Good morning. It’s Friday June 22, 2018 and this is your first early morning Sports briefing.

Allie LaForce has a new home, formally announcing a deal to move to Turner Sports courtesy of a multi-year deal, and officially departing her role at CBS Sports. She will serve as a reporter for NBA on TNT regular season and playoffs coverage as part of her expansive role and continue as reporter for Turner Sports and CBS Sports’ coverage of the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship. LaForce had already been contributing to NBA on TNT coverage on a part-time basis since 2015. She will also host projects across the Turner portfolio – such as CNN specials tied to NBA All-Star and the NCAA Tournament – along with select shows on NBA TV.

“I’m so excited for the opportunity to fulfill my lifelong passion and dream of covering basketball for a living,” said LaForce. “It’s been a privilege over the last few years to get a glimpse of the quality of the people and production at Turner and to now be considered part of this family full-time is really exciting. I greatly look forward to my future here.”

ON THE AIR

NBC Sports Group lined up more than 40 hours of comprehensive on-site news, tournament and instruction coverage of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, marking the most in tournament history with programming running June 25 - July 1. Coverage will be anchored by Dan Hicks, joined by Paige Mackenzie and Gary Koch in the broadcast booth. Tom Abbott will report from an on-course tower, with Kay Cockerill, Jerry Foltz and Mark Rolfing walking the course. Steve Sands will conduct player interviews. Making its debut on NBC at the Ryder Cup in 2016, Golf Channel and NBC will implement the “Playing Through” enhancement in an effort to elevate the viewing experience for fans tuning in to the tournament. NBC Sports Group is partnering with several national advertisers to present select commercial breaks in utilizing “Playing Through,” which will employ a split-screen model for a select number of national commercial breaks. Play begins June 28 at 11a on Golf Channel.

The NHL revealed its 2018-19 regular season with play set to begin on Oct. 3, with a four-game slate, highlighted by the Capitals raising their first Stanley Cup championship banner before facing the Bruins at Capital One Arena. The 1,271-game regular-season schedule wraps up on April 6, 2019. The other three games on the first night of the 2018-19 season include the Canadiens/Maple Leafs, the Flames/Canucks and the Ducks/Sharks. Four teams will participate in the 2018 NHL Global Series and play regular-season games in Europe. The Edmonton Oilers and New Jersey Devilswill play their 2018-19 season-opening game against each other in Gothenburg, Sweden on Oct. 6 at Scandinavium. The Florida Panthers and Winnipeg Jets will face off in a pair of regular-season games at Hartwall Arena in Helsinki, Finland on Nov. 1 and 2. The 2018 Discover NHL Thanksgiving Showdown will take place Nov. 23, when the Philadelphia Flyers host the New York Rangers at Wells Fargo Center, while the New Year’s Day 2019 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic will feature the Blackhawks and Bruins outdoors at Notre Dame Stadium.

Multiple reports state that former NFL referee Jeff Triplette has signed on to join Jason Witten and Joe Tessitore on Monday Night Football as a rules analyst this season on ESPN. He would replace Gerald Austin in the role. Triplette retired from officiating back in March.

The American Flag Football League's U.S. Open of Football Tournament makes its television debut on NFL Network with live coverage of the final 11 games starting June 30 at 7p. The 12 teams featured as part of NFL Network's telecast schedule include the top eight amateur squads advancing from the America's Bracket, plus four teams making up the Pro Championship Bracket, captained by former NFL, NBA and Olympic standouts including Michael Vick (Roadrunners), Chad Ochocinco (Ocho), Nate Robinson (Holdat), Carlos Boozer (Holdat) and Michael Johnson (Godspeed).

The Polynesian Football Hall of Fame and CBS Sports announced an exclusive, multiyear partnership that see the Polynesian Bowl air live on CBS Sports Network. The game serves as an all-star game that features a selection of the nation's top 100 high school players with this year’s game held on January 19, 2019 at Aloha Stadium on O`ahu. Hawaii News Now (will produce the Polynesian Bowl broadcast.

THE CYNOPSIS MEASUREMENT & DATA CONFERENCE

AUG 2| 9:00am – 3:30pm| NYC

Sponsored by: TV Time, Discovery, Data + Math & GroupM

“Data breaches and privacy rights have risen to the forefront. What does the future hold for data driven targeting for publishers and advertisers? Who should own the data? What rights will consumers have? What role should the government have in securing a consumer’s right to their own data? These are just a few questions that will be addressed at the Cynopsis Measurement & Data Conference.” - Brad Adgate

SPONSORSHIP & PROMOTION

Outsports unveiled its lineup of sponsors for the Pride Summit this weekend, with Nike BeTrue returning as a partner in the event for the third straight year. Meanwhile, the UFC, NFL and the Los Angeles Dodgers are also partnering with the org. Nike BeTrue is providing apparel for all Outsports Pride participants and will be hosting a special celebration of courage for all attendees this Friday, while UFC will be the presenting sponsor of Outsports’ NYC Pride March contingent.

The Mountain West Conference inked a deal with the Air Force Reserve to serve title sponsor of the 2019 Air Force Reserve MW Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships as well as presenting sponsor for all 10 MW Olympic Sport Championships for 2018-19. Air Force Reserve will also have a presence at the MW Football Championship Game and provide marketing support for the event. “Throughout the Mountain West, there is an appreciation for the sacrifice and service of those who volunteer to protect our freedoms, at home and abroad,” MW Commissioner Craig Thompson said. “We are proud to welcome the Air Force Reserve to the Mountain West and look forward to working with our new partners to both raise awareness of the important work done by this critical unit of our nation’s defense and support the endeavors of our student-athletes.”

DIGITAL & STREAMING

Whistle Sports raised over $28 million in funding. The Series D equity round is led by Aser and includes investments from Liberty Media, Emil Capital, Jeffrey Katzenberg’s WndrCo and others. Whistle Sports plans to use the proceeds of the investment in part to expand its catalogue of free and premium original content with brand partners and creators including Dude Perfect – the team behind the third most subscribed to creator YouTube channel – DevinSuperTramp, and The F2, among others, on both OTT and Whistle Sports distribution platforms. The wider collaboration with Aser will extend to its subsidiaries including ELEVEN SPORTS and will also accelerate Whistle Sports’ international expansion.

The Junior Basketball Association, founded by Big Baller Brand CEO LaVar Ball, tips off Thursday with a Facebook partnership that will see every game this season available on an exclusive basis both in the U.S. on Facebook Watch and globally via the JBA Facebook Page. The broadcasts will be produced by Big Baller Productions.

ESPORTS

NBC Sports revealed its voices for year two of the Universal Open Rocket League, NBC Sports Group and FACEIT’s annual esports tournament showcasing 2v2 Rocket League for a $100,000 prize pool. Host and analyst Rachel “Seltzer” Quirico anchors coverage this year throughout the Regional Finals and Grand Finals, joining commentators Caleb “WavePunk” Simmons, Mike “Quinn Lobdell” Behrouzi, Joey “JorbyPls” Ahrens and James “JamesBot” Villar. Brisk will serve as a presenting sponsor and will debut a commercial featuring Rocket League casters Caleb “WavePunk” Simmons and Mike “Quinn Lobdell” Behrouzi, and bring fans a special behind-the-scenes look during the tournament.

The ELEAGUE Street Fighter V Invitational 2018 serves up the event's fourth and final group stage bracket, tonight at 3p across Twitch and B/R Live. TBS will also televise featured matches at 11p as the group competes for the final two spots in the Playoffs on July 13 and a shot at the event’s $250,000 purse.

Counter Logic Gaming unlocked a deal with MVMT to serve as the official wristwatch partner of the team. MVMT will be featured on their Academy Broadcast games every Thursday for the Summer Split on the CLG Twitch channel. MVMT will also be the presenting partner of the full CLG Performance Center Tour and reveal video.

THE MAIN EVENT

The 2018 NHL Draft begins tonight at 7:30p on NBCSN.

Connecting with the New Young Male Demo

Thursday, July 12^th at 1:30PM

A report from Engagement Labs: “The Remarkable Influence of Millennial Men,” shows they’re 50% more likely than millennial women to be word-of-mouth influencers. Esports is one effective way to reach young men. Television and digital channels can be, too – but how? Learn everything you need to know to catch and keep their attention in our July 12^th webinar: Connecting with the New Young Male Demo.

View Panel Learn More Register your team

ON THIS DAY in 1994: The US soccer team upsets Colombia for the nation’s first World Cup win since 1950.

In the Know: Who was the last player to be drafted out of Georgetown with the #1 pick of the NBA Draft? (Email chris-sports@cynopsis.com with your answer and be sure to include your name, company and city.)

Answer to Our Last Sports Trivia Question: Who was the first player ever to be drafted by the WNBA? Answer: Dena Head. Kudos: Michael Ritz-BucStar Consulting/NY; Denis Barry-CBS/NY; Synda Kollman-Charter Marketing Group/Boca Raton; Andy Pittman-TAMU/College Station; Tom Moore-Kalt Productions/LA; David Westberg-SAG-AFTRA Federal Credit Union/Burbank

Later - Chris

JOB OF THE DAY

MANAGER, AD SALES FINANCE
NBCU
NYC

Support the Monthly, Quarterly and Annual Budgeting/Long Range Planning cycles for NBCU National Advertising Sales FP & A. Min of 3 yrs of corporate or operational finance exp. Knwldg of ad sales in either Digital or TV is a+.

Full info/apply HERE

JOB OPENING: PRODUCTION, OPERATIONS, CONTENT/STADIUM/Chicago: All Levels Stadium is changing the way fans watch sports. Broadcasting from the United Center in Chicago, we are looking for innovators to join our team. See yourself with a future minded multi-platform sports network? Apply HERE (6/29)

JOB OPENING: OPERATIONS MGR, LIVE REMOTE SPORTS BRODCASTS/STADIUM/Chicago: Coordinate all elements of prod & vendors; Assist in mngng remote operation strategies; Mng/monitor quality control. Must have exp in a remote sports prod envir with full understanding of sports prod & operations processes. Pref’d exp in a mobile prod unit. Apply HERE (6/29)

JOB OPENING: SR EDITOR, ADVERTISING & PROGRAM STANDARDS/NBCU Sports Group/NYC: Exp’d Sr Editor to ensure advertisements & programs comply w/internal/external standards, laws & regulations. Min 2 yrs exp working in Standards/Practices for a Broadcast and/or Cable Ntwk. Full info/apply HERE (6/29)

JOB OPENING: MGR AD SALES FINANCE/NBCU/NYC: Responsible for the Sports Group Sales forecasting, revenue analysis and financial closes for the Golf Channel. 4 yr deg & min 4 yrs of exp in financial mngment & analysis. Full info/apply HERE (6/29)

JOB OPENING: MANAGER, AD SALES FINANCE/NBCU/NYC: Support the Monthly, Quarterly and Annual Budgeting/Long Range Planning cycles for NBCU National Advertising Sales FP & A. Min of 3 yrs of corporate or operational finance exp. Knwldg of ad sales in either Digital or TV is a+. Full info/apply HERE (6/28)

JOB OPENING: MEDIA BUYER/Expedia/Seattle: Seeking a talented Media Buyer. You are data driven, analytical, and dedicated to staying abreast of the latest industry trends. You will play an integral role in negotiating, buying, and executing both national and local TV media buy using a multi-million dollar annual budget. Full info/apply HERE (6/28)

JOB OPENING: VP HUMAN RESOURCES/Discovery/El Segundo: Motor Trend Group is seeking HR Leader to drive HR strategic leadership as part of SMT. Provide HR “Bus Partner” support to exec leadership/wider org. Dvlp & implement all HR areas to reflect/foster enthusiastic culture of the biz. 10+ yrs full-cycle HR exp w/in a media co. Apply (6/28)

JOB OPENING: SALES ENABLEMENT DIRECTOR SALES OPERATIONS/NBC/NYC: Min 5 yrs in a similar lead customer support/training function, or a related vendor role. A strategic position that will empower sales, traffic, research, finance and marketing users across our divisions! Full info/apply HERE (6/27)

JOB OPENING: AD SALES ASSISTANT/Baby First TV/NY: Reports to EVP & AE Ad Sales. Detailed & organized. Ability to multi-task in fast past env. Prof in EXL & PPT. College grad welcome! Reply to jobs@bf-tv.com (6/27)

JOB OPENING: PRODUCT SUPPORT SPECIALIST/WOT/SAN FRAN OR BIRMINGHAM AL: Partner with our customers and support with how-to questions regarding the use of WO Traffic. 2+ yrs of exp in a Digital ad serving envir & 2+ yrs exp at a TV, radio or cable station in the traffic or operations dept. Full info/apply HERE (6/27)

JOB OPENING: ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE/WO Digital and WO Network/NYC: Lead demonstrations and sales presentations, focusing on WO’s digital order mngmnt system, to new prospects. 4+ yrs exp selling advertising or working in the digital media ind. Exp cable ntwk, radio, publishing or TV industry is req’d. Full info/apply HERE (6/26)

JOB OPENING: SR BUSINESS ANALYST/WON/NYC: Work w/Prod & Dvlpmnt Teams to solve customer business problems by defining req’s, shepherding software changes & skillfully documenting customers’ business problems. Knwlg of cable/brdcst ntwrk industry from both the Sales and Comm Ops perspectives. Full info/apply HERE (6/26)

JOB OPENING: ASSOCIATE PRODUCER/Motorsport /Miami: Produce and edit motorsports-related content for Motorsport Network digital and broadcast platforms. 3+ yrs work exp TV prod & 1 yr exp in digital media prod. Basic understanding of lighting & camera operations a must. Full info/apply HERE (6/26)

JOB OPENING: COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR/PAC-12/SF: In this critical role, you will drive corporate communications, executive communications and internal/stakeholder communications efforts for the Pac-12 Networks. Min 10 yrs exp in strategic communications, including corporate communications. For full posting/apply HERE (6/25)

JOB OPENING: MANAGER, RECRUITING/A+E/NY: Mng domestic recruiting function to identify, assess & hire the best & brightest. Oversee JD process, est candidate pipeline, mng ntwrkg & social media opps to enhance recruitment efforts. 5+ yrs recruitment exp within media. Strong HR ntwrk of recruiters. Apply HERE (6/25)

JOB OPENING: AD SALES PLANNER/Baby First TV/NY: Reports to SVP Ad Sales. Home office flexibility. 2-3 Years Direct Response experience a plus. Detailed & organized. PowerPoint and Excel a must. Entrepreneurial environment. Reply to jobs@bf-tv.com (6/25)

JOB OPENING: EDITOR/PR News/NYC: For The Social Shake Up Show. Resp for event content creation, prgrmng, writing agendas & on-site mngmnt for conferences, awards prgrms & webinars. Write/edit articles for website related to industry. 3+ yrs writing, editing & social media exp in deadline-oriented envir. Full info/apply HERE (6/25)