The Big 12 has hired U.S. Integrity to use its software monitoring tools to prevent athletes, coaches and staff from engaging in prohibited sports wagering. As part of the new partnership, Big 12 officials and each Big 12 institution will be provided access to U.S. Integrity’s monitoring resources, including annual onsite training, weekly integrity monitoring across all sports and access to the firm’s ProhiBet system. Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark described the U.S. Integrity partnership as a “continuation of our commitment to sports betting compliance,” he said through the conference. “Given the current landscape of sports betting in our industry, it’s more important than ever to double-down on ensuring sport integrity.” 

The partnership will provide the conference with access to ProhiBet, a technology for sports properties and sportsbook operators to ensure that athletes, coaches and administrative staff remain compliant with sports betting regulations. In recent weeks, four Iowa State football players and an Oklahoma State player have been charged with alleged illegal sports betting activity. Both schools are members of the Big 12.

The White Sox yesterday relieved EVP Ken Williams and GM Rick Hahn of their responsibilities "effective immediately." While speculation "had increased about their job status" as the year progressed, the timing of the moves -- with more than a month remaining in the regular season -- "came as a stunner." Williams had "been in the Sox organization for 38 of the last 41 years" and was in his 11th season as EVP after serving as GM for 12 seasons (2001-12). Hahn served as GM for the last 11 seasons, "leading the Sox to consecutive postseason appearances" in 2020 and 2021. He joined the organization in October 2000 as assistant GM and "helped build the 2005 World Series champions." He was promoted to GM in October 2012 (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 8/23).

The Cowboys officially have filed documents stating that they are "looking to make changes" to AT&T Stadium’s premium clubs and suites. The team is planning to make $180M in renovations over the next two years, and the upgrades "are to begin Jan. 2 and go through July 2025." Dallas-based HKS Inc., which designed the stadium, is "listed as the architect for the upgrades." In December, NFL owners approved the Cowboys' plan to devote $295M toward "improvements to the 14-year-old stadium." SBJ's Ben Fischer first reported on the renovations to AT&T Stadium in the SBJ Football newsletter (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 8/22).

The Honey Baked Ham Company is going all in on college football and the ACC and SEC. The company will invest in its largest non-holiday campaign in its 65-year history, a seven-figure promotion around college football that includes activations on ESPN and a tailgate tour to ACC and SEC football games. The “GameDay is a Honey Baked Day” campaign -- the company’s first foray into sports -- features four special Honey Baked Ham packages geared around college football tailgates, and the media focus centers on sports TV, with ads running on ESPN’s ACC Network and SEC Network feeds and brand integrations -- “Playmaker of the Game” and “Game of the Week” on ACCN and sponsored guest interviews on the SECN’s “The Paul Finebaum Show.” The media spend includes ads on Westwood One radio broadcasts as well from September to November, featuring ESPN’s Laura Rutledge. 

“When you think about what [Rutledge’s] been doing with the SEC Network, she’s really seen as a premier host,” Honey Baked Ham CMO Tripp McLaughlin said, but he also noted that Honey Baked also wanted to work with her because “she’s a mother, so she’s also appealing to our core target” audience.

Honey Baked usually reserves its media spend for the holiday season, as family gatherings and traditions are a cornerstone of its marketing approach, but as McLaughlin said, the company wanted to find its “next big holiday business.” “When you think about a 16-week football schedule out there, you’re running from August until November. It really just felt like the right kind of overall fit for us. So we’re really excited to be investing heavily outside the holiday periods.”

The 10-week tailgate tour of ACC and SEC teams begins Sept. 2 in Charlotte when North Carolina hosts South Carolina. Honey Baked declined to divulge any agency help it received for this deal. 

For more on Honey Baked’s first foray into sports, read tonight’s SBJ Unpacks newsletter.

Jets QB Aaron Rodgers and State Farm Insurance have reportedly "ended one of the NFL's most famous endorsements." The 12-year relationship reached its conclusion last season with Rodgers' "final commercial appearance coming in January." Rodgers had been doing commercials for State Farm since 2011, though he has become a "magnet for controversy" in recent years due to his COVID-19 vaccination stance and his public demand for a trade from the Packers. State Farm still has Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes "positioned as its primary NFL spokesperson." Sportico first reported the split between Rodgers and State Farm (YAHOO SPORTS, 8/22).

Excel Sports Management has signed six-time PGA Tour winner Max Homa as the newest client on the agency’s golf roster. Homa, who was announced as one of six automatic qualifiers for the U.S. Ryder Cup team this past Sunday, is currently ranked No. 7 in the Official World Golf Rankings and is sixth in the FedExCup standings heading into the Tour Championship this weekend. Homa will be represented by agent Andrew Kipper. He was previously repped by Professional Advisory Group (SBJ).

Former USC RB Reggie Bush is "holding a news conference" today at the L.A. Coliseum to announce he "plans to file a defamation suit against the NCAA," the organization that alleged he received improper benefits from a sports marketing agent. The allegations Bush and his family "accepted compensation in violation of NCAA rules" surfaced in 2006 after he had left the Trojans for the NFL. To this point, he "has not answered media questions about what he or his family did or didn’t accept" from the person the NCAA accused of giving Bush impermissible benefits. Bush’s 10-year disassociation penalty from the NCAA ended in June 2020. Ever since, he has been "pushing to have his name cleared, his records restored and, most important, his Heisman Trophy returned" (L.A. TIMES, 8/22).

Big League Utah, the group working to bring a MLB team to the state, "launched a public survey" yesterday to "gather insights, preferences and feedback on a potential team and a new ballpark." It’s looking for opinions on a variety of topics including "design, seating and ticket packages, amenities and offerings within a potential stadium." A Deseret News/Hinckley Institute poll in May found 81% of Utahns "support bringing a major league franchise to the Beehive State." More than half said they would "attend at least five games a season," while 3% said they would "buy season tickets" (DESERET NEWS, 8/22).

Fantasy guru Matthew Berry joins the pod this week just a week after news broke that he raised $2M for his Fantasy Life media business, with an all-star roster of investors including everyone from Casey Wasserman and Tony Khan to Josh Allen and Joe Burrow. Berry discusses his move from ESPN to NBC and how he rode the rise of fantasy sports to create a career. A student of the sports media business, Berry opined on his thoughts of where the business is headed and how today’s sports media stars can amass audiences.

Hosts Andrew Marchand and John Ourand discuss the biggest sports media news of the day: ESPN’s decision to part ways with Lee Fitting, the executive behind the massive success of College GameDay. Fitting oversaw the production behind all college and pro football at the network. Marchand and Ourand discuss daytime studio changes at ESPN and Fox shows “First Take” and “Undisputed.” The two hosts also highlight reader feedback from their regular disagreement over Amazon’s and Apple’s interest in sports media.

• Spain celebrates; WWC final drew record ratings
• Rugby Australia responds to Wallaroos backlash
• World Rugby confirms venues for 2025 Women's WC

Check your preferences to make sure you are getting all the SBJ editions you need to keep you informed.

N.Y. Times sports writers Tyler Kepner and Matthew Futterman will join The Athletic’s staff, with Kepner covering MLB and Futterman launching a new tennis vertical. The Times last month announced it was disbanding its sports department and relying on sports coverage from The Athletic (NYT).

DePaul and Marquee Sports Network announced a multiyear broadcast partnership to provide live television broadcasts of select events, including women's basketball, men's soccer, women's soccer, women's volleyball, and softball (DePaul).

Jamaican track star Ackera Nugent, the NCAA champion in the 100m hurdles, will “forego her final year of college eligibility after signing a professional contract” with Adidas (JAMAICA OBSERVER, 8/22). 

Univ. of Colorado football coach Deion Sanders has signed a deal with California Almonds that will see Sanders appear in ads for the brand at the beginning of the college football season on national and cable TV, social media and more (California Almonds).

PFL will hold its championship event at The Anthem venue in D.C. on Nov. 24 with Celsius Essential Energy serving as presenting sponsor. The venue has a capacity of 2,500 to 6,000, a smaller size that fits with the PFL's aim to be a media-focused property firstly. The event will see the MMA property award $6M in prize money, $1M for each winner of the six title fights (Adam Stern, SBJ).

“If you look outside of tech and look at esports, which of course are linked to gaming and to streaming, Saudi Arabia is investing a hell of lot in gaming rights. Other sovereign funds are investing in sport and games. This could be a massive growth area, which is why Microsoft wants this deal” -- GlobalData Head of Investment Research Cyrus Mewawalla, on Microsoft restructuring its proposed deal to acquire Activision Blizzard (“Worldwide Exchange,” CNBC, 8/23).

“Messi has made recruiting easier for us. If the best player in the world thinks this is a good soccer market, then the players we are recruiting can come here, too. Our players love to say, ‘I play in the same city as Messi,’ even though they’ve never met him” -- Florida International men’s soccer coach Kyle Russell, on Lionel Messi’s presence in the market positively impacting the school’s recruiting efforts (MIAMI HERALD, 8/22).

"Jon Rahm himself said to me when he was walking into his presser and said to a couple of the other guys standing around, ‘I don’t understand, why were we in Memphis two weeks ago?’ We said, ‘Well, that’s FedEx headquarters.’ ‘Well, why are we in Atlanta in the hottest time of the year?’ ‘It’s Coca-Cola’s headquarters,’ and he just kind of, ‘Mmmm,’ and then walked into the presser” -- ESPN’s Michael Collins, on the PGA Tour Championship being played in Atlanta with hot temperatures being forecasted for the tournament (“SportsCenter,” ESPN, 8/22).

The BOSTON GLOBE considers whether NBA players and fans will "give the inaugural in-season tournament a chance to gain some traction." NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has "spent years preparing NBA faithful for this possibility, adopting the idea from European soccer to give a boost to the regular season, and it does need a boost." The NBA wants to be "more significant before their Christmas Day slate," and the league will eventually learn "how such a tournament will compete with the NFL schedule." The NBA also could determine how "popular it is and what actual enthusiasm the competition will generate five months before the playoffs begin." But players will have to become "more motivated by regular-season games and the chance to win a trophy for the first time on a grand stage," and fans should "at least attempt to get excited about high-level basketball in early December." 

Also:

• In cricket, Olympic officials could add one sport and 1.4 billion fans.
• Rebooting this college football videogame might be harder than winning a title.

Signs of #Rays Wander Franco are disappearing at the Trop - the banner of him on the rotunda was replaced by Yandy Diaz, the elevator wrap is now Fairbanks. Sign at Ferg’s across street also down. Franco does still have a locker in clubhouse.

— Marc Topkin (@TBTimes_Rays) August 22, 2023

Watching Swamp Kings and I have many thoughts I’m gonna write down but

Percy ain’t in it

— BUM CHILLUPS AKA SPENCER HALL (@edsbs) August 23, 2023

The Champion Golfer of the Year brought the heat 🔥@HarmanBrian threw out the first pitch at tonight's Atlanta Braves game.@Braves | @MLB pic.twitter.com/GfFF1F1WT9

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) August 22, 2023

It would appear that the plan is for Golf Channel to have Walker Cup coverage 8:30-2 ET on Saturday (9/2) and 8-2 ET on Sunday (9/3). Big if true! https://t.co/V4y8cn8rLY pic.twitter.com/QYYEyqsKWH

— Garrett Morrison (@garrett_TFE) August 23, 2023

“The three elements whose names begin with two vowels are iodine and these two, one synthetic and one natural.”

“What are einsteinium and europium?”