Fox averaged 6.32 million viewers for the return of live NASCAR Cup Series racing yesterday from Darlington Raceway, marking a 38% uptick over the last race from Phoenix prior to the shutdown (4.58 million on March 8). The audience from Darlington also was a three-year Cup Series high for races outside the Daytona 500, dating back to Atlanta in '17 (6.6 million viewers the week after Daytona). That Atlanta race from ’17 also was the last time any non-Daytona race topped 6 million viewers. The last time any Darlington race drew over 6 million was in ’14 (6.04 million in mid-April).

There was a 47% increase among males 18-34 as well (compared to last race before shutdown), which was the largest increase among any demo for Fox yesterday. Greensboro led all markets with a 9.5 local rating, followed by Charlotte (9.1) and Indianapolis (8.9). Some of the biggest markets in the country also saw large gains compared to the last race before the shutdown, with L.A. up 150%, S.F.-San Jose-Oakland up 130% and Chicago up 127%. The race was almost the same exact audience as “The Last Dance” episode 1 premiere (6.34 million across ESPN/ESPN2).

For a recent iRacing comparison, the best audience for NASCAR was 1.34 million viewers on Fox/FS1 on March 29 around a virtual Texas Motor Speedway.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said that he "has been talking to professional sports teams to urge them to gear up and play again, if the economics of games without live spectators work." Cuomo in his daily briefing said even with no fans, "the games could be televised." Cuomo: "New York State will help those major sports franchises to do just that. Hockey, basketball, baseball, football, whoever can reopen, we’re a ready, willing and able partner” (NEWSDAY, 5/18). He added, "Why wait until you can fill a stadium before you start to bring the team back?" (CNBC.com, 5/18).

Meanwhile, California Gov. Gavin Newsom today said that the state "could see pro sports return by the first week of June without fans" (TWITTER.com, 5/18).

USGA Senior Managing Dir of Championships John Bodenhamer said the now-delayed U.S. Open at Winged Foot in September will be "significantly scaled back" if it is played. The targeted number of people "permitted to be on-site each day at the Open will be around 2,000." With a typical complement of fans, that number "would usually be around 40,000." The customary number of volunteers at a U.S. Open -- between 5,500-6,000 -- "will be cut to around 200." The USGA today also canceled "another four of its amateur championships," leaving only the U.S. Open, U.S. Women's Open, U.S. Amateur and U.S. Women's Amateur on the schedule for '20 (GOLFWEEK.com, 5/18).

A three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals today "unanimously upheld a district judge’s ruling that the NCAA cannot limit education-related benefits that college athletes can receive." In March '19, U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken ruled that the NCAA "had violated antitrust law." The appellate panel upheld but "declined to broaden the ruling, leaving intact the NCAA’s limits on compensation not connected to education." Attorney Steve Berman, whose firm repped primary plaintiff Shawne Alston, said, "It's a great decision for us. It opens the door for more challenges" (USA TODAY, 5/18).

ViacomCBS Chief Ad Revenue Officer Jo Ann Ross said the company is "planning to go forward with the Super Bowl as planned," but if the NFL season is affected by the pandemic, “there are contingencies in place.” NFL and related on-air talent will be a "key element" in the company's "online upfront" taking place today and tomorrow (DEADLINE.com, 5/18). 

The virtual event represents the first upfront for the combined company, and the "first official replacement events for last week’s canceled upfronts week presentations." Ross indicated that the company is "already in 'active' conversations about the NFL season and next February’s Super Bowl" (ADWEEK.com, 5/18).

FC Cincinnati is “allowing fans to vote on what the in-stadium seat color pattern looks like” for their new stadium set to open for the ’21 season. The club today launched an online vote “offering four options.” Two options feature some seats “painted orange in the shape of the club’s lion logo with variations of a blue backdrop.” Another has a “solid navy background made up of most seats in the stadium,” while the final choice has “most seats painted speckled navy, with the orange seats forming the shape of the lion” (BIZJOURNALS.com, 5/18).

The All In Challenge is at nearly $44M raised. New items and experiences on offer include:

• Travel with Patriots to an away game, game ball
• Play 18 holes with Greg Norman
• Serve as Texans captain for coin toss, private suite
• Chiefs game, dinner with OT Mitchell Schwartz, Rolex from WatchBox
• Nashville SC experience for four, autographed guitar

Big auctions and/or sweepstakes closing today:

• Softball game at Fenway Park coached by David Ortiz, Pedro Martinez
• Lunch with Barry Bonds, memorabilia package
• '21 Concacaf Gold Cup Final experience, signed match ball

The Knicks are "finalizing hiring" Jazz VP/Player Personnel Walt Perrin as Assistant GM as the team continues to "reshuffle" its front office under President Leon Rose, according to sources (TWITTER.com, 5/18).

Oregon horse racing track Grants Pass Downs "will hold its summer meet without spectators, with racing beginning June 16" (Grants Pass Downs).

The Titans this week will "honor individual senior classes from over 400 Tennessee high schools with a special display at Nissan Stadium" (Nashville TENNESSEAN, 5/18).

"I would hope there would be an understanding (from the league) if someone didn't feel comfortable coming back that'd you get a pass" -- Cavaliers F Larry Nance Jr., who suffers from Crohn's disease, on NBA players with preexisting health conditions hesitating to return to the court (ESPN.com, 5/18).

"We are exactly who this is meant for. ... We were one of the first to apply. We knew we would be applying for it. We were very prepared" -- Gateway Grizzlies GM Steve Gomric, on the unaffiliated Frontier League club securing a roughly $130,000 PPP loan through Commerce Bank (BIZJOURNALS.com, 5/18).

Sports without spectators could be back on the first week of June. Would that include Little League.

Asking for me. Also asking for a friend @kyamamura

— Ryan Lillis (@Ryan_Lillis) May 18, 2020

I’m rooting for Australia/New Zealand to get the #WomensWorldCup in 2023 (we’ll find out June 25). Day temps will be in low-to-mid 60s, so not a traditional summer. But ask any long-time Olympics reporter the best Games, they’ll say 2000.

— Zack Smith (@SportsFlackZack) May 18, 2020

Might be a reflection on fitness levels , but seen very little high pressing going on in Bundesliga this weekend.

— Ian Darke (@IanDarke) May 18, 2020

If I had $40M laying around, I'd definitely take this off @SharkGregNorman's hands. Incredible property. https://t.co/9zjkIkKgNY

— Steve Elling (@EllingYelling) May 18, 2020

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

Tried to buy this shirt last week. Got scammed. Then I realized it’s quarantine and I need a new hobby. So now I make shirts. Thanks Amazon.#TheLastDance pic.twitter.com/h5x1zk32i8

— Kelsey Riggs (@kelseyriggs) May 17, 2020

When ESPN writes a massive retrospective on Scottie's 1997 Game 1 trash talk line on Thursday so you just assume it'll be in the final Last Dance episodes and you prep the perfect meme, only to have it never be mentioned. Guess the mailman truly doesn't deliver on Sundays 😅 pic.twitter.com/3diShCzQJP

— ArtButMakeItSports (@ArtButMakeIt) May 18, 2020

The title of this Yahoo Sports video may be provocative, and even a bit unfair to Magic Johnson. But the dots connected here do add up to some interesting behind-the-scenes history.

$300M -- The estimated amount that Pennsylvania's sportsbooks lost out on during the month of April (PlayPennsylvania).