The Alliance of American Football kicked off last night with two games on CBS, and co-Founder & CEO Charlie Ebersol said attendance for both games in San Antonio and Orlando were "way above expectations." The San Antonio Commanders were "greeted by 27,857 fans" for their 15-6 win over the San Diego Fleet at the Alamodome. AAF co-Founder Bill Polian said he was “thrilled” with the fan support and “great atmosphere" (SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS, 2/10). Steve Spurrier's "entertaining style of offense didn't disappoint an announced crowd of 20,191" for the Orlando Apollos' 40-6 win over the Atlanta Legends at Spectrum Stadium. But in "stark contrast" to the festive atmosphere before UCF games, only a "smattering of fans mingled in a plaza near the 44,000-seat stadium" (AP, 2/9).

It "didn’t take long for the fledgling league to win over fans on Twitter." Commanders LB Shaan Washington took off Fleet QB Mike Bercovici’s helmet with a "massive hit that, incredibly, was deemed entirely legal." Fans expecting a penalty flag were "pleasantly surprised." Another innovation "got rave reviews." During a review, the broadcast "shared the audio between the referee on the field and the official in the booth, giving fans an all-access look at the process" (USATODAY.com, 2/9). AAF organizers have "torn a page out of the MLS playbook and realize that if they want to lure today’s sports fans," games "not only have to be fun, they have to be fast" (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 2/10). Two more games are set for Sunday: Memphis Express-Birmingham Iron at 4:00pm ET, and Salt Lake Stallions-Arizona Hotshots at 8:00pm (THE DAILY).

ESPN’s “SportsCenter” first showed coverage from last night’s AAF action 30 minutes into its broadcast this morning, teasing the highlights before going to commercial with the headline “Welcome to the AAF,” while the midnight edition showed highlights roughly 45 minutes into the show. Meanwhile, “Sunday Today with Willie Geist,” “GMA,” or “CBS News Sunday Morning” never aired any highlights or even teased or touched on the league’s opening night (THE DAILY).

The Raiders are "in negotiations" with Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum officials to "play in Oakland next season," according to sources. It marks the "first talks they’ve had" since December (TWITTER.com, 2/8). Raiders Owner Mark Davis "stopped talks with Oakland after the city filed a lawsuit against the Raiders and the NFL over the move to Las Vegas." The team’s new stadium in Vegas "will not be ready" until '20. It was reported early last week that the Raiders "had reached a deal to play at Oracle Park in San Francisco, but those talks stalled" (EASTBAYTIMES.com, 2/8).

Bob Costas today detailed his move off of NBC on ESPN’s “E:60,” noting it crossed his mind “many times” that he should maybe not share his views on concussions as the face of the NFL on NBC. Costas: “But evidence is evidence and it’s part of your job to see what's out there in front of you.” Costas said he “really had no desire” to be part of “SNF” when NBC acquired its rights in ‘05, but then-NBC Sports President Dick Ebersol came to him and said, “We need you to do this.” Costas said as “kind of a good soldier, I did it.”

After the premiere of the movie “Concussion,” Costas said he wanted to address the concussion issue. Costas: “I proposed a very carefully crafted halftime essay that would give the NFL full credit for the steps it had taken, perhaps belatedly, to try to cope with the crisis.” Costas: “I purposely toned it down. They said, ‘This is a very well written piece. We wouldn't change a comma, but we can't air it. We are in negotiations with the NFL for ‘Thursday Night Football’” (“E:60, ESPN2, 2/10). See more from Costas’ interview in tomorrow’s issue of THE DAILY.

The Lions on Friday and said that 92% of all season-ticket prices "will remain the same or see a slight decrease in price while 'highly in-demand seat locations will increase.'” Overall, the average price of a season ticket "will see a slight decrease." Last year, the Lions "ranked in the bottom quarter of the NFL in average season-ticket price." The Lions said that more than 57,000 seats in Ford Field "will cost the same price" in '19 as they did this season or "see a slight discount." Just 5,099 seats in Ford Field "will increase" for '19 (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 2/9).

Meanwhile, the Broncos are "increasing general season ticket prices" for the first time in three years. Ninety-five percent of the general seats "will have an increase" of only 1% and the remaining 5% of seats will have an increase of less than 10%. This does "not include club and suite ticket packages, which are separate multi-year contracts." The Broncos’ general seating average price "will increase from $101.30 to $103.06." Last year’s average ticket price was 15th in the NFL (DENVER POST, 2/9).

The D-backs' Fan Fest yesterday afternoon drew a "record crowd" of more than 40,000 fans. This was the first year that the team had fans download free tickets to the event as a way to track attendance. D-backs CEO Derrick Hall was "blown away by the response" (MLB.com, 2/9).

Meanwhile, the Rays "raised about $150,000" for the team's charitable foundation at the club's Fan Fest, which drew an estimated crowd of more than 11,000 (TWITTER.com, 2/9). The club transformed Tropicana Field into a "fairground for a few hours." Kids in light blue jerseys and "too-big hats ricocheted between carnival games, autograph stands and a dance floor" (TAMPA BAY TIMES, 2/9).

UFC 234 last night "drew an announced attendance of 15,238 fans" to Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne (MMAJUNKIE.com, 2/10). The event "lost its headliner" in Robert Whittaker "just hours before the show was set to begin." UFC President Dana White yesterday morning revealed Whittaker was "out of his scheduled title fight with Kelvin Gastelum after being hospitalized the night before." He was "diagnosed with a hernia and was set to undergo surgery" (MMAJUNKIE.com, 2/9).

Baltimore lawmakers are hoping to draw the "reluctant owners" of Pimlico Race Course, Stronach Group, into discussions about redeveloping the aging horse racing track. Proposed legislation would require city and state officials and track owners to "meet and come up with a plan to move forward on an ambitious redevelopment proposal" drawn up by the Maryland Stadium Authority. The MSA proposal envisions a multi-use development at Pimlico. The work group would be charged with "studying the feasibility of the stadium authority's plans and how to pay for it." A report would be due by December. Stronach Group has been "reluctant to invest" in the facility (BALTIMORE SUN, 2/9).

Rolex has signed on as presenting partner and official timepiece sponsor of SailGP, the startup global sailing tour founded by Oracle Chair Larry Ellison and five-time America’s Cup winner Russell Coutts. The tour’s first race is Feb. 15 in Sydney Harbor, and will continue to S.F. in May, N.Y. in June and the U.K. in August before a $1M championship race in France in September. Rolex gets camera-visible signage and timepieces at all events and each boat. Other than describing the deal as “long-term,” terms were not disclosed. Rolex has been a regular sailing sponsor over the years, and currently sponsors the World Sailor of the Year Award.

CFL Commissioner Randy Ambrosie "expects contract talks between the league and its players will begin sometime next month." Ambrosie said that the two sides "met informally in January during the CFL’s medical meetings in Montreal but no actual bargaining took place." The current CBA expires in May. Ambrosie: "They expected they’d be in a position to give us notice to bargain probably in and around the middle of March. ... We’re all anxious. I really am looking forward to sitting down with the players and sharing a vision for a bigger CFL" (CP, 2/9).

Celtics TV analyst Tommy Heinsohn last night made an appearance at TD Garden "for the first time since late December" to call Clippers-Celtics. Heinsohn "spent the better part of two months between December and January" battling sleep apnea. He said ahead of the game, "I feel a lot better. I was really struggling walking from the elevator to the press room at one point.” Heinsohn was "short and to the point" when asked about his health, as he just "wants to talk basketball" (BOSTON HERALD, 2/10).

Ohio State AD Gene Smith on Friday resigned from the CFP selection committee. He will be replaced by Iowa AD Gary Barta (Cleveland PLAIN DEALER, 2/9).

Sources said that unified heavyweight world titleholder Anthony Joshua and Jarrell Miller "will meet" on June 1 at MSG, marking Joshua's debut in the U.S. The fight "will stream on DAZN" in the U.S. (ESPN.com,  2/8).

Activision-Blizzard staff are "preparing for big layoffs next week." Hundreds of employees could potentially "lose their jobs on Tuesday" (KOTAKU.com, 2/9).

Grooming company Bevel opened its first barbershop at Barclays Center. The 400-square-foot barbershop will be located on the venue's main concourse and be open during Nets games and select concerts (Barclays Center).

The WBA super featherweight bout between Gervonta Davis and Hugo Ruiz, which Davis won with a first-round knockout, drew 7,250 fans to Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif., last night (L.A. TIMES, 2/10).

"It was fun. But look forward to seeing someone else do it next year. No, I had fun" -- Lakers F LeBron James, on his All-Star draft last week (ESPN.com, 2/10).

"I'll tell you one thing right now: We definitely aren’t tanking. We’re going for the playoffs" -- Mavericks Owner Mark Cuban, on his team's aspirations for the rest of the season (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 2/9).

"What we’re doing here is creating an entity that goes beyond a couple football games, beyond a linear network, beyond DirecTV carriage" --The Raine Group Partner & co-Founder Joe Ravitch, on his vision for the Pac-12's media strategy (San Jose MERCURY NEWS, 2/9).

"It was a dreadful environment and our players played exactly the way the crowd performed" -- Arizona State men's basketball coach Bobby Hurley, on the atmosphere during his team's 91-70 home loss to Washington State on Thursday (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 2/9).

THE UNDEFEATED goes with the header, "Kevin Durant And The Uneasy Relationship Between Athletes And The Media." Durant's "brief and contentious" meeting with the press last week has been "met with some unsurprising backlash from the members of the same basketball press that he admonished." Journalists/media "mostly see themselves as unbiased spectators who just report the facts." But their words "have power in the lives of the people they cover." 

Also:

• JR Motorsports co-Owner Kelley Earnhardt Miller has "blazed her own path" to success.
• Wild Assistant GM Tom Kurvers is preparing for his "toughest battle."
• "High Flying Bird" is a movie "about the basketball business and the movie business."
• DC's esports house: "bare walls, little furniture and big dreams."

Judging strictly from Golf Channel highlights, but it appears Tony Romo not only shot 59 at Pebble Beach today but was the only player in the tournament

— Tim Dahlberg (@timdahlberg) February 9, 2019

So sad to hear about the passing of David Williams today.. Had the honor of getting to know him and call him a friend.. Vanderbilt is a better place because of him, but it won’t be the same without him.. Thoughts and prayers go out to the Williams family.. #anchordown

— Brandt Snedeker (@BrandtSnedeker) February 9, 2019

Professional vacation starts Wednesday in Minnesota, with Rockets-Timberwolves....then continues around some NBA all-star festivities in Charlotte on Thursday and Friday.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 8, 2019

Tonight was my final night producing SportsCenter with @notthefakeSVP It truly was an honor to work with the team that created, launched and evolved the show over the last 4 years. Too many to name. SVP’s talent is only eclipsed by his kindness. I was so lucky to be a part of it

— Tom DeCorte (@TPD3) February 9, 2019

It’s go-time for the new guy 😎. Tune in now ⁦@FS1⁩ pic.twitter.com/AdTqj0jyep

— Alan Cavanna (@CopaCavanna) February 9, 2019

A sneak preview of Sports Business Journal's weekly editorial cartoon: