The NFL "has decided to impose" rules for its offseason programs after failing to reach agreement with the NFLPA, telling teams in a Wednesday memo that "on-field work will be permitted." The NFLPA has "publicly called for the entire offseason to be conducted virtually in light of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic." The parts of the offseason program that are "voluntary under the CBA -- everything but the annual mandatory June minicamps -- will remain so." All meetings "will be conducted virtually" in Phases 1 and 2, but "on-field drills will be permitted" in Phase 2. Phase 3, which runs from May 24-June 18, "will include the normal 10 days of voluntary OTA work as well as the mandatory minicamps." Meetings during this phase "will be allowed to be conducted virtually or in-person." Players who participate in meetings or workouts virtually "will still be entitled to their $250 per diems, which was an important part of the NFLPA's request during the negotiations" (ESPN.com, 4/14).

CBS Sports has hired several big names from the racing world to comprise its broadcast team for the first season of the Superstar Racing Experience, bringing longtime announcer Allen Bestwick back to the sport among other bold-faced hires. The team will be comprised of former ESPN and Fox Sports anchor Lindsay Czarniak as host; Bestwick -- who formerly called top-flight NASCAR and IndyCar races for years -- as play-by-play person; NASCAR team co-owner and media personality Brad Daugherty as analyst; and former Fox Sports pit reporter Matt Yocum serving in the same position. CBS has also brought on Danica Patrick, IndyCar driver James Hinchcliffe and former IndyCar driver and current broadcaster Dario Franchitti to all do two races each as driver analysts.

SRX is racing six events this summer, all on the CBS broadcast channel, starting June 12 at Stafford Motor Speedway in Connecticut. The remaining five races are in the Midwest.

A capacity crowd will be present at UFC 264 on July 10 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, with the PPV card headlined by a Conor McGregor-Dustin Poirier trilogy fight. UFC President Dana White revealed the full-capacity plan today in a Twitter video, saying, "Ladies and gentlemen, that's 20,000 fans." This comes a day after Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak announced a "goal to remove social distancing restrictions by May 1 and reach 100% capacity across the state effective June 1." A statewide mask mandate "will remain." McGregor, despite earlier statements about pulling out of the fight, today said, "I signed bout agreement this morning. ... The Mac is back in Sin City! Full house!" (ESPN.com, 4/14).

ESPN MMA insider Ariel Helwani's current three-year deal is "up in June," and how the negotiation plays out "will say something about what ESPN is today and where sports media is headed." Shadowing the Helwani-ESPN talks is the "fact that UFC president Dana White has expressed utter disdain for Helwani." As part of his coverage of UFC, Helwani has "reported on the split of the money that the organization keeps as compared to the fighters, as well as other labor issues." Still, Helwani "would seem to be the type of person the network would want to desperately keep as UFC has proven to be a huge driver for subscriptions for ESPN+ and its pay-per-views." He also "helps drive the conversation during the week from 'SportsCenter' to YouTube to his podcasts" (N.Y. POST, 4/14).

Minnesota United has partnered with Bally Sports North and The CW Twin Cities to broadcast the '21 season. Headlining the 34-game season are five nationally televised games and 29 locally broadcast on Bally Sports North, with 19 simulcast on WUCW, including the April 24 home opener against Real Salt Lake. The local broadcasts will be presented by Bell Bank, a club partner since '18. The broadcast team on Bally Sports North features play-by-play announcer Callum Williams and color commentator Kyndra de St. Aubin (Minnesota United).

MLB.TV had its most-watched day in history with Opening Day on April 1, surpassing previous highs set on Opening Day '20. Users watched a total of 121 million minutes of live games on MLB.TV, up 26% from the previous high, while total games watched and total unique users were also up 28% and 24%, respectively vs. the previous high. The extra-innings Blue Jays-Yankees game was the most watched game on MLB.TV of all time, drawing 47% more viewers than the next most watched game: Cubs-Marlins in March '18. April 4 became the second most-watched day in MLB.TV history.

Meanwhile, live games on MLB Network are pacing up 7% compared to '20 through the first 11 days of the season in terms of average viewership (THE DAILY).

The Basketball Tournament unveiled its four regional sites and its quarterfinal site for the '21 version of its annual $1M "winner-take-all summer basketball bonanza." Games initially will be held at regional sites in Wichita, Columbus (Ohio), Charleston (West Va.) and Peoria (Ill.). The "quarterfinals, semis and championship games will be played in Dayton." TBT Founder & CEO Jon Mugar said that TBT "wanted to play a regional in Syracuse at the Carrier Dome," but "those plans were scrapped for this summer." The '21 event "will follow the playing format from last year, when Covid concerns narrowed the field to 24 teams (from 64) and condensed the tournament to 14 continuous days" (Syracuse POST-STANDARD, 4/14).

Athletes Unlimited has found a home for the debut of its lacrosse league this summer. The inaugural season will be played at Maureen Hendricks Field at the Maryland SoccerPlex outside DC. The five-week season, which kicks off on July 19, will allow a limited number of live fans and also will include a three-day national summit open to the nation’s top middle and high school female lacrosse players. Broadcast partners for AU’s debut lacrosse season have not yet been announced.

Braves legend Dale Murphy stepped into the “SportsTravel Podcast” batter’s box where he discussed a variety of baseball topics, including MLB’s efforts to market its young stars. Murphy said the issue is “probably some marketing, probably the nature of the sport” with a longer season and more deliberate pace, but the “good side is that baseball is popular to watch” regionally.

RAPID RESPONSE: Colorado Rapids GM Padraig Smith went on “The Early Bath” podcast ahead of the MLS season and noted soccer is the “biggest sport in the world and one of the biggest businesses and industries.” Smith: “If you’re not talented enough to play the game professionally, the next best way in is probably to be an accountant or a lawyer because they’re absolutely needed.”

GRIDIRON TRENDS: The “Quarter Four Podcast” welcomed NFL analyst Michael Lombardi and VaynerSports co-Founder & co-CEO AJ Vaynerchuk to discuss the business of the NFL. Vaynerchuk said one of the trends he is seeing in the NFL offseason is a “lot of players re-sign on one-year deals” with the “idea that the salary cap should bounce back.” Lombardi said because of losses incurred during the pandemic, some teams “really weren’t involved in free agency.”

Know of a podcast we should keep tabs on? Send an email to pbounds@sportsbusinessdaily.com. Also, check out SBJ's podcast home.

Screenvision Sports reached a multiyear agreement with Learfield IMG College, which will kick off during the '21 fall college football season, enabling SV Sports to serve as an in-venue media partner for more than 100 schools (Screenvision Media).

The 49ers are expanding their high school sports coverage to the Sacramento area with a new highlight show, “49ers Sac-Hi Sports,” which will air on NBC Sports California on Sunday nights starting in August (49ers).

Golf tee time booking service GolfNow has expanded its partnership with Indianapolis Motor Speedway's Brickyard Crossing Golf Course to enhance its technology services (GolfNow).

The PFL revealed that boxer Claressa Shields will make her PFL MMA debut against Brittney Elkin on June 10, with the match airing in primetime on ESPN2 and ESPN+ (PFL).

"I'm choosing things that are a little more than hobbies now" -- Austin FC co-Owner and Minister of Culture Matthew McConaughey, on his investment in the team ("SportsCenter," ESPN, 4/14).

"What I’d like to see, and it would have to happen organically, is like those college crowds who stand until the home team scores a basket, I’d like to see fans ‘Boom, baby!’ the first Pacers 3 of the night" -- Pacers radio play-by-play announcer Mark Boyle, on late analyst Bobby "Slick" Leonard, who died yesterday at 88 (THEATHLETIC.com, 4/14).

Kevin Durant won’t play in tonight’s game against the Sixers - which has huge seeding implications - after playing 27 minutes yesterday against the Wolves. This wasn’t originally a back-to-back for the Nets, but is now due to the awful events of the past few days in Minnesota.

— Rachel Nichols (@Rachel__Nichols) April 14, 2021

The ‘double hook’ experiment in the Atlantic League - a team losing its DH when it pulls a starting pitcher - is fascinating. Is it worth elevating the importance of starting pitchers/disincentivizing openers if it comes at a cost of Ortiz/Edgar/Cruz hitting w/games on the line?

— Alex Speier (@alexspeier) April 14, 2021

Here are *possible* rule changes for MBB for next season, per NCAA rules survey. Six-foul rule—with conditions—is interesting! Sign me up.

Also: "Limit number of timeouts that may be called by any one team in the last two minutes of the second period or of any OT period or two." pic.twitter.com/iV4XCsvAS7

— Matt Norlander (@MattNorlander) April 14, 2021

The #NHLBruins are using creepily lifelike mannequins to simulate pressure on defensemen shooting from the point. They move about as well as Moose and I do 😂 pic.twitter.com/8aLh2d2AGm

— The Camera Guys (@NBCSCameraGuys) April 14, 2021

$81.6M -- Total handle on theScore Bet in Q2, up 491% year-over-year and up 46% over Q1. The company also recorded its highest-ever Q2 media revenue, with 17% year-over-year growth (Score Media & Gaming).