• Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby sent a cease-and-desist letter to ESPN, accusing the Walt Disney Co.-owned sports network of encouraging at least one other conference to poach its remaining member schools after the universities of Texas and Oklahoma announced their intention to leave for the Southeast Conference. ESPN said Bowlsby’s claims “have no merit,” but multiple sources said the American Athletic Conference has reached out to between three and five Big 12 institutions about potentially joining the conference with ESPN’s support. (The Athletic)
• Japanese officials expressed concern about rising coronavirus cases in Tokyo, where daily new cases hit a record high of 3,865 today, as well as across the country, as the Summer Olympic Games continue. Japan’s vaccine minister, Taro Kono, said, however, that there is no evidence of the virus spreading from Olympic participants to the general public, and Tokyo officials said there are currently two athletes hospitalized and another 38 self-isolating at designated hotels. (The Associated Press)
• Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving called out Nike Inc. on social media for designing and releasing his latest signature sneaker, the Kyrie 8, without his approval, calling the shoes “trash” and saying he has “absolutely nothing to do with them.” The Irving dust-up marks the second such incident for Nike in recent months after Vanessa Bryant, the widow of late NBA star Kobe, complained that Nike had shipped her “Mambacita” sneakers — named to honor her late daughter, Gianna — without her permission. (The Portland Oregonian)

Big 12’s TV numbers explain divide between Texas, Oklahoma and the rest — and why remaining 8 should worry

The Athletic

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Tuesday’s primetime Olympics falls 20 million viewers short of 2016

Sports Media Watch

The Olympics continues to generate strong viewership by today’s diminished standards, while falling dramatically short of just five years ago. NBC said Wednesday that Tuesday’s primetime coverage of the Tokyo Summer Olympics averaged 16.2 million viewers across all of its platforms, down 55% — and nearly 20 million viewers — from the comparable night in Rio (36.1M).

Olympic athletes see more sponsorship opportunities

Hope King, Axios

The International Olympic Committee has been gradually loosening restrictions around athlete marketing following years of pressure from Olympians and brands. Introduced in 1991, Rule 40 tries to protect exclusivity of the Games for official sponsors by prohibiting Olympians from being recognized by non-official Olympic sponsors during a “blackout” period before, during and after the Games.

U.S. track and field athletes focused on minimizing risk after team loses another potential medalist

Tyler Dragon, USA Today

With the Olympic track and field competitions starting Friday, the U.S. team approaches the starting line with another blow to its medal chances. Two-time world champion pole vaulter Sam Kendricks tested positive for COVID-19 and has withdrawn from the Tokyo Olympics, officials confirmed.

Tennis federation shifts match timings to avoid Tokyo heat

Kyodo News

The International Tennis Federation said Wednesday it will move the daily start time of all Tokyo Olympic matches back to 3 p.m. to avoid the worst of the heat. Citing player health and welfare, tennis’s governing body said from Thursday singles, doubles and mixed doubles matches will be moved back from their 11 a.m. start time.

In Court, Olympic Ticket Seller Calls Refund Lawsuit a ‘Shakedown’

Daniel Libit, Sportico

Facing a class action lawsuit over its refusal to fully refund Tokyo Olympic packages, CoSport, the exclusive U.S. reseller of Olympic tickets and hospitality, accused the plaintiffs on Wednesday of trying to “take advantage of and extort its good faith efforts.” In a motion filed in federal court seeking to dismiss the action by five CoSport customers, the company says that it had already provided more than $23 million of cash refunds for Tokyo-related tickets and hospitality expenditures and that it planned to provide $9 million more “in the coming weeks and months.”

UFC Aims to Slam Online Pirates With Tougher Federal Copyright Law

Michael McCann, Sportico

UFC 264, headlined by Dustin Poirier defeating Conor McGregor, generated as many as 1.8 million pay-per-view buys, with revenue in the ballpark of $125 million. Less measurable is the extent to which online piracy—the illegal downloading and distribution of copyright material—took potential revenue away from the UFC and its fighters.

Univision acquires equity stake in Combate Global

Andrew Bucholtz, Awful Announcing

MMA promotion Combate Global (formerly Combate Americas) has been drawing large audiences for years, especially on Univision. That led to Univision signing a new five-year broadcasting deal with the promotion in March. And now, Univision has taken an equity stake in Combate Global.

Paramount+ acquires rights to Scottish Premiership ahead of 2021/22 season

Christopher Harris, World Soccer Talk

CBS Sports have acquired the U.S. rights to the Scottish Premiership through the 2024/25 season with the first games under the new deal expected to begin Saturday, July 31, according to World Soccer Talk sources. Select matches will be available via CBS Sports Network and Paramount+, the streaming service that’s in a tug of war with ESPN+ to acquire as many soccer rights as possible for viewers in the United States.

NBA Plans Daily, Weekly Podcasts in New Deal With IHeart Media

Lucas Shaw, Bloomberg

The National Basketball Association is developing a slate of original podcasts about the league’s greatest moments and players, part of a new deal with IHeart Media Inc., the largest radio station owner in the U.S. The NBA and IHeart will collaborate on the shows, with the San Antonio-based radio giant handling the production, distribution and advertising sales.

NBA Ramps Up Production of Live Videos for TikTok

David Cohen, Adweek

The National Basketball Association began producing and livestreaming a series of live shows for its 13 million followers on TikTok during the NBA Finals, and that momentum continues for the NBA Draft Thursday (July 29). A livestream Wednesday hosted by Jason Zone Fisher and Alexis Morgan featured presumptive draft picks Jalen Green, Isaiah Jackson, Keon Johnson, Davion Mitchell, Cameron Thomas and Ziaire Williams.

Appeals court declines to take on NFL concussion settlement’s ‘race norming’

Daniel Kaplan, The Athletic

A federal appeals court this week declined to wade into the race norming controversy buffeting the NFL concussion settlement, ruling the issue first had to play out at the district court level. The decision comes as the NFL, class counsel and attorneys for retired African-American players have been in court-supervised negotiations to replace the current process, which over the first five years of the settlement has allowed clinicians to score Black ex-players cognitively lower than White ex-players.

Titans’ Ryan Tannehill: NFL ‘trying to force our hands’ on COVID-19 vaccines

Turron Davenport, ESPN

The quarterback spoke to the media after practice and said he’s getting vaccinated only because of the NFL’s severe protocols for the unvaccinated. “I am currently in the process right now,” Tannehill said. “The NFL has made it clear what they want to happen. If you don’t fall in line, they’re going to try and make your life miserable because of the protocol.”

Aaron Rodgers says he mulled retiring, wants more say with Green Bay Packers’ decisions

Rob Demovsky, ESPN

Aaron Rodgers admitted he considered retirement, detailed his offseason-long standoff with the Green Bay Packers and said he still isn’t sure what — if anything — will change. But he’s back for a 17th season, and while there was plenty to parse from his 32-minute news conference following Wednesday’s first training camp practice, the crux of the matter is this: “I just want to be involved in conversations that affect my ability to do my job,” Rodgers said.

Monumental Sports sues insurance company for ‘hundreds of millions’ in Covid-related losses

Daniel J. Sernovitz, Washington Business Journal

Affiliates of Monumental Sports & Entertainment sued Factory Mutual Insurance Co. July 1 for denying claims of lost revenue while their sports and entertainment venues were shuttered or operating at reduced capacity, as well as the added expenses associated with coronavirus preventative measures like touchless technology and enhanced air conditioning units. The affiliates claim the insurance policies with Factory Mutual were best-in-class and should have protected them from all risk of physical loss and damage.

Nationals-Phillies game postponed as Nats deal with a second coronavirus outbreak

Jesse Dougherty, The Washington Post

The Nationals-Phillies game was postponed Wednesday night with Washington dealing with its second coronavirus outbreak of the season. Twelve people have tested positive, four players and eight staff members, according to Manager Dave Martinez.

Hearing on restraining order request in Trevor Bauer’s sexual assault case is postponed

Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times

Dodgers pitcher Trevor Bauer’s hearing on whether the woman who has accused him of sexual assault should be granted a restraining order has been moved to Aug. 16-18, according to a Los Angeles Superior Court filing Wednesday. The hearing had been set for Aug. 2-3 and Aug. 19 after both sides estimated at their initial court appearance last week that the proceedings would take three days.

‘We failed’: Molson apologizes to fans, but Habs stick by Mailloux

Katherine Wilton and Frédéric Tomesco, Montreal Gazette

Despite a firestorm of criticism this week from sponsors, women’s groups, media columnists and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, the Montreal Canadiens have defended their controversial decision to draft defenceman Logan Mailloux. After remaining silent amid the backlash, team owner and president Geoff Molson publicly apologized Wednesday to anyone hurt by the decision.

Penguins’ Mike Sullivan named head coach of 2022 U.S. men’s Olympic team

Sportsnet

Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan will be the head coach for the United States men’s Olympic hockey team at next year’s 2022 Beijing Games. The NHL and NHLPA agreed that players would return to the Olympic games after passing on the event in 2022, but ongoing negotiations between the NHL, IIHF and IOC have meant that no final decision on the NHL’s participation has been made.

Reggie Bush won’t get 2005 Heisman Trophy returned to him after decision by NCAA

Kyle Bonagura, ESPN

The 2005 Heisman Trophy will not be returned to former USC Trojans running back Reggie Bush any time soon. The NCAA will not consider reversing penalties or previously vacated records from past years based on recent changes to name, image and likeness regulations that went into effect this month, according to an NCAA spokesperson.

MLS Private Equity Deals Coming Later This Year, Commissioner Garber Says

Eben Novy-Williams, Sportico

Last year, MLS owners voted to change the league’s ownership rules to let institutional investors buy small minority stakes in franchises, a change similar to one made by the NBA during the pandemic. No team has closed a deal yet, but they’re on the horizon, according to commissioner Don Garber.

Orlando City CEO Alex Leitão steps down from club leadership

Julia Poe, Orlando Sentinel

Orlando City CEO Alex Leitão stepped down from his position with the club Wednesday at the midpoint of his seventh season with the club. Although he will no longer operate as CEO, Leitão will remain in an advisory position to the Lions. The decision came one week after the Wilf family assumed ownership of the club.

English football loads up on debt after plunge in revenues

Samuel Agini, Financial Times

English football loaded up on debt to get through the coronavirus pandemic as clubs turned to rich owners and banks for funding after a plunge in revenues because of scheduling disruption and the fall in ticket sales with games played behind closed doors. Net debt soared to a record of almost £4bn for clubs in the Premier League at the end of the 2019-20 season, up from £3.5bn a year earlier, according to Deloitte’s annual review of football finance.

Churchill Downs unveils massive plan to ‘transform’ racetrack, expand gaming facility

Jason Thomas, Louisville Business First

The projects, two of which total $135 million, were announced the same day Churchill Downs Inc. revealed plans to expand Derby City Gaming, including a $76 million hotel. The projects at the racetrack, two of which total $135 million, include the renovation and updating of the grandstand area adjacent to the Twin Spires along the track’s homestretch; the introduction of permanent all-inclusive stadium seats; and the redesign of the storied paddock area — all meant to “transform” key areas of Churchill Downs.

Minnesota Røkkr announces Nature’s Way partnership

Tom Daniels, Esports Insider

North American esports organisation Version1 has announced a partnership with herbal medicines and supplements provider Nature’s Way for its Call of Duty League team Minnesota Røkkr. The deal will see Nature’s Way create content with Minnesota Røkkr to highlight the team’s routines and hobbies.

Evil Geniuses partners with Premier League club Wolves

Tom Daniels, Esports Insider

North American esports organisation Evil Geniuses has announced a partnership with Premier League football club Wolverhampton Wanderers. It has also been revealed that the football club’s owners, Fosun Sports Group, have made a minority investment in Evil Geniuses.

Athleta’s latest salvo against Lululemon and Nike: Women’s wellness platform

Lauren Thomas, CNBC

Gap’s Athleta announced Wednesday it is launching AthletaWell, a digital platform that will offer workout content and supervised spaces for women to chat about topics ranging from mental health to body positivity. The service, which will be a benefit of its loyalty program, allows Athleta to tap the power of the endorsement deals it has made with marquee names like Olympic athletes Simone Biles and Allyson Felix, while building a deeper relationship with its customers.