Louisiana State University is set to hire Notre Dame football coach Brian Kelly to the same position under a 10-year contract worth more than $100 million with incentives, according to sources. Kelly's exit from Notre Dame after 12 seasons and two College Football Playoff appearances is the second coaching bombshell this week following University of Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley's departure for the University of Southern California. (The Athletic)
Gatorade signed University of Connecticut women's basketball player Paige Bueckers to a multiyear endorsement deal, the PepsiCo Inc.-owned sports drink brand's first with a college athlete since the NCAA passed new rules allowing athletes to profit from the use of their name, image and likeness. The Gatorade deal is Bueckers' second commercial partnership after she signed another multiyear agreement earlier this month with StockX, an online marketplace for sneakers and apparel. (The Wall Street Journal)
Tiger Woods said he will never again be a full-time golfer on the PGA Tour following the single-car crash in February that left him severely injured, but that he hopes to play again on tour in a limited capacity. Woods will make his first public appearance since the accident at this week's Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas, which benefits his foundation, and will hold a news conference today. (Golf Digest)
MEDIA
Fighting Irish TV viewership down big from last year John Ourand, Sports Business Journal
Viewership for the Fighting Irish's games on NBC are down 48% from 2020, averaging 2.5 million viewers. Last season, Notre Dame games on NBC averaged 4.8 million viewers.
How publishers like ESPN are assessing their TikTok videos' performance Tim Peterson, Digiday
ESPN expects to end 2021 with close to 5 billion video views on TikTok. The view count, though, is not the most important metric that media companies like ESPN are eyeing when assessing their TikTok videos' performance.
Drew Brees begins his NFL analyst career; will Rebecca Lowe stay at NBC? Richard Deitssch, The Athletic
How did Brees do when the game provided little action? Nothing broadcast-shifting but you could certainly tell he had prepared for the broadcast. He offered insight into how Buffalo might struggle if cornerback Tre'Davious White missed extended time because of the Bills particular defensive system.
Oklahoma City radio host Sam Mayes fired after leak of his off-air 2016 comments on Native Americans Andrew Bucholtz, Awful Announcing
Mayes was let go Monday from 107.7 The Franchise (affiliated with the SportsMap Radio Network) in Oklahoma City after publication of 2016 comments between him and Cara Rice, the Tyler Media (station owner) promotions director and morning host on sister station Magic 104.1.
COLLEGE SPORTS
UW Huskies hire Fresno State's Kalen DeBoer as next football coach Mike Vorel, The Seattle Times
UW athletic director Jen Cohen arrived in Fresno, California, on Monday to finalize a deal with Bulldogs coach Kalen DeBoer, multiple sources confirmed to The Seattle Times. DeBoer's deal comes after the Huskies made a significant run at Matt Campbell, offering the Iowa State coach a contract worth roughly $7 million annually — according to two sources — before being rebuffed.
Boston College Eagles extend football coach Jeff Hafley through 2026 season Andrea Adelson, ESPN
Boston College coach Jeff Hafley has received a contract extension through the 2026 season, the school announced Monday. Hafley, 42, has led the Eagles to bowl eligibility in each of his first two seasons.
Jacksonville State hires Rich Rodriguez as head football coach ahead of 2023 FBS move Adam Rittenberg, ESPN
Jacksonville State hired UL Monroe offensive coordinator Rich Rodriguez as its next head football coach, the school announced on Monday night. Rodriguez, the former coach at West Virginia, Michigan and Arizona, completed his first season at ULM under coach Terry Bowden.
