NBC Sports is launching “Message In A Milk Bottle” – a time capsule at Indianapolis Motor Speedway designed to commemorate The 104th Running of the Indianapolis 500 on Sunday at 1p on the broadcast channel. The initiative captured drivers’ thoughts and sentiments at Media Day before Sunday’s race, with fans around the country able to participate by submitting their own messages via social media using #MessageInAMilkBottle. The messages will be opened next year around The 105th Running of the Indianapolis 500. Customized lockers for all 33 drivers have been placed on Pagoda Plaza – one for each driver – with an empty milk bottle inside.

Speaking of the Indy 500, Fernando Alonso and his No. 66 McLaren SP car will be sponsored by Progressive Insurance with the brand receiving TV-visible placements on Alonso’s car, overalls, and helmet as part of the sponsorship. This is the first time Progressive has been a high-profile sponsor of a car for the Indy 500. “We’re thrilled to be teaming up with Fernando Alonso at the Indy 500” said Jay VanAntwerp, Media Business Leader at Progressive. “Racing fans around the world look forward to the Indy 500 each year, and we’re proud to be part of one of the sport’s marquee events. Progressive’s competitive spirit and dedication to excellence align with Fernando’s drive, determination and will to win. We wish him the best of luck as he competes for victory at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and a historic Triple Crown.

The NFL announced the launch of the ‘Fan of the Year’ program, which recognizes the “unyielding passion and constant support of fans nationwide.” Set to be crowned at Super Bowl LV in Tampa Bay on February 7,, the program is designed to spotlight fans who have a special affinity for their local team, provides inspiration to others and showcase how football unites their family, friends and local communities. Throughout the regular season, all 32 ‘Fans of the Year’ selected will also receive a series of prizes/virtual experiences, recognizing their loyalty to the League and the Club they represent.

Fastenal Company and the NHL iced in a multiyear global partnership, naming Fastenal the official Maintenance, Repair and Operations partner of the league through the 2023-24 season. The partnership is focused on creating an efficient and reliable MRO supply chain for ice rinks across North America. The agreement provides Fastenal a presence at future NHL tentpole events including corner in-ice advertising positions and in-arena branding at the NHL Winter Classic, NHL All-Star Weekend, NHL Global Series and NHL Stadium Series.

Oakley announced the signing of Lamar Jackson, quarterback of the Baltimore Ravens, to an endorsement deal with the brand welcoming Lamar to the team with a short film, featuring league players, football personalities and Team Oakley athletes answering the question: “How would I describe Lamar Jackson?” As part of his Oakley partnership, Lamar will continue to rely on the brand’s products and technologies, on-and-off-the-field.

DIGITAL, DATA & TECH

Sony’s Hawk-Eye Innovations North America is partnering with MLB to launch Hawk-Eye’s sports tracking platform at all 30 MLB ballparks, as well as the Toronto Blue Jays’ temporary home in Buffalo, for the 2020 season. Hawk-Eye’s optical tracking system and vision-processing technology enable live ball and player tracking to +/- 0.1 inch accuracy with full-field coverage to offer a data stream to better assess all on-field activity.

NASCAR launched a dedicated channel on Motorsport.tv, Motorsport Network’s digital OTT platform devoted to racing and automotive content. The NASCAR channel will bring fans content from behind the scenes of the racing series.

ESPORTS

Allied Esports locked in a licensing agreement with GRID, a leading esports data provider, for the monetization of data and video rights to the company’s Counter-Strike: Global Offensive Legend Series events. The multiyear deal will launch with the VIE.gg CS:GO Legend Series tournament beginning Aug. 31. Through the agreement, which also includes options to add supplementary programming from Allied Esports, GRID’s proprietary data solution will be directly integrated into Legend Series events to deliver real-time, official data to regulated bookmakers and sports betting platforms. The partnership, along with the licensing and sponsorship deal with naming rights partner VIE.gg, marks the first time Allied Esports will offer the use of data and video rights for the enhancement of regulated consumer betting.

ESL and GamingMalta entered into a “deep strategic” partnership to foster and develop the Maltese esports community. After successfully partnering for ESL Pro League Season 11 earlier this year, the partnership aims to strengthen the industry in Malta across all levels of the zero to hero pyramid of ESL. “The agreement with GamingMalta enables us to offer an amazing setting to the worldwide esports community. Malta is a progressive country with its finger on the digital pulse combined with a beautiful Mediterranean ambient which partnered with us for a phenomenal 11th season of the world’s largest professional esports league in CS:GO”, said Ralf Reichert, CEO at ESL. “We couldn’t be more excited for this partnership to bring the growth of esports and beauty even more together.”

Gamers Outreach is partnering with charity fundraising platform Softgiving on a campaign to provide entertainment to families receiving care. The two organizations are teaming with Fade 2 Karma in a new fundraising event that will run through early Sept. “Softgiving has always focused on engaging the gaming community to help nonprofits raise funds in creative and innovative ways,” said Softgiving Founder and CEO Matt Pfaltzgraf. “We know gaming brings communities together — so with this partnership, we will be able to help Gamers Outreach continue to help aid the healing process through video games. The streaming community has already proven how passionate they are about helping children, so we look forward to using our technology and partnership to positively impact this cause.”

INDUSTRY & ROSTER MOVES

Major League Baseball announced the promotion of Tony Reagins to Chief Baseball Development Officer. Reagins will continue to oversee the growth of youth and amateur levels of baseball and softball, both domestically and internationally, as well as the streamlining of amateur scouting around the world and operations of the Arizona Fall League.

The Pac-12 appointed longtime NFL and college football executive Merton Hanks as its new Senior Associate Commissioner for Football Operations, effective September 8. In his new role, Hanks will be responsible for all aspects of Pac-12 football administration, including all football initiatives and programs such as scheduling, officiating, replay command center, operations, Pac-12 Football Championship Game and bowl relationships.

Dedication To Community announced that Lamonte Winston will join the organization as National Director, Sports Division, and head efforts to grow relationships between teams, athletes and community. Winston, who also runs The Winston Group, which works with athletes on career transition, will begin his new role immediately.

SPORTS BROADCAST JOURNAL w/David J. Halberstam

In an extensive interview this week, Vin Scully opened up on a number of subjects. I asked the iconic broadcaster for his thoughts on this baseball season and rules changes, beginning with cutting the number of innings from nine to seven for both ends of a doubleheader. “Well, the whole year is so different anyway. I kind of like a nine inning game followed by a seven inning game. Seven and seven to an old horse like me isn’t a big league doubleheader.”
Vin Scully talks about this season, the broadcasts and more; Says twin bills should be 9 and 7 innings

ESPN assigns its fourth Monday Night Football crew since 2015. Steve Levy, Brian Griese and Louis Riddick get the nod. The network tells me that it this point the announcers will call the games from the stadium, unlike baseball. See the background on how ESPN tried to land Al Michaels. There’s also a complete list of all MNF announcers, year-by-year since the series began in 1970.
ESPN officially assigns Steve Levy, Brian Griese and Louis Riddick to MNF; See full talent list since 1970

A Q&A with the unsung Sean McDonough. who might be one of the most versatile network sportscasters ever. He did World Series for CBS, Monday Night Football for ESPN, loads of college basketball and even some hockey. Our columnist Dan Mason gave Sean an A+ for his work on the PGA Championship. Sean is the son of the legendary Boston Globe writer and NBC Sports reporter, Wil McDonough.
Sean McDonough is comfortable doing any sport; He showed his candidness doing the PGA

Guess who threw the last pitch for the Brooklyn Dodgers? Hall of Famer, Sandy Koufax, in relief. He didn’t come into his own until the club was in LA. Vin Scully told me this week that only he and Jerry Doggett were asked to follow the club to LA, not the third announcer Al Helfer. Lots of interesting stuff in this piece, not addressed before.
The Brooklyn Dodgers played their last game in ’57; Vin Scully called it; Nothing official was said about LA

Happy Birthdays and many wonderful returns:
Paul Maguire, August 22 Ex-Longtime NFL analyst, NBC and ESPN
Darrin Jackson, August 22 Chicago White Sox, radio
Chris Fowler, August 23 College football, ESPN
Dave Van Horne, August 25 50th season as MLB voice, now with Marlins
Tommy Heinsohn, August 26 Boston Celtics TV analyst
Sports Broadcast Journal

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