USA TODAY’s Erik Brady in a front-page piece takes an extensive look at "The Future of Sports," a 50-page study commissioned by Bruins and Delaware North Owner JEREMY JACOBS that "imagines what's ahead in the industry over the next 25 years, including leagues with their own digital currencies" (USA TODAY, 1/27). Jacobs said, "There are a lot of questions going forward to be provoked by this initial (report). We’re seeing a lot of people wanting to take it to the next iteration, and I’m delighted seeing that. It’s an investment on our part, but I think it’s a smart one.” Bruins CEO CHARLIE JACOBS said that he “attended an NHL board meeting recently where no fewer than 10 owners who’d read the report said they wanted to know more” (USA TODAY, 1/27).
FEELING BULLISH: The 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has “ordered the government" to sell back the minority stake in the Bulls that it seized from MICKEY SEGAL in ’13. Segal, who "served 8 years in prison for looting his insurance company’s trust fund ... gave up half of his 1.7 percent stake in the Bulls to the government to help settle" a $15M forfeiture. The court said that the government “botched the sale of the ownership stake and must now offer to sell it back" to Segal for $2.1M (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 1/27).
LINKED UP: The WALL STREET JOURNAL’s Stu Woo examines NFLers' use of social media, and writes, “One thing still vexes many of them off the field: How best to utilize their LinkedIn accounts.” While LinkedIn “has been indispensable to job recruiters and office workers, its benefits to NFL players, whose work experiences tend to be more unique and limited, than those of the typical college graduate, are murkier.” Jets WR BRANDON MARSHALL said, “I’m still learning. I haven’t done much on it because I haven’t had that much time. I’ll play around with it” (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 1/27).
NAMES: A Univ. of Texas spokesperson yesterday said former NFLer VINCE YOUNG “will continue to be an employee” of the school, one day after he was charged with DWI. Young has been “employed as a development officer in UT’s Division of Diversity and Community Engagement” since ’14 (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 1/27)....Two private equity funds associated with former Padres Owner JOHN MOORES “have invested in CoreHR, a software company based in Ireland that sells services for processing payroll and human-resources chores.” The investments came from JMI Services, a San Diego-based holding company “owned by Moores and his family, and JMI Equity.” A spokesperson “declined to give the size of the capital injection” (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 1/27)....Giants WR ODELL BECKHAM JR. will guest star in an episode of CBS’ "CODE BLACK" on Feb. 10. where he will play himself (Giants).
IN MEMORY: BARNEY HALL, the Motor Racing Network anchor “whose smooth voice brought NASCAR to life over radio waves for decades,” died yesterday from complications following a recent medical procedure. He was 83. His words “came to represent stock car racing with the same force as high-horsepower engines and daredevil drivers,” and his voice “became easily identifiable with NASCAR and its events.” Hall was “involved in broadcasting stock car racing for more than 50 years, many as the lead announcer.” He called his first Daytona 500 on the radio in ‘60 and “had been a key part of MRN's broadcasts” since ’70 (USATODAY.com, 1/27).
