• U.S. gymnast Simone Biles will compete in the women’s balance beam finals at the Tokyo Olympic Games tomorrow, a week after she pulled out of the women’s all-around team final amid mental health concerns. In addition to the all-around team final, Biles has removed herself from contention in the individual all-around, vault, floor exercise and uneven bars. (The Associated Press)
• Raven Saunders, a U.S. shot putter who won a silver medal on Sunday, became the first American athlete to violate the IOC’s recently amended policy restricting athletes from demonstrating politically on the podium during the Tokyo Olympic Games when she raised and crossed her arms, creating an “X” over her head in support of those she called “oppressed people.” The IOC and U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee were said to be in talks about how to handle Saunders’ protest, but the USOPC said prior to the games that it would not discipline any athlete for exercising the right to free speech as long as it doesn’t involve hate. (The New York Times)
• The NCAA plans to hold a “special constitutional convention in November” aimed at discussing major reform in the governance structure of college sports amid calls for the reduction of the NCAA’s role. A 22-person committee will be tasked with “identifying the core principles that define college sports and proposing a new governance model that allows for quicker change without sacrificing broader values.” (CBS Sports)

A Breakdown Of The 613 US Olympic Athletes In Tokyo
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Sport climbing’s Olympic debut will have a surprise element

John Marshall, The Associated Press

The key to the sport is strength, particularly in the fingers and arms, but there’s also a degree of problem-solving involved. So to keep the playing field (or wall) level, climbers won’t get a chance to see the wall in two of the three disciplines until right before their first attempt.

A transgender weight lifter’s presence at the Games prompts discussions over inclusion and fairness.

Tariq Panja and Ken Belson, The New York Times

When Laurel Hubbard, a 43-year-old weight lifter from New Zealand, makes her first attempt in the women’s heavyweight competition on Monday, she will become the first openly transgender female athlete to compete at the Olympics. Yet she will do so amid a debate over whether she should be at the Games at all.

Omega keeps watch at the Games

Chris Smith, Sports Business Journal

Swiss watchmaker Omega has a longer history with the Olympics than almost any other brand, first sending a timekeeper with 30 hand stopwatches to the Los Angeles Games in 1932. Thanks to a 2017 extension of its global partnership with the International Olympic Committee, that relationship will run through at least 2032.

Interest remains high for USWNT media rights

John Ourand, Sports Business Journal

Despite a lackluster start to the Olympic Games last month, the U.S. women’s national soccer team still is creating a lot of buzz on the domestic media rights front this summer. That may not come as a surprise for soccer fans who have watched the women’s soccer team arguably become America’s most dominant sports team, having won the last two World Cups.

NBA Draft sees modest bump opposite Olympics

Sports Media Watch

Gaining broadcast network exposure for the first time, the NBA Draft managed a modest bump over last year’s low despite competition from the Summer Olympics. Airing opposite the Summer Olympics, Thursday’s NBA Draft averaged 2.26 million viewers across ESPN and ABC — up 6% from last year, when the event took place in November (2.13M), but down 27% from 2019, when Zion Williamson went #1 overall and the event took place in June (3.09M).

Centers For Disease Control Paid ‘NFL Alumni’ Assoc. $3.5 Million To Promote Covid-19 Vax

TMZ

The NFL Alumni association was paid a whopping $3,500,000 by the CDC to promote the COVID-19 vaccine, TMZ Sports has learned. U.S. Federal Procurement docs show the CDC and the NFL Alumni assoc. signed the multi-million dollar deal at the beginning of May.

NFL Training Camp Tour Begins With Hugs In L.A., ‘Some Balls’ In San Francisco And A Mystery In Las Vegas

Peter King, ProFootballTalk

It’s bothersome that WFT players hear coach Ron Riveras, who is still feeling effects from his battle with cancer last year and is immune-deficient, plead with them—and it sounds like “plead” is the right word—and then many still don’t get the vaccine. Not to mention that if their coach, who is in close contact with the players every day, could get seriously ill, or worse, if he catches the virus. 

What Caesars actually paid for the Superdome

Ben Fichser, Sports Business Journal

The widely reported price for the Superdome’s new naming-rights deal with Caesars was off by at least 45%, and possibly up to 70%. NOLA.com and others pegged the price at $138 million, or $6.9 million annually for 20 years, but the real price is at least $200 million, or $10 million annually, sources with knowledge of the deal say.

Lost NBPA Files Offer Glimpse At Untapped Millions Worth of Sports Business Memorabilia

Jacob Feldman, Yahoo Sports

Without looking at the NBPA’s documents, Steiner is confident they’ve got at least a six-figure stash on their hands. Individual pieces like Kobe’s letter or a LeBron James contract could easily fetch $25,000. Some documents, like player-by-player votes on a lockout, could be bundled, Steiner said, while others could be used to sell cheaper copied versions.

Gold and green: Olympic basketball, NBA business intersect

Brian Mahoney, The Associated Press

Evan Fournier and Nicolas Batum are going for gold, though they can’t forget about the green.Basketball and business are about to mix in a way players have never experienced. The quarterfinals of the Olympic men’s tournament arrives on the same day free agency opens in the NBA.

Suns, Verizon partnership loads practice facility with sophisticated tech

David Broughton, Sports Business Journal

In 2012, the Phoenix Suns became the first NBA team to integrate wireless technology into their basketball operations by using tablets powered by Verizon on the team’s bench, a breakthrough collaboration at the time. Eight years later, the two sides teamed up again to open the Verizon 5G Performance Center following a year-and-a-half of research, design, and combining multiple technologies.

Rosenthal: Breaking down one of the wildest (the wildest?) MLB trade deadlines ever

Ken Rosenthal, The Athletic

Best trade deadline ever? Given my fear of recency bias, I’m always reluctant to make such proclamations. Teams actually made more trades on deadline day in 2019 (22) than they did on Friday (21). Big names moved in ’19, too – Zack Greinke and Nick Castellanos on deadline day, Trevor Bauer and Marcus Stroman the day before. 

Kraken rectifies accounting mistake that caused NHL to reject deal with goaltender Philipp Grubauer

Geoff Baker, The Seattle Times

An accounting mistake has apparently been rectified in which the NHL rejected the Kraken’s first attempt at formalizing its contract with goalie Philipp Grubauer last week. The Kraken resubmitted the six-year, $35.4 million contract with minor alterations to its front-loaded nature that should be approved this week.

Evander Kane denies gambling allegations, will cooperate with investigation

Sportsnet

In a statement posted to Twitter Sunday morning, Evander Kane denied allegations that he bet on his own NHL games and said he intends to cooperate fully with the league’s investigation into the matter. The allegations, which were made by Kane’s wife, Anna, on social media accused the San Jose Sharks forward of being a “compulsive gambling addict” who has thrown games to win money. 

Ohio State AD Gene Smith says ‘pause button should be hit’ on CFP expansion. Others fret over ESPN’s grip on football

Pete Thamel, Yahoo Sports

The combination of uncertainty in the environment and a building skepticism over the power being collected by ESPN and the SEC after recent realignment moves have prompted a more cautious approach to expansion. The exploration of growing from a four-team model to 12-team model was announced in early June and is being deliberated on, with a decision expected in the fall.

Soccer Phenom Olivia Moultrie Settles Age-Rule Suit With NWSL

Michael McCann, Sportico

On the heels of U.S. District Court Judge Karin Immergut issuing an injunction that permitted 15-year-old Olivia Moultrie to sign with the NWSL’s Portland Thorns in spite of the league’s 18-year-old age eligibility requirement, the league on Friday reached a settlement with Moultrie. The settlement will permit Moultrie, who as a 13-year-old signed a nine-year endorsement deal with Nike, to continue playing for the Thorns.

Breaking down the USMNT’s support for USWNT in equal pay fight; more takeaways from new legal filings

Meg Linehan and Paul Tenorio, The Athletic

On Friday, as the U.S. women’s national team was advancing to the semifinals of the Olympic tournament over the Netherlands via penalty kicks, four amicus briefs were filed with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in support of the USWNT players’ appeal in the equal pay lawsuit against the U.S. Soccer Federation. The most notable brief included full support from the U.S. National Soccer Team Players Association (USNSTPA), the union for the U.S. men’s team players.

Sources: NASCAR close to moving number decals

Adam Stern, Sports Business Journal

It appears likely that NASCAR will move number decals on race cars forward next season from their traditional spot in the center of the doors in order to provide added exposure for sponsor branding, a move that would break from a decades-old tradition in the sport. Sources said the review of the policy change is in the final stages, and cautioned that the plan could change, but an announcement could come within weeks.

Sebastian Vettel disqualified from Hungarian Grand Prix after finishing second

Andrew Benson, BBC Sport

Aston Martin’s Sebastian Vettel has been disqualified after finishing second in the Hungarian Grand Prix. Officials were unable to take the mandatory one-litre sample of fuel from Vettel’s car after the race.

Golfers embracing Olympic experience; would tournament benefit from format change?

Chris Bumbaca, USA Today

A dichotomy presents itself in Olympic golf. Players are part of a “team” — they wear the same uniform and compete under the same flag — but it’s still an individual competition. Only one person receives a spot on each of the three podiums.

Ariana Grande headlines Fortnite Rift Tour

Ashley Iasimone, Billboard

On Sunday (Aug. 1), it was announced that Grande will be the latest superstar to perform within the Fortnite realm, headlining an in-game event — or a “musical journey into magical new realities” — that’s scheduled for Aug. 6-8. “Ariana & the Rift Tour” will be available on the online game for five time slots over the weekend, accommodating fans around the world.

Los Angeles could host faster, more exciting style of Olympic baseball in 2028

Jorge Castillo, Los Angeles Times

Riccardo Fraccari, president of the World Baseball Softball Confederation, wants to make subtle modifications to modernize America’s previous pastime and render it more digestible for younger people around the world. With that ethos, Fraccari envisions baseball’s return to the Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028 after it is left off the Paris 2024 Olympic program.