A Congressional committee is "seeking documents and information from the NFL regarding the investigation into the Washington Football Team and how the league handled it." The House Committee on Oversight & Reform has sent a letter to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell "requesting by Nov. 4 all documents and communication about the probe into the workplace culture" inside the WFT organization. NFL VP/Communications Brian McCarthy said that the league has received the letter U.S. Reps. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) and Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.) and "shares the committee’s 'concern that all workplaces should be free from any form of harassment and discrimination'" (AP, 8/21).

The seating and interior set-up at Chase Center "were declared safe and up to code Thursday by San Francisco city building inspectors" following the "tragedy-marred Phish concert at the venue Oct. 17, in which one person died and two were injured in two separate incidents." A complaint was made to the Department of Building Inspection on Monday "charging that the venue’s guardrails are 'unsafe' and 'not high enough' and that the stairs leading to the guardrails are 'steep.'” In addition to the steepness of the balcony area seating grade, concert attendees complained about "narrow aisles between rows and plexiglass barriers that they felt should be higher" (San Jose MERCURY NEWS, 10/22).

The Lightning received their ’20-21 Stanley Cup rings last night in a private ceremony. The ring was designed by Jostens and “features 338 diamonds and 52 sapphires set in 14-karat white gold.” The top of the ring includes the Lightning logo “created from 30 custom-cut sapphires set atop a bed of 45 brilliant custom-cut and baguette diamonds.” The top “flips open to reveal the words, ‘Cup Parade Repeat,’ surrounded by three diamonds, signifying the franchise’s three Stanley Cups” (TAMPA BAY TIMES, 10/22).

Memphis' Liberty Bowl will be renamed Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium after the bank had a "change of heart" about its original name proposal. The bank on Oct. 1 said the venue would be called Simmons Bank Memorial Stadium but changed the name after "listening to community feedback." Simmons Bank has "yet to announce" when the new name for the venue will be finalized. AutoZone Liberty Bowl officials confirmed earlier this month the renamed stadium "will have no impact on the name of the bowl game, which is a separate entity" (Memphis COMMERCIAL APPEAL, 10/22).

A deal between content platforms Eleven and OneFootball will allow nine members of the European Leagues umbrella organization to broadcast their matches live globally over the next three years. The agreement, which was brokered by Octagon and finalized after more than two years of talks, will see European soccer leagues including the Danish Superliga, Swiss Football League and Polish Ekstraklasa collectively bundle their media rights outside their domestic markets. Each league is guaranteeing Eleven and OneFootball rights to a significant portion of their domestic matches -- from 60% to, in some cases, all games.

This marks the first agreement of its kind and will provide soccer fans worldwide with access to non-stop free-TV coverage of winter and summer leagues. Eleven boasts linear and digital channels whose rights portfolio features top properties including the Champions League and F1, in addition to a streaming platform present in over 230 countries. Eleven Group, which recently acquired streaming service MyCujoo and entertainment company Team Whistle, has 665 million aggregated social media followers. OneFootball has a reach of 100 million fans globally every month and acquired digital media firm Dugout in December ’20.

See more in today's SBJ Daily edition.

Designer Shoe Warehouse will serve as the Blue Jackets home helmet sponsor and will “appear on the team's blue helmet for the first time this season Saturday night.” The deal with Columbus-based DSW “will allow for increased awareness among Blue Jackets fans through television broadcast, traditional media, as well as digital and social media platforms.” The Blue Jackets earlier this week announced team sponsor iDesign “will appear on the helmets of the club's road games” (COLUMBUS DISPATCH, 10/22).

The Wizards have unveiled a bust of Basketball HOFer Wes Unseld, the "central figure in the franchise’s longest and most successful era who later served as the team’s coach and general manager." The 90-pound sculpture was "designed by sculptor J Brett Gill and will be a permanent fixture outside of Section 111 at Capital One Arena." Wizards Owner Ted Leonsis said that he "hopes to start a new tradition where all of the organization’s all-time greats are celebrated in such a manner." Unseld died last year from complications of pneumonia. His son, Wes Unseld Jr., is the current Wizards coach (WASHINGTON POST, 10/22).

The Hawks formally dedicated the press room at State Farm Arena for late journalist Sekou Smith ahead of their season debut last night. Smith, who covered the team from '05-09 and worked for NBA Digital after that, died in January at the age of 48 (ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION, 10/22). 

A "sellout crowd of 18,467" attended last night's match between the USWNT and Korea -- a 0-0 draw -- at Children's Mercy Park in K.C. (K.C. STAR, 10/22). 

Rutgers has named Austin Johnson as the "successor to late men’s basketball radio color analyst Joe Boylan." Johnson played for Rutgers from '09-13 (Newark STAR-LEDGER, 10/22).

Xavier has "established a group licensing agreement with The Brandr Group that will cover student-athletes across all of the Musketeers' 19 varsity sports" (CINCINNATI ENQUIRER, 10/22).

“The bathrooms I’m hardcore about. Is the sink deep enough? ... I already told them, I don’t think the sinks are deep enough, so we’re going back through sink depth” -- Clippers Owner Steve Ballmer, on his involvement in the team's new Intuit Dome, which is slated to open in '24 (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 10/22).

"Usually I get asked for tickets, but everyone kind of got tickets in advance for this one, so it’s going to be an awesome night” -- Stars F Tyler Seguin, on the team's home opener tonight against the Kings. It marks the Stars' first game with full capacity since March '20 (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 10/22).

The AKRON BEACON JOURNAL writes robotic umpires "should be the next big change for MLB." The prospect of a "more perfectly called game" is an "element that is needed." And it "isn't in anger or disappointment with today's umpires, who by all accounts do about as good of a job as any non-perfect human could." It is "simply a realization that as long as the technology is proven to work and is now available, it's an avenue toward a more accurate result." And it is "admitting that the human element will, at some degree, decrease the accuracy of balls and strikes."

Also:

• Big East's Ackerman looks to elevate women's basketball.
• More women in college sports profiting from NIL deals.
• Why FIFA and UEFA should value "quality rather than quantity."
• Wazzu faces uphill challenge after firing football coaches.

Advertising really works. There are several companies I never really thought about before the baseball playoffs started and now I hate them with every fiber of my being.

— King Kaufman (@king_kaufman) October 22, 2021

That went about as well as we could’ve planned for.

Thank you, universe. #LetsGoCanes

— Mike Forman (@MForman5) October 22, 2021

Geoff Ogilvy has long been one of golf’s best minds and this effort by him and Mike Clayton figures to be fantastic. The game needs more thinking like this. https://t.co/AM2GNyehey

— Brian Wacker (@brianwacker1) October 21, 2021

1st Sports Equinox of 2021 💛 … @NFL @MLB @NBA @NHL #CFB pic.twitter.com/766V4gJdVt

— Scott Hanson (@ScottHanson) October 21, 2021

Last night’s "Final Jeopardy!" category was "World Geography."

"What is Denmark?"

Denmark’s “possession” is Greenland, the largest island in the world.