The opening ceremony for the Summer Olympic Games kicked off this morning in Tokyo with about 1,000 VIPs in attendance and NBC airing the event live in the morning for the first time. The show included several allusions to the coronavirus pandemic, as well as a moment of silence for those who have died from the virus, and hundreds gathered across the street from the stadium to protest the games taking place amid the pandemic could be heard chanting and blowing whistles during quiet moments of the ceremony. (The New York Times)
Administrators from the universities of Texas and Oklahoma declined to join a conference call last night with fellow Big 12 officials, who are reportedly orchestrating a final effort to convince the schools to stay in the 10-team league instead of bolting for the Southeastern Conference. While sources within the Big 12 said Texas and Oklahoma have described their discussions with the SEC as exploratory, conference leaders believe it is more serious and expect Texas to announce its departure soon. (Sports Illustrated)
The NFL said in a memo that teams who experience a COVID-19 outbreak among unvaccinated players during the 2021 season will be forced to forfeit any games that can't be rescheduled within the league's 18-week schedule. Arizona Cardinals wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins said in a tweet, which he later deleted, that the league's stance on vaccination is "making me question my future in the NFL," and Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Leonard Fournette also tweeted, "Vaccine I can't do it." (The Athletic)
Former Texas A&M official: Texas, Oklahoma joining SEC would break 'gentlemen's agreement' among league schools Dave Wilson, ESPN
If Texas and Oklahoma join the SEC, it would break a long-standing "gentlemen's agreement" between SEC schools that gives conference members "absolute veto power" over the addition of another school from their state, according to a former Texas A&M official. R. Bowen Loftin, who helped steer the Aggies into the SEC in 2011 while serving as A&M's president, said the oft-discussed unwritten rule was a "specific conversation" during expansion talks in 2010-11.
SEC's courtship of Texas, Oklahoma: Here's what's next for some big players such as Big 12, Pac-12, Big Ten and NCAA Pete Thamel, Yahoo Sports
Interviews with athletics directors, politicians and industry sources reveal myriad ramifications from such a move. From the political fallout in the Midwest to the massive ripples in television with three major conferences seeking new deals to NCAA governance ramifications, it's not an overstatement to say that the potential of Oklahoma and Texas joining the SEC will shape the next generation of college athletics.
New Group Licensing Deal Gives Student Athletes Their Own Trading Cards Kristi Dosh, Forbes
Panini America announced today an agreement with OneTeam Partners that will give the trading card company the ability to produce, distribute, promote and sell college trading cards. Through OneTeam's College Athlete Group Licensing program, and Panini's partnership with more than 200 universities, current student athletes will have the opportunity to appear on co-branded trading cards.
Title contenders Gonzaga, UCLA finally agree to play each other in November in Las Vegas Matt Norlander, CBS Sports
After initially planning on a game, then having those plans fall through, preseason national title contenders Gonzaga and UCLA have finally figured things out once more and agreed to play each other next season, sources told CBS Sports. The two teams will play at Las Vegas' T-Mobile Arena as headliners of a four-school multi-team event on Nov. 22 and 23.
Learfield IMG College shortening name as part of rebrand Michael Smith, Sports Business Journal
Learfield IMG College's long and clunky name is getting a rebrand with a shorter name and new logo. The Plano, Texas, company will now be known simply as LEARFIELD in all caps.
