NFL teams beginning today can “partially re-open their buildings” if they are “permitted by state and local social-distancing requirements to do so,” are compliant with all public-health requirements and have “implemented protocols established by the league earlier this month.” While the Steelers have been given permission to “begin slowly re-opening their team facility to a few dozen staff members” today, the Seahawks likely will be “among the last teams in the league to re-open their buildings” (Tacoma NEWS TRIBUNE, 5/19).

Today is a “big morning for the NFL,” as the Falcons, Texans, Chiefs, Cardinals and Colts are among the teams “swinging their doors open to a very limited number of staff” (SI.com, 5/18). The Vikings will “continue working remotely” despite meeting the NFL’s criteria for reopening. The team has “set no timetable for when front office personnel will return to TCO Performance Center” (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 5/19). Browns employees also will “continue to work remotely while the club finalizes plans to reopen its facility on a limited basis” (Cleveland PLAIN DEALER, 5/19).

The NFL ahead of today's virtual owners meetings "will expand the Rooney Rule, which will now require additional interviews of minority candidates." Sources said that the league now "will require clubs to interview at least two external minority candidates for head coaching openings and at least one minority candidate for any coordinator job." In addition, teams "must interview one external minority candidate" for senior football operations and GM jobs. Teams and the NFL league office "must also include minorities and/or female applicants for senior-level positions, including club president jobs" (NFL.com, 5/18).

The SEATTLE TIMES goes with the header, "NFL Should Make Productive Diversity Push For Coaching Hires, Instead Of Patronizing Proposal."

The Big3 is “canceling the 2020 season … due to the COVID-19 pandemic.” It will instead “focus on the 2021 season” (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 5/18). Last season, the league's 12 teams played games in "two different cities each week with an eight-game schedule." The Big3 "considered hosting its 2020 season in a single location, but ultimately determined it was 'not feasible'" (N.Y. POST, 5/19). Year Four of the league was "set to introduce major changes to professional 3-on-3 hoops." League co-Founder Jeff Kwatinetz said he is "frustrated and disappointed that we can't see Big3 played this year" (ESPN.com, 5/18).

The Angels have "started informing non-playing baseball operations employees of furloughs that will be enacted after June 1." Sources said that the club’s "minor-league operation will take among the most severe hits," with the "majority of the club’s player-development staff, minor-league coordinators and minor-league coaches furloughed starting June 1." Among those also directly affected will be the "pro and international scouting staff as well as junior-level baseball operations employees and members of the analytics department" (THEATHLETIC.com, 5/18).

Gaming management company Loaded has struck a deal with Boras Corp. in which the two agencies will partner to build out Phillies RF Bryce Harper’s gaming presence. Terms of the deal are not being released, but Loaded will bring its expertise and connections in the gaming space to bear around Harper, who wants to take his persona, skills and fanbase in gaming to another level. Loaded’s work will include setting up accounts on gaming platforms for Harper and getting him familiar with how to stream properly; seeking collaborations and sponsorships with brands and publishers; and setting up a charity gaming tournament.

Harper is currently playing "Fortnite" most often, and Loaded is well connected with publisher Epic Games. It also represents "Fortnite" star Tyler “Ninja” Blevins. The deal was in the works before the coronavirus pandemic touched off, and the sides will formally announce it later today.

Revenue for the newly formed MSG Sports Corp. "will fall" by 35% in the FY ending June 30, 2021, to a projected $456M, according to a report from Jefferies analyst Khoa Ngo. The revenue drop "will come as fan attendance falls in the first half" of the '20-21 season by 80% "before rebounding somewhat" to around 50% of normal capacity in the second half, per the report. Ngo said that "revenue for the year that just ended will actually be better than next year, as the majority of the Knicks and Rangers games had already occurred when the pandemic hit." By '21-22, MSGS sales "should bounce back" to around $700M (N.Y. POST, 5/19).

Bic has signed on to be the official razor of USA Swimming. The sponsorship deal grants Bic activation rights at major swimming events, including the U.S. Open and Pro Swim Series. Bic also signed individual endorsement deals with swimmers Katie Ledecky and Simone Manuel, who will appear in a new digital video ad campaign. The trio of new sponsorships runs through '21. Ledecky and Manuel, who both took home multiple Gold Medals in Rio in '16, are expected to be among the biggest names in Tokyo next summer.

Barnes & Noble College has struck a deal with 10 NCAA Division II and NAIA conferences to become their official athletics partner and campus bookstore. It is a first-of-its-kind deal for the 119 schools in the conferences, giving Barnes & Noble exclusive bookstore rights. As part of the deal, Barnes & Noble will sponsor BNC First Day Complete, a program that provides course materials for the schools at 40-50% discounts. The deal was brokered by Texas-based agency Steel Curtain U, and the conferences include:

• Conference Carolinas
• Great American Conference
• Great Northwest Athletic Conference
• Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference
• Peach Belt Conference
• Red River Athletic Conference
• Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference
• Southern States Athletic Conference
• Sunshine State Conference
• Sun Conference

UCLA’s six-year deal with Martin Jarmond to become the school’s new AD is “expected to be announced” today (L.A. TIMES, 5/19).

The Pac-12 this week is expected to announce an “update to its March 30 mandate of no organized, in-person team activities of any kind through May 31.” While it could “extend its ban,” there has been “growing optimism” that facilities will open in a limited capacity (SALT LAKE TRIBUNE, 5/19).

"I should've realized that it was going to be a bad year for China when my general manager tweeted out, you know, 'Freedom for Hong Kong.' That started my year" -- Rockets Owner Tilman Fertitta, during a Monday meeting with President Trump, White House officials and industry leaders (SPORTINGNEWS.com, 5/18).

"We didn’t anticipate that the Los Angeles Lakers, who I’m a big fan of, would be taking a PPP loan. As a result of that, there was a lot of backlash" -- U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, at the same meeting yesterday (WASHINGTON POST, 5/19).

“We need to get over the panic. If one of our athletes gets coronavirus, we can’t just shut the whole thing down. We have to learn how to control that part of it” -- West Virginia Univ. President E. Gordon Gee, on dealing with the pandemic (“The Paul Finebaum Show,” ESPN Radio, 5/18).

“It really feels like we’re getting some stuff done. I really do believe we’re to a point where a decision will be made. … I feel very confident it’s going to happen” -- Padres C Austin Hedges, on his belief that there will be a '20 MLB season (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 5/19).

GOLFCHANNEL.com goes with the header, "LPGA's Biggest Obstacle To A Potential Return? It Needs Fans On Site." With LPGA tournaments "working under a different business model than the richer PGA Tour with its enormous TV rights package, the prospect of playing without fans, pro-ams and corporate networking is more daunting to women’s events." If Ohio "won’t lift restrictions to allow outdoor public gatherings, the Marathon Classic will likely cancel its event" in July near Toledo.

Also:

• A look at how escrow and smoothing can "help manage the NBA’s salary cap problem."
• Golfers believe that a Ryder Cup "without fans would be an epic fail." 
• MLB prospect set up a practice area in his backyard and "opened it to other players."

I just keep thinking about a scenario where the NFL says you can have fans -- even on a limited basis -- but Gov. Wolf and/or Mayor Peduto say no large gatherings.
I want to see those gentlemen (try to) tell Art Rooney II he can't let people in.

— Colin Dunlap (@colin_dunlap) May 19, 2020

Would have loved to watch the Knicks lose the NBA Draft lottery that was scheduled for tonight. Even that, at this point, would have felt like a win.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) May 19, 2020

I wish Olympic sports were as popular as basketball. We'd get to see people arguing that Carl Lewis was a better sprinter than Usain Bolt.

— Ryan O'Hanlon (@rwohan) May 19, 2020

Great teams have a synergy of accountability which permeates throughout the organization. The standards are set high and everyone is held responsible for falling short. Successful teams develop a bottom up mentality. It is no surprise the best teams have superb player leadership.

— Jim Caldwell (@coachjlcaldwell) May 18, 2020

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

Collegiate Sports Management Group's inaugural panel discussion in its sports summit series is on the hot topic of NIL in college sports. Panelists for the 1:00pm ET event include CSMG Chair Dr. Harvey Schiller, America East Commissioner Amy Huchthausen and MELT CEO Vince Thompson. Register here.

During this crisis impacting the sports business, we want everyone to be up-to-date on the latest news and information. Here are the top headlines from last night's SBJ Unpacks: Coronavirus -- NASCAR, Fox Earn High Marks At Darlington.

• NASCAR Sees Strong Viewership On Fox For Return Race
• Fox NASCAR Production A Success At Darlington
• Athletic Footwear Market Feels Pandemic Pinch
• Working From Home With Rich Kleiman

Last night’s “Final Jeopardy!” category was “America In The 1700s.”

“'Every state shall always keep up a well regulated and disciplined militia, sufficiently armed and accoutred' is in No. 6 of these.”

CBS’ Stephen Colbert noted President Trump called into Sunday's broadcast of the TaylorMade Driving Relief charity golf event on NBC and "had optimistic words for sports fans: ‘We want to get sports back. We miss sports. We’re getting it back and it's going to be fast.’ It's going to be fast? Clearly, you have never watched golf." More Colbert: "South Korean soccer has resumed to empty stadiums. One team bought dolls to fill out the stands. Just one problem: they all turned out to be sex dolls. Oh come on, that doesn't pass the smell test, and I'm guessing neither do the dolls. How do you order that many sex dolls and not know they're sex dolls?” (“The Late Show,” CBS, 5/18).

NBC’s Seth Meyers said German soccer fans are "paying to have cardboard cutouts of themselves in the stands” at Bundesliga games. Meyers: “It's such a German solution, because it's so much more efficient than actually going to a game yourself” (“Late Night,” NBC, 5/18).

“What are the Articles of Confederation?”