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Media
Joe Buck surprised by Pro Football Hall of Fame selection during live broadcast
Steve Gardner, USA Today
The Fox Sports announcer was surprised on the air during halftime of Thursday night's NFL game between the Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns with the announcement that he has been named the recipient of the 2020 Pete Rozelle Award - and a place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The 51-year-old Buck was atypically at a loss for words after a video announcement played and the TV cameras turned to the broadcast booth.
U.S. Open switches to Peacock, sports fans are left scrambling
Todd Kelly, Golfweek
The 120th U.S. Open was on Golf Channel for six and a half hours earlier in the day and then on good old, over-the-air, free NBC for three hours but the final two hours of live golf have switched over to Peacock. Problem is, Peacock doesn't quite have Netflix-level penetration across the U.S. and many sports fans are probably still scrambling as this story was being typed, looking for that app.
NBC Sports Centralizes Businesses Under David Preschlack
John Ourand, Sports Business Daily
In a move to centralize its businesses under one exec, NBC Sports Group will have Exec VP/Content Strategy David Preschlack oversee NBC Sports, Olympics and golf scheduling, planning and rights management. Preschlack, who also carries the title of President of Regional Networks, will continue to report to NBC Sports Group President Pete Bevacqua.
'Monday Night Football' has big plans for Allegiant debut
Christopher Lawrence, Las Vegas Review-Journal
The Raiders' first game in Allegiant Stadium coincides with the 50th anniversary of the league's first "Monday Night Football" broadcast, and ESPN is going all out in its coverage. The MegaCast, starting at 5:15 p.m. Monday, will include simulcasting ESPN's coverage of the Saints-Raiders matchup on ABC, marking "Monday Night Football's" first time on the network since 2005.
Premier League secures 1-year China broadcast deal with Tencent
Murad Ahmed, Financial Times
The English Premier League has secured a new broadcast deal with Tencent in China, moving quickly to replace its previous $700m contract in the country that was abruptly ended in a dispute triggered by the pandemic. English football's top tier agreed the one-year digital streaming deal with the Chinese internet giant on Thursday, according to people familiar with the talks, after scrambling to find a new broadcast partner in the country over the past two weeks.
NCAA Limited Series 'Unsportsmanlike Conduct' In Works At Sony TV From 'Cobra Kai' Team & Lesli Linka Glatter
Nellie Andreeva and Denise Petski, Deadline Hollywood
Unsportsmanlike Conduct follows Walter Byers, the first executive director of the National College Athletic Association. In the tone of The Big Short and Wolf of Wall Street, Unsportsmanlike Conduct will span three decades, during which Byers transformed a toothless non-profit into one of the most profitable organizations in history while examining the cost of turning college sports into a lucrative business enterprise.
College Sports
Schreiber-Led Group Acquires Outfront Media Sports, Will Rebrand
Michael Smith, Sports Business Daily
A group spearheaded by veteran media exec Michael Schreiber, Sinclair Broadcast Group and Access Holdings has acquired Outfront Media Sports, the collegiate multimedia rights holder for LSU, Maryland, Virginia and other schools. Schreiber, the founder, will become CEO of a new full-service sports marketing agency, Playfly Sports, and Outfront's college and high school rights holder business will be rebranded to Playfly Sports Properties.
Presentation Pac-12 presidents and chancellors saw before postponing sports featured overstated COVID-19 statistics
James Crepea, The Portland Oregonian
The Pac-12 presidents and chancellors' unanimous decision last month to postpone all conference sports competition until at least Jan. 1 came after they saw a presentation that included erroneous statistics that overstated the prevalence of COVID-19 in several of the conference's communities during the first week of August. The most glaring incorrect metric listed the seven-day average positivity rate for tests in Los Angeles County as 19% - more than three times the 5.49% average listed by the L.A. County Department of Public Health.
After Big Ten decision, who's next? Pac-12? Mountain West? MAC?
Pete Thamel, Yahoo Sports
In the wake of the Big Ten's decision to play football in the fall of 2020, the reasons behind the switch can be tied to medical advancements, a confluence of outside pressures and the complexities of university hierarchies. But as the Big Ten's decision unfolded this week, it revealed that peer pressure is another indelible factor that's reshaping the way conferences, schools and athletic departments are now approaching football in 2020.
Brown reaches proposed settlement with female athletes, to restore some sports
Katie Mulvaney, Providence Journal
Brown University has agreed to reinstate the varsity women's fencing and equestrian teams under a proposed settlement with female athletes who challenged the school's move this spring to cut sports programs. Brown and the legal team representing the women announced Thursday via separate statements that they had resolved the case involving a decades' old joint settlement agreement to provide gender equity in sports.
U of L responds to NCAA allegations, awaits reckoning
Tim Sullivan, Louisville Courier Journal
Nearly three years since an FBI investigation of college basketball recruiting practices prompted profound change in University of Louisville athletics, the final reckoning draws near. U of L responded Wednesday to an NCAA Notice of Allegations received in May that alleged one Level I violation in the recruiting of Brian Bowen II and three Level II violations, one against former Cardinals' coach Rick Pitino.
Charlotte 49ers cancel game vs. North Carolina Tar Heels due to COVID-19
Andrea Adelson, ESPN
Charlotte was forced to cancel its football game against North Carolina on Saturday because it did not have enough offensive linemen to safely play, the school announced Thursday. Over the past two weeks, the school said, three players have tested positive for the coronavirus, but contact tracing led to several offensive linemen being placed in quarantine.
UCLA Athletics strikes partnership with Ready Nutrition
SportBusiness
The University of California, Los Angeles athletics department has announced a multiyear partnership with sports nutrition company Ready Nutrition. As the designated official protein of UCLA Athletics, Ready Nutrition will become the exclusive provider of protein products to nearly 700 student-athletes in all 25 Bruin sports.
---Morning Consult
GBO
Ma
- Pac-12 presidents and chancellors could vote today to play football this fall and choose a start date for an abridged season, with sources saying conference athletic directors are eyeing Oct. 31. The Halloween kickoff would put the Pac-12 a week behind the Big Ten and possibly open a path to be considered for the College Football Playoff, but Pac-12 medical advisers believe players need six weeks of preparation, and the Bay Area schools are still working with local authorities to gain clearance to practice. (The San Jose Mercury News)
- A fan who attended the NFL's season-opening game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Houston Texans at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo., tested positive for COVID-19 the following day, prompting local health officials to direct 10 people to quarantine due to potential exposure to the virus. The Chiefs were one of only two teams to host fans during Week 1 - another four will host fans for their home openers in Week 2 - and said they used video and parking and ticket-scanning data as contact-tracing methods to identify at-risk fans. (The Washington Post)
- The Stanley Cup Final will begin tomorrow night after the Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the New York Islanders in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Final, earning the opportunity to play against the Dallas Stars in the championship round. The series at Rogers Place in Edmonton is scheduled to end Sept. 30 at the latest, less than two months after the league started its two-bubble, 24-team postseason on Aug. 1, and includes a rare pair of back-to-back Games 4 and 5. (The Associated Press)
Media
Joe Buck surprised by Pro Football Hall of Fame selection during live broadcast
Steve Gardner, USA Today
The Fox Sports announcer was surprised on the air during halftime of Thursday night's NFL game between the Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns with the announcement that he has been named the recipient of the 2020 Pete Rozelle Award - and a place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The 51-year-old Buck was atypically at a loss for words after a video announcement played and the TV cameras turned to the broadcast booth.
U.S. Open switches to Peacock, sports fans are left scrambling
Todd Kelly, Golfweek
The 120th U.S. Open was on Golf Channel for six and a half hours earlier in the day and then on good old, over-the-air, free NBC for three hours but the final two hours of live golf have switched over to Peacock. Problem is, Peacock doesn't quite have Netflix-level penetration across the U.S. and many sports fans are probably still scrambling as this story was being typed, looking for that app.
NBC Sports Centralizes Businesses Under David Preschlack
John Ourand, Sports Business Daily
In a move to centralize its businesses under one exec, NBC Sports Group will have Exec VP/Content Strategy David Preschlack oversee NBC Sports, Olympics and golf scheduling, planning and rights management. Preschlack, who also carries the title of President of Regional Networks, will continue to report to NBC Sports Group President Pete Bevacqua.
'Monday Night Football' has big plans for Allegiant debut
Christopher Lawrence, Las Vegas Review-Journal
The Raiders' first game in Allegiant Stadium coincides with the 50th anniversary of the league's first "Monday Night Football" broadcast, and ESPN is going all out in its coverage. The MegaCast, starting at 5:15 p.m. Monday, will include simulcasting ESPN's coverage of the Saints-Raiders matchup on ABC, marking "Monday Night Football's" first time on the network since 2005.
Premier League secures 1-year China broadcast deal with Tencent
Murad Ahmed, Financial Times
The English Premier League has secured a new broadcast deal with Tencent in China, moving quickly to replace its previous $700m contract in the country that was abruptly ended in a dispute triggered by the pandemic. English football's top tier agreed the one-year digital streaming deal with the Chinese internet giant on Thursday, according to people familiar with the talks, after scrambling to find a new broadcast partner in the country over the past two weeks.
NCAA Limited Series 'Unsportsmanlike Conduct' In Works At Sony TV From 'Cobra Kai' Team & Lesli Linka Glatter
Nellie Andreeva and Denise Petski, Deadline Hollywood
Unsportsmanlike Conduct follows Walter Byers, the first executive director of the National College Athletic Association. In the tone of The Big Short and Wolf of Wall Street, Unsportsmanlike Conduct will span three decades, during which Byers transformed a toothless non-profit into one of the most profitable organizations in history while examining the cost of turning college sports into a lucrative business enterprise.
College Sports
Schreiber-Led Group Acquires Outfront Media Sports, Will Rebrand
Michael Smith, Sports Business Daily
A group spearheaded by veteran media exec Michael Schreiber, Sinclair Broadcast Group and Access Holdings has acquired Outfront Media Sports, the collegiate multimedia rights holder for LSU, Maryland, Virginia and other schools. Schreiber, the founder, will become CEO of a new full-service sports marketing agency, Playfly Sports, and Outfront's college and high school rights holder business will be rebranded to Playfly Sports Properties.
Presentation Pac-12 presidents and chancellors saw before postponing sports featured overstated COVID-19 statistics
James Crepea, The Portland Oregonian
The Pac-12 presidents and chancellors' unanimous decision last month to postpone all conference sports competition until at least Jan. 1 came after they saw a presentation that included erroneous statistics that overstated the prevalence of COVID-19 in several of the conference's communities during the first week of August. The most glaring incorrect metric listed the seven-day average positivity rate for tests in Los Angeles County as 19% - more than three times the 5.49% average listed by the L.A. County Department of Public Health.
After Big Ten decision, who's next? Pac-12? Mountain West? MAC?
Pete Thamel, Yahoo Sports
In the wake of the Big Ten's decision to play football in the fall of 2020, the reasons behind the switch can be tied to medical advancements, a confluence of outside pressures and the complexities of university hierarchies. But as the Big Ten's decision unfolded this week, it revealed that peer pressure is another indelible factor that's reshaping the way conferences, schools and athletic departments are now approaching football in 2020.
Brown reaches proposed settlement with female athletes, to restore some sports
Katie Mulvaney, Providence Journal
Brown University has agreed to reinstate the varsity women's fencing and equestrian teams under a proposed settlement with female athletes who challenged the school's move this spring to cut sports programs. Brown and the legal team representing the women announced Thursday via separate statements that they had resolved the case involving a decades' old joint settlement agreement to provide gender equity in sports.
U of L responds to NCAA allegations, awaits reckoning
Tim Sullivan, Louisville Courier Journal
Nearly three years since an FBI investigation of college basketball recruiting practices prompted profound change in University of Louisville athletics, the final reckoning draws near. U of L responded Wednesday to an NCAA Notice of Allegations received in May that alleged one Level I violation in the recruiting of Brian Bowen II and three Level II violations, one against former Cardinals' coach Rick Pitino.
Charlotte 49ers cancel game vs. North Carolina Tar Heels due to COVID-19
Andrea Adelson, ESPN
Charlotte was forced to cancel its football game against North Carolina on Saturday because it did not have enough offensive linemen to safely play, the school announced Thursday. Over the past two weeks, the school said, three players have tested positive for the coronavirus, but contact tracing led to several offensive linemen being placed in quarantine.
UCLA Athletics strikes partnership with Ready Nutrition
SportBusiness
The University of California, Los Angeles athletics department has announced a multiyear partnership with sports nutrition company Ready Nutrition. As the designated official protein of UCLA Athletics, Ready Nutrition will become the exclusive provider of protein products to nearly 700 student-athletes in all 25 Bruin sports.
---Morning Consult
GBO
Ma
