• LA 2024 In Switzerland Seeking To Convince IOC It Should Go First
• MLB All-Star Events Begin With Futures Game, Celebrity Softball
• Tigers Escalate Relationship With Toshiba, Naming It Official Copier
• Wimbledon's Manic Monday Arrives With Loaded Fourth-Round Slate

LA 2024 and top USOC officials are in Lausanne, Switzerland, for three pivotal days in the race to host the '24 Games. LA 2024 sees its mission this week as twofold: upend the conventional wisdom that Paris will get the '24 Games and L.A. must wait until '28, and, if unable to accomplish that, begin to secure financial concessions in exchange for agreeing to wait. Both the L.A. and Paris bid groups will gather today at the Olympic Museum for ceremonial photo ops after an IOC Exec Board meeting. Tomorrow, both cities will present their technical plans to the full body, with new French President Emmanuel Macron scheduled to speak for the Paris bid. Presentations continue Wednesday.

Late tomorrow, the IOC will convene a special session to formally approve the plan to award both '24 and '28 as a package deal, paving the way for formal three-way negotiations over order among Paris, L.A. and the IOC. Under normal circumstances, the week's events would be a point of high drama, but the joint award plan has eliminated much of the suspense.

The IOC has "balked" at helping Rio Games organizers pay a debt estimated at $30-40M. The IOC Exec Board, meeting yesterday in Lausanne, said that it "had already contributed a 'record'" $1.53B to the '16 Games, and "questioned giving more after meeting" with ROCOG President Carlos Nuzman. The IOC in a statement said "more detailed information" was needed, and it "deferred any further consideration at this stage" (AP, 7/9).

Yesterday’s SiriusXM All-Star MLB Futures Game and Legends & Celebrity Softball Game in Miami drew an announced paid attendance of 30,289. The game was not a sellout. Marlins Park was at best half full, with large swath of empty seats in the upper deck. The Futures Game, featuring minor league all-stars, in its 19 years of existence typically has been by far the weakest draw of MLB All-Star Game festivities, and despite some growth in recent years still has often seen large numbers of no-shows among ticketholders. The host club Marlins had two of their prospects in the game.

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred, Marlins President David Samson, Baseball HOFers Cal Ripken Jr. and Tony Perez and former Marlins Edgar Renteria and Benito Santiago this morning will formally open a newly refurbished youth baseball field at Miami’s Jose Marti Park. The effort is part of the annual MLB All-Star Legacy initiative. Manfred this afternoon also will conduct the annual Town Hall Meeting at the MLB All-Star FanFest. The Town Hall chats at the All-Star Game date to '01 under former MLB Commissioner Bud Selig. The session will be streamed live on MLB.com beginning at 2:00pm ET, moderated by Marlins broadcaster Rich Waltz.

Toshiba and the Tigers this morning are announcing an escalation of their five-year relationship, making the company the official copier provider of the ballclub. The agreement has the Tigers using Toshiba’s e-Studio printer for all of their printing needs, including lineup cards and stat sheets. Toshiba America Business Solutions Chief Marketing Exec Bill Melo said, “The Detroit market is a key market for us. We have direct sales operations in a lot of major cities across the country and Detroit is one we’ve enjoyed a great relationship with for quite a while. We’ve had relationships with the Pistons and times, the Red Wings at times, and the Tigers for a long period of time.”

Other elements of the deal include hospitality and team engagement from Toshiba. Melo said that there might be media signage “on a rotational basis.” He said the relationship with the Tigers recently has been focused on hospitality, but Toshiba has been “talking to them for a bit about re-engaging if the opportunity arose. It’s been in the works for a little while.” Because the relationship is of a business-to-business nature, the hope is Toshiba appeals to Tigers fans who are in position to make or influence office decision making. Toshiba also has deals with the Angels, Pistons, Clippers, Bills, Steelers, Texans, Chargers, NHL Kings and Ducks.

Today is Manic Monday at Wimbledon, a "loaded day of fourth-round tennis" at the All England Club. No other day in tennis is "so star-studded, and no other day during the second week of a Slam is so action-packed." This year, 13 of the 16 seeds in each draw have reached the fourth round (TENNIS.com, 7/9). Wimbledon is the "only major with such a crowded Monday schedule because the tournament subscribes to the notion that the Middle Sunday should be a day of rest." There have only been "four exceptions to the Middle Sunday" rule due to "inclement weather during the first week" (USATODAY.com, 7/9).

Meanwhile, Rolex runs a full-page Wimbledon-themed ad in the N.Y. Times: "When Your Traditions Are Known To All, You've Made History" (THE DAILY).

The inaugural Thornberry Creek LPGA Classic wrapped up Sunday in the Green Bay suburb of Hobart, Wis., where it drew "large, enthusiastic galleries" even though it was "saddled with a date between LPGA major championships and was missing seven of the top 10" ranked players. Tournament winner Katherine Kirk said, "I'm definitely looking forward to coming back" (MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL, 7/10). More than 50,000 spectators attended. LPGA Commissioner Mike Whan said, "This is a home run. The golf course is top, top-notch" (GREEN BAY PRESS-GAZETTE, 7/10). Golfer Brooke Henderson: "It was outstanding, especially for a first-year event" (Appleton POST-CRESCENT, 7/10).

The SEC kicks off its football media days today in Hoover, Ala., and the event is "almost literally covered wall-to-wall by TV partner ESPN's various networks." The conference holding its event "intentionally first" on the calendar is a "savvy saturation of conversation in the sport." What we "might not hear this week" is "much about how the SEC has fallen off in recent years" (USA TODAY, 7/10). No other conference "can even come close to the buzz generated" by the SEC media days (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 7/10). The event will draw "14 head coaches and 42 players" (Nashville TENNESSEAN, 7/10). SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey "kicks off the four-day event with his annual state of the league address" (AP, 7/10).

A new fund tracking stocks of companies that sponsor the Big Four sports leagues and their broadcasters begins trading tomorrow. The Pro Sports Sponsors ETF is believed to be the first fund to track solely sponsors and broadcasters of pro sports. In a securities filing Friday, the fund said, "As of June 30, 2017, out of a total of 105 companies that are official sponsors of the major professional football, baseball, hockey and basketball leagues in the United States or national sports broadcasters with rights agreements with such leagues, 66 were included in the Index."

The filing listed Exchange Traded Concepts as the investment adviser to the fund and Vident Investment Advisory as the sub-adviser. The Portfolio Manager is Denise Krisko of Vident. The fund will trade under the ticker symbol FANZ on the Bats BZX Exchange. Representatives for the fund declined to comment until trading commences tomorrow at 9:30am ET.

A "secretive American investment firm" backed by Facebook Founder Mark Zuckerberg is "considering" a $1.29B bid for EPL club Tottenham Hotspur. S.F.-based Iconiq Capital has held talks with a "number of buyout firms about a possible bid" for the club. Iconiq "manages the wealth of a number of Silicon Valley billionaires," including Zuckerberg. Sources said that the bid "consortium" includes former Padres Vice Chair & CEO Jeff Moorad (LONDON TIMES, 7/9).

Suffolk Downs on Saturday "put on a successful day of racing" that drew a total of 10,219 spectators and "many of the sport's top trainers." This comes despite the horse racing venue "nearing its closure." Saturday was "one of six days on which the track will host racing this year." Suffolk Downs COO Chip Tuttle is "hopeful that the track will host races next year" (BOSTON GLOBE, 7/9).

MLB last night held an All-Star gala for several thousand invited guests at Miami's Perez Art Museum. The event featured a performance by rapper Flo Rida (Eric Fisher, Staff Writer).

Univ. of New Mexico's vacant AD position this week "officially will be posted on the university's jobs page," and candidates "can now officially start submitting applications" (ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL, 7/9).

The Canadian Women's Hockey League this week will announce the "relocation of the Brampton Thunder to Markham." The team will be called the Markham Thunder (TORONTO STAR, 7/10).

Mexico defeated El Salvador 3-1 in last night's CONCACAF Gold Cup match before a crowd of 53,133 at Qualcomm Stadium. The crowd was "electric, arriving five hours before kickoff" (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 7/10).

The AVP Pro Tour's S.F. Open drew 22,000 fans over four days: Thursday-Sunday (AVP).

"We're rebuilding. ... Given where we are, given where the Warriors are and what's happening in the Western Conference, it kind of sealed what we have to do" – Mavericks Owner Mark Cuban (ESPN.com, 7/9).

"They have to do what they have to do to get this team better. ... But I don't like to come here every day and hear about how they are going to trade this guy and that guy. Do something and then that's it" – Tigers 1B Miguel Cabrera, on the approaching trade deadline (DETROIT NEWS, 7/10).

"I’d rather be doing that than working at Chipotle or something. For me, it’s an easy way to make money. I’m just hitting a ball over a net" – Nick Kyrgios, on why he continues to play tennis even though he does not enjoy the pro lifestyle (NEW YORKER, 7/10 issue).

ESPN.com asks, "Why are Los Angeles and Paris the last two cities standing in an Olympic bid process that can be fraught with risk? Look no further than their respective mayors, Eric Garcetti and Anne Hidalgo, who have changed the game along the way."

Under the header, "The Empty Nobility of 'Taking Less'," THE RINGER writes of NBA free agency, "By taking big pay cuts, Kevin Durant and Dirk Nowitzki aren’t making room for their teammates. They’re just saving money for their employers."

Also:

• Players hailing from Miami look for strong MLB All-Star showing.
• Plenty of officially licensed MLB All-Star gear up for grabs.
• Wimbledon advertisers cognizant of tournament's traditions.
• At Wimbledon's tent village, the experience rivals the tennis.
• Colin Kaepernick puts more distance between himself and NFL.
• A broad view of the present/future of Vancouver's pro sports franchises.
• Pat Bowlen again expected to get Pro Football HOF consideration.
• Profile of Brett Veach, Chiefs' internal candidate for GM position.

11 hotels w/ 1500-2000 rooms not built yet in @pyeongchang2018. IOC monitoring very closely, swears no need for Plan B yet.

— Ben Fischer (@BenFischerSBJ) July 10, 2017

Real people who pay real, hard-earned money for expensive tickets so often overlooked by tennis folk in scheduling debates.

— Mike Dickson (@Mike_Dickson_DM) July 10, 2017

I think @HBO 's Tour du Pharmacy film is hilarious. But it's a little too early for Lance Armstrong to lampoon himself.

— Scott Simon (@nprscottsimon) July 10, 2017

Dolan is the worst. The Knicks have no hope. Unqualified Phil gets everything but not Griffin? Pathetic. Embarrassing. Predictable. https://t.co/osn7HMb4Qh

— Adam Schein (@AdamSchein) July 9, 2017

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New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie will co-host WFAN-AM's afternoon drive-time show today and tomorrow alongside Evan Roberts from 2:00-6:00pm ET. The duo is filling in for a vacationing Mike Francesa, but Christie also is being considered as a regular WFAN host.

Golden 1 Center is hosting a watch party for the NBA Kings' Summer League game against the Lakers at 10:30pm ET. Admission is free, but only mobile phone passes are accepted.

Friday night’s “Final Jeopardy!” category was “Peoples of the World.”

“Living from Norway to Russia, they’ve been called the only indigenous people of the European Union.”

“Who are Laplanders?”