Clemson defeated Alabama 44-16 in last night's CFP National Championship at Levi's Stadium, a result that "knocked the playoff upside-down, and introduced the possibility of an upset to a system that's seemed nothing if not predictable all year" (SI.com, 1/8). It was a "masterful night" for Clemson coach Dabo Swinney (N.Y. POST, 1/8). Clemson "showed it's building a dynasty of its own" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 1/8). With the same two schools meeting in the CFP four out of five years, college football now has something it has "never experienced: a postseason playoff rivalry." Last night was "more the beginning of something new rather than the end of Alabama" (AL.com, 1/8).

FRONT-PAGE HEADLINES: Columbia State: "Perfection! Clemson No. 1" ... Florence Morning News: "Orange Crush" ... Tuscaloosa News: "Bama Bummer" ... Montgomery Advertiser: "Destiny Denied"

An “afternoon rush on tickets drove up prices for last-minute buyers on the secondary market” and resulted in a final attendance figure of 74,814. While the game “was not officially announced as a sellout,” it was just shy of Levi’s Stadium capacity of 75,000 (San Jose MERCURY NEWS, 1/8).

Clemson will "hold a parade and stadium celebration Saturday morning." Parade participants will include "players, coaches, administrators, the band, cheerleaders, mascots, rally cats and more" (Columbia STATE, 1/8). 

Imagine Dragons and Lil Wayne last night played the CFP halftime show "more than 40 miles north” of Levi’s Stadium at Treasure Island, causing a “weird setup.” There seemed to be a "significant crowd on the island, similar to the faux fans you see on the field during Super Bowl halftime shows." However, fans at Levi’s largely had "no idea what was happening at Treasure Island." They watched the two school bands play on the field, and it "wasn’t until the last few minutes of the performance on Treasure Island that anyone at the stadium got a peek" (S.F. CHRONICLE, 1/8).

Twitter reactions were less than kind, with CBS Sports’ Barrett Sallee writing, “'What is happening?' - All of us watching Tua throw picks in the first half. 'WHAT IS HAPPENING?!?!?!?!' - All of us watching the Imagine Dragons and Lil Wayne halftime concert.” Cardinals QB Josh Rosen: “I wonder how much Imagine Dragons is getting paid for this CFP halftime performance... #amateurs.” Bleacher Report editor Ian Kenyon: “Just trying to imagine anyone over the age of 18 answering the question 'What’s your favorite band' with 'Imagine Dragons.'”

CES formally opens today in Las Vegas, with sports again poised to play a prominent role. The Angela Ruggiero and Josh Walker-led Sports Innovation Lab has helped program the CES Sports Zone conference track with scheduled speakers including Turner President David Levy, NFL VP/Media Strategy & Business Development Will Deng, Yahoo Sports GM Geoff Reiss and NBA Head of Marketing Partnerships Kerry Tatlock. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver will give a featured interview tomorrow with Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey on the extensive collaboration between the NBA and the social media platform.

Meanwhile, NBA Commissioner Emeritus David Stern tomorrow will appear at both the CES Entertainment Summit and a separate Sports Betting Summit in Las Vegas presented by VSiN, SeventySix Capital and Arizona State’s Global Sports Institute. Athletes slated to appear at the show include Vikings S Harrison Smith, surfer Andrew Walsh, U.S. weightlifter Jessica Lucero and former NHLer Patrik Elias. This year’s CES will encompass more than 2.8 million square feet of exhibit space, again the largest in the event’s 52-year history, and attendance will at least approach last year’s mark of 182,198.

Packers President & CEO Mark Murphy, in a "hire that will define his legacy," selected Titans offensive coordinator Matt LaFleur as the Packers' new coach. LaFleur arrives with "many unknowns, including his ability to oversee an entire football team." The Packers were "probably hoping they could capture some of the magic dust" associated with Rams coach Sean McVay, the "hottest young coach in the NFL and one of LaFleur’s closest friends." Murphy has said that "this pick would be his own, choosing to overstep the traditional process of having the general manager pick the head coach" (MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL, 1/8).

A planned 20,000-seat stadium for a Chicago soccer franchised owned by Cubs Chair Tom Ricketts "appears to be on life support." Sources said that Alderman Brian Hopkins today is "expected to announce he's rejecting plans" for the USL club's stadium due to its "expected impact on traffic in the area." Developer Sterling Bay and Ricketts "could try to revive the plan later, as traffic infrastructure in the area is improved during the years-long development process" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 1/8).

The Clippers won the NBA’s first Team Innovation Award given night at the league's sales and marketing meetings in Miami. The team was recognized for the launch of Clippers CourtVision, a customizable digital experience available to FS Prime Ticket subscribers. NBA President of Team Marketing & Business Operations and Chief Innovation Officer Amy Brooks said this was a "highly competitive award." The Warriors collected a league-high five awards at the meeting, including recognition for selling 10,000-plus season tickets, having a 90% season-ticket renewal rate and three sponsorship awards. The Celtics, Cavaliers, Rockets, Heat and Raptors each won four awards. The Hawks received the NBA Team Diversity & Inclusion Leadership Award, while the Kings earned the NBA Team Diversity & Inclusion Innovation Award.

Heat VP/Season Ticket Memberships & Assistant GM Garrick Amos received the Pete Winemiller Guest Experience Innovation Award, while 76ers Manager of Marketing Partnerships Junior Moyo was recognized with the Values of the Game Award.

Your Call Football, the league that allows fans to call the plays through an app, will play a second series of games starting next month in Jacksonville. Back as a coach is Merrill Hoge, this time opposite Solomon Wilcots. YCF last year staged four games at Dodgertown in Vero Beach and the same number of games is planned for the Jaguars' practice facility, Dream Finders Homes Flex Field. The games will run from Feb. 25-March 18, with Lagardere continuing to produce and stage the contests. YCF is negotiating with Barstool Sports about reprising its role in providing a second stream. YCF President Julie Meringer said that other sporting organizations have expressed interest in the play-calling technology.

The CIAA today will announce that it "will move its popular men's and women's basketball tournaments to Baltimore for three years" starting in '21. The city's bid "beat out counterparts" in Norfolk and Charlotte, where the events have been held the past 13 years. The CIAA tourney "will host events in the convention center and Royal Farms Arena downtown, which the league will get rent-free." CIAA Commissioner Jacqie McWilliams said the conference was "interested in moving the tournament to appeal to people who live farther north and have needed to travel to North Carolina." The HBCU conference will keep its HQ in Charlotte and "hold its tournament there" in '19 and '20 (BALTIMORE SUN, 1/8).

The Redskins have "made a pair of hires in the business office," bringing on former team execs Scott Shepherd and Ryan Calvo, according to a source. Shepherd was a Redskins Senior VP from '08-15, while Calvo worked in corporate partnerships (THEFANDC.RADIO.com, 1/7).

A poll of Maryland voters found "strong support for a referendum on whether to legalize sports betting in the state." Registered voters "supported the referendum, which is expected to be considered in the General Assembly session that starts Wednesday, by 83 percent." However, the poll released today found only 49% of voters surveyed "support allowing sports betting in Maryland, while 36 percent opposed it" (BALTIMORESUN.com, 1/8).

“When the NFL came back to Los Angeles, I had dreamed of a Super Bowl between the Rams and the Cowboys in that great metropolitan area -- which, as we know, is impossible. This is the next best thing because of it being in Los Angeles and how significant it is to the NFL, and how proud I am of Stan and the Rams franchise" -- Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones, ahead of his team's divisional playoff game in L.A. against the Rams on Saturday. Jones was instrumental in helping Stan Kroenke bring the Rams to L.A. (L.A. TIMES, 1/8).

"In all honesty, Jon's got final say, if it ever comes to that, and I've got zero problems with that" -- New Raiders GM Mike Mayock, on the dynamic between him and coach Jon Gruden (ESPN.com, 1/7).

“The real big difference between the Knicks and Rangers is Henrik. If the Knicks had a Henrik, they’d probably be competing for a playoff spot. No Henrik, no playoff spot" -- Knicks Owner James Dolan, on Rangers G Henrik Lundqvist and a perceived lack of star power on the Knicks (N.Y. POST, 1/8).

"I'm going to wreck him" -- New Stewart-Haas Racing driver Daniel Suarez, joking about Joe Gibbs Racing driver Martin Truex Jr. Truex' move to JGR "left Suarez without a ride" until he moved to SHR (ESPN.com, 1/7).

THE RINGER goes with the header, "Tom Thibodeau’s Firing Represents The End Of The Coach-General-Manager Dual Role." Doc Rivers (Clippers), Stan Van Gundy (Pistons) and Mike Budenholzer all "lost personnel control" after also serving as coach of their respective teams. Thibodeau's firing should "mark the end of the dual--title coach-player personnel executive." No owner should "ever again give one person this much power and responsibility within an organization; the jobs are too hard to do well together."

Also: 

• Fashion brands see a "big opportunity" in partnering with major soccer clubs.
• After Clemson's win, college football now has "two superpowers."

After statement from @CFBPlayoff chairman of board of managers on expansion, if you want an 8-team @CFBPlayoff, you’re not going to get one. At least not until 2026 - at the earliest

— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) January 7, 2019

Also, Kirk Herbstreit is the best TV analyst in any sport. Not sure it's even close, to be honest. So quick to diagnose plays. He makes it look so easy. Just terrific.

— Jordan Strack (@JordanStrack) January 8, 2019

Today is @Golfweek_Marty 's last day @ Golfweek. A true professional who'll be sadly missed. Proud to have worked beside him the last 16 years. Best of luck Marty. Hope our paths cross somewhere down the road.....

— Alistair Tait (@GolfweekTait) January 8, 2019

Put the national championship in California. What could be worse? Andy Grammer singing the Anthem & Imagine Dragons at half.

— Derek Phillips (@DerekPhillips89) January 8, 2019

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

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Parx Casino in Bensalem, Pa., will launch its sportsbook at 2:00pm ET. 

Last night’s “Final Jeopardy!” category was “19th Century Notables.”

“When he died in Samoa in 1894 his obituary said, ‘He loved Samoa better than any other place, except Scotland.’”

Last night’s edition of NBC’s “The Tonight Show” featured various show guests, including TNT’s Shaquille O’Neal, attempting to sing Kelly Clarkson’s “Since U Been Gone” while wearing headphones. Host Jimmy Fallon said the tune is “one of the hardest songs to sing” (“The Tonight Show,” NBC, 1/7).

CBS’ James Corden said, “A 90-year-old cyclist in Indiana, who still actively participates in bike races, will be stripped of a championship title after he recently failed a drug test. He was found to have performance-enhancing drugs in his system. Now let's be honest, at 90 years old, isn't every drug a performance-enhancing drug? He's now facing a possible lifetime ban, so it could be six to eight months” (“The Late Late Show,” CBS, 1/7).

“Who was Robert Louis Stevenson?”