The first public impeachment hearings into President Trump began today in the House of Representatives, but WarnerMedia News & Sports Chair and CNN Worldwide President Jeff Zucker was in L.A. to talk shop during Day 2 of the Endeavor Streaming Sports Media & Technology conference. Zucker addressed the recent awarding of UEFA Champions League (UCL) rights, which will move from Turner to CBS starting in the fall of '21: “We tried. We made a bid. We wanted to keep it and we made a bid that we thought was appropriate for us and appropriate for our business and our business model. I’m incredibly comfortable with where we were and what we bid. Obviously, we’re sorry that we won’t be in that business after next season, but I think that we did the right thing and came out in the right place.” He called UEFA’s bid process, which comes up in the middle of the second season of a three-season deal, “not ideal.” Zucker: “Their timing was such that this is when they wanted to do it. That was a little unfortunate, but we don’t control that.”

Fox Sports CEO & Exec Producer Eric Shanks on a separate panel at the conference also confirmed that his network made a bid for UCL rights. “We love the product,” he said. “We bid on a package that we thought was right for us and our strategy.” Shanks, like Zucker and NBC Sports Group President Pete Bevacqua, was “surprised” CBS landed the UEFA package. “We were unaware that there was a new participant coming into the market,” he said. Shanks added that he believes his network helped elevate the visibility of the UCL during the more than 15 years it was with Fox Sports. “The way that we put it across, at the time, Fox Soccer Channel, and FS1 and Fox broadcast -- we like to think we had a little something to do over those 15, 17 years making it the valuable property that it is,” Shanks said. “UEFA doesn’t send us a 10% check for some reason,” he joked.

WarnerMedia News & Sports Chair and CNN Worldwide President Jeff Zucker addressed load management issues going on with NBA players right now. NBA media partners have seen ratings decline again to start the season, with injuries being one culprit, as some top players have sat for national broadcasts. "We came into the season with incredibly high hopes given the new lineups and exciting new teams," Zucker said, "Unfortunately there have been a number of injuries that hurt this first part of the season." He added, "Let’s just hope that everyone gets healthy, and everybody plays. One of the things that needs to be addressed is top players sitting too often." Asked how the NBA should address the issue of players sitting, Zucker said, "The league certainly has some influence over teams and I’d like to see them exert that a little bit."

Sinclair Senior VP/Corporate Development Scott Shapiro called the process to acquire 21 Fox Sports RSNs via Disney over the summer “very interesting,” with “lots of twists and turns.” Shapiro, opening Day 2 of the Endeavor Streaming Sports Media & Technology conference, said, “We were pretty resolute that we were the best buyer, probably the underdog. I think we were certainly a little bit lucky that other strategic buyers were, for whatever reasons specific to them, not participating in the process.” Shapiro also hinted that Sinclair is open to further acquisitions. “We’re a consolidator,” he said. “We’ve purchased over 100 television stations in the last decade and obviously we’ve purchased 23 RSNs, and if there’s an opportunity to add in a creative way, we would very happily look at it.”

Sinclair and Amazon both recently invested in YES Network, and the reason behind Amazon’s involvement was a topic on Day 1 of the conference. Shapiro said of Amazon getting into the RSN business, “Any time you have more partners, it always gets more complex. I would encourage everybody to ask Amazon what they’re planning on doing. I think we’re excited to have them as part of the ownership group and hopefully they feel that way about us, too. They have a sports strategy just like other major media companies, and I’m looking forward to seeing how that plays out over the next couple years.”

Meanwhile, Shapiro confirmed that the Cubs’ Marquee Sports Network, which is backed by Sinclair, is on track to launch in February.

Chiefs Chair & CEO Clark Hunt "believes the NFL must 'seriously consider' reducing the preseason and expanding the regular season to 17 games, giving the league additional inventory that would allow for more games internationally." Hunt said, "Reducing the preseason is something everybody would be in favor of." He has "long been a proponent of expanding the NFL to new markets." The team faces the Chargers in Mexico City on Monday night, a "do-over of sorts after their game there last year was moved because of field conditions." Hunt added that the "new playing surface at Azteca Stadium has allayed any lingering concerns" (AP, 11/13).

FanDuel has signed on as the official DFS sponsor of the Titans, as the brand continues to work artfully within NFL rules prohibiting sportsbook promotion. The Titans are the sixth NFL team to join FanDuel’s portfolio, along with the Jets, Colts, Steelers, Redskins and Jaguars. All but the Jaguars play in markets that include states with legal sports betting. FanDuel’s deal with the Titans runs through the end of the season and includes promotion of a free-to-play prediction game, along with in-stadium signs and digital/radio advertising. Tennessee legislators approved mobile-only sports betting through the state lottery in April. Sportsbooks expect to begin operating in the state next year, likely after the NFL season wraps up.

Former Browns players Joe Thomas and Andrew Hawkins tonight will host a live taping of their podcast "The ThomaHawk Show" at the House of Blues Cleveland, celebrating their 100th episode. They will be "joined by a cadre of special guests," including numerous former Browns players. With NFL Network in town for tomorrow's Steelers-Browns "TNF Game," the net will be "well represented with appearances by Michael Irvin, Steve Smith Sr., Colleen Wolfe and Andrew Siciliano" (Cleveland PLAIN DEALER, 11/13).

Huge get! Can not wait! This is going to be something @Browns fans are talking about for years to come! Already got a sneak peak at some of the stories that are going to be told by the star studded guest list and OMG😳😳😂😂🍻🍻🔥

Kyle Shanahan...drink https://t.co/ZEJMKvDqMA

— Joe Thomas (@joethomas73) November 13, 2019

Disney+ said that it has "surpassed 10 million sign ups in less than two full days after its launch" yesterday morning (MULTICHANNEL.com, 11/13).

MLS expansion club Inter Miami CF will "play its inaugural home game" on Mar. 14, 2020 against the Galaxy. The game is scheduled to kick off at 2:30pm ET at the team’s new Ft. Lauderdale stadium, a 19,000-seat facility being built on the site of the former Lockhart Stadium (MIAMI HERALD, 11/13).

Alarm.com has signed on as the jersey patch sponsor for NBA 2K League franchise Wizards District Gaming (Monumental Sports & Entertainment).

“At this point, I’ll believe it when I see it. At this point, it feels like a PR stunt" -- Panthers S Eric Reid, on the NFL's planned workout for Colin Kaepernick (TWITTER.com, 11/13).

“Are there going to be other apparel brands or other brands in general that follow Nike’s lead out the door and say, ‘You know what, maybe we don’t actually need Amazon,’ or we’ll at least test it out for six months?” -- CNBC’s Seema Mody, on Nike's decision to stop selling products directly through Amazon (“The Exchange,” CNBC, 11/13).

The #MNTwins have extended the contracts of both chief baseball officer Derek Falvay and general manager Thad Levine through 2024. Both were under contract through 2021 but have had their deals redone.

— Dan Hayes (@DanHayesMLB) November 13, 2019

At #NYJets: Owner Christopher Johnson told reporters today that Adam Gase will not be fired now or after season. Called Gase "good man, good coach." Likes dynamic w/Joe Douglas. Told team Wednesday that Gase is safe. Johnson said reaction from players was positive.

— Kimberly Jones (@KimJonesSports) November 13, 2019

My babygirl just called me on #FaceTime and said daddy I need that @disneyplus and the way she said it was like you need to do this now! I have no time to waste and low-key I feel the same way!! 🤷🏾‍♂️

— Marcus Spears (@mspears96) November 12, 2019 

Tacko Fall: “People in Maine, I noticed they’re a little more, like, I don’t know — a lady wanted to take a picture and she just sat on my lap the other day. They’re just very friendly.”

— Nicole Yang (@nicolecyang) November 12, 2019

Golfer Eddie Pepperell was disqualified from Saturday’s Turkish Airlines Open because he ran out of balls.

No @PBR athlete has ever been disqualified for this infraction. pic.twitter.com/QYhccon8uD

— Sean Gleason (@pbrceo) November 13, 2019

Only in South Africa 🇿🇦#NGC2019 #RolexSeries pic.twitter.com/N9ER4iVRMB

— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) November 13, 2019

The trailer for the third season of LOL Network's "Cold As Balls" touts the latest crop of sports guests who have agreed to be interviewed by Kevin Hart while taking an ice bath. The first episode, featuring Thunder G Chris Paul, is already live. 

$398.42 -- Average resale price of tickets to Sunday's Patriots-Eagles game at Lincoln Financial Field, making it the NFL's "hottest ticket on the Week 11 schedule," according to data from TickPick. The average purchase price is 52% "higher than than the next closest game," which is Broncos-Vikings (BIZJOURNALS.com, 11/13).