• Alex Lasry, senior vice president of the Milwaukee Bucks and son of co-owner Marc Lasry, entered the race for the U.S. Senate seat held by Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), which will be up for election in 2022, and said he will take a leave of absence from his role with the NBA team for the duration of the campaign. Lasry, a 34-year-old Democrat who previously served as an aide in former President Barack Obama’s White House, leaned into his role with the Bucks in his announcement video, which also shows Lasry marching in support of Jacob Blake after he was shot by police in Kenosha, Wis., in August. (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

• Chelsea Clinton and Jenna Bush Hager, the daughters of former Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, respectively, joined a group investing in the NWSL’s Washington Spirit, according to multiple people familiar with the deal, which also includes former Olympic gymnast Dominique Dawes and former U.S. World Cup goalkeeper Briana Scurry. Spirit managing partner Steve Baldwin and co-owners Bill Lynch and Michele Kang will maintain most of their ownership stake in the club, but the Spirit’s addition of new minority partners continues a recent trend of high-profile women investing in NWSL clubs. (The Washington Post)

• Three women formerly employed by the New York Mets reportedly spoke with a member of the team’s human resources department in the summer of 2018 about alleged sexual harassment by hitting performance coordinator Ryan Ellis, whom the team quietly parted ways with last month in the wake of its firing of general manager Jared Porter for sexual harassment. The team, which underwent an ownership change last year, said it disciplined Ellis following an investigation based on a 2018 complaint, but received new information about his behavior in the 2017-2018 timeframe that led to his dismissal. (The Athletic)

With spring training upon us, the Brewers have reached a multi-year deal for their regional TV broadcasts
Tom Haudricourt, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

The Brewers and Sinclair Broadcast Group announced Tuesday they reached agreement on a multi-year deal to keep games on Fox Sports Wisconsin (rebranding to Bally Sports Wisconsin in coming months). The new agreement leaves the Miami Marlins as the only MLB club without a TV deal for ’21.

Golf Superstar Phil Mickelson Could Shoot For TV Stardom Next
Michael McCarthy, Front Office Sports

With his PGA Tour playing career winding down, Mickelson’s representatives have started exploratory talks with interested networks, sources told Front Office Sports. TV networks view the five-time major winner as a crossover star who could attract both hardcore and casual viewers to staid golf telecasts.

NFL seeks information on CBD and other alternatives to opioids
Michael David Smith, ProFootballTalk

The NFL and NFL Players Association have put out a request for information about alternatives to opioids, including CBD, for pain management. The league and the union are asking researchers with experience conducting controlled, experimental studies related to pain management to submit information that may be useful in treating NFL players.

Ryan Leaf delivers on-point speech putting the NFL on blast after Vincent Jackson’s death
Henry McKenna, For The Win

“The NFL just doesn’t (expletive) care. They don’t care,” Leaf said. “They’ll write condolence letters and (expletive) like that, but if they were invested, they’d actually put some money behind the Legends Community and into the mental-health, substance-abuse side of it.”

NBA postpones 5 games after 4 Spurs players test positive for COVID-19
The Athletic

The San Antonio Spurs’ next three games (at Cleveland, at New York, at Indiana) and the Charlotte Hornets’ next two games (versus Chicago, versus Denver) have been postponed in accordance with the NBA’s healthy and safety protocols, the league announced on Tuesday. The postponements come after four San Antonio players tested positive for COVID-19, the NBA said.

Atlanta mayor asks fans not to travel to city for NBA All-Star game
Sarah K. Spencer, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms is asking fans not to travel to the city for the NBA All-Star game March 7, which the league has not yet announced, but likely will be sometime this week. Bottoms voiced concern over the event, which will involve players from all over the NBA traveling to Atlanta despite more than 25 NBA games being postponed because of health and safety protocols so far this season.

Lakers Tag Sportfive To Find Next Jersey Sponsor
Randall Williams, Sportico

With the Lakers’ three-year contract with Wish expiring, the team has hired the sports business agency Sportfive to secure the team’s jersey patch sponsor for the 2021-2022 NBA season. The agency will also have the ability to secure up to three sponsorships with international-based brands.

Black MLB players, executives strive to diversify baseball
David Brandt, The Associated Press

Marketing the game’s best Black players was one of many topics discussed by a five-person panel of current MLB players, executives and coaches. The conversation, which was streamed Tuesday on MLB.com, is part of MLB’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion program. The number of Black players in MLB has been dwindling for years, hovering around 8% of the league in recent seasons.

How to gain a data edge when everyone has the same data? Enter the QA coach
Brittany Ghiroli and Eno Sarris, The Athletic

There are currently 11 teams in baseball with a quality control or quality assurance coach, although the role is evolving and sometimes the same responsibilities belong to someone called the game planning coach (on the Dodgers and Reds), the process and analytics coach (the Rays), strategy coach (Brewers), analytics coach (White Sox), or even field coach or coordinator (Pirates and Orioles).

Stars scrap 2nd game in row with Predators in frigid Dallas
The Associated Press

The Dallas Stars postponed a second consecutive game against the Nashville Predators on Tuesday after further consultation with city officials over widespread power outages attributed to extreme winter weather. The club made the latest decision almost 12 hours before the scheduled game, as opposed to the Monday night postponement that was announced less than an hour before puck drop.

Excitement builds, rink nearly finished for NHL games at Lake Tahoe
Bill Rozak, Tahoe Daily Tribune

The game Saturday will likely be under sunny skies after a storm clears out in the morning, according to an early forecast from the National Weather Service in Reno. The high temperature is expected to be around 37. There may be some fresh snow surrounding the rink but little accumulation is expected at lake level.

Interim removed from Rick Dickson’s title, making him TU athletic director
Kelly Hines, Tulsa World

The interim tag has been removed from Rick Dickson’s title, making him the permanent athletic director at the University of Tulsa for a second time. Despite the move, which was announced in an email from interim president Janet Levit to the TU community Tuesday, Dickson is not planning to stay in the position long term, a source close to the athletic department told the Tulsa World.

Drexel athletic director Eric Zillmer stepping down after 22 years
Mike Jensen, The Philadelphia Inquirer

Eric Zillmer, Drexel’s athletic director for the last 22 years, said he has decided to “step aside” from his post in charge of the athletic department at the end of the academic year. A tenured neuropsychology professor who will continue to teach at Drexel and has a plan for a new venture after a one-year sabbatical, Zillmer is sixth in seniority among Division I ADs at a single school.

Georgia football fans ‘stepping up’ eases financial hit from pandemic
Chip Towers, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

UGA Athletic Director Josh Brooks revealed that the humongous budget deficit that was predicted for the 2021 fiscal year because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic was significantly mitigated by Georgia season ticket holders “stepping up.” The deficit was projected last year to come in at around $55 million, but Brooks said that UGA instead expects a budget shortfall of about $30 million.

Biosteel’s Multi-year Deal With U.S. Soccer Provides Entry Into New Market
Emily Caron, Sportico

BioSteel has struck a multi-year sponsorship deal with U.S. Soccer. The Toronto-based sports hydration company is now the official sports drink of the U.S. men’s and women’s national teams, as well as its youth squads.

The USWNT will play a match Thursday. Making it happen has been a journey.
Steven Goff, The Washington Post

Within two weeks of the Japanese national team withdrawing from the SheBelieves Cup, Argentina had agreed to join Canada, Brazil and the world champion Americans in the week-long tournament, which is scheduled to kick off Thursday at Exploria Stadium with the first of three doubleheaders. The United States, unbeaten in 34 straight over more than two years, will open against archrival Canada at 7 p.m.

New Balance’s new deal with AS Roma has an ‘Instagram’ twist
Doug Banks, Boston Business Journal

Boston-based sportswear brand New Balance will become the official uniform supplier for Italian soccer club A.S. Roma for the 2021/2022 season. With the deal, Roma becomes the first Serie A team to wear New Balance.

‘Never Give Up,’ Or How An Underdog Team Persevered and Won Daytona
Matt Weaver, Autoweek

It’s still challenging for Front Row Motorsports to match the resources and personnel of Stewart-Haas, Hendrick, Gibbs and Penske each week. Even at their best, Michael McDowell and crew chief Drew Blickensderfer are bringing a knife to a gunfight.

Serena Williams, Refreshed and Rolling, Sets Up Showdown With Osaka
Karen Crouse, The New York Times

The Williams on display in a near-empty Rod Laver Arena bore little resemblance to the Williams that Osaka beat in straight sets in the 2018 United States Open final or to the one that Halep humbled in the 2019 Wimbledon final. If Osaka dreamed of facing Williams at her best here, she fell asleep happy.

Tennis crowds able to return at Australian Open as Melbourne ends COVID-19 lockdown
Jake Michaels, ESPN

Tennis fans will be able to return to the Australian Open starting Thursday after the Victorian government announced the easing of its recently implemented COVID-19 restrictions. After lengthy discussions between Tennis Australia and the state government, it was agreed that 7,477 fans — approximately 50% of Rod Laver Arena’s capacity — would be able to attend each session, beginning Thursday morning.

Caps Gaming enters two-year partnership with Zipchair
Cody Luongo, Esports Insider

Caps Gaming, the sister esports brand of the NHL’s Washington Capitals, has entered a two-year partnership with chair manufacturer Zipchair. The deal will name Zipchair the official chair of Caps Gaming. Zipchair is an official licensee of the NFL, MLB, NHL, MLS, Call of Duty, and the Overwatch League.

100 Thieves unveils partnership with Rockstar Energy Drink
Jonno Nicholson, Esports Insider

North American esports organisation 100 Thieves has entered a partnership with PepsiCo’s Rockstar energy drink brand. The deal will see the two parties collaborate on a range of content and interactive experiences.

Adidas Confirms Reebok Will Be Sold Soon
Peter Verry, Footwear News

The German athletic powerhouse announced today that it has finished its “assessment of strategic alternatives for Reebok” and has decided to begin a formal process to sell the company. Adidas said it will report Reebok as discontinued operations starting with Q1 2021.

DraftKings Names New Compliance Chief
Jack Hagel, The Wall Street Journal

DraftKings Inc. named a new compliance chief as the company shuffles executive oversight of enterprise risk, compliance and regulatory affairs. The Boston-based sports-betting operator said Tuesday that Jennifer Aguiar has been named chief compliance officer, reporting to the company’s chief executive and chairman, Jason Robins.

Chernin Group, Mark Cuban, Kevin Durant Headline $40 Million Investment Into Goldin Auctions
Eben Novy-Williams, Sportico

The Chernin Group and a handful of celebrities across sports and entertainment are investing $40 million into Goldin Auctions, the latest rush of money into a memorabilia industry that has grown rapidly during the pandemic. The Chernin Group, the fund backed by Peter Chernin that has invested in Barstool Sports and the Action Network, led the round, according to a news release.

LiveLike rolls out app features with Warriors and NASCAR
Eric Prisbell, Sports Business Journal

LiveLike’s growing roster of partners rolled out new app enhancements for two marquee names last week: NASCAR and the Golden State Warriors, the latter of which recently became the first professional sports team in the United States to strike a deal with the 6-year-old tech company. As fans increasingly seek second-screen experiences for social engagement while watching live events, teams and leagues are looking for ways to avoid losing those eyeballs to third-party social networks and messaging platforms.

CAA Sports announces promotions, hiring, as property sales unit surges
Liz Mullen, Sports Business Journal

CAA Sports has promoted veteran executives Rob DeAngelis and Rob Slocum to lead the agency’s property sales division, after the unit negotiated more than $1 billion in new sales in the last year despite the pandemic. DeAngelis and Slocum will serve as global co-heads of CAA Property Sales.

Why ESPN decided to put some of its top writers behind the ESPN+ paywall
Greg Dool, Digiday

ESPN wouldn’t say how many new subscribers can be attributed to the repositioning. Nate Ravitz, vp of digital content at ESPN, says the company hasn’t seen much impact on traffic. “We expected to drive incremental subscriptions, we expected to see people who had streamed but not read start to read, and we’ve seen subscribed readers read more articles than they were before,” he said.

The rise, fall and resonance of ESPN Esports
Noah Smith, The Washington Post

In 2020, with traditional sports shuttered by the covid-19 pandemic and with gaming and esports gaining mainstream attention unmatched in its relatively young history, ESPN pulled the plug, closing down the dedicated digital esports operation and cutting ties with nearly all of the department’s workers. The move sent shock waves through the industry, though not all parties interpreted the ripples the same way.