Monahan did not answer "specifics about team golf" or whether players who left for LIV Golf "would be welcomed back to the Tour" Clayton Freeman/USA TODAY NETWORK

Negotiations with the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund are “accelerating” and PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan said there is a “shared vision to quiet the noise and unlock golf’s worldwide potential.” But Monahan today at TPC Sawgrass also said that the negotiations are "complicated and will 'take time,' that it is sensitive and that he sees a 'positive outcome.'" He noted a deal such as this “can’t be negotiated in public,” but offered that he and members of the PGA Tour Policy Board "went to Saudi Arabia in January to meet" with PIF Governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan (SI, 3/12). Monahan "refrained from answering specifics about team golf or whether or not players who left for LIV Golf would be welcomed back to the Tour" (GOLFWEEK, 3/12).

Golf Channel’s Notah Begay III said of Monahan’s press conference, “Some of the things I take a little bit of issue with in terms of having the trust and the support of the majority of the membership. One of your more influential players and a former player director in Rory McIlroy steps down just recently isn’t a demonstration of confidence.” Golf Channel’s Eamon Lynch: “He wasn’t evasive, but he was far short of expansive. He sang all the right notes but he’s not giving any details.” Lynch: “It was noteworthy on the areas that he avoided, specifically the question about division on the board. Because board members have called on other board members to leave. Jay quite distinctly did not answer that question” (“Live at the Players,” Golf Channel, 3/12).

Saudi Arabia has "made its move for tennis," with a $2B "take-it-or-leave it offer to merge the men’s and women’s tours." Sources said that after the Premium Tour discussions in Indian Wells on Saturday, ATP Chair Andrea Gaudenzi asked the Masters tournaments to "stay behind once the four grand slams had left the room." He then "briefed them on an offer from the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund." The deal is "apparently time-sensitive, with a 90-day expiration period if it is not accepted." The biggest upside for the PIF would be a Masters 1000 tournament in the first week of the season, which was "what the Saudis have wanted all along." However, this idea was "strongly opposed" by Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley, who has established the United Cup team event in the same slot of the calendar (London TELEGRAPH, 3/12).

Meanwhile, the London TELEGRAPH goes with the header, "Why women's sport is so central to Saudi plans."

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) today said that there is a "50-50 chance of Congress passing legislation that would provide antitrust protection and regulation to college athletics in the U.S. by the end of the year." Cruz speaking after he hosted a roundtable discussion on NIL "lowered his previous estimate of 60-40 of a bill getting through before the election in November," and said that he and his counterparts are "running out of time." Cruz believes that something "will eventually get done to standardize how athletes can be compensated" for their NIL and to give the NCAA and college conferences the "ability to govern college sports without the constant threat of lawsuits and state laws undercutting their authority" (AP, 3/12).

Former Alabama football coach Nick Saban during the roundtable discussion "advocated for revenue-sharing for college athletes," as he "believes a reform model that would make the athletes employees of universities is the wrong path for the future of college sports." Saban said, "You could create a better quality of life for student athletes, you could still emphasize development, personal, academic, brand, and athletic development, with a system like that. And it would be equal in all institutions. Somebody couldn't go out and raise more money at one school to create a competitive advantage over another." Alabama AD Greg Byrne agreed with Saban in "warning against the employment model," noting the "tax burden that would be placed on athletes for the benefits they receive from universities if they became employees." He also said that non-revenue Olympic sports "could potentially be cut" (TUSCALOOSA NEWS, 3/12).

ESPN

ESPN is "making a big addition to their global soccer coverage," bringing on former USWNT player Ali Krieger as the network's "lead voice for all women’s soccer coverage." Krieger will join ESPN as the lead analyst for the network’s NWSL coverage. Additionally, she will serve as a "lead voice for all soccer programming across ABC and ESPN platforms" including appearances on "SportsCenter" and "ESPN FC." Krieger will be joined by a number of new and familiar faces on ESPN’s NWSL coverage including play-by-play announcer Jenn Hildreth and former England national team player Lianne Sanderson. Krieger will provide ESPN with a "consistent presence covering soccer across a variety of platforms for arguably the first time since Taylor Twellman moved to Apple" to cover MLS (AWFUL ANNOUNCING, 3/12).

The N.Y. Liberty agreed to a new media rights deal with WNYW-Fox to "broadcast its games over the air locally for the 2024 season." The Liberty's new rights deal will have its "local broadcasts split between" WNYW and its sister station WWOR-TV in the N.Y. market. The deal will allow the team to "reach 7.5 million households across New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Connecticut." Games will also be streamed "on the Fox Local App" (THE ATHLETIC, 3/12). Liberty games previously aired on YES Network, and this move "avoids conflicts with the Yankees' season, which would sometimes move games to the YES App" (SI, 3/12).

The Premier Lacrosse League has expanded its partnership with Whirlpool, with the brand becoming a founding partner to the Maryland Whipsnakes, the first in league history. As founding partner of the Whipsnakes, Whirlpool will have a jersey patch on all team uniforms and broadcast entitlement rights to the Whipsnakes homecoming weekend in Baltimore at Homewood Field Aug. 2-4. The PLL and Whirlpool brand will also partner on community giveback programs. The Whirlpool partnership builds on its entitlement of the PLL’s announcement of the cities its teams will call home for the first time in league history (PLL).

Seville Golf & Country Club

The LPGA's Ford Championship presented by KCC has added the Thunderbirds as a founding partner for the new Phoenix-area event at Seville Golf and Country Club, with the group contributing $250,000 to the tournament's purse. The Thunderbirds is the organization that operates the PGA Tour's WM Phoenix Open. The contribution raises the tournament purse to $2.25M and the LPGA's season-long prize fund to $119.8M.

NCAA SVP & Chief Medical Officer Brian Hainline will retire from the association effective May 31. He was appointed the NCAA's first chief medical officer in 2013 (NCAA).

The Texas Rangers in collaboration with Rival will launch “Rangers Gaming,” the club’s official interactive gaming community for fans to connect online, starting with its inaugural tournament on March 18 featuring Call of Duty (Rival).

D.C. United and McDonald’s have extended their multiyear partnership. McDonald’s will receive prominent branding throughout Audi Field and exposure across the club’s social and digital media channels (D.C. United).

Rutgers has formed the Scarlet Assets Management Company, a private and wholly owned subsidiary of the university, which will manage multimedia and naming rights, merchandise, and ticket sales for RU Athletics (Rutgers).

Sports nutrition brand Honey Stinger has expanded its NIL program with the launch of a national campaign featuring more than 40 athletes. Through a partnership with The Brandr Group, Honey Stinger is investing in group licensing deals at Arizona State, Clemson, Maryland, Pittsburgh, USC and Ohio State (Honey Stinger).

New ownership consortium Mercury 13 has "pledged $100M to building up a portfolio of teams across the globe." The multi-club ownership group founded by tech entrepreneurs and focused on women’s soccer franchises recently acquired its first club, FC Como Women from Serie A Femminile (London GUARDIAN, 3/12).

More: 

• Joe Ravitch, the banker who sold Manchester United and Chelsea.

It’s official — PWHL Montreal will play PWHL Toronto at the Bell Centre on Saturday, April 20.

With a hockey capacity of over 21,000, Montreal can break Toronto’s attendance record.

— Hailey Salvian (@hailey_salvian) March 12, 2024

If athletes are deemed employees, Jim Phillips believes universities can pay athletes in sports that make revenue (FB/BSK) and then, to satisfy Title IX, would pay an “equivalent # of female athletes.”

The rest could be cut. “You can go from 28 to 6 sports in one fiscal year.”

— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) March 12, 2024

WFAN's plan is for Justin Shackil and Emmanuel Berbari to each call about 25 Yankee games on WFAN when John Sterling is off this season.

— Andrew Marchand (@AndrewMarchand) March 12, 2024

In 2023, NASCAR had four races with over 4 million viewers during the entire year (Daytona, Chicago, Talladega, Fontana). This year, all four of the first four races had over 4 million viewers https://t.co/2d0bySr2LF

— nascarman (@nascarman_rr) March 12, 2024

Alpharetta Sports and Entertainment Group, led by Anson Carter, announced its formal request for NHL expansion to bring a franchise back to Atlanta pic.twitter.com/tAGG2PXMT5

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) March 12, 2024

Nike LeBron 21 USC PE pic.twitter.com/va5pd0O2bz

— Complex Sneakers (@ComplexSneakers) March 12, 2024

March 12, 2009: Syracuse beats UConn in 127-117 in legendary 6 overtime game in the Big East Tournament Quarterfinals at Madison Square Garden
pic.twitter.com/vFGg6zW2vK

— This Day In Sports Clips (@TDISportsClips) March 12, 2024

HBO posted this clip from the documentary "The Lionheart," which premieres tonight at 9pm ET, showing late IndyCar driver Dan Wheldon's sons continuing his legacy on the racetrack.

20,000 -- Number of registered subscriptions to the Jazz's direct-to-consumer streaming platform, Jazz+, to date since its launch last year (NEXTTV.com, 3/11).