The Blues "will host" the '20 NHL All-Star Game at Enterprise Center, according to sources. The '20 event will be the "first played in St. Louis since Feb. 9, 1988" (TWITTER.com, 12/27). By January '20, the "third and final phase of Enterprise Center renovations will be completed -- with new seats and renovations in the lower bowl being the key piece of that renovation." The Blues in '17 "bid to host either" the '20 or '21 All-Star Game. A formal announcement "will be made at this year's Winter Classic game" Tuesday at Notre Dame Stadium (STLTODAY.com, 12/28).

Tiger Woods' agent, Mark Steinberg, "expects discussions to take place early" in '19 for the next iteration of "The Match" with Phil Mickelson. Steinberg "denied any deal is in place to have subsequent big-money encounters." He also said that a report that a three-year agreement is already signed "'is not true at this point,' with many issues to be sorted." Steinberg added that a "format is just one of several aspects that would need to be worked out if there is another version of The Match to be played in 2019 and beyond" (ESPN.com, 12/27).

Epic Games grossed a $3B profit for the year "fueled by the continued success" of the "Fortnite" video game, according to sources. Epic "hasn’t given revenue figures for its smash hit -- which has 125 million players -- but this new profit milestone, combined with other pieces of data, gives an idea of the success the company is seeing as a result of a prescient change in strategy made six years ago." Epic is "betting that it can do a lot more than Fortnite, which could mean that its profit margin will be even higher come this time next year." For example, this month saw the launch of the Epic Games store, "aimed squarely at Steam, the leader in digital game sales" (TECHCRUNCH.com, 12/27).

U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) took to Twitter on Thursday to argue against an MLB agreement with the Cuban Baseball Federation "intended to make it safer for Cuban players to reach the big leagues." Rubio, "expressing hope that President Donald Trump or the U.S. Department of State will intervene, called the agreement 'both illegal and immoral.'" He also questioned a "'terrible one-sided' provision that allows the Cuban Baseball Federation to collect fees from teams that want to sign Cuban players" (BIZJOURNALS.com, 12/28).

The Academy Sports + Outdoors Texas Bowl led all of Thursday’s games in attendance, drawing 51,104 fans to NRG Stadium in Houston for Baylor’s win over Vanderbilt. But that figure is the event’s lowest number since a record-low 32,327 watched Syracuse-Minnesota in ’13. Meanwhile, 37,821 fans came out to Yankee Stadium for the New Era Pinstripe Bowl, which saw Wisconsin defeat Miami. That is up slightly from Iowa-Boston College last year.

Duke defeated Temple Thursday afternoon in the Walk On’s Independence Bowl in Shreveport in front of 27,492 fans, marking the event’s lowest figure since ’88, when Southern Miss-UTEP drew 20,242 fans.

hornets

Retired Hornets play-by-play broadcaster Steve Martin "will be honored Friday at halftime" of a home game against the Nets at Spectrum Center. The Hornets are "giving the first 10,000 fans in attendance a Steve Martin bobblehead that plays audio of Martin’s call of Alonzo Mourning’s jump shot in 1993 that won the franchise’s first-ever playoff series." Martin said of Friday night, "For me, it will be emotional because there is something about being the first in franchise history. I became the first voice to describe a Hornets game in 1988" (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 12/28).

Former Bills and Pegula Sports & Entertainment exec Marc Honan is "behind a new half-hour reality show with multiple Buffalo ties" slated to premiere Friday at 9:00pm ET on ESPN2. He said the new show, “Gymratts,” will travel to the "most unique and outrageous gyms and fitness events on the planet." The show is hosted by Josh Goldstein. Honan left the Bills "more than a year ago after 20 years" with the team and co-founded a production company (BUFFALO NEWS, 12/28).

The AFL officially unveiled its new logo, the league's first change since '03 (AFL).

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital received $128,000 from hundreds of high school football teams this season as part of the third annual Touchdowns Against Cancer program (ALSAC/St. Jude's).

"This whole game is a tribute to him" -- Yankees President Randy Levine, on late Owner George Steinbrenner's relationship to Thursday's Wisconsin-Miami New Era Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium. The winning team is awarded the George Steinbrenner Trophy (NEWSDAY, 12/28).

"I do some crazy things for my team, but this is probably the craziest thing I’ve done to support my school" -- Mount Dora, Fla., resident Nancy Godwin Volland, on being "such a die-hard" Clemson fan that "she’s willing to camp out on top of a 45-foot-tall ESPN billboard for up to 12 days, cheering on her alma mater" during the CFP (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 12/28).

"So ... it’s the Cleveland Ravens? So, really, the Cleveland team became the Baltimore Ravens?" -- Browns WR Jarvis Landry, on how he "hadn't known" the history of the two franchises prior to their matchup this weekend (AKRON BEACON JOURNAL, 12/28).

The N.Y. TIMES writes under the header, "The Self-Described Jets Owner-In-Waiting Will Tailgate For Now." N.Y.-based entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk, a "fan for now, would love to own" the NFL Jets someday. There are "just two problems: The team isn’t for sale, and he isn’t rich enough." Many die-hard fans "might dream of owning their favorite team." Vaynerchuk, though, is the "rare fan with an outside chance of one day making that dream a reality."

Also: 

• MLSE digital boss aims to "expand fan experience in arena and around the world."
• ESPN teammates Maria Taylor and Holly Rowe "find strength through each other."
• Cal Chancellor Carol Christ "looks to unify academia and sports" in '19.
• Feeling old yet? Why Fortnite "isn't a game, it's a place." 

I spent the summer and fall riding Amtrak’s Hiawatha train from Chicago to Milwaukee, helping Bud Selig write his autobiography. I’m happy to say the manuscript has been submitted and Harper Collins has set a July release date for the book, titled “For the Good of the Game.’’

— Phil Rogers (@philgrogers) December 27, 2018

You have to be the right mix of blind, desperate and optimistic to be an announcer on a bad bowl game.

— Kevin Kaduk (@KevinKaduk) December 28, 2018

The director of the Alamo Bowl just shotgunned a Busch Light on stage at Iowa State pep rally. I don’t even know anymore.

— Brent Blum (@brentblum) December 27, 2018

What’s not being talked about is Cam Newton’s long-term status in Carolina. He’s battled injuries and remained inconsistent. The #Panthers can dump him this offseason for just $8.5M in dead cap hit.

— Andy Benoit (@Andy_Benoit) December 27, 2018

Our waiter tonight thought I was Bryce Harper so of course I played along and told him I was signing with the Yankees. He was very happy because he was from the Bronx.

— Trevor Williams (@MeLlamoTrevor) December 28, 2018

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

Thursday night’s “Final Jeopardy!” category was "Coastlines."

"At 3,700 miles, the longest ocean trench is named for these 2 nations that share most of South America’s Pacific coast."

"What are Peru & Chile?"