearances and part of social activations." The brand also is "sponsoring Mayfield's QB RV, the vehicle for Browns quarterbacks at training camp that was made famous last summer by the HBO series 'Hard Knocks'" (CRAINSCLEVELAND.com, 8/8).

Braves' Latest Financial Results Show 14% Increase In Revenue

The Braves "posted a 14% increase in revenue in the April-through-June quarter, compared with the same period a year ago." The Braves had revenue of $208M in the "most recently completed quarter." Team owner Liberty Media said that expenses also were up, "resulting in a slight dip in quarterly profit." Liberty attributed the Braves’ revenue increase to "more home games" in Q2 of '19 than '18 and "higher revenue per game 'primarily due to increased ticket and concession sales.'" 

Meanwhile, Liberty CEO Greg Maffei said the Braves’ attendance "looks good so far this season, aided by strong on-field performance." The NL East-leading Braves are averaging 32,895 per game through 57 home contests, an increase of 1,252 per game from the same point last year (ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION, 8/8).

Astros Extending Protective Netting At Minute Maid Park

By Karn Dhingra
astros

The Astros will extend the protective netting at Minute Maid Park prior to the team’s Aug. 19 homestand. The ballpark’s current netting will be replaced with knotless netting that will be extended further down the left-field and right-field lines, increasing the number of seats that will be located behind protective netting. In a season that has seen a number of fans get injured by foul balls, Minute Maid Park was the site of one of the more notable incidents. In late July, a 2-year-old girl in attendance at a Cubs-Astros game was struck by a foul ball and suffered a fractured skull and seizure.

Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl Announces Sellout For CFP Semifinal

The Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl has announced a sellout, making it the first New Year’s Six bowl game to "sell through all its individual game tickets." A record 99% percent of '18 ticket buyers "renewed their purchases" for this year’s CFP semifinal game. The bevy of renewals "helped the bowl reach its second-earliest sellout in its history and the 21st sellout in the last 23 games." The Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl ticket office said that it "sold 47,272 tickets to local and regional buyers, sponsors and partners." The remaining tickets are "allocated to the participating teams" (BIZJOURNALS.com, 8/8).

Esports Team FaZe Clan Helps Burger King Launch New Whopper

By Adam Stern
Burger King

Esports team FaZe Clan today is doing an activation with Burger King to help the QSR kick off national sales of its Impossible Whopper plant-based burger. Several of Faze Clan’s esports players and streamers will show up to a Burger King in Burbank, Calif., and will use their social media feeds to alert fans. Fans can then show up to the Burger King for meet-and-greets with the players and to sample the new burger, which Burger King is debuting nationwide today. FaZe Clan will also stream the event on its Twitch page. FaZe Clan is one of the most-followed gaming organizations in the world, with 6.9 million followers on Instagram, and it had several players compete in the Fortnite World Cup last month in N.Y.

For more coverage of the business of esports, visit our partners, esportsobserver.com.

Speed Reads....

There was a "gas explosion at Raymond James Stadium" this afternoon, and two workers were "taken to Tampa General Hospital." The two men were "working on a gas line in a vending area on the stadium's 300 level" (TAMPA BAY TIMES, 8/8).

All 12 WNBA teams and players will make their debut in NBA 2K20. All game modes featuring the WNBA will be available when NBA 2K20 is released on Sept. 6 (2K).

The Stronach Group hired National Thoroughbred Racing Association Exec Dir of Safety & Integrity Alliance Steve Koch as Senior VP/Racing (Stronach Group).

Deschutes Brewery signed a deal with the American Ultimate Disc League and will be its presenting partner and official beer in '20 (Deschutes).

Quick Hits....

"I work extremely hard at it. It’s definitely not second nature, but I love the game of baseball and I just can’t believe they’re actually paying me to talk about baseball. I would be doing that at home anyways, and my daughters would be like, shut up, dad" -- Alex Rodriguez, on being part of ESPN's "SNB" crew ("Mornings with Maria," Fox Business Network, 8/8).

"I want to take over the world, one business at a time" -- Retired U.S. skier Lindsey Vonn, on her post-competition career (AP, 8/8).

Twitter Me This....

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Daily Download....

The Capitals take an inside look at LW Alex Ovechkin's arrival in China earlier this week. Ovechkin has been in China as an international ambassador for the NHL.

Tonight's Events....

The WNBA L.A. Sparks will hold Pat Summit Leadership Night at Staples Center as they take on the Phoenix Mercury at 7:00pm PT on ESPN2.

Daily Digit....

2,800 -- Square footage of the ACC Network studio in Bristol, which was formally unveiled today (ACC Network).