The Pittsburgh Steelers will be sold from one part of the Rooney family to another. Art Jr., Patrick, Timothy and John Rooney are selling their controlling stake in the Steelers to Dan Rooney, and his son, Art II. As reported by the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, the sale of the controlling stake could net the four brothers selling a total of $750 million after business debt is subtracted. "We have a board meeting in December, but we hope that's just a formality and everything is out of the way by then," Art Jr. said.Wall Street has estimated the value of the team at $800 million to $1.2 billion.Word of the imminent deal came from brothers Patrick and Art Rooney Jr. They confirmed that rumors leaking out of the NFL are true: About $280 million of the deal will come from loans arranged by PNC Bank in Pittsburgh, and Dan Rooney will need to bring in an unknown number of equity partners he has yet to name. The deal is reportedly structured over a several years, with the Steelers themselves being used as the collateral on the loan. Commissioner Goodell is reviewing the terms, and the owners are believed to be behind the deal, so long as the team remains in control of the Rooney family. The team is almost exclusively controlled by the Rooneys with each of the five brothers and their family members controlling a 16 percent stake in the franchise. The remaining 20 percent is controlled by the McGinley family.A OTHER NEWS ACROSS THE BUSINESS OF SPORTS NETWORK $90 for Spring Training Tickets? Welcome to the New Dodgertown - The Biz of Baseball Class-A Salem Avalanche Change Name to Salem Red Sox - The Biz of Baseball As of 12:01am ET, MLB Free Agency Season Arrives. Here's the Complete List - The Biz of Baseball MLB.com Releases Free Update to "At Bat" Application for iPhone and iPod Touch - The Biz of Baseball 10 Reasons Why the 2009 MLB Season Will Be Great to Follow - The Biz of Baseball Complete WBC Schedule and Ticket Sales Date Released - The Biz of Baseball Red Sox Freeze Ticket Prices for First Time in 14 Years - The Biz of Baseball Welcome Back! Orioles to Add "Baltimore" to Road Jerseys - The Biz of Baseball MLB Network to Officially Announce Harold Reynolds, Al Leiter, Hazel Mae, Trenni Kusnierek to On-Air Line-up - The Biz of Baseball NHL Partners with Ticketmaster for First-Ever Ticket Resale Service - The Biz of Hockey NHL Sees Key Gains in Attendance, Television, Online, and Corporate Growth - The Biz of Hockey Organizational Report: Nashville Predators - The Biz of Hockey Forbes NHL Team Valuations Released. Maples Leafs Most Valuable - The Biz of Hockey NHL Offers Free Train of NHL GameCenter Live on Oct. 30 - The Biz of Hockey Verizon FiOS TV to Offer NHL Center Ice and NHL Network - The Biz of Hockey KG and T-Mac Release "Embrace Change, Vote '08" Shoes Through adidas - The Biz of Basketball NBA on TNT Sees High Ratings for Season Openers - The Biz of Basketball NBA.com Launches Revamped NBA League Pass Broadband - The Biz of Basketball NBA on TNT: Comments from Cavs/Celtics and Blazers/Lakers Games - The Biz of Basketball adidas Unveils Limited Edition Garnett Signature Commander 2008 Champions Shoe - The Biz of Basketball Chris Paul and Deron Williams on the Cover of ESPN The Magazine's NBA Preview Issue - The Biz of Basketball Maury Brown is the Founder and President of the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football, The Biz of Basketball and The Biz of Hockey. He is contributor to Baseball Prospectus, and is available as a freelance writer.Brown's full bio is here. He looks forward to your comments via email and can be contacted through the Business of Sports Network.Don't forget to register and log in on The Biz of Football site to get updates via your in-box, and see information only logged in members can see. 

On the day after the Boston Red Sox froze ticket prices across the board for the first time in 14 years, and the New York Yankees reported that suite sales have stalled, the National Football League announced that they will be lowering the price of playoff tickets this season by an average of 10 percent due to "the economic challenges facing fans.'' Commissioner Goodell sent pricing guidelines to those teams in the playoff hunt, "also authorized them to charge less for tickets to opening-round games than for playoff games the following weekend, the league said in a news release." As reported by Bloomberg News: Goodell said last month that the NFL, the U.S.'s most- watched television sport, couldn't reduce the cost of regular- season tickets because most had already been sold, and at prices set by the teams.The league is cutting the price of 1,000 Super Bowl tickets to $500 from $800, the first time the NFL has cut the price of tickets to the title game. It said in October that some tickets to its Super Bowl title game would reach $1,000 for the first time. According to Team Marketing Report's Fan Cost Index for the NFL, the average ticket in the NFL is $72.20 this season, an increase of 7.9 percent over last year's $67.11. The cost of taking a family of four to a game, including tickets, beers, hot dogs, soft drinks, parking and ball caps a?" the Fan Cost Index a?" rose 7.1 percent to $396.36.A OTHER NEWS ACROSS THE BUSINESS OF SPORTS NETWORK Complete WBC Schedule and Ticket Sales Date Released - The Biz of Baseball Red Sox Freeze Ticket Prices for First Time in 14 Years - The Biz of Baseball Welcome Back! Orioles to Add "Baltimore" to Road Jerseys - The Biz of Baseball MLB Network to Officially Announce Harold Reynolds, Al Leiter, Hazel Mae, Trenni Kusnierek to On-Air Line-up - The Biz of Baseball Economy Slows Interest in New Yankee Stadium Suites - The Biz of Baseball Tribune Looks to Retain 50 Percent of Cubs. MLB Official Says Cuban is Out of Running - The Biz of Baseball Tommy Lasorda to Be Honored by the Emperor of Japan - The Biz of Baseball The Recession, Obama, and the MLB Off-Season Collide - The Biz of Baseball Record Setting "F-Rod", 18 Others File for Free Agency - The Biz of Baseball Forbes NHL Team Valuations Released. Maples Leafs Most Valuable - The Biz of Hockey NHL Offers Free Train of NHL GameCenter Live on Oct. 30 - The Biz of Hockey Verizon FiOS TV to Offer NHL Center Ice and NHL Network - The Biz of Hockey You Betcha: Sarah Palin to Drop Puck at Flyers Game Saturday - The Biz of Hockey NHL by Reebok Store Expected to More Than Double Projected Sales - The Biz of Hockey John Shannon Named as Executive In Charge of Programming and Production for NHL Network - The Biz of Hockey KG and T-Mac Release "Embrace Change, Vote '08" Shoes Through adidas - The Biz of Basketball NBA on TNT Sees High Ratings for Season Openers - The Biz of Basketball NBA.com Launches Revamped NBA League Pass Broadband - The Biz of Basketball NBA on TNT: Comments from Cavs/Celtics and Blazers/Lakers Games - The Biz of Basketball adidas Unveils Limited Edition Garnett Signature Commander 2008 Champions Shoe - The Biz of Basketball Chris Paul and Deron Williams on the Cover of ESPN The Magazine's NBA Preview Issue - The Biz of Basketball Maury Brown is the Founder and President of the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football, The Biz of Basketball and The Biz of Hockey. He is contributor to Baseball Prospectus, and is available as a freelance writer.Brown's full bio is here. He looks forward to your comments via email and can be contacted through the Business of Sports Network.Don't forget to register and log in on The Biz of Football site to get updates via your in-box, and see information only logged in members can see.

Verizon broadband and NFL Network announced Thursday a product update to NFL Network Game Extra that will allow them to customize their NFL viewing experience for eight highly anticipated games and giving them access to a variety of other game-enhancing features. With NFL Network Game Extra, Verizon broadband customers will be able to enjoy the games from multiple camera angles they select. They'll also have online access to up-to-the-minute game statistics, drive chart simulations, on-demand video highlights, live chats with other NFL Network Game Extra viewers and live audio feeds. Verizon is the only broadband provider to carry NFL Network games both on TV and online. NFL Network Game Extra is available to customers who subscribe to Verizon's FiOS Internet or High Speed Internet service, with either FiOS TV or DIRECTV through Verizon. This service is available online to Verizon broadband subscribers through wireline internet connections, so whether fans are on the road or watching the game away from home, they can take the action with them. Customers who subscribe to a combination of Verizon TV and broadband services will receive a personalized NFL Network viewing experience with access to the following key games: A» Nov. 6: DenverA Broncos at ClevelandA Browns A» Nov. 13: New YorkA Jets at New EnglandA Patriots A» Nov. 20: CincinnatiA Bengals at PittsburghA Steelers A» Nov. 27: ArizonaA Cardinals at PhiladelphiaA Eagles A» Dec. 4: OaklandA Raiders at San DiegoA Chargers A» Dec. 8: New OrleansA Saints at ChicagoA Bears A» Dec. 18: IndianapolisA Colts at JacksonvilleA Jaguars A» Dec. 20: BaltimoreA Ravens at DallasA Cowboys "With NFL Network Game Extra, Verizon puts broadband customers in the driver's seat, allowing them to experience unparalleled personal viewing control of their favorite teams as they battle for playoff spots," said Bill Heilig, vice president Verizon broadband connected home services. "Verizon is changing the sports industry by giving subscribers an interactive and unique online and TV football viewing experience." Verizon's FiOS or High Speed Internet subscribers can enjoy NFL Network programming online, including segments from the popular shows NFL Total Access and Playbook, which offer football fans game analysis and a look at upcoming matchups. Verizon also offers FiOS TV subscribers NFL Network, a year-round channel devoted entirely to the game of football, at no additional cost. To access the new, online NFL Network programming and content, customers can log on to their Verizon consumer broadband accounts at www.verizon.net/nfl.Source: VerizonA OTHER NEWS ACROSS THE BUSINESS OF SPORTS NETWORK Tribune Looks to Retain 50 Percent of Cubs. MLB Official Says Cuban is Out of Running - The Biz of Baseball Tommy Lasorda to Be Honored by the Emperor of Japan - The Biz of Baseball The Recession, Obama, and the MLB Off-Season Collide - The Biz of Baseball Red Sox Announce Year VIII Improvements to Fenway Park - The Biz of Baseball Mike Mussina, 7 Others File for Free Agency on Weds. - The Biz of Baseball Tampa Bay Rays - 2008 MLB Organization of the Year - The Biz of Baseball Record Setting "F-Rod", 18 Others File for Free Agency - The Biz of Baseball Forbes NHL Team Valuations Released. Maples Leafs Most Valuable - The Biz of Hockey NHL Offers Free Train of NHL GameCenter Live on Oct. 30 - The Biz of Hockey Verizon FiOS TV to Offer NHL Center Ice and NHL Network - The Biz of Hockey You Betcha: Sarah Palin to Drop Puck at Flyers Game Saturday - The Biz of Hockey NHL by Reebok Store Expected to More Than Double Projected Sales - The Biz of Hockey John Shannon Named as Executive In Charge of Programming and Production for NHL Network - The Biz of Hockey KG and T-Mac Release "Embrace Change, Vote '08" Shoes Through adidas - The Biz of Basketball NBA on TNT Sees High Ratings for Season Openers - The Biz of Basketball NBA.com Launches Revamped NBA League Pass Broadband - The Biz of Basketball NBA on TNT: Comments from Cavs/Celtics and Blazers/Lakers Games - The Biz of Basketball adidas Unveils Limited Edition Garnett Signature Commander 2008 Champions Shoe - The Biz of Basketball Chris Paul and Deron Williams on the Cover of ESPN The Magazine's NBA Preview Issue - The Biz of Basketball Maury Brown is the Founder and President of the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football, The Biz of Basketball and The Biz of Hockey. He is contributor to Baseball Prospectus, and is available as a freelance writer.Brown's full bio is here. He looks forward to your comments via email and can be contacted through the Business of Sports Network.Don't forget to register and log in on The Biz of Football site to get updates via your in-box, and see information only logged in members can see.   

In a joint agreement between the Dallas Mavericks of the NBA and the Dallas Cowboys of the NFL, an announcement willA be made today (Thursday) that the 2010 NBA All-Star Game will be played in the soon to be completed Cowboys Stadium (see computer renderings and details on the new Cowboys Stadium). The formal announcement will be made at American Airlines Center before Thursday night's home opener for the Mavericks. As reported by ESPN: Word emerged during last season's NBA playoffs that the two Dallas franchises were interested in co-staging the event at the Cowboys' new $1.1 billion facility in Arlington, which is scheduled to open in time for the 2009 NFL season.Cuban had maintained for years that he had no interest in the Mavericks serving as All-Star Game hosts because so many of his season-ticket holders would lose their seats to league control, as the NBA has historically used All-Star Weekend to entertain various sponsors. But in a football-sized stadium, those reservations wouldn't apply."It's important to me to find a venue that can support all of our season ticket-holders and all of the visitors who would come to Dallas for the game," Cuban told The Dallas Morning News in May. "We are exploring all of our options."A OTHER NEWS ACROSS THE BUSINESS OF SPORTS NETWORKFathead Makes Commemorative Logo of 2008 World Series Champions Philadelphia Phillies Available - The Biz of Baseball When All the Scoring Will be in the Infield, Eh?- The Biz of Baseball Get Dripping Wet Again: MLB.com to Reshow Beginning of Game 5 - The Biz of BaseballGame On! Game Five of World Series to Be Played Tonight - The Biz of Baseball Transcript: Interview with Joe Maddon - The Biz of Baseball World Series Ratings 20 Percent Below Worst Ever - The Biz of Baseball BREAKING: Game 5 of World Series Postponed Due to Weather - The Biz of Baseball Rain Maker: Weather in Philadelphia Wreaks Havoc on World Series Ratings - The Biz of Baseball Albert Pujols Named 2008 Roberto Clemente Award Recipient - The Biz of Baseball Inside the Numbers: Ranking the 30 Clubs by Marginal Payroll/Marginal Wins - The Biz of Baseball Selig Hopes to Shorten Days Off Between Games in '09 Postseason - The Biz of Baseball Verizon Has a COW at Tropicana Field - The Biz of Baseball John Blake Leaves Red Sox to Return to Texas Rangers - The Biz of Baseball Joe Maddon and Fredi Gonzalez Win Sporting News Managers of 2008 - The Biz of Baseball Mariners Hire Jack Zduriencik as Exec VP and GM of Baseball Ops for Seattle Mariners - The Biz of Baseball See It: McCain and Obama Help Open World Series on FOX - The Biz of Baseball Long Rays Forecast: FSN Florida Signs 8-Year Extension with Tampa Bay - The Biz of Baseball NHL Offers Free Train of NHL GameCenter Live on Oct. 30 - The Biz of Hockey Verizon FiOS TV to Offer NHL Center Ice and NHL Network - The Biz of Hockey You Betcha: Sarah Palin to Drop Puck at Flyers Game Saturday - The Biz of Hockey NHL by Reebok Store Expected to More Than Double Projected Sales - The Biz of Hockey John Shannon Named as Executive In Charge of Programming and Production for NHL Network - The Biz of Hockey NBA on TNT Sees High Ratings for Season Openers - The Biz of Basketball NBA.com Launches Revamped NBA League Pass Broadband - The Biz of Basketball NBA on TNT: Comments from Cavs/Celtics and Blazers/Lakers Games - The Biz of Basketball adidas Unveils Limited Edition Garnett Signature Commander 2008 Champions Shoe - The Biz of Basketball Chris Paul and Deron Williams on the Cover of ESPN The Magazine's NBA Preview Issue - The Biz of Basketball Maury Brown is the Founder and President of the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football, The Biz of Basketball and The Biz of Hockey. He is contributor to Baseball Prospectus, and is available as a freelance writer.Brown's full bio is here. He looks forward to your comments via email and can be contacted through the Business of Sports Network.Don't forget to register and log in on The Biz of Football site to get updates via your in-box, and see information only logged in members can see.

Fathead, the sports and entertainment precision cut vinyl graphics company who has officially licensed images of NFL players, helmets and logos, announced today the lastest addition to their Fathead NFL roster Rams star running back Steven Jackson.A A A The Jackson image is an imposing 6'5" H x 3'9" W and accompanied by 7 value-packed additional items (see image provided). Fathead vinyl graphics can be purchased at www.fathead.com where more than 500+ images can be found, enter code REALBIGPR for an immediate 10% discount or by calling (877)-FATHEAD and at selectA U.S. retailersA Independent retailers can contact www.fathead.com/partner.Other recent Fathead addtions include Josh Hamilton of the Texas Rangers. Source: Fathead OTHER NEWS ACROSS THE BUSINESS OF SPORTS NETWORK MLB to Broadcast World Series to 229 Countries in 13 Languages - The Biz of Baseball TBS Scores Ratings Hit with Decisive Game 7 of 2008 ALCS - The Biz of Baseball New York Yankees and Dallas Cowboys Form Partnership for Concessions Company - The Biz of Baseball Rays/Phillies World Series Proves National Broadcasters Need Less of the Red Sox and Yankees - The Biz of Baseball 5 Reasons Why TBS Really Blew It on Game 6 of the ALCS - The Biz of Baseball Players Choice Awards See Cliff Lee, Albert Pujols, and Manny Ramirez as Finalists - The Biz of Baseball Exciting ALCS Game 5 Breaths Life Into an Otherwise Drab Postseason - The Biz of Baseball Cubs Deal May Involve More Ownership Equity From Tribune - The Biz of Baseball Hall of Fame to Unveil Statue of Gehrig, Robinson, and Clemente Nov. 1 - The Biz of Baseball MLB Loves Barack Obama's Money More than the World Series - The Biz of Baseball ESPN Hires Avery Johnson as Studio Analyst - The Biz of Basketball ESPN and Jeff Van Gundy Reach Multi-Year Agreement - The Biz of Basketball Magic Johnson Joins ESPN as Studio Analyst - The Biz of Basketball Warriors Suspend Guard Monta Ellis Without Pay - The Biz of Basketball TNT to Televise Landmark Outdoor NBA Preseason GameA - The Biz of BasketballA A NHL Teams with Scotiabank and CBC for "Fan Award" - The Biz of Hockey You Betcha: Sarah Palin to Drop Puck at Flyers Game Saturday - The Biz of Hockey NHL by Reebok Store Expected to More Than Double Projected Sales - The Biz of Hockey John Shannon Named as Executive In Charge of Programming and Production for NHL Network - The Biz of Hockey Honda Becomes Official Vehicle of the NHL - The Biz of HockeyMaury Brown is the Founder and President of the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football, The Biz of Basketball and The Biz of Hockey. He is contributor to Baseball Prospectus, and is available as a freelance writer.Brown's full bio is here. He looks forward to your comments via email and can be contacted through the Business of Sports Network.Don't forget to register and log in on The Biz of Football site to get updates via your in-box, and see information only logged in members can see. 

Ticket prices for Super Bowl XLIII will reach $1,000 for the first time in Super Bowl history. As reported by the AP:The NFL confirmed Thursday that 25 percent of the tickets for the Feb. 1 game in Tampa will be priced at $1,000. It also announced it will drop the price of 1,000 tickets at Raymond James Stadium by $200 to $500, the first time the league has cut prices for a Super Bowl.17,000 suite and club seats will be sold at $1,000 each. Some 53,000 tickets will be priced at $800, and the remaining 1,000 seats will cost $500. Tickets for Super Bowl I cost fans a measly $6, $10 or $12. Prices have increased each year since. OTHER NEWS ACROSS THE BUSINESS OF SPORTS NETWORK Players Choice Awards See Cliff Lee, Albert Pujols, and Manny Ramirez as Finalists - The Biz of Baseball Exciting ALCS Game 5 Breaths Life Into an Otherwise Drab Postseason - The Biz of Baseball Cubs Deal May Involve More Ownership Equity From Tribune - The Biz of Baseball Hall of Fame to Unveil Statue of Gehrig, Robinson, and Clemente Nov. 1 - The Biz of Baseball MLB Loves Barack Obama's Money More than the World Series - The Biz of Baseball ESPN Hires Avery Johnson as Studio Analyst - The Biz of Basketball ESPN and Jeff Van Gundy Reach Multi-Year Agreement - The Biz of Basketball Magic Johnson Joins ESPN as Studio Analyst - The Biz of Basketball Warriors Suspend Guard Monta Ellis Without Pay - The Biz of Basketball TNT to Televise Landmark Outdoor NBA Preseason GameA - The Biz of BasketballA A NHL Teams with Scotiabank and CBC for "Fan Award" - The Biz of Hockey You Betcha: Sarah Palin to Drop Puck at Flyers Game Saturday - The Biz of Hockey NHL by Reebok Store Expected to More Than Double Projected Sales - The Biz of Hockey John Shannon Named as Executive In Charge of Programming and Production for NHL Network - The Biz of Hockey Honda Becomes Official Vehicle of the NHL - The Biz of HockeyNick Kappel is a staff member for the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football, The Biz of Basketball and The Biz of Hockey. He can be contacted through the Business of Sports Network's Author Profiles

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has suspended Dallas Cowboys cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones - again. This time the suspension is for at least four games. As reported by ESPN:In announcing his decision, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said Jones' "disturbing pattern of behavior was clearly inconsistent with the conditions I set for your continued participation in the NFL."This suspension stems from a physical altercation that Jones was involved in at a Dallas hotel on October 8. The incident did involve alcohol, and police were called to the hotel.  Of course, this is not Jones' first offense. The troubled cornerback was suspended for the entire 2007 season by commissioner Goodell, after violating the league's personal conduct policy on multiple occasions.  After Jones serves his four-game suspension, Goodell says he will evaluate Pacman's progress to determine it another suspension is necessary. OTHER NEWS ACROSS THE BUSINESS OF SPORTS NETWORK Sarasota Breaks Off Negotiations with Red Sox for Spring Training Facility - The Biz of Baseball Financial Crisis Impacting Cubs Sale in a Big Way - The Biz of Baseball National Television Ratings for 2008 MLB Season Down Across the Board. RSNs Decline, As Well - The Biz of Baseball World Series Trophy to be Displayed at Tiffany & Co. Starting Today - The Biz of Baseball ALCS Game 2 (Red Sox/Rays): Commentary and Interviews from TBS Broadcast Teams - The Biz of Baseball ESPN and Jeff Van Gundy Reach Multi-Year Agreement - The Biz of Basketball Magic Johnson Joins ESPN as Studio Analyst - The Biz of Basketball Warriors Suspend Guard Monta Ellis Without Pay - The Biz of Basketball TNT to Televise Landmark Outdoor NBA Preseason GameA - The Biz of Basketball Elgin Baylor Out as VP of Basketball Ops for Clippers. Mike Dunleavy to Become GM - The Biz of Basketball NHL Teams with Scotiabank and CBC for "Fan Award" - The Biz of Hockey You Betcha: Sarah Palin to Drop Puck at Flyers Game Saturday - The Biz of Hockey NHL by Reebok Store Expected to More Than Double Projected Sales - The Biz of Hockey John Shannon Named as Executive In Charge of Programming and Production for NHL Network - The Biz of Hockey Honda Becomes Official Vehicle of the NHL - The Biz of HockeyNick Kappel is a staff member for the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football, The Biz of Basketball and The Biz of Hockey. He can be contacted through the Business of Sports Network's Author Profiles 

ESPN's Monday Night Football a€" the Pittsburgh Steelers' 23-20 overtime victory over the visiting Baltimore Ravens a€" earned an 8.8 rating, representing an average of 8,595,000 homes (11,783,000 P2+).A For the fourth straight Monday, ESPN won the night in the key male demos among all networks, broadcast or cable, and the game drove significant traffic to ESPN.com's NFL content. For the NFL season to date, ESPN's Monday Night Football is averaging a 9.6 rating and 9,335,000 households (12,972,000 P2+), up 14%, 15% and 20%, respectively from last season through five games (8.4 rating; 8,117,000 homes; 10,767,000 viewers).A For 2008, the five Monday Night Football telecasts represent cable's five biggest audiences of the year.A ESPN's presentation of the "game around the game," which included NFL studio programming startingA at 3:30 p.m. ET through the conclusion of NFL Primetime at 2:40 a.m., delivered 19.1 A gross household coverage ratings for its MNF coverage. ESPN.com Also, NFL content on ESPN.com, including "Monday Night Surround," accessed via computers and mobile devices generated 10.9 million visits and nearly 74.8 million page views a€" an increase of 41% from the same week last year a€" from Monday through Tuesday at noon.A For the season to date, ESPN.com is averaging 87.5 million page views, up 50% from 2007. In addition, during the same period there were nearly 4.4 million views of pro football-related video on ESPN.com and SportsCenter Right Now was viewed some 1.6 million times.A Also, in the past week (Tuesday through Monday) ESPN football-related podcasts were downloaded more than 740,000 times. Source: ESPN OTHER NEWS ACROSS THE BUSINESS OF SPORTS NETWORK Playoff Tickets on Secondary Market Running as High as $3,000 - The Biz of Baseball MLB Players and "Funny or Die" Work to Promote Volunteerism - The Biz of Baseball Upper Deck Releases Sarah Palin and Joe Biden Collectible Trading Cards - The Biz of Baseball MLB Division Series Umpires Announced - The Biz of Baseball For Television, Playoffs Offer Great Match-ups, Interesting Stories - The Biz of Baseball MLB Network Hires Former Exec VP of FSN and Senior VP of NFL Network - The Biz of Baseball TBS Announces Telecast Schedule and Broadcast Teams for MLB Division Series - The Biz of Baseball SEE IT: The 2008 Divison Series Broadcast Schedule - The Biz of Basebal Latest "This is SportsCenter" Ad to Feature Stephen King - The Biz of Baseball Tracy Ringolsby and Maury Brown Debate the MVP Award - The Biz of Baseball Adrian Dantley: Mystery Man - The Biz of Basketball Snapple Offers Knicks Reporter Jill Martin New Career for the Off-Season - The Biz of Basketball Oklahoma City Thunder Sell Out All Season Tickets in Five Days - The Biz of Basketball Great Julius Erving Stories - The Biz of Basketball Alex Ovechkin on Cover of ESPN the Magazine NHL Preview - The Biz of Hockey NHL Reaches Broadcast Agreement in Asia - The Biz of Hockey NHL Pushes Online Profile. Partnership with Yahoo!, Site Redesign, Streaming Games On-Demand - The Biz of HockeyYao Ming on Ice? China Sharks to Place Asia Hockey League Team in Shanghai - The Biz of HockeyHarrah's Drops Out of Group Building Las Vegas Arena - The Biz of Hockey Washington Capitals To See Increase in Number of Games in HD - The Biz of Hockey NHL Players Union Takes NHL to Court Over Pension Dispute - The Biz of Hockey Quinn and DiPofi Become Minority Owners of Sabres - The Biz of Hockey Maury Brown is the Founder and President of the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football, The Biz of Basketball and The Biz of Hockey. He is contributor to Baseball Prospectus, and is available as a freelance writer.Brown's full bio is here. He looks forward to your comments via email and can be contacted through the Business of Sports Network.Don't forget to register and log in on The Biz of Football site to get updates via your in-box, and see information only logged in members can see.

In one of the most bizarre and protracted firings in NFL history, the Oakland Raiders have finally fired head coach Lane Kiffen after he compiled a 5-15 record. The entire statement from the Raiders on the firing consisted of one line: "Lane Kiffin has been released as head coach of the Oakland Raiders for cause. According to ESPN's Chris Mortensen Kiffin was fired by phone and without pay. Raiders offensive line coach Tom Cable is viewed as a likely candidate to replace Kiffen. As reported by Mortensen: The news did not blindside Kiffin, who was informed by a team executive that he would be fired after the Raiders 24-23 loss to the Buffalo Bills in week three. Even though Davis didn't act a week ago, as Kiffin was told, many team insiders expected the Oakland owner to fire the coach during this bye week. Kiffin and Davis had been a loggerheads for some time as Kiffin attempted to fire defensive coordinator Rob Ryan after the 2007 season. In a well documented and bizarre series of events, Davis sent a letter of resignation for Kiffin to sign, but he declined to sign the letter setting up a case of Kiffin being the coach for an owner that was forced to fire rather than have his head coach resign. OTHER NEWS ACROSS THE BUSINESS OF SPORTS NETWORK MLB Division Series Umpires Announced - The Biz of Baseball For Television, Playoffs Offer Great Match-ups, Interesting Stories - The Biz of Baseball MLB Network Hires Former Exec VP of FSN and Senior VP of NFL Network - The Biz of Baseball TBS Announces Telecast Schedule and Broadcast Teams for MLB Division Series - The Biz of Baseball SEE IT: The 2008 Divison Series Broadcast Schedule - The Biz of Baseball White Sox to Play Tigers in Make-Up Game Monday - The Biz of Baseball Possible Tie-Breaker Scenarios for Mets/Brewers, White Sox/Twins - The Biz of Baseball Latest "This is SportsCenter" Ad to Feature Stephen King - The Biz of Baseball Tracy Ringolsby and Maury Brown Debate the MVP Award - The Biz of Baseball Adrian Dantley: Mystery Man - The Biz of Basketball Snapple Offers Knicks Reporter Jill Martin New Career for the Off-Season - The Biz of Basketball Oklahoma City Thunder Sell Out All Season Tickets in Five Days - The Biz of Basketball Great Julius Erving Stories - The Biz of Basketball Alex Ovechkin on Cover of ESPN the Magazine NHL Preview - The Biz of Hockey NHL Reaches Broadcast Agreement in Asia - The Biz of Hockey NHL Pushes Online Profile. Partnership with Yahoo!, Site Redesign, Streaming Games On-Demand - The Biz of HockeyYao Ming on Ice? China Sharks to Place Asia Hockey League Team in Shanghai - The Biz of HockeyHarrah's Drops Out of Group Building Las Vegas Arena - The Biz of Hockey Washington Capitals To See Increase in Number of Games in HD - The Biz of Hockey NHL Players Union Takes NHL to Court Over Pension Dispute - The Biz of Hockey Quinn and DiPofi Become Minority Owners of Sabres - The Biz of Hockey Maury Brown is the Founder and President of the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football, The Biz of Basketball and The Biz of Hockey. He is contributor to Baseball Prospectus, and is available as a freelance writer.Brown's full bio is here. He looks forward to your comments via email and can be contacted through the Business of Sports Network.Don't forget to register and log in on The Biz of Football site to get updates via your in-box, and see information only logged in members can see.  

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band will be the halftime entertainment for this year's Super Bowl to be played in Tampa, Florida. The Super Bowl will be played Feb. 1 at Raymond James Stadium. Springsteen follows such "A-list" bands as Paul McCartney, U2, the Rolling Stones, Prince, and last year's Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. According to The AP, the first star to perform at halftime was Chubbie Checker in 1988. Up to that point, college marching bands and drill teams.Source: The AP OTHER NEWS ACROSS THE BUSINESS OF SPORTS NETWORK SEE IT: The 2008 Divison Series Broadcast Schedule - The Biz of Baseball White Sox to Play Tigers in Make-Up Game Monday - The Biz of Baseball Possible Tie-Breaker Scenarios for Mets/Brewers, White Sox/Twins - The Biz of Baseball Latest "This is SportsCenter" Ad to Feature Stephen King - The Biz of Baseball Tracy Ringolsby and Maury Brown Debate the MVP Award - The Biz of Baseball MLB and UCLA to Hold HGH Summit in Nov.r - The Biz of Baseball Dodgers Owner Frank McCourt Buys Rights to LA Marathon - The Biz of Baseball Adrian Dantley: Mystery Man - The Biz of Basketball Snapple Offers Knicks Reporter Jill Martin New Career for the Off-Season - The Biz of Basketball Oklahoma City Thunder Sell Out All Season Tickets in Five Days - The Biz of Basketball Great Julius Erving Stories - The Biz of Basketball Alex Ovechkin on Cover of ESPN the Magazine NHL Preview - The Biz of Hockey NHL Reaches Broadcast Agreement in Asia - The Biz of Hockey NHL Pushes Online Profile. Partnership with Yahoo!, Site Redesign, Streaming Games On-Demand - The Biz of HockeyYao Ming on Ice? China Sharks to Place Asia Hockey League Team in Shanghai - The Biz of HockeyHarrah's Drops Out of Group Building Las Vegas Arena - The Biz of Hockey Washington Capitals To See Increase in Number of Games in HD - The Biz of Hockey NHL Players Union Takes NHL to Court Over Pension Dispute - The Biz of Hockey Quinn and DiPofi Become Minority Owners of Sabres - The Biz of Hockey Maury Brown is the Founder and President of the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football, The Biz of Basketball and The Biz of Hockey. He is contributor to Baseball Prospectus, and is available as a freelance writer.Brown's full bio is here. He looks forward to your comments via email and can be contacted through the Business of Sports Network.Don't forget to register and log in on The Biz of Football site to get updates via your in-box, and see information only logged in members can see. 

CBS Sports and CBS College Sports Network announced Thursday a long-term agreements with Navy to broadcast home college football games, basketball games and Olympic sports. The announcement was made by Mike Aresco, Executive Vice President, Programming, CBS Sports, Steve Herbst, Executive Vice President and General Manager, CBS College Sports Network and Chet Gladchuk, Athletic Director, United States Naval Academy.CBS Sports agreed to a long-term deal with Navy to broadcast the Notre Dame-Navy game, which will broadcast the games hosted by Navy through 2016, with an option for 2018.A The deal begins with the 2010 game.CBS College Sports Network extended its agreement with Navy to serve as the exclusive broadcast partner for Navy home football and various neutral site games through the 2017-18 season. In addition, CBS College Sports Network will broadcast various men's basketball games, lacrosse games and Olympic sports. All football games will be broadcast in high definition. The network initially signed on as Navy's television and multimedia partner in 2005. "CBS is proud to continue televising one of the longest-played and most tradition-rich rivalries in college football," said Aresco.A "The Notre Dame-Navy game will remain a highlight of our college football schedule every other year for the next decade."A A "The Naval Academy is a tremendous partner and we're thrilled to continue our relationship for many years to come," said Herbst.A "The Academy represents the best of what young people in our country offer and we are extremely proud to showcase the tradition of Navy football on our network.""Our relationship over the years with CBS Sports has been extraordinary and this extension is historic for Navy athletics," said Gladchuk.A "The CBS family continues to deliver a first-class production and has every intention of highlighting Navy athletics as one of its premier telecasts. They have been a partner that truly understands the Academy, our expectations and ambition to share Navy athletics on a national and international basis.A We now have one of the most comprehensive collegiate television packages in the country. Our midshipmen, alumni and fans will enjoy Navy athletics on CBS for years to come."In the new agreement, CBS College Sports Network will continue to operate NAVYSPORTS.COM, the official athletic website for Navy.During the length of the agreement, CBS College Sports Network will broadcast notable match-ups including games against Wake Forest; Air Force; East Carolina; Ohio State; Pittsburgh; Rutgers; Texas Christian University; Northwestern; Duke; Ole Miss and Syracuse.Source: CBS Sports OTHER NEWS ACROSS THE BUSINESS OF SPORTS NETWORK ESPN Deportes to Air Three-Part Interview with Ugueth Urbina - The Biz of Baseball Ode to the Cathedral - The Biz of Baseball MLB Adds Brewers-Mets Tie-Breaker Game, If Needed - The Biz of Baseball MLB's Instant Replay Results in Historic First Reversal - The Biz of Baseball - The Biz of Baseball Turn Out The Lights: Yankee Stadium Final Game Coverage by ESPN & MLB.com - The Biz of Baseball TBS Announces Broadcast Teams for MLB Postseason - The Biz of BaseballCivil Rights Game to Become Part of Regular Season - The Biz of BaseballSelig Says Royals Have Good Chance for All-Star Game - The Biz of BaseballAdrian Dantley: Mystery Man - The Biz of Basketball Snapple Offers Knicks Reporter Jill Martin New Career for the Off-Season - The Biz of Basketball Oklahoma City Thunder Sell Out All Season Tickets in Five Days - The Biz of Basketball Great Julius Erving Stories - The Biz of BasketballYao Ming on Ice? China Sharks to Place Asia Hockey League Team in Shanghai - The Biz of HockeyHarrah's Drops Out of Group Building Las Vegas Arena - The Biz of Hockey Washington Capitals To See Increase in Number of Games in HD - The Biz of Hockey NHL Players Union Takes NHL to Court Over Pension Dispute - The Biz of Hockey Quinn and DiPofi Become Minority Owners of Sabres - The Biz of HockeyMaury Brown is the Founder and President of the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football, The Biz of Basketball and The Biz of Hockey. He is contributor to Baseball Prospectus, and is available as a freelance writer.Brown's full bio is here. He looks forward to your comments via email and can be contacted through the Business of Sports Network.Don't forget to register and log in on The Biz of Football site to get updates via your in-box, and see information only logged in members can see.

Dallas Cowboy quarterback Tony Romo has signed a five-year, $10 million endorsement deal with STARTER, which is believed to be the biggest footwear and apparel deal in NFL history. The closest deal prior was Reggie Bush's five-year, $5 million deal with adidas. What makes the deal interesting is that Reebok has an exclusive agreement with the NFL (for more, see NFL and Reebok Win Legal Challenge Over Team Logo Hats). With that deal in place, Romo will be prohibited from wearing STARTER footwear on the field during NFL games. Source: Ft. Worth Star-Telegram OTHER NEWS ACROSS THE BUSINESS OF SPORTS NETWORK ESPN Deportes to Air Three-Part Interview with Ugueth Urbina - The Biz of Baseball Ode to the Cathedral - The Biz of Baseball MLB Adds Brewers-Mets Tie-Breaker Game, If Needed - The Biz of Baseball MLB's Instant Replay Results in Historic First Reversal - The Biz of Baseball - The Biz of Baseball Turn Out The Lights: Yankee Stadium Final Game Coverage by ESPN & MLB.com - The Biz of Baseball TBS Announces Broadcast Teams for MLB Postseason - The Biz of BaseballCivil Rights Game to Become Part of Regular Season - The Biz of BaseballSelig Says Royals Have Good Chance for All-Star Game - The Biz of BaseballAdrian Dantley: Mystery Man - The Biz of Basketball Snapple Offers Knicks Reporter Jill Martin New Career for the Off-Season - The Biz of Basketball Oklahoma City Thunder Sell Out All Season Tickets in Five Days - The Biz of Basketball Great Julius Erving Stories - The Biz of BasketballYao Ming on Ice? China Sharks to Place Asia Hockey League Team in Shanghai - The Biz of HockeyHarrah's Drops Out of Group Building Las Vegas Arena - The Biz of Hockey Washington Capitals To See Increase in Number of Games in HD - The Biz of Hockey NHL Players Union Takes NHL to Court Over Pension Dispute - The Biz of Hockey Quinn and DiPofi Become Minority Owners of Sabres - The Biz of HockeyMaury Brown is the Founder and President of the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football, The Biz of Basketball and The Biz of Hockey. He is contributor to Baseball Prospectus, and is available as a freelance writer.Brown's full bio is here. He looks forward to your comments via email and can be contacted through the Business of Sports Network.Don't forget to register and log in on The Biz of Football site to get updates via your in-box, and see information only logged in members can see.

The New York Jets announced Wednesday a partnership with StubHub to auction the best seats in the New Jets Stadium -- the Coaches Club. The auction will start on Sunday, October 19, and run through Monday, October 27, 2008 exclusively on StubHub, the world's largest ticket marketplace. The Coaches Club combines the best seats in football -- on the sideline around the 50-yard line -- with access usually reserved for coaches and players. Club members will be able to stand on the field and watch the game, five yards off the Jets bench, or step inside to a private 20,000 square foot bar and lounge designed by Nobu architect David Rockwell. In addition to complimentary food and beverage, Club members receive free VIP parking adjacent to the stadium and can buy tickets to other events when available. "This will be the first time in sports that the market will set the price for the best seats in the house," said Jets Executive Vice President of Stadium Development and Finance, Thad Sheely. "We selected StubHub as our partner for this innovative approach because they essentially created the online ticket marketplace." Matt Higgins, Jets Executive Vice President of Business Operations, said, "Coaches Club members will be able to literally stand behind their team - on the field, on the 50- yard line, five yards off the Jets bench. There is simply no better seat in sports, and no better gameday experience in the NFL." The initial auction will open with a minimum bid of $5,000 per seat license in order to prequalify bidders. Bidding on a variety of seat locations -- including front row and 50- yard line tickets -- will be staggered throughout the auction. Tickets will be auctioned in minimum lots of two. More detailed information is available at www.JetsCoachesClub.com. "Facilitating this first of its kind auction once again supports StubHub's commitment to innovate in the ticket industry," said Chris Tsakalakis, president of StubHub. "The Jets" unique approach will break new ground in the primary ticketing market when the buyer decides what the seat is worth." The New Jets Stadium is scheduled to open for the 2010 season. The team announced its seating plan in late August which included no personal seat licenses (PSLs) for all 27,000 seats in the upper bowl and the option for all PSL owners to pay over five years. Aside from the Coaches Club auction, the sale of seats in the new stadium will use a priority system based first on seniority, according to Jets box office records, and then on current seat location. Waitlist members will have the opportunity to purchase seats after season ticket holders.Source: StubHub OTHER NEWS ACROSS THE BUSINESS OF SPORTS NETWORK SEE IT: 2009 MLB Master Schedule Released - The Biz of Baseball MLB Funding Helps PDFA Put Google Links to Fight PED Use - The Biz of Baseball MASN to Launch Full-Time Hi-Def Channel - The Biz of Baseball Red Sox and Theo Epstein Close to Extension - The Biz of Baseball Astros to Get All Ticket Revenues From Miller Park GamesA - The Biz of Baseball John McCain on PEDs: "There's somebody in a lab right now that's trying to be one step ahead." - The Biz of Baseball Rumor: Ricketts Will Land Chicago Cubs - The Biz of Baseball Snapple Offers Knicks Reporter Jill Martin New Career for the Off-Season - The Biz of Basketball Oklahoma City Thunder Sell Out All Season Tickets in Five Days - The Biz of Basketball Great Julius Erving Stories - The Biz of BasketballCheeks to Return as Sixers Coach - The Biz of BasketballThe Bottom Line: NCAA Final Four Generated $47 Million for vHost San Antonio - The Biz of Basketball Howard Schultz Drops Lawsuit Against Sonics Owner Bennett - The Biz of Basketball Harrah's Drops Out of Group Building Las Vegas Arena - The Biz of Hockey Washington Capitals To See Increase in Number of Games in HD - The Biz of Hockey NHL Players Union Takes NHL to Court Over Pension Dispute - The Biz of Hockey Quinn and DiPofi Become Minority Owners of Sabres - The Biz of HockeyMaury Brown is the Founder and President of the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football, The Biz of Basketball and The Biz of Hockey. He is contributor to Baseball Prospectus, and is available as a freelance writer.Brown's full bio is here. He looks forward to your comments via email and can be contacted through the Business of Sports Network.Don't forget to register and log in on The Biz of Football site to get updates via your in-box, and see information only logged in members can see.

Television personality and event reporter Jenn Brown will join the INSIDE THE NFL announce team as a special correspondent. The announcement was made today by CBS Sports and INSIDE THE NFL producer Pete Radovich.Brown will make her INSIDE THE NFL debut this week -- Wednesday, Sept. 17 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME -- on assignment in Hollywood. Working alongside host James Brown and analysts Phil Simms, Cris Collinsworth and Warren Sapp, she will be featured regularly throughout the season."As a sports lover and former athlete, I was overjoyed to team up with the men of INSIDE THE NFL," said Brown. "I am looking forward to giving a female's perspective on this season's games and storylines. I am thrilled to be joining a show that has achieved great success and has celebrated an acclaimed history in sports programming."INSIDE THE NFL airs every Wednesday at 9 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME during the NFL season through February 11, 2009.Source: Showtime OTHER NEWS ACROSS THE BUSINESS OF SPORTS NETWORK Astros to Get All Ticket Revenues From Miller Park GamesA - The Biz of Baseball John McCain on PEDs: "There's somebody in a lab right now that's trying to be one step ahead." - The Biz of Baseball Rumor: Ricketts Will Land Chicago Cubs - The Biz of Baseball Twins Reach 25-Year Naming Rights Deal. New Ballpark to Be Named "Target Field" - The Biz of Baseball Thanks From The Biz of Baseball on Our Two-Year Anniversary - The Biz of Baseball The Nationals Need to Break the Status Woe - The Biz of Baseball Tickets for Final Games At Yankee Stadium Running As High As $18,300 - The Biz of Baseball Great Julius Erving Stories - The Biz of BasketballCheeks to Return as Sixers Coach - The Biz of BasketballThe Bottom Line: NCAA Final Four Generated $47 Million for Host San Antonio - The Biz of Basketball Thunder Struck. OKC NBA Team Unveils Name, Logo - The Biz of Basketball NBA Development League Affiliations for 2008/09 Season Announced - The Biz of Basketball Howard Schultz Drops Lawsuit Against Sonics Owner Bennett - The Biz of Basketball Washington Capitals To See Increase in Number of Games in HD - The Biz of Hockey NHL Players Union Takes NHL to Court Over Pension Dispute - The Biz of Hockey Quinn and DiPofi Become Minority Owners of Sabres - The Biz of Hockey SEE IT: Trailer for 2K Sports' NHL 2K9 Game - The Biz of Hockey NHL Releases 2008-2009 Pre-Season Schedule - The Biz of Hockey Get Your Hockey Fix On - Register and Get Updates - The Biz of Hockey Maury Brown is the Founder and President of the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football, The Biz of Basketball and The Biz of Hockey. He is contributor to Baseball Prospectus, and is available as a freelance writer.Brown's full bio is here. He looks forward to your comments via email and can be contacted through the Business of Sports Network.Don't forget to register and log in on The Biz of Football site to get updates via your in-box, and see information only logged in members can see.

CNBC's Darren Rovell is, as far as this author knows, the only reporter that is almost exclusively dedicated to sports business on television. Accessible and sharp, Rovell has given those that follow sports as a business a considerable amount of insight.The Business of Sports Network interview Rovell regarding his documentary on Nike for The Biz of Basketball (read the interview here). Now, Rovell has taken time to talk to Ken Fang of the invaluable Fang's Bites blog. Here's just a small excerpt from Ken's interview with Rovell:A FB: With the NFL now in season, what are some of the stories that you feel we'll be reading over the next few months? Labor strife? Online streaming?DR: I'll take the NFL Network story into another season. It's a fascinating tale. How the greatest sports league has had a tremendously hard time getting traction with their channel. They've tried plenty. They gave themselves those slate of games. They had two huge games last year and the carriers haven't budged. There's been word that they're trying to forge an alliance, but you kind of wonder how committed the owners are to making this work and how much money they could really be making in its current state with its current carriage.FB: Last year, Fox reportedly sought $2.7 million for a 30-second spot for a Super Bowl ad. Do you see advertisers getting a bang for their buck? And how much is too much? And what do you see NBC charging for Super Bowl XLII?DR: Some advertisers get a bang for their buck, others don't. What's going to be interesting is to see how much Anheuser-Busch scales back on the Super Bowl game and on their priority to win the USA Today Ad Meter now that they are owned by InBev. I'm sure you've seen this, but so far NBC is reporting they've sold 85 percent of their ads at a market value of $3 million. That's amazing. But the thing that separates the Super Bowl from any other sporting event is that, no matter who is playing, it's always going to get a great rating. The other aspect that continues to drive the buck here is that it's no secret that people pay more attention to the commercials during the Super Bowl than the commercials in any other single piece of programming throughout the year.Check the interview out as it covers the gambit from the Olympics to the Cubs sale, to hot dog eating contests. OTHER NEWS ACROSS THE BUSINESS OF SPORTS NETWORK Astros to Get All Ticket Revenues From Miller Park GamesA - The Biz of Baseball John McCain on PEDs: "There's somebody in a lab right now that's trying to be one step ahead." - The Biz of Baseball Rumor: Ricketts Will Land Chicago Cubs - The Biz of Baseball Twins Reach 25-Year Naming Rights Deal. New Ballpark to Be Named "Target Field" - The Biz of Baseball Thanks From The Biz of Baseball on Our Two-Year Anniversary - The Biz of Baseball The Nationals Need to Break the Status Woe - The Biz of Baseball Tickets for Final Games At Yankee Stadium Running As High As $18,300 - The Biz of Baseball Great Julius Erving Stories - The Biz of BasketballCheeks to Return as Sixers Coach - The Biz of BasketballThe Bottom Line: NCAA Final Four Generated $47 Million for Host San Antonio - The Biz of Basketball Thunder Struck. OKC NBA Team Unveils Name, Logo - The Biz of Basketball NBA Development League Affiliations for 2008/09 Season Announced - The Biz of Basketball Howard Schultz Drops Lawsuit Against Sonics Owner Bennett - The Biz of Basketball Washington Capitals To See Increase in Number of Games in HD - The Biz of Hockey NHL Players Union Takes NHL to Court Over Pension Dispute - The Biz of Hockey Quinn and DiPofi Become Minority Owners of Sabres - The Biz of Hockey SEE IT: Trailer for 2K Sports' NHL 2K9 Game - The Biz of Hockey NHL Releases 2008-2009 Pre-Season Schedule - The Biz of Hockey Get Your Hockey Fix On - Register and Get Updates - The Biz of Hockey Maury Brown is the Founder and President of the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football, The Biz of Basketball and The Biz of Hockey. He is contributor to Baseball Prospectus, and is available as a freelance writer.Brown's full bio is here. He looks forward to your comments via email and can be contacted through the Business of Sports Network.Don't forget to register and log in on The Biz of Football site to get updates via your in-box, and see information only logged in members can see.