The Phoenix City Council voted to approve a $230M deal with the Suns for renovations to Talking Stick Resort Arena, with the city paying $150M of that total. The deal also extends the team's lease to '37. The Suns could not muster enough council support for the renovation deal in December. The team therefore deployed a cadre of PR and public affairs firms, while leveraging business allies to help lobby council members and drive home to voters that tourism taxes will pay for renovations to the city-owned arena. Suns Owner Robert Sarver and President & CEO Jason Rowley both testified at the Wednesday vote.

The Winter X Games get underway today, and ESPN and Aspen Skiing Co. announced that the event will stay at Buttermilk Ski Area "for the next five years" through '24. The first Winter X was held there in '02, so at the "end of the contract it will have been at Buttermilk for 23 consecutive years." Neither ESPN nor Skico would "disclose details of their financial agreement," but they did indicate that the deal is "annually updated." Every '19 music performance -- from Lil Wayne to Louis The Child, The Chainsmokers and Kygo -- "sold out" in advance of the event, "which is a first, according to ESPN" (ASPEN DAILY NEWS, 1/24).

ELeague has struck a deal with EA Sports to host major “FIFA 19” competitions this year, including the FIFA 19 Global Series FUT Champions Cup. This allows the Turner/IMG-owned esports property to connect to traditional sports programming. The partnership will begin with next month’s FUT Champions Cup, to be held at Turner studios in Atlanta. Other events involving ELeague and “FIFA 19” will follow throughout '19. The EA Sports soccer title is the world’s most popular sports video game.

The Golden Knights drew the "third biggest regular season" home crowd in their history, with 18,477 fans on hand last night at T-Mobile for a loss to the Predators. Attendance has been "outstanding in season two, with VGK averaging 18,304 fans a game and filling T-Mobile Arena" to 105.4% of capacity "thanks to standing room only areas." Last night, game posters featuring Golden Knights G Marc-Andre Fleury "were gone" by 6:31pm PT. Raiders Owner Mark Davis, a "frequent attendee," was in the crowd (LVSPORTSBIZ.com, 1/23).

Univ. of Washington and Washington State officials testified against proposed state legislation that "would allow college athletes to be compensated" by earning "income from endorsements or other means." At a state House committee hearing yesterday in Olympia, the school officials "cited concerns the bill would put their institutions at odds with the NCAA and discourage athletes from attending the two universities." State Rep. Drew Stokesbary, the bill's primary sponsor, said that the measure "wouldn’t necessarily override any NCAA rules, but instead it would make it a violation of the state’s consumer protection act if the NCAA tried to enforce those rules on Washington schools" (Q13FOX.com, 1/23).

It is "not yet known" what plans Alibaba co-Founder Joe Tsai may have to "revive interest" in the WNBA Liberty now that his purchase of the team from MSG Co. has been formally announced. Attendance "fell to last place in the league last season," averaging 1,886 in 15 home games at the 2,319-seat Westchester County Center. Before moving to Westchester in '18, the Liberty were "regularly averaging more than 9,000 fans" at MSG. Tsai's purchase price was not disclosed (N.Y. TIMES, 1/24). Improvement on the court "could help draw more fans," as the Liberty last season had the "second-worst record in the league" (AP, 1/23).

Nielsen Holdings has "restarted a process to sell itself amid fresh interest from Blackstone Group." Sources said that Blackstone is "partnering in a bid with fellow buyout firm Hellman & Friedman that could value the company" at around $10B. Nielsen’s banker JPMorgan Chase has set a "Friday deadline for first-round bids in the new auction process," according to sources. The two buyout firms previously "had partnered with Carlyle Group" in '06 to buy Nielsen, formerly called VNU, for $11B (N.Y. POST, 1/24).

FedExForum yesterday "was evacuated" around 4:00pm ET, "just three hours before the scheduled tip-off" of Hornets-Grizzlies "in response to an electrical fire in a sauna near the locker room." The 7:00pm game was not delayed (Memphis COMMERCIAL APPEAL, 1/24).

The NBA 2K League "will host its first international qualifying event to find players in the Asia-Pacific region" from Feb. 2-3 in Hong Kong (AP, 1/23).

Puma reached a multiyear partnership with PGA Tour player Gary Woodland that will see him wearing apparel, footwear and other accessories on the course (Puma Golf).

The Vans Park Series is "making its final stop" of the '19 calendar in Salt Lake City for the park terrain skateboarding World Championships. It will be the "first time ever that the park skateboarding championships have been held on American soil" (SALT LAKE TRIBUNE, 1/24).

Goldin Auctions runs a half-page ad in the Wall Street Journal touting the Jan. 31 bidding for several of Jackie Robinson's MLB contracts: "Considered To Be The Founding Documents Of The Civil Rights Movement" (THE DAILY).

"They need to start the match the way it's going to finish. ... They do that in football, and I think it certainly changed a little bit of the rhythm in the match" -- Tennis player Danielle Collins, on the Australian Open closing Rod Laver Arena's roof halfway through her semifinal match against Petra Kvitova due to its extreme heat policy. Kvitova went on to win the match in two sets (AP, 1/24).

"It's unacceptable. It's well below the standard we set out for this organization and this is not the expectation that we have and we know that's not what our fans expect from us" -- NHL Kings President Luc Robitaille, on the team having the worst record in the Western Conference (L.A. TIMES, 1/24).

"It's difficult for our fans to take. I understand the hurt. It goes under the category of 'Life ain't fair'" -- Saints Exec VP & GM Mickey Loomis, on the controversial no-call during the NFC Championship (Baton Rouge ADVOCATE, 1/24).

NEWSDAY goes with the header, "That Time The Boston Celtics Almost Moved To Long Island." In '70, the Celtics' new owner was New Yorker Woody Erdman, who "wanted to move the team from Boston to Nassau County," as even "during their historic dynasty, the Celtics didn't draw nearly as well as the also-ran Bruins did." But "many obstacles" ended up keeping the "franchise shift from happening." 

Also: 

• That time of year again: Jim Nantz' upcoming marathon broadcasting run.
• Why a Wild rebuild in Minnesota would be "harder and riskier" than it appears.
• How gov. shutdown "dampened MLB's feel-good story of the winter."
• Warren Beatty's "Heaven Can Wait" character endures in Rams' history.

Most fun Super Bowl rumor I've heard: Jeff Bezos was invited to sit with Roger Goodell at the Super Bowl. NFL wants Bezos to buy the Seattle Seahawks

— Jason McIntyre (@jasonrmcintyre) January 23, 2019

Every NFL owner/coach hears @SethWickersham has a new big story out...

(peeks)

"Phew, it's only about the Browns."

— Greg A. Bedard (@GregABedard) January 24, 2019

In Connecticut saying goodbye to many friends
Grateful to Jack Obringer for making a “cold call” a short time after hanging up my helmet...
Thank You to everyone within Disney umbrella,
12 Years @espn & @SportsCenter have been tremendous & very rewarding 🏁

— Ricky Craven (@RickyCraven32) January 23, 2019

Roy Halladay’s plaque will not have a logo, his wife, Brandy Halladay announces, out of respect to the #Jays and #Phillies organizations

— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) January 23, 2019

Why I love my job: Successfully reached a former NFL player for a story today by leaving a message at 9 a.m. at the strip club he owns. #journalism

— Greg Auman (@gregauman) January 23, 2019

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

Members from the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12 and SEC meet in Orlando to consider 11 proposals that would give the five conferences the ability to enact NCAA rule changes in specific legislative areas. Among topics under consideration are mental health services and resources and the role of agents in helping athletes with career planning and decision making. 

A brief hit on the stories you need to know ... Subscribe on iTunes ... Check out our podcast home. 

Last night’s “Final Jeopardy!” category was “20th Century Literature.”

“The writing of this novel, the author’s first with no Canadian setting, appropriately began in 1984.”

Last night’s edition of CBS’ “The Late Show” featured the segment “Big Questions With Even Bigger Stars,” with host Stephen Colbert and guest Matthew McConaughey “sitting under the stars” contemplating the universe. Colbert: “Do you think God cares who wins the Super Bowl?” McConaughey: “If he did then the Saints would have won.” Colbert added, “That ref is going to hell” (“The Late Show,” CBS, 1/23).

Comedy Central’s Trevor Noah said of CBS not accepting a proposed Super Bowl ad from marijuana company Acreage Holdings, “CBS says they don't accept cannabis-related advertising. Then how come the Super Bowl has ads for Taco Bell and Doritos? And Toyota Camry? ... Oh, am I the only person who has gotten so high they bought a Toyota Camry? It’s just me? But I will say, I can see why the NFL has a strict policy against weed. It might affect all the steroids and numbing agents they shoot up the players with before games" (“The Daily Show,” Comedy Central, 1/23).

“What is 'The Handmaid’s Tale'?”

The author is Canadian-born Margaret Atwood.