MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred announced the cancellation of opening day and each team's first two series of the 2022 season after the league and MLB Players Association failed to reach an agreement on a new collective bargaining agreement prior to yesterday's 5 p.m. EST deadline. It is the first time a labor dispute has cost the league regular-season games since 1995, and the two sides reportedly have a ways to go in bridging the economic gaps on competitive balance tax thresholds, the minimum salary and the size of a new pre-arbitration bonus pool. (The Athletic)
The Chicago Blackhawks appointed interim general manager Kyle Davidson to the role on a permanent basis after interviewing at least six other candidates for the role, including finalists Mathieu Darche, director of hockey operations for the Tampa Bay Lightning, and Jeff Greenberg, assistant general manager of the Chicago Cubs. Davidson had been interim GM since Oct. 26, when his predecessor, Stan Bowman, resigned following the release of a report regarding the club's handling of sexual assault allegations brought by former player Kyle Beach. (ESPN)
Russian-Israeli billionaire Roman Abramovich, the owner of English Premier League club Chelsea, is believed to be seriously considering a sale of the club, according to sources, with the U.K. government under mounting pressure to freeze the assets of wealthy Russians who could have links to President Vladimir Putin. (ESPN) Swiss
businessman Hansjoerg Wyss said Abramovich has approached him and three others about buying the club, and British member of Parliament Chris Bryant said Abramovich is offloading his London properties. (Bloomberg)
Schools Hear Crickets From NCAA Amid Specter of NIL Pay Lawsuits Daniel Libit, Sportico
To the extent that the NCAA has responded to formal interpretation requests, compliance administrators tell Sportico, the governing body mostly offers broad and generic directives for athletic departments to consult their institutional policies and state laws. In other instances, the queries have simply gone ignored.
'We'll be there': Charlotte mayor on making a run at hosting the CIAA Tournament Erik Spanberg, Charlotte Business Journal
A delegation of political and tourism leaders attended the CIAA Tournament in Baltimore last week, seeking to support the locally based conference — and lay the groundwork for the event to return to Charlotte.
