Bud Light last night opened the locked refrigerators stocked with beer the brand located around Cleveland after the Browns’ 21-17 win over the Jets at FirstEnergy Stadium. Browns QB Baker Mayfield, who made his NFL debut, asked after the game, “Did they open the Bud Light things?” NFL Network’s Colleen Wolfe said, “Bud Light getting it done. ... These fans are happy. Free beer, who doesn’t like that?” (“Thursday Night Football Postgame Show,” NFL Net, 9/20).

The fridges were a constant theme throughout the "TNF" broadcast, with analyst Troy Aikman prior to the start of the game saying, “There are a lot of people, not only here but all around the city of Cleveland, hoping to get their hands on a beer by the end of the night.” Joe Buck said, “It’s maybe the greatest promotion in the history of promotions” (“Jets-Browns,” NFL Net, 9/20).

Cleveland, the @Browns won. The fridges are open. Go celebrate with a Bud Light. You’ve earned it. pic.twitter.com/RvjJ0WvpyO

— Bud Light (@budlight) September 21, 2018

Tennis HOFer Billie Jean King and her partner Ilana Kloss tonight at Dodger Stadium "will be announced as new minority owners" of the club. The couple will join a Guggenheim Baseball Management Group led by Chair Mark Walter and co-Owner Magic Johnson. Pending WNBA approval, the couple will also "become part of the ownership group of the WNBA's Sparks, which are also run by Guggenheim." Walter "first broached the ownership idea" with the 74-year-old King at the end of last year (L.A. TIMES, 9/21).

UFC President Dana White said that Conor McGregor has "signed a new six-fight deal" with the MMA outfit, and he added that it "could make McGregor the most money in the sport, especially given" his PPV appeal. Terms were not disclosed, but the six fights "include the matchup with Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 229 on Oct. 6." The deal also "includes McGregor's new whiskey, Proper Whiskey, as a sponsor in every UFC event in which McGregor fights" (ESPN.com, 9/20).

Hooters has extended its primary sponsorship of Hendrick Motorsports’ No. 9 Chevy driven by Chase Elliott, maintaining a deal that the restaurant chain has begun leveraging heavily. The extension is for three seasons (through ’21) and it will see a slight uptick in the investment to HMS by Hooters, which will go from two to three primary sponsorships on the No. 9 annually. Financial terms were not disclosed, but HMS typically asks mid six figures per race for Elliott. While only having a handful of primary sponsorships, Hooters has been active in using the relationship with HMS and Elliott for everything from TV ads to in-store promotions based off his race results. Hooters even had Elliott come be a dealer at the Hooters Hotel in Las Vegas last week.

Hooters CMO Carl Sweat following Elliott’s win last month at Watkins Glen told THE DAILY: “As business people, we are obviously aware of the trends in the sport. Yet we also see and feel the passion of true NASCAR fans and the way that many are rallying around great young drivers like Chase. ... We believe in the power of the true fans and their passion for Chase and the sport.” Hooters’ extension marks HMS’ 15th new or renewed partnership this year.

Who else can't wait to see @chaseelliott in the Hooters No. 9 car this weekend at @RichmondRaceway #di9 #hooters9 pic.twitter.com/wYI8QYupDh

— Hooters (@Hooters) September 20, 2018

WEEI’s Joe Castiglione and WFAN’s John Sterling last night "swapped places" during Red Sox-Yankees for one inning, and Sterling calling a Giancarlo Stanton grand slam was "one weird juxtaposition" for the New England audience (BOSTON GLOBE, 9/21). The move was "originally scheduled for Tuesday, but was pushed back to Thursday as rain caused" Tuesday's 1:00pm ET start to move to 7:00pm. Suzyn Waldman, who is Jewish, was "no longer able [to call] the game with the Yom Kippur holiday beginning at sundown Tuesday" (Bergen RECORD, 9/21).

The "first price tag is in for the planned Bryant-Denny Stadium renovation," and "according to resolution set to be voted upon" by the Univ. of Alabama BOT today, Phase I will cost $75.5M. That includes $2.9M in a "design fee to be paid to Davis Architects of Birmingham." It is the first stage of the "three-part plan to upgrade Alabama's athletics facilities -- mainly Bryant-Denny for football and Coleman Coliseum for basketball and gymnastics." Alabama AD Greg Byrne previously said that they "hoped to begin Phase I following the end" of the '19 football season. Phase II will "rebuild Coleman Coliseum while Phase III will transform the exterior of Bryant-Denny Stadium and improve the concourses and restroom facilities" (TUSCALOOSA NEWS, 9/21).

The Calgary 2026 organizing committee yesterday "kicked off its public engagement campaign with a town hall event" amid concerns that previously stated Olympic hosting costs "could escalate." More than 160 people "filled the lobby of the Jack Singer Concert Hall at noon to hear a presentation" from bid corporation officials on the C$5.23B Olympic hosting plan. Following the presentation, Calgary 2026 CEO Mary Moran "faced questions about the risk of cost escalations to the city resulting from the construction of an athletes’ village in Victoria Park." She "downplayed those concerns." The city also "did not respond" to questions about the "risk of additional Olympic-related costs associated with the removal and relocation of the Victoria Park transit garage" (CALGARY HERALD, 9/21).

beIN Sports has renewed its long-term content distribution deal with Dish Network and Sling TV (beIN Sports).

Pitt and West Virginia will "take the baseball version of the Backyard Brawl to PNC Park on May 14, 2019, the first time those teams have met each other in the home" of the Pirates (TRIBLIVE.com, 9/20).

Nebraska football will play Bethune-Cookman on Oct. 27, a game that will "pay Bethune-Cookman $800,000 to come to Lincoln." The game replaces Nebraska's Sept. 1 game with Akron, which was canceled due to thunderstorms (OMAHA WORLD-HERALD, 9/21).

Honda runs a full-page ad in USA Today congratulating Scott Dixon on his fifth Verizon IndyCar Driver's Championship: "Dixon Reigns Supreme ... Congratulations to Scott and the entire Chip Ganassi Racing team on a truly amazing season" (THE DAILY).

"This isn’t a modular home, where you can put what the Patriots do on stilts, take it across the country, and it will be the same in the new place" -- ESPN's Mike Tirico, on Lions coach Matt Patricia and GM Bob Quinn transitioning from their time with the Patriots (BOSTON GLOBE, 9/21).

"When I started with the Dodgers in 1959 at the Coliseum, the Latinos coming to the ballgames were about eight percent. Now, at Dodger Stadium, they tell me it’s around 46 percent Latinos. And if you go during a game and take a walk around the ballpark inside, you will hear as much Spanish as English" -- Dodgers Spanish language broadcaster Jaime Jarrin, on the growing number of Latino fans at Dodger Stadium (Long Beach PRESS-TELEGRAM, 9/21).

ESPN.com writes under the header, "Can NASCAR's Race Team Alliances Last Long Term, Be Mutually Beneficial?" Cup Series teams form alliances they "probably don't want to make, but the competition and economics of the sport dictate their necessity." Meanwhile, the N.Y. TIMES goes with, "In NASCAR Europe, Racing And America Share The Marquee." NASCAR's Euro Series "grooms drivers but also supplements its races with cheerleaders, classic cars and even a Trump impersonator." 

Also: 

• Patriots Foundation President Josh Kraft on "taking social justice beyond social media."
• How GM Sean Marks "brought the Nets back from the abyss."
• Why it is "laughable" the NCAA "says paying athletes hurts their education."

I’ll admit it: kind of enjoy hearing John Sterling call the Sox, at least for an inning. Not ready to commit to a second one, though.

— Chad Finn (@GlobeChadFinn) September 21, 2018

So everyone will tut-tut WADA today. Shame, shame. And then the journalists of the world will flock to the next Games and write and broadcast soaring bullshit tributes to the Olympic “movement.” It will be like nothing happened. Cycle always the same.

— Damien Cox (@DamoSpin) September 21, 2018

Warriors have promoted David Kelly to Chief Legal Officer, Business & Basketball. He manages matters related to the salary cap and luxury tax planning, the human resources department and key projects and initiatives on both the business and basketball sides of the organization.

— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpearsESPN) September 21, 2018

We WON!!! —-Wait....Oh God. The free beer thing...Ok Cleveland. Stay calm. GO BROWNS!!! @Browns @budlight #CLE

— Cleveland Police (@CLEpolice) September 21, 2018

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

“In legend, he called all the animals together but only 12 came, including a rat and a dragon.”

Last night’s edition of “Jeopardy!” featured the category “Pro Football Hall of Famers By Team.”

$200: “Franco Harris and Terry Bradshaw.”
$400: “Terrell Davis and John Elway.”
$600: “Michael Strahan and Frank Gifford.”
$800: “Brian Urlacher and Walter Payton.”
$1000: “Randy White and Emmitt Smith.”

Comedy Central’s Trevor Noah said of the two Massachusetts men who found the Red Sox' A.L. East Division championship banner and wanted playoff tickets in return, “It’s like watching ‘Good Will Hunting’ without all the math parts.” Noah inferred the two men may have stolen the banner but noted he’s “not saying these guys are criminals but they seem like low-level crooks. Who plans a heist for something you can print at Kinkos for yourself. What is their next job, shaking down a lemonade stand?” (“The Daily Show,” Comedy Central, 9/20).

NBC’s Jimmy Fallon: “The 2020 Olympics are in Tokyo and I saw that Japan wants to light the Olympic torch with a flying car. Whether it works or not, by the end of the ceremony something will be on fire.” Fallon: “North and South Korea say they want to host the 2032 Summer Olympics together. The highlight will be when the athletes try pole-vaulting from North Korea into South Korea” (“The Tonight Show,” NBC, 9/20).

“Who was Buddha?”

Correct responses to the “Pro Football Hall of Famers By Team” category:

$200: “Who are the Steelers?”
$400: “Who are the Broncos?”
$600: “Who are the Giants?”
$800: “Who are the Bears?”
$1000: “Who are the Cowboys?”