This morning's Hot Read is a profile of former CONCACAF and FIFA exec Chuck Blazer from BUZZFEED's Ken Bensinger, who goes with the sub-head, "How a swindling suburban soccer dad pocketed millions as he helped make the sport in the U.S. a booming success" (BUZZFEED.com, 6/8).
The ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER’s T.J. Simers today will submit a Voluntary Separation Package and is “retiring after 41 years” in sports journalism. Simers said that he has “about two weeks of columns left to write” (ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, 6/8).
Del Mar is “receiving strong consideration to get” the ’16 Breeders’ Cup as horse racing officials meet this week in N.Y. Keeneland is the “likely site” for the ’15 Breeders Cup and Santa Anita the “probable host” in ’17 (UTSANDIEGO.com, 6/7).
Birmingham is “making a bid to play host” to the ’21 World Games, an 11-day event with more than 100 countries participating.” Birmingham is the only U.S. city “authorized to make a bid” for the event (AL.com, 6/8).
The Twins yesterday unveiled a “life-size likeness” of their T.C. mascot outside of Target Field in collaboration with the mascot's 1,100th consecutive game on Sunday. The bronze statue was created by St. Paul-based Tivolitoo (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 6/9).
A four-day total of more than 160,000 people attended the inaugural X Games Austin, which wrapped up yesterday at Circuit of the Americas (ESPN.com, 6/8).
The Palace of Auburn Hills on Saturday was honored with the American Institute of Architects’ Michigan 25 Year Award at The Celebration of Excellence in Architecture (Palace Sports & Entertainment).
The USTA ran a full-page ad in Sunday’s N.Y. Times promoting the start of ticket sales for the U.S. Open this morning. The ad features a panoramic shot of Arthur Ashe Stadium with a tournament grid overlay and the copy, “Nothing Beats Being Here” (THE DAILY).
