Russia earlier today kicked off celebrations marking one year out from the '14 Sochi Games by "setting off special countdown clocks all over the country." This evening, IOC President Jacques Rogge in Sochi will issue "official Games invitations to the national Olympic committees of Canada, Brazil, South Korea and Russia." The Bolshoi Ice Dome will then host an ice show, and a fireworks demonstration "rounds off the night" (R-SPORT, 2/7). Russian President Vladimir Putin will be in Sochi to preside over the "lavish celebration" (AP, 2/5).

Putin today fired Russian Olympic Committee VP Akhmed Bilalov "over delays to the completion of the ski jumping complex." This comes after Putin yesterday "personally asked who was responsible for the delay" (AFP, 2/7). The MOSCOW TIMES examines the various controversies surrounding preparations under the headline, "Sochi Is a Hard Nut to Crack for PR Gurus."

Liberty Mutual today is hosting its own Sochi "One Year Out" celebration to kick off activation of its Team USA sponsorship. Former Olympians, including hockey player Mike Eruzione, figure skater Michelle Kwan and gymnast Aly Raisman, will visit the insurer's Boston HQs, "where its 3,000 employees will take part in Team USA-themed games and demonstrations." The company also will unveil a partnership logo with the USOC "for corporate use on business cards, advertising and online platforms" (BOSTON HERALD, 2/7). 

The CBC today will formally announce its Olympic broadcast contract, "confirming that it has obtained TV and digital rights" to the '14 Sochi Games and '16 Rio Games. As part of the deal, which was "previously revealed" on the eve of the '12 London Games, the CBC is "parcelling off limited packages of rights" to TSN and Rogers Sportsnet. Sources said that the networks did the deal "in large part to have access to video resources that include use of copyrighted highlight material during the Games" (GLOBE & MAIL, 2/7).

NBA Commissioner David Stern today will conclude his two-day visit to Minneapolis by meeting with city officials to "discuss the progress on renovations of the Target Center." Minnesota legislators last year set aside more than $150M to "completely revamp the outdated basketball arena." Stern last night met with the media before the Spurs-T'Wolves game and "begrudgingly acknowledged" the issue of jersey sponsorships. Stern: "There is a revenue opportunitity, and as so often is the case, taking advantage of that becomes a separate discussion. Yes, I think it will happen. It's not going to happen this season; it's not going to happen next season" (AP, 2/6).

Former MSG Sports President Scott O’Neil has joined the advisory board of online ticket reseller ScoreBig.com. “Scott will be part of all of our board meetings and involved in the key decisions we are making,” said Adam Kanner, CEO of the L.A.-based company founded in '09. “The amount of vision he brings to the board is really important.” Other ScoreBig.com board members include former Ticketmaster Exec VP David Goldberg, 49ers President and former Facebook and YouTube CFO Gideon Yu, Viacom and CBS Vice Chair Shari Redstone, former YankeeNets President & COO Finn Wentworth and former TicketsNow.com CEO Cheryl Rosner.

“I will advise the senior executives focusing on financing and strategy,” said O’Neil, who resigned as MSG President last September. “I will also help with relationships in the business and hopefully wave the flag for them.”

Mandalay Sports Media hired former Fox exec Rich Battista to be CEO of its 11-month-old venture. Battista will be based in L.A. and will oversee the company's day-to-day operations alongside its founders, co-Chairs Peter Guber and Mike Tollin. One of Battista's duties will be to identify investment and acquisition opportunities for Mandalay Sports Media, which launched last March with the plan to invest in and develop programming for TV, broadband and mobile platforms. CAA is a founding partner in the company. In addition to spending 18 years at News Corp., Battista has held senior roles at Gemstar-TV Guide and LodgeNet Interactive Corp.

SCA Promotions today in Texas state court will file a $12.1M lawsuit against Lance Armstrong to "recover bonus money" paid to the cyclist for three of his Tour de France victories. The litigation "would not only potentially cost Armstrong a lot of money, but it could also force him to testify under oath and expose him to criminal charges if he lies" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 2/7). Meanwhile, USADA confirmed that it has agreed to an "eleventh-hour extension to the deadline it had set" for Armstrong to give evidence (THETIMES.co.uk, 2/7).

A trio of unions is "throwing their weight behind" the MLS proposal to build a 25,000-seat soccer-specific stadium in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park. The endorsement, expected to be announced today, "marks the first organized labor support for the plan" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 2/7).

Filmmaker Barry Levinson penned an Op-Ed piece for today's Baltimore SUN on the late Art Modell relocating the Browns to Baltimore in '96. Levinson writes, "If not for one man, none of this would have been possible. If not for one man, there would be no Ravens football team" (Baltimore SUN, 2/7).

An estimated crowd of 30,000 attended yesterday's Honduras-U.S. FIFA World Cup qualifier at Estadio Olímpico Metropolitano in San Pedro Sula, Honduras (FOXSPORTS.com, 2/6).

An estimated crowd of 10,000 attended an int'l friendly between Colombia and Guatemala at Sun Life Stadium (MIAMI HERALD, 2/7).

"For the NCAA to survive in its current form, it has to win this lawsuit or get the lawsuit dismissed. There's no third alternative. The NCAA can't settle and then go back to the status quo ante" – GRANTLAND's Charles Pierce, on the antitrust lawsuit brought against the NCAA by former UCLA F Ed O'Bannon (GRANTLAND.com, 2/6).

"He wasn't pleased that his game was interrupted in that way. Commissioner Goodell turned to me after about 20 minutes with the lights out and said, 'This isn't going to happen in New Jersey, right, Governor?' I said, 'Of course it ain't never gonna happen in New Jersey'" – N.J. Gov. Chris Christie, on Mercedes-Benz Superdome losing power during Super Bowl XLVII (NORTHJERSEY.com, 2/6).

"The Dolphins bill is one of many member bills that was not discussed. Not one legislator moved to make the Dolphins bill one of our priorities" – Florida state Rep. Jose Felix Diaz, on the Miami-Dade delegation of state lawmakers deciding not to list the Dolphins stadium deal among its legislative priorities for this year (MIAMIHERALD.com, 2/6).

"I watched the Super Bowl, but I totally suck at American sports. Coming from Australia, I don't know much about the history of baseball and football, so I'm going to try to talk about something else” – Golfer Jason Day, who will play with 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh today at the PGA Tour AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am (S.F. CHRONICLE, 2/7).

Washington Post’s Steven Goff: “Gulati coy about Seattle as a WCQ venue. Sly smile. Seems as if it will happen. We'll know soon”

ESPN’s Buster Olney: “New Times should offer 1 of 2 responses: 1) No. 2) Sure, if you show us all of your drug-testing records, including the '03 survey test.”

Sporting News’ Michael DeCourcy: “Sorry to hear Caulton Tudor retiring from Raleigh N&O March 1. He deserves wonderful retirement, but woulda loved seeing him one last NCAAT.”

SI’s Jimmy Traina: “Nobody loves anything as much as the NY Daily News loves steroids. So embarrassing.”

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

USSA Senior Press Officer Doug Haney posted this picture from the Audi FIS Ski World Cup with the caption, “Good crowd at #Schladming2013 for downhill training. Both men and women's practice sessions airing live on ORF”

Sex.com has offered to match Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski's $3.75M base salary "if he agreed to participate in a scene" with adult film actress Bibi Jones, "who posted photos on Twitter with Gronkowski in 2011 and 2012" (N.Y. POST, 2/7).

ESPN's "First Take" will add a live half-hour afternoon show at 3:30pm ET, hosted by Cari Champion and featuring commentators Skip Bayless and Stephen A. Smith. "First Take" ratings climbed in '12 with a 21% year-over-year increase among all viewers.

Ravens officials will hold an 11:00am ET press conference to discuss the team's plans this offseason. Team Owner Steve Bisciotti, President Dick Cass, GM Ozzie Newsome and coach John Harbaugh will participate in the press conference.

Red Sox President & CEO Larry Lucchino will take part in an 11:00am ET press conference at Boston's Dana-Farber Cancer Institute to celebrate the team's 60th anniversary of its partnership with the Jimmy Fund.

Mets GM Sandy Alderson will take part in a live video chat at 1:00pm ET at Citi Field. The chat will stream live on mets.com.

The National Museum of the American Indian in DC will host a symposium entitled, "Racist Stereotypes and Cultural Appropriation in American Sports." The event will address the use of Native American mascots and nicknames in sports.

Last night’s “Final Jeopardy!” category was “Famous Asians.”

“When this diplomat met the singer PSY in 2012, he said, ‘Until two days ago … I was the most famous Korean in the world.’”

NBC’s Jay Leno: “PETA, the People or the Ethical Treatment of Animals, are now criticizing Beyonce for wearing a leather body suit during her Super Bowl show. See I tell you something, that's why I stopped wearing mine. Like this weekend, if you come see me in Vegas, I'm wearing pleather” (“The Tonight Show,” NBC, 2/6).

CBS’ David Letterman: “Here's the thing about the Super Bowl, people are still yacking about it, about the big blackout. I mean honestly, how many were scared when the blackout occurred? People keep saying, ‘Why did the power go out?’ and I say, ‘Well, forget that, why did that supermodel kiss that tubby little boneheaded kid? Why did that happen?’” (“Late Show,” CBS, 2/6).

Supermodel Bar Rafaeli appeared on NBC’s “The Tonight Show” last night and said the filming of her Go Daddy ad took at least 12 hours. Rafaeli: “I guess they liked it so much, they said, ‘We want a tighter shot and a tighter shot and a tighter shot,’ I said, ‘Couldn’t you just bring three cameras and go from all angles? Do I really need to do this 60 times?’” (“The Tonight Show,” NBC, 2/6).

Comedian Jeff Ross appeared on TBS’ “Conan” last night and said he "went to Charlie Sheen’s house" for the Super Bowl. Ross: "He had a Super Bowl party and I never saw him once. He was up in his bedroom the entire party. He was nowhere to be ‘sheen.’ So I was pissed (and) I stole a football” (“Conan,” TBS, 2/6).

Last night’s Top Ten list was “Top Ten Things House Plants Have To Say.” Letterman said “some idiot using a combination of soil sensors and software has developed a new phone app which enables plants – enables plants! – to talk to their owners.” Letterman: “This is why the rest of the world hates us” (“Late Show,” CBS, 2/6).

10) “Watching you eat salad is creepy.”
9) “Please ask the dog to stop ‘watering’ me.”
8) “I had the most amazing photosynthesis last weekend.”
7) “Your wife is sleeping with the UPS guy.”
6) “I'm not going back on tour with Led Zeppelin (Oh, I'm sorry, that's what Robert Plant has to say).”
5) “I absorb the CO2 you exhale – maybe try a breath mint.”
4) “I'd like to thank the people of Colorado and Washington for legalizing me.”
3) “For the love of God, put on some pants.”
2) “With my ass in the dirt all day, I feel like the 49ers defense – hey-o!”
1) “Your cactus is a real prick.”

“Who is Ban Ki-moon?” Ki-moon is the current U.N. Secretary General.