• Dan Lovinger, president of ad sales and partnerships at Comcast Corp.’s NBCUniversal, said the company is essentially sold out of advertising units for NBC’s telecast of Super Bowl LVI, save for a few spots it is holding back until closer to the game, but that there is still “some work to be done” on sales for the Beijing Winter Olympics. The company expects to generate $500 million in ad revenue on Feb. 13, when it airs both the Super Bowl and live Olympic coverage, a day it has dubbed “Super Gold Sunday.” (Sportico)
• The NFL averaged approximately 30.2 million viewers for its six-game wild-card slate from Saturday through Monday, up 24 percent from last year’s Saturday and Sunday games. ViacomCBS Inc.’s broadcast of the San Francisco 49ers’ win over the Dallas Cowboys was the most-watched wild-card game in seven years, averaging 41.5 million viewers in the late Sunday afternoon window. (Sports Business Journal)
• The University of Michigan said it reached a $490 million settlement with more than 1,000 people who accused an athletic department doctor of sexual abuse that allegedly took place in the 1970s. The payout, one of the largest by an American university to settle abuse claims, comes three years after a former student wrote to Michigan’s athletic director to report the alleged misconduct. (The New York Times)

For U.S. Sports Bettors, It’s FanDuel and DraftKings — and Then Everyone Else

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NBC won’t send sports announcing teams to 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing due to COVID-19

Christine Brennan, USA Today

As the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games approach and COVID-19 concerns mount, NBC Sports will not send any of its announcing teams to China, a spokesperson told USA TODAY Sports Wednesday afternoon.

NFL viewership is rebounding … but it comes with an asterisk

Bill Shea, The Athletic

The NFL and TV networks are rightfully chest-thumping a bit, citing the league’s best audience numbers (17.1 million viewers per game in the regular season) since 2015. But there is a caveat that doesn’t get much attention: out-of-home viewing.

Super Bowl Alert: Big Box Retail Buys In, Kia Returns, Travel Places Its Bets

Jeanine Poggi, Ad Age

Kia is returning to the Big Game after sitting out last year. Meanwhile, Sam’s Club is looking to get out of the shadow of its giant sibling Walmart with its first-ever Super Bowl commercial starring Kevin Hart.

Jim Nantz will call Farmers Insurance Open from site of AFC championship game — wherever that is

Todd Kelly, Golfweek

As Nentz points out, the AFC Championship game “will be the most-watched show on the CBS Television Network for the calendar year of 2022,” and thus the network needs their main voice at the football game.

LIV Golf adds David Hill as production consultant

Mark J. Burns, Sports Business Journal

Saudi-backed LIV Golf Investments is adding former longtime Fox Sports exec  David Hill as a consultant to the organization’s production team. Hill, who previously served as President of Fox Sports and helped launch the NFL on Fox during his 40-year career.

NFL’s Response in Gruden Case Tries to Sack Lawsuit as Frivolous

Michael McCann, Sportico

The NFL on Wednesday answered deposed Las Vegas Raiders coach Jon Gruden’s interference and negligence lawsuit by arguing the former Raiders coach’s case is baseless and illogical. In a motion to dismiss, the league ridiculed Gruden as “painting himself as the victim in a fictional story.”

Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians fined $50K for striking safety Andrew Adams

Jenna Laine, ESPN

Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Bruce Arians has been fined $50,000 by the NFL for swiping his hand at safety Andrew Adams’ helmet during the wild-card game against Philadelphia on Sunday. Arians was attempting to move Adams, who was trying to pull a player out of a pile after a muffed punt by Jalen Reagor, which would have drawn a penalty.

NBA Top Shot Looks at the Future of Fandom in Ad Starring Kevin Durant

Rafael Canton, Adweek

Blockchain platform Dapper Labs’ marketplace NBA Top Shot dropped its first major ad focusing on the future of collectibles with an appearance by Brooklyn Nets superstar Kevin Durant. To attract new Top Shot consumers, the campaign will also launch Durant’s KD Starter Pack that includes a free NFT from Top Shot’s Series 3.

A’s stadium project EIR moves forward with vote from Oakland City Planning Commission

Steve Berman, The Athletic

The Oakland City Planning Commission voted unanimously to recommend certification of the 3,500-page environmental impact report that was released in December. This means that the EIR will go to a vote by the Oakland City Council, perhaps as soon as mid-February.

Deaths of woman, 2-year-old son in fall at San Diego Padres’ Petco Park ruled suicide, homicide

Elizabeth Merrill, ESPN

A woman who fell to her death at Petco Park while holding her toddler son last September died by suicide, according to a statement Wednesday from the San Diego Police Department. Authorities ruled her 2-year-old son’s death a homicide.

NHL reschedules games, season set to end on time April 29

Stephen Whyno, The Associated Press

Despite postponing more than 100 games for coronavirus-related reasons, the NHL is still on track to complete the regular season on time by the end of April. The NHL on Wednesday revealed new dates for 98 postponed games.

Frustrated GMs, players and teams get their wish with changes in COVID-19 testing

Sean Shapiro, The Athletic

On Tuesday, teams got their wish when they were informed that, following the All-Star break in early February, asymptomatic players won’t need to be tested. This assumes that COVID cases across the NHL continue to drop before the All-Star break.

At the NCAA convention, a new constitution is only the beginning for college sports leaders

Nicole Auerbach, The Athletic

On Thursday, the NCAA’s membership will ratify a new constitution, a tangible and necessary step in a reform process that was first broached last summer. But it’s also only the first step.

NCAA adopts new policy for transgender athletes

The Associated Press

The NCAA has adopted a sport-by-sport approach for transgender athletes, bringing the organization in line with the U.S. and International Olympic Committees. Transgender participation for each sport will be determined by the policy for the sport’s national governing body, subject to review and recommendation by an NCAA committee to the Board of Governors.

Early returns on NIL for Oregon Ducks and Oregon State Beavers come amid questions

John Canzano, The Portland Oregonian

The NCAA is poking around the University of Oregon, asking questions about its relationship with the newly formed third-party entity called Division Street, Inc. UO says it’s cooperating with the NCAA.

Cornell AD Expected to Depart

CollegeAD

Sources tell CollegeAD that Andy Noel is not expected to return as Cornell’s Meakem Smith Director of Athletics and Physical Education. Noel has led the Big Red since being appointed to his role in 1999.

Concerns about FedEx Field complicate Washington’s 2026 World Cup bid

Steven Goff, The Washington Post

Washington might have to consolidate its 2026 World Cup venue bid with Baltimore because of concerns about the viability of playing at FedEx Field, a major blow to the city’s efforts of hosting soccer’s marquee event, people familiar with the matter said Wednesday.

Soccer Investors Target Brazilian Clubs After Local Law Change

David Hellier and Andrew Rosati, Bloomberg

U.S.-based investment firms 777 Partners LLC and DaGrosa Capital Partners are each in talks to buy historic Brazilian soccer clubs, according to people familiar with the matter, following the passing of a law that encourages foreign investment.

Unvaccinated Real Madrid, Chelsea stars face UCL exile after French COVID-19 law change

James Olley, ESPN

French lawmakers have approved a change which is set to come into effect on Monday, modifying the country’s coronavirus health pass into a vaccine pass. Real Madrid is due to travel to Paris Saint-Germain on Feb. 15 for the first leg of their knockout tie, while Chelsea play Lille at home a week later with the return game on March 16.

FA investigate suspicious betting pattern linked to Arsenal yellow card

James Olley, ESPN

The Football Association (FA) is examining a yellow card received by an Arsenal player linked to suspicious betting patterns during a Premier League match this season. Sources said bookmakers have alerted the FA to unusual amounts of money being staked on a member of Mikel Arteta’s team to be booked.

Sources: Mayweather team eyes Daytona 500 spot

Adam Stern, Sports Business Journal

The Money Team Racing, the long-aspiring NASCAR team affiliated with Floyd Mayweather, is working to try to finalize a deal to enter next month’s Daytona 500 as its first race, according to sources. The team first became known as trying to establish itself in 2019.

It’s claimed Tennis Australia is paying for Djokovic’s legal fees

Brittany Chain, The Daily Mail

Tennis Australia is footing the bill for Novak Djokovic’s astronomical legal fees, multiple sources have claimed. Tennis Australia has not denied the allegation it paid the fees.

ATP inform players about travel in France: ‘Non-vaccinated players will be unable to compete’

Cédric Rouquette, Tennis Majors

The ATP have told their members that as from next week, they will need to be vaccinated if they wish to compete in France. The Quimper Challenger 80 – starting on January 24 – is mentioned as the starting point of the new regulations.

Yao Ming says he spoke to Peng Shuai amid rumors of her disappearance: ‘She was in pretty good condition’

Shanna McCarriston, CBS Sports

Former NBA star Yao Ming revealed on Monday that he spoke with Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai at a winter sports exhibition they both attended in December. On Dec. 19, the same day she attended the event and spoke with Ming, Peng denied ever making the sexual assault claims — nearly two full months after the accusations were posted online.

The impact of the Microsoft-Activision deal

Kevin Hitt and Trent Murray, Sports Business Journal

Esports organizations associated with Activision Blizzard, namely those in Call of Duty League and Overwatch League, are in a holding pattern and somewhat nervous in the wake of Microsoft’s acquisition of the game publisher.

Subnation appoints former ESL, Riot Games and Activision Blizzard executives

Ivan Šimić, Esports Insider

Esports entertainment holding company Subnation has appointed a number of high profile executives in the gaming and esports space to bolster its operations.

BetMGM raises 2022 revenue outlook as U.S. sports-betting takes off

Yadarisa Shabong, Reuters

BetMGM raised its 2022 revenue forecast to more than $1.3 billion from $1 billion on Wednesday and said it expects a core profit in 2023 as the U.S. sports-betting joint venture between MGM Resorts and Britain’s Entain expands.

New England Patriots, Philadelphia 76ers Owners Among Investors In $12 Million Series A Round For Wagr, A Social Sports Betting App

Tim Casey, Forbes

Wagr has a different model than other sports betting operators like casinos, DraftKings and FanDuel, which set the lines and always take the other side of people’s bets. On the Wagr app, people bet against each other, meaning that Wagr has no financial incentive whether people win or lose.

OVG Facilities Taps Ken Gaber To Lead Hospitality Group

Ryan Borba, VenuesNow

Shortly after completing its merger with Spectra, venue developer, operator and investment company Oak View Group has announced Kenneth Gaber will lead the company’s hospitality division as OVG Facilities president of food services.