Fox sells out Daytona 500 ad inventory with 13 new brands aboard

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Reds officially transfer control of franchise to president & CEO Phil Castellini

MLB owners on Thursday “approved the transfer of control” of the Reds to team President & CEOPhil Castellini, the son ofBob Castellini, who bought the team in 2006. Phil Castellini was named president & CEO on Aug. 1, 2024, “as part of a succession plan.” Reds officials provided a statement saying that Thursday’s news “was the culmination of that announcement in 2024” (THE ATHLETIC, 2/12). The move “appeared to be part of a years-long internal process leading to the transfer of control,” and “there’s no indication it suggested any substantive change in the elder Castellini’s health.” In fact, the team “expects Bob Castellini to make his annual visit to spring training in the coming days” (CINCINNATI ENQUIRER, 2/12).

Orioles’ David Rubenstein met with Jeffrey Epstein in 2012, name appears in files

Orioles ownerDavid Rubenstein“met withJeffrey Epsteinin November 2012” and his name “appears at least 200 times” in the files released by the Justice Department, “though most of the references are between Epstein and his associates.” One exchange in July 2012 “features Epstein sending an image of a female in a bathing suit toBoris Nikolic, a former adviser toBill Gates, with the message: ‘for david rubenstein.’"Chris Ullman, a spokesman for Rubenstein, said that the meeting “was the only one between” Rubenstein and Epstein. Ullman also said Rubenstein “did not receive the email with the photo and was never aware of it.” Much of the “correspondence referencing Rubenstein concerns scheduling and arranging social or professional meetings -- breakfasts, lunches, dinners, conferences and travel logistics -- along with introductions among high-profile business and political figures.” Front Office Sports was first to report Rubenstein’s appearance in the Epstein files (BALTIMORE SUN, 2/12).

Super Bowl LX merchandise sales set record

Sports Media Pod: Disney’s Super Bowl takeover

Onthis week’s Sports Media Podcast, host and SBJ media reporterAustin Karp and SBJ special contributorRichard Deitschdeliver a high‑energy breakdown of Disney’s all‑in strategy for its first Super Bowl production.

NBA takes stand against alleged tanking, fines Jazz and Pacers

NBA CommissionerAdam Silver dropped a $500,000 fine on the Jazz Thursday, the “strongest statement the league has taken against Utah’s alleged ‘tanking.’” The fine was due to “conduct detrimental to the league” in the course of the Jazz’s games against the Magic on Feb. 7 and against the Heat on Monday. In those games, the Jazz “sat both of their former All-Stars,” FsLauri MarkkanenandJaren Jackson Jr.,in the fourth quarter “even though these players were otherwise able to continue to play and the outcomes of the games were thereafter in doubt.” The Jazz lost to the Magic 120-117, but beat the Heat 115-111. Jazz ownerRyan Smithtweeted his response to the league’s fine, writing, “Agree to disagree. Also, we won the game in Miami and got fined? That makes sense …" (SALT LAKE TRIBUNE, 2/12).

The NBA also fined the Pacers $100,000 “for violating the Player Participation Policy” during their game against the Jazz on Feb. 3. The NBA determined that Pacers FPascal Siakamand two other starters “could have played under the medical standard in the policy.” The original purpose of the policy “was to have penalties for load management of star players,” but Silver identified teams “prioritizing draft position over winning” -- known as tanking -- as the reason for these penalties (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 2/12).

Industry heavyweights set to attend annual NBA Tech Summit

The NBA’s annual Tech Summit will take place at the YouTube Theater in L.A. on Friday from 9:30am-2pm PT, and there will be a host of exhibits and panels throughout the day. Following breakfast and opening remarks, the first major panel will be about AI and technology’s transformation of basketball, which will feature Clippers ownerSteve Ballmer, Amazon Web Services CEOMatt Garman and OpenAI CEO/ApplicationsFidji Simo as panelists. Another panel focused on building audience connections will feature NBPA Exec Dir and former NBAerAndre Iguodala and NBA on Prime analyst and former WNBAerCandace Parker as panelists, while yet another panel will delve into prediction markets and feature panelists like FanDuel CEOAmy Howe, DraftKings co-founder & President of OperationsPaul Liberman, Sportradar founder & CEOCarsten Koerland Kalshi’sTarek Mansour (CEO) andLuana Lopes Lara(COO). There will also be a panel on streaming innovations that will feature Netflix Chief Content OfficerBela Bajaria, NBC Sports PresidentRick Cordella, YouTube Chief Business OfficerMary Ellen Coe, ESPN ChairJimmy Pitaro, Prime Video HeadMike Hopkins and DAZN CEOShay Segev. Capping off the event will be a conversation between HOF broadcasterBob Costasand former U.S. PresidentBarack Obama. For more information,see the event’s agenda (SBJ).

On the ground in Milan: Travel tales across Italy

Ole Miss QB Trinidad Chambliss takes step toward playing with injunction

Ole Miss QBTrinidad Chambliss was “granted a temporary injunction that will allow him to play college football in 2026” after suing the NCAA in Lafayette County Chancery Court in Mississippi, where a hearing was held on Thursday. Chambliss “petitioned the NCAA for a medical waiver” that would have granted him another year of eligibility “tied to a respiratory condition he experienced in 2022.” Chambliss receiving another year of eligibility “does not mean that he ‘won’ his case.” Instead, it means that he “will be granted eligibility to play in the NCAA until his case is heard, which will likely happen after the season.” At a further date, his lawyers “will again have to argue the actual merits of the case before the court” (CBSSPORTS.com, 2/12). Although the NCAA “can appeal through the Mississippi State Supreme Court,” it is a “process that could drag on beyond the 2026 football season and become irrelevant” (Memphis COMMERCIAL APPEAL, 2/13).

The NCAA has 30 days to appeal to the Mississippi Supreme Court, “though there’s no guarantee the court would accept the appeal.” JudgeRobert Whitwell’s decision after a nearly five-hour hearing “was a scathing, long-winded takedown of the NCAA in relation to the matter.” Whitwell wrote, “It appears to the court that the NCAA chose to ignore the statements that Trinidad submitted from treating medical doctors and witnesses from Ferris State, who had perfect knowledge of Trinidad’s physical and medical condition” (24/7 SPORTS, 2/12).

Chambliss redshirted at Division II Ferris State in the 2021 season and missed the 2022 season. Chambliss testified that Ferris State coaches told him at the time that he would be medically redshirted before the 2022 season. The NCAA had ruled that he was ineligible for a sixth season, with the defense arguing that he was not incapacitated during the 2022 season and “no one from Ferris State offered testimony that he was incapacitated” (Mississippi CLARION-LEDGER, 2/12).

Meanwhile, Univ. of Tennessee QBJoey Aguilar‘s preliminary injunction hearing in which he will seek to regain his NCAA eligibility so he can play one more season at UT “takes place in a Knoxville courtroom” Friday. ChancellorChris Heagerty, who is overseeing the case, “has the option to make a bench ruling at the end of the hearing,” but “it’s more likely that he issues an order hours or days later” (KNOXVILLE NEWS SENTINEL, 2/13).

Apple TV expands bar access to MLS, F1 via EverPass

Apple TV has struck a deal with EverPass Media aimed at making its live sports offerings more accessible in commercial establishments like bars, restaurants and casinos. The move comes as the streamer begins itsfirst season with F1 rights in the U.S. andfolds all MLS matches into its core offering for the first time.

Thousands of bars, restaurants and casinos across the U.S.use EverPass to provide customers with access to a range of sports streaming packages, including ESPN+, NFL Sunday Ticket and Peacock. Under its deal, Apple TV’s live sports portfolio, which also includes MLB Friday Night Baseball, will be available for all new and existing EverPass establishments to stream at no additional cost to through their “EverPass Core” package.

MLS and Apple have said they expect to see viewership increase this season based on the decision to shutter the standalone MLS Season Pass service and move all MLS content into the main Apple TV offering. Now, the partners are hopeful it could also see more bars and restaurants screening its matches.

“I can’t understate how big of a deal that is to have that deal done with EverPass and be in all of those commercial establishments,” Apple TV Head of Production for Live SportsRoyce Dickerson said during a media briefing Thursday.

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Roster Spots

Hershey Entertainment & Resorts are looking for a Manager Digital Marketing. The Hershey-based position is responsible for manages strategy, oversight, and execution of all digital initiatives on websites and email programs (Hershey Entertainment & Resorts).

The Hornets are looking for a Manager/Community Impact. The Charlotte-based position is responsible for executing community programs, coordinating activations, and ensuring that initiatives are delivered with excellence and measurable impact (Hornets).

The Jazz are looking for a Dir/Business Development. The Sandy-based position is responsible for leading and scaling a team of sellers while also carrying an individual sales quota to drive high-value regional and national partnership revenue across SEG’s portfolio of premier sports and entertainment properties (Jazz).

N.Y. Sirens are looking for a Social Media Manager. The Newark-based position is responsible for managing all social media channels, creating engaging content, and growing the team’s fan base (Sirens).

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Last night’s ‘Final Jeopardy’ category was ‘The Southern Hemisphere’