TNT is "upending its traditional ad format" for Sunday's NBA All-Star Game in Chicago, as it will "air the fourth quarter ad-free." The fourth quarter will not have a clock, and WarnerMedia said that the ad-free quarter will "not affect overall ad loads during the game and isn't expected to dent" its game ad revenue (ADWEEK.com, 2/13). The ad-free segment marks the "first time" the presentation of the game will "take commercials out of part of the broadcast" (VARIETY.com, 2/13).

Meanwhile, on Saturday night, President Obama will sit for a "fireside chat" with some of the NBA's "biggest stars," including Bucks F Giannis Antetokounmpo, Cavaliers F Kevin Love and Thunder G Chris Paul. ESPN's Mike Wilbon also will sit in on the conversation. Officials with the Obama Foundation "would not say how many people will be in the audience or where the event will take place" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 2/14).

The NBA "has not released all of its plans" on how it will honor the late Kobe Bryant this weekend, though singer Jennifer Hudson "will perform a tribute." It also "seems likely United Center will hold a moment of silence and present a Bryant video tribute" (USA TODAY, 2/14). Player uniforms "will honor" Bryant, as well as late NBA Commissioner David Stern (SI.com, 2/12).

MLB is "raising the minimum salary for minor league players" in '21, as the league will give players a "wage increase between 38% and 72%." The bump was "discussed at last week's owners meetings and confirmed" in a memo to teams from MLB Exec VP/Baseball Economics & Operations Morgan Sword. Players at rookie and short-season levels will "see their minimum weekly pay raised from $290 to $400, and players at Class A will go from $290 to $500." Double-A will "jump from $350 to $600, and Triple-A from $502 to $700." Minor leaguers are "paid only during the five-month season and don’t receive wages" during the offseason or Spring Training (AP, 2/14).

Indianapolis Motor Speedway announced a spate of changes ahead of this year's Indianapolis 500, including several million dollars worth of renovations. During a press conference at IMS with Roger Penske, IMS President Doug Boles and IndyCar CEO Mark Miles, the track revealed that it will get Verizon's 5G capabilities, the first track to get it. It also will renovate 125 bathrooms and add 30 new large video boards/neon signage around the venue.

Penske has also brought on some new sponsors coming from Penske's business empire, including Pennzoil, Dex Imaging and Snap-on Tools. IndyCar will also increase the Indy 500 purse to $15M from $13M. Penske is believed to be plotting more dramatic changes that will be announced later this year. The price of the renovations announced Friday was not disclosed but it is expected to cost at least around $5M.

Ohio State's athletics department "reported an operating deficit" of $10M last year, the "first time in a decade that the department ended the fiscal year in the red." But OSU administrators "contend that the size of the budget deficit is significantly smaller -- a total shortfall of less than $1 million -- than what is listed" on its report to the NCAA. In its filing, OSU showed $210.5M in total revenues and $220.6M in operating expenses for FY '19. OSU "attributed the sizable discrepancy to bookkeeping, largely a change in how the department recorded donations" (COLUMBUS DISPATCH, 2/14).

Bespoke Sports & Entertainment has landed two new clients in the NASCAR industry, as the sport kicks off the '20 season with Sunday's Daytona 500. The Charlotte-based agency has signed Dixie Vodka and Cox Automotive; the former is newly entering the sport this season, while the latter is a longtime partner in the sport with its brands AutoTrader and Kelley Blue Book. Dixie is activating its new status as NASCAR's official vodka in several ways this year. Cox Automotive was in search of a new agency after it was previously with Aim Marketing Solutions, whose founder, Kristi Atkins, passed away last year after a battle with breast cancer. Bespoke's other clients in NASCAR include Axalta, Fiserv and Credit One Bank.

Bespoke co-Founder Greg Busch told THE DAILY that the new clients help justify the agency's decision to remain focused on NASCAR at a time when other agencies have diverted their efforts elsewhere. Busch: "This will be five straight years of growth for us. You go through these evolutions as a pure-play startup, and while we still carry a lot of the same entrepreneurial spirit and focus, we've kind of matured a little bit beyond that startup phase. So that’s really kind of the next chapter for us."

Daytona 500 tickets on the secondary market are going for an average of $216, according to TickPick, the most expensive that it has been in the last several years. The $216 average resale price is up 21% from last year's price of $179; it was $163 in '18, $173 in '17 and $162 in '16. The get-in price currently is $125. The track announced its fifth consecutive grandstand sellout for the race on Thursday.

IFC Films' "Olympic Dreams" hits theaters on Friday, and actor Nick Kroll noted the movie is the first feature-length film "shot entirely inside of the Olympic Village." Kroll said Alexi Pappas, who competed in the '16 Rio Games for Greece, and her husband received a grant from the IOC "to make some art" during the '18 Pyeongchang Games, and they "chose to make a film." Kroll said the IOC was "expecting, I think, some short films." NBC's Al Roker noted the access given to the filmmakers had "never been allowed to happen before" ("Today," NBC, 2/12).

Kroll noted the IOC typically does not "give out passes to very many people to get inside the Olympic Village." He added, "We were part of the Olympics. We had access to elements of the Olympic Games that nobody's ever really seen before." Comedy Central's Trevor Noah: "I've never seen pieces about the Olympic Village the way I saw them in this film. ... You never see the Olympic Village where the athletes just eat" ("The Daily Show," Comedy Central, 2/13). 

Alex Rodriguez is "kicking the tires" on a putting together a potential bid for the Mets, according to sources (N.Y. POST, 2/14).

PepsiCo signed a five-year deal to become the official non-alcoholic pouring partner of Orlando City SC, the NWSL Orlando Pride and Exploria Stadium (Orlando City).

The D-backs signed a partnership with locally based Banner Health, making the team's Spring Training facilities the Banner Sports Medicine Performance Center (D-backs).

The Chiefs "announced a three-year agreement to preserve" the team's training camp at Missouri Western State Univ. through '22 season with an "option to extend the deal" to '24 (KANSASCITY.com, 2/14).

Turner Sports this weekend during TNT's NBA All-Star Weekend coverage will debut a promo for an upcoming documentary on 30 years of "Inside The NBA" (Joe Perez, THE DAILY).

"I realistically -- I'm being honest -- want to do it at least four more years because I don't want to work past 60" -- Charles Barkley, on his role as co-host of TNT's "Inside The NBA" ("Today," NBC, 2/14).

"Manfred’s punishment was weak, giving them immunity. I mean these guys were cheating for three years. I think what people don’t realize is (Astros 2B Jose) Altuve stole an MVP from (Yankees RF Aaron) Judge in ’17. Everyone knows they stole the ring from us" -- Dodgers RF Cody Bellinger, on the Astros sign-stealing scandal (LATIMES.com, 2/14).

"One of the problems I have with it is that (spring training) opening day 2020, there’s 50 media people here and 47 were at the Houston Astros, who cheated to win a WS, and there were 3 of them here w/the current, reigning world champions. And that's not right" -- Nationals GM Mike Rizzo, on the lack of attention paid to his team coming off a championship season (TWITTER.com, 2/14).

Watched Wk 1 of @xfl2020 from the couch & fell in love with the unique broadcasts & unprecedented access. After a player dropped an F-bomb in a live interview, I yelled”WHY AM I NOT COVERING THIS?”
Thrilled that I’ll be on the sidelines for Sunday’s @XFLRenegades/@XFLWildcats gm!

— Molly McGrath (@MollyAMcGrath) February 14, 2020

Roger Penske insists that connectivity for the guest experience is critical to the future at @IMS, and he's made that a priority for 2020 race.

— Curt Cavin (@curtcavin) February 14, 2020

Colleagues: Please share/remind your SIDs/marketing folks... Div I baseball teams all over America will observe a 14-second moment of silence TODAY in honor of legendary coach No. 14 John Altobelli & family. HUGE impact on game. #Alto #14on14th @KendallRogers @BaseballAmerica

— Bill McGillis (@BillMcGillisUSD) February 14, 2020

Cashman said the Yankees are “upset” with what the Astros did in sign stealing scandal. But there’s nothing Yankees can do about now it so they have to “try and leave the past in the past.”

— Jack Curry (@JackCurryYES) February 14, 2020

Adam Silver turns hotel ballroom into the United Center, with an assist from Bill Murray at NBA All-Star Tech Summit in Chicago. pic.twitter.com/F4cpUmVhvU

— NBA (@NBA) February 14, 2020

This montage from Bleacher Report showcases the enduring influence of Vince Carter's performance in the slam dunk contest during the '00 NBA All-Star Weekend.

$23.6M --The purse for this year's Daytona 500, a new record for the race (Daytona Int'l Speedway).