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The AP's John Wawrow reported the Sabres "have signed a nonbinding letter of intent to purchase" the AHL Rochester Americans in Terry Pegula's "latest bid to expand his hockey empire." A formal sale "would be months away, and require clearing numerous hurdles." One obstacle is the Sabres' current affiliation agreement with the AHL Portland Pirates, which runs through the '13-14 season. That contract "doesn't include an out clause for the Sabres, meaning they would have to ensure the Pirates have another affiliation deal in place with an NHL club" (AP, 5/17). The deal "would not include" the NLL Rochester Knighthawks, since the Sabres own the NLL Buffalo Bandits and "cannot own another lacrosse team" (ROCHESTER DEMOCRAT & CHRONICLE, 5/18).

KING ME: Kings co-Owner Gavin Maloof prior to last night’s NBA Draft Lottery said the team is “looking for a new arena” in Sacramento and noted they are “very excited to stay in Sacramento for this year.” Maloof: “The response has been overwhelming. We're selling a lot of tickets. People are excited. We're just happy to be where we are." He added of securing a new arena, “Everybody's interested in making sure that this happens and we all need it to happen … so we can be in a new home in a few years" ("NBA Countdown," ESPN, 5/17).

LOOKING FOR A QUICK FIX: The Cavaliers last night landed the No. 1 and No. 4 picks in June's NBA Draft, and SI.com's Michael Rosenberg wrote Cavaliers Owner Dan Gilbert "really, really wants to win." Gilbert has made "plenty of mistakes in Cleveland, but he made almost all of them because he was trying to win," and it is "not wise to bet against a man who is this hungry." After LeBron James left the Cavs last summer to join the Heat, Gilbert "sounded like he was whining because somebody took his ball away." Rosenberg: "He wants his ball back now. Don't be surprised if he gets it" (SI.com, 5/17).

YOUTH OF A NATION: The PA's Carl Markham noted Liverpool fans face a 6.5% average increase to season-ticket prices for the 11-12 season, but the EPL club has "cut the cost of under-16 admission in an attempt to prevent youngsters" from being priced out. In addition to the 4% "average rise instigated by the club," a further 2.5% increase came from the U.K. government's increase of value added tax in January (PA, 5/17).

SBJ Morning Buzzcast: March 25, 2024

NFL meeting preview; MLB's opening week ad effort and remembering Peter Angelos.

Big Get Jay Wright, March Madness is upon us and ESPN locks up CFP

On this week’s pod, our Big Get is CBS Sports college basketball analyst Jay Wright. The NCAA Championship-winning coach shares his insight with SBJ’s Austin Karp on key hoops issues and why being well dressed is an important part of his success. Also on the show, Poynter Institute senior writer Tom Jones shares who he has up and who is down in sports media. Later, SBJ’s Ben Portnoy talks the latest on ESPN’s CFP extension and who CBS, TNT Sports and ESPN need to make deep runs in the men’s and women's NCAA basketball tournaments.

SBJ I Factor: Nana-Yaw Asamoah

SBJ I Factor features an interview with AMB Sports and Entertainment Chief Commercial Office Nana-Yaw Asamoah. Asamoah, who moved over to AMBSE last year after 14 years at the NFL, talks with SBJ’s Ben Fischer about how his role model parents and older sisters pushed him to shrive, how the power of lifelong learning fuels successful people, and why AMBSE was an opportunity he could not pass up. Asamoah is 2021 SBJ Forty Under 40 honoree. SBJ I Factor is a monthly podcast offering interviews with sports executives who have been recipients of one of the magazine’s awards.

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