• MLS downsized its workforce by roughly 20 percent through an elimination of open positions and layoffs that affected most departments — including a number of high-ranking executives — in response to the coronavirus pandemic, which continues to eat into the league’s bottom line. The layoffs come several months after MLS instituted salary reductions for most of its staffers in April, belt tightenings that will persist for the approximately 270 remaining employees, according to a person with knowledge of the league’s plans. (The New York Times)

• The Pac-12 announced it will change course and allow its teams to play nonconference football as long as member schools’ opponents are following Pac-12 safety and testing protocols on COVID-19, and those contests are hosted by the member schools and carried by ESPN or Fox Sports, the conference’s media partners. The change comes after the conference saw a number of revenue opportunities pass by as coronavirus cases nixed matchups, and as a scheduling safeguard, Pac-12 teams that schedule out-of-conference opponents early in the week will be forced to renege and play another member school if that opponent becomes available by Thursday of that week. (ESPN)

• Atlanta Braves and Formula 1 owner Liberty Media Corp. informed the Securities and Exchange Commission that it has formed a special purpose acquisition company with the aim of raising $500 million to acquire a business in the “media, digital media, music, entertainment, communications, telecommunications and technology industries.” Liberty, which also owns Sirius XM Radio, is expected to seek a business that complements its existing portfolio, and the company told the SEC that in the event of an acquisition, it plans to commit another $250 million of its own capital as additional financing. (Sportico)

At The Ringer, Staff Writers Say They Are Second-String
Noam Scheiber, The New York Times

The head coach of the Golden State Warriors. A former ace of the New York Yankees. A onetime star of “The Bachelorette.”

Sinclair, Bally’s Place Big Bets on Each Other
JohnWallStreet, Sportico

The New York Post reported Wednesday evening that Sinclair Broadcast Group (SBGI) sold the 10-year naming rights to 21 of the regional sports networks it acquired from Disney to Bally’s Corp. for $85 million. The erstwhile Fox Sports-branded cable channels will be renamed Bally Sports.

Inside Aqib Talib’s ‘raw’ but ‘real’ NFL announcing debut
Les Carpenter, The Washington Post

Early Sunday morning, still several hours before his first football telecast started trending on Twitter, Aqib Talib was so nervous he forgot his phone. This led to some awkwardness at Ford Field’s security gate when Talib, newly retired after a dozen years as one of the baddest, brashest cornerbacks in the NFL, stepped out of a rented Mitsubishi SUV, patted his pockets and mumbled “umm, I’ll be right back” before slinking back into the car.

‘Football to enhance humanity’: The Rams innovative scouting apprenticeship program
Jourdan Rodrigue, The Athletic

In the spring, several high-ranking Rams staffers switched on their computers and dropped into a Zoom meeting, as they had every week for the last few months. Normally, that meeting is helmed by general manager Les Snead, and normally, it is devoted to scouting updates and roster development.

Cowboys QB Andy Dalton still hasn’t fully regained sense of taste, smell after COVID-19 bout
Jori Epstein, USA Today

Sixteen days after landing on the reserve/COVID-19 list, Andy Dalton’s sense of taste and smell still elude him. “You can tell things are sweet,” the Cowboys quarterback said Thursday from the Star. “You can tell things are salty. You just don’t get the flavor with it.”

NBA’s offseason sprint continues with free agency starting
Tim Reynolds, The Associated Press

NBA free agency is usually a weeklong frenzy. Deals get struck, then teams and players must wait a few days before they can sign those contracts. And from there, a few more months often pass before the player goes to work with his new club.

Golden State Warriors’ Klay Thompson suffers season-ending Achilles tear
ESPN

Golden State Warriors star guard Klay Thompson has suffered a season-ending Achilles tendon tear, a source told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Thompson suffered a right leg injury during a workout Wednesday in Southern California, the team announced.

NBA investigating reported Bucks-Kings Bogdan Bogdanovic trade for potential tampering
Jeff Zillgitt, USA Today

The NBA is investigating a reported trade between the Milwaukee Bucks and Sacramento Kings that may have violated league’s anti-tampering rules, two people with knowledge of the situation told USA TODAY Sports. They requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about the investigation.

MLB minimum salary rises $7,000 next year to $570,500
The Associated Press

The major league minimum salary will rise to $570,500 next season, a hike of $7,000. Under Major League Baseball’s collective bargaining agreement with the players’ association, the minimum was $535,000 in 2017, $545,000 in 2018 and $555,000 in 2019.

The Friendly Tax Confines of Wrigley Field’s Historic Landmark Status
Michael McCann, Sportico

U.S. Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt announced on Thursday that Wrigley Field has been designated a National Historic Landmark. The famed ballpark, which first opened in 1914, will obtain valuable tax and property benefits. A National Historic Landmark is one that the Secretary of the Interior deems of national significance in American history and culture.

NHL, NHLPA negotiating over salary deferral ask for upcoming season
Pierre LeBrun, The Athletic

So we have reached a rather delicate stage, the 2020-21 NHL season hanging in the balance. Don’t get me wrong, I think the NHL and NHL Players’ Association will find their way through this, but what has transpired over the past few days is already a dramatically different script from the spring.

Pac-12 Losing Nearly $5 Million for Each Game Cancelled Due to COVID-19
Eben Novy-Williams et al., Sportico

The Pac-12 Conference is losing almost $5 million in TV money for each football game it cancels due to COVID-19, according to multiple people familiar with the numbers. It’s a financial hit for the conference, which has already nixed five games in less than three weeks of play.

Maryland, with 15 more players and its coach positive for coronavirus, cancels Michigan State game
Emily Giambalvo, The Washington Post

Maryland football’s game against Michigan State scheduled for Saturday has been canceled because of a coronavirus outbreak in the Terrapins’ program, the school announced Thursday morning. Fifteen players tested positive for the virus in the past seven days, as well as Coach Michael Locksley and six other staff members.

Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski says it’d be a challenge to contain the NCAA tournament to one city
Myron Medcalf, ESPN

While he’s interested to learn more about the concept, Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said hosting an NCAA tournament in one city is a monumental undertaking. “Logistically, I think it’s a challenge to get that many teams there,” Krzyzewski said.

What we’re hearing about Jim Harbaugh’s future at Michigan
Nick Baumgardner, The Athletic

Michigan is 1-3 this season, the program’s worst start since 1967. After walloping Minnesota, it suffered an embarrassing home loss to Michigan State, then a double-digit loss at Indiana.

National team soccer defies pandemic, fuels clubs tensions
Graham Dunbar, The Associated Press

Amid a coronavirus spike across Europe, the international soccer break proved to be a notable success for national teams. The 162-game group stage of the Nations League was completed this week with only two matches canceled and the Final Four line-up confirmed.

Manchester City manager Guardiola extends contract to 2023
Reuters

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has signed a new two-year contract that will keep him in charge until the end of the 2022-23 season, the Premier League club said on Thursday.

Drone Racing League Seeks New Heights With BodyArmor, Champion, Respawn Pacts
Randall Williams, Sportico

Nearly a month after striking a five-year deal with Genius Sports to help get approved for legal sports gambling, the Drone Racing League has found three more partners to help the company reach new heights. Ahead of Sunday’s race, which will be simulcast on NBC, Twitter and Facebook, the DRL has inked with sports drink company BodyArmor, apparel brand Champion and gaming furniture brand Respawn in an attempt not only to reach new viewers but also to bring new experiences to the league’s existing fans.

F1 sets sight on rotating 24-race calendar
Adam Cooper, Motorsport.com

Formula 1 CEO Chase Carey says that the organisation is targeting a calendar of 24 races “in the next few years” – with some events rotating. A 23-race calendar for 2021 was announced earlier this month, featuring a new event in Saudi Arabia, but with no confirmation yet of what will replace the cancelled Vietnam GP.

Turner’s House of Highlights Tees Up Influencers Before ‘The Match’
Jacob Feldman, Sportico

Gen Z is getting its own edition of “The Match.” Hours before Phil Mickelson, Charles Barkley, Peyton Manning and Stephen Curry hit the course for TNT’s celebrity charity golf event next Friday, a foursome of influencers will face off at Stone Canyon Golf Club in a youth-focused undercard.

ReKTGlobal appoints Brad Sive as Chief Revenue Officer
H.B. Duran, Esports Insider

ReKTGlobal, the parent company of Rogue and the London Royal Ravens, has named Brad Sive its new Chief Revenue Officer. In his new position, Sive will spearhead strategic planning, digital marketing, sales, media buying, branding and partnerships. He will also develop a sales team, identify new partners and help boost revenue streams for the company.

National Lacrosse League Joins Fanatics in First-Ever E-Commerce Deal
Emily Caron, Sportico

The National Lacrosse League has announced a partnership with Fanatics, the world’s largest seller of licensed sportswear. The e-commerce deal brings the indoor professional league’s online merchandise and retail efforts into one consolidated location, creating a first-ever unified platform for the NLL and its 14 franchises throughout North America.

Conor McGregor signs deal to fight Dustin Poirier on Jan. 23
Ariel Helwani, ESPN

Conor McGregor’s long-awaited return to the Octagon is a done deal. McGregor has signed his bout agreement to fight Dustin Poirier in the main event of UFC 257 on Jan. 23, McGregor told ESPN on Thursday.

Tokyo Olympics: Q&A on vaccines, fans, qualifying and costs
Stephen Wade, The Associated Press

We’re at the halfway point. The Tokyo Olympics were postponed eight months ago, and now are to open in eight months: July 23, 2021. Crunch time is coming. Tokyo organizers and International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach have spoken vaguely about how the games can take place in the midst of a pandemic.

Nancy Darsch, Champion Coach of Women’s Basketball, Dies at 68
Alexandra E. Petri, The New York Times

Nancy Darsch, who helped turn Ohio State into a women’s basketball powerhouse and then joined the professional ranks, becoming the first coach of the New York Liberty and leading the team to the W.N.B.A.’s inaugural championship game, died on Nov. 2 at her home in her hometown, Plymouth, Mass. She was 68.

What Does Home-Field Advantage Mean in a Stadium Without Fans?
Jason Gay, The Wall Street Journal

Johnny Avello wakes up in Las Vegas around 6 a.m.—no alarm needed—and the first thing he does is pour a cup of coffee with a little cream, and check his email, specifically the email from his employer, DraftKings, which tells him how the daily sports fantasy/betting company did the prior night: which contests had the most action, what was wagered, and which players wagered the most.