• A's Select Site Near Oakland's Laney College For New Ballpark
  
• IOC, L.A. Mayor Expected To Lock In Host Contract For '28 Games
  
• NFL Hires Hasbro's Michelle Micone As Senior VP/Consumer Products
  
• Little Caesars Arena Well-Received In Opening Public Event

The A's have "settled on land near Laney College as their preferred spot for a 35,000-seat, privately financed ballpark" to replace Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. The A's selected the 13-acre location near downtown Oakland after "also considering" the Coliseum site and "land on the waterfront northwest of Jack London Square." The A's hope to "play their first game" at the $500M-plus venue in '23. A's President Dave Kaval "made the A’s intentions official" in a letter he delivered last night to Peralta district Chancellor Jowel Laguerre, "asking to begin negotiations to buy or lease the land" (S.F. CHRONICLE, 9/13).

Barring a major unforeseen development, L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti will sign the host-city contract guaranteeing the '28 Games today shortly after 2:00pm ET, cementing the first American Summer Olympics since '96. Shortly before that, the IOC membership will approve the rare backroom deal hatched earlier this summer to give Paris the '24 Games at the same time. An overwhelming, if not unanimous, vote is expected. The contract locks in the L.A. event for 11 years from now and commits the city to guarantee all cost overruns. It also includes several unprecedented concessions from the IOC given in exchange for L.A.’s decision to concede the '24 race and lock in '28 without a new bid process, including a $180M cash advance.

Garcetti and Casey Wasserman were scheduled to start their day with an appearance on NBC’s “Today” before making a final presentation to the body. Nine members of the IOC will be absent, meaning 85 members will be present for the vote.

Hasbro VP/Licensing for North America Michelle Micone has been hired as the NFL’s new Senior VP/Consumer Products. In perhaps the most talked-about job opening this year in sports licensing, the NFL has been looking for a new consumer products chief since April, when Leo Kane left the league after 23 years. The position will continue to report to Chris Halpin, who earlier this year added the title of Chief Strategy Officer to Senior VP/Licensing & Consumer Products. Micone’s last day at Hasbro is today, and she will start at the league by mid-October. She will direct NFL consumer products strategy, retail marketing and business development.

Little Caesars Arena opened for business last night with a Kid Rock concert, and the $863M facility's "first real test seemed to go smoothly, as thousands streamed in with few delays." Fans offered "overwhelmingly positive reviews for a venue that is an experience unto itself, applauding the quick entry, handsome aesthetics, roomy concourses and relatively short lines distributed among seemingly countless concessions areas." Staffers and servers were "consistently friendly if sometimes harried; more than anything, the firm instructions for the night seemed to be 'make a good first impression'" (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 9/13).

Fans were "happy with the look and feel of the arena, many commenting on its decor and dedication to Detroit." But food reviews were "mixed, and people were generally unhappy with drink prices." Others said that the show "sounded good," and that "production was much more sophisticated than anything" at Joe Louis Arena or the Palace of Auburn Hills (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 9/13).

Flames President & CEO Ken King said that the team is "no longer going to pursue a new arena in Calgary" after it "became clear the city has no genuine interest in helping build" a venue. King: "The owners' group are pretty clear and pretty definite in their view on that." He added that the Flames "will continue to play" at Scotiabank Saddledome, "without investing any more in it or McMahon Stadium." NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, appearing alongside King at a news conference, said, "They're going to hang on as long as they can. ... That's not a prospect that thrills them or anybody else. But it is a realistic assessment of the situation" (CALGARY SUN, 9/12).

The Indians with this afternoon's game against the Tigers could extend their win streak to 21 games, tying the MLB record. The Indians last night "drew 24,654 fans to Progressive Field" while winning their 20th straight game, tying the AL record set by the '02 A's. The club "sold an estimated 4,500 walk-up tickets" (Cleveland PLAIN DEALER, 9/13).

The Indians have changed the name on their Twitter account to "WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW" to reflect the win streak. The account description reads, "We ran out of characters in our name -- again. #BatMagic." Cavaliers G J.R. Smith tweeted, "Congratulations fellas!!! #TheLand." ESPN's Darren Rovell tweeted of last night's attendance, "Come on Cleveland, you gotta do better than that." SB Nation's Devan Fink: "Indians, last 20 games: 20-0. Browns, last 86 games: 20-66."

The 49ers have formed a partnership with medical services company Wellstrong to open multiple team-branded sports rehabilitation centers in northern California. The centers are open to the public and provide physicians and therapists employed at those facilities with access to best practices from the 49ers’ training staff. The first location, the 49ers Rehab and Performance Physical Training Center with Monterey Spine & Joint, opened in August in Monterey.

The Nets have moved their training camp to the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., marking the "third time in five years the Nets have gone on the road for camp." The Nets will "hold their annual media day Sept. 25 at HSS Training Center in Brooklyn, and open camp the next morning in Annapolis." They will be at the Naval Academy "from Sept. 26-30, before opening their preseason slate Oct. 3 against the Knicks" at MSG. The Nets in '13 and '15 held their training camp at Duke (N.Y. POST, 9/13).

Van Wagner Sports & Entertainment and Towson Univ. have reached a multiyear partnership for the company to become the school's exclusive multimedia rights partner (Towson Univ.).

The Marlins are unsure "where they'll play" their Friday-Sunday series against the Brewers in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma, but the club "expects a resolution" this afternoon (South Florida SUN-SENTINEL, 9/13).

The NHL Kings named HOF broadcaster Bob Miller team ambassador. He will work on a part-time basis and will also serve as MC for the team's Legends Night series presented by McDonald's. Miller retired from broadcasting at the end of last season (Kings). 

"It makes total sense. I know that, as a city, it is in our hearts and minds how amazing that event was, and we would welcome another Olympics" -- Salt Lake City Mayor Jackie Biskupski, on the city's success hosting the '02 Games and the potential to host again in '26 (DESERET NEWS, 9/13).

"Just like on the basketball committee, the greatest thing about that committee was our integrity and our trust in one another. I never want to breach that trust" -- Ohio State AD Gene Smith, on being a new member of the CFP selection committee (ESPN.com, 9/12). 

“Teams like attention, and there will be a lot of attention” -- ESPN’s Michael Wilbon, saying an NBA team will probably sign Stephon Marbury, who wants to make a comeback to the NBA at the age of 40 (“PTI,” ESPN, 9/12).

The ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER asks, "Can L.A. Handle Scandal-Ridden IOC For 2028 Olympics?" There are "at least three" ongoing investigations looking at corruption allegations against "five current or former IOC members." Now a "growing number of Olympic historians, sports business analysts, economists and community activists are questioning" L.A.’s partner.

The WALL STREET JOURNAL goes with the header, "Why The NFL Is Gambling On Baby-Faced Coaches." With 31-year-old Sean McVay leading the Rams and 37-year-old Kyle Shanahan heading the 49ers, teams "increasingly want coaches who can relate to this younger generation of players."

Also:

• The WASHINGTON POST asks, "Are Nationals Park crowds lame?"
• How EA Sports' "Madden" ranks NFL players. 
• ESPNW on hearing Beth Mowins call "MNF."

We are with you @jemelehill ✊🏾

— Colin Kaepernick (@Kaepernick7) September 13, 2017

I covered a team that started a season 0-21. What the Indians are doing is just slightly more impressive!

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) September 13, 2017

Fall's hottest trend on Wall Street? Dragging Nike.

HSBC: Cutting 1/4 SKUs has "investors justifiably wondering where discipline had been"

— Sara Germano (@germanotes) September 13, 2017

John Saunders' considerable legacy grows still. His book "Playing Hurt", co-authored w @Johnubacon, makes Sports Bestseller list at @nytimes

— Bob Ley (@BobLeyESPN) September 13, 2017

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

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Last night’s “Final Jeopardy!” category was “21^st Century Grammys.”

“This singer has won Album, Record and Song of the Year twice, the only artist to do so.”

Maria Sharapova appeared on Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show” last night to promote her new book, “Unstoppable.” Sharapova said after she lost in the fourth round of the U.S. Open, “Usually you get on the next flight home and I didn’t because I had the press tour for the book. But that’s usually the feeling that you have is, ‘Pack your bags, it’s done, finished, go home.’ Isn’t that sad?” Sharapova said she “never thought I would write a memoir at this age” but she felt “there was a lot of depth, a lot of inspiration” in her life story. Sharapova said of her suspension for a banned substance, “I speak about it very openly in the book because it was an incredibly tough journey that I had for those 15 months” (“The Daily Show,” Comedy Central, 9/12).

“Who is Adele?”