Closing Bell

Bob Fernley , president of McLaren's IndyCar team, "has been fired" in the aftermath of Fernando Alonso 's failure to qualify for Sunday's Indianapolis 500. A McLaren official confirmed the news today. Before joining McLaren, Fernley served as Deputy Team Principal of F1 team Force India. McLaren "failed to find significant pace throughout practice, leading Alonso to comment following his first qualifying attempt Saturday that the team was 'not ready for the challenge' of competing" at Indianapolis ( INDYSTAR.com, 5/20 ).

Nuggets President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly "has turned down an offer to run" the Wizards' front office, according to sources. Nuggets President & Governor  Josh Kroenke "made an aggressive and compelling case to Connelly over the weekend to keep him with the team." Sources said that Connelly met with Wizards Owner Ted Leonsis on Friday in suburban Maryland, and the DC team "extended an offer over the weekend." The Wizards' search is now "expected to return to the three finalists," including Thunder Assistant GM  Troy Weaver , former NBA exec Danny Ferry and Wizards interim GM Tommy Sheppard ( ESPN.com, 5/20 ).

The Padres and D-backs have "agreed to play a series in Mexico City next summer," with an announcement expected there on Wednesday ( TWITTER.com, 5/20 ). The series would "continue a league-wide trend of international play, as well as a D-backs trend of playing south of the border." The D-backs played two Spring Training games in Monterrey this year against the Rockies, which "marked a league-high 11th time" the team had played in Mexico ( ARIZONASPORTS.com, 5/20 ).

Under Armour, Nike and Adidas joined dozens of other companies in signing a letter to President Trump  "urging his administration to not raise tariffs on footwear imported from China." The companies said the proposed tariff increase "would be catastrophic for our consumers, our companies, and the American economy as a whole." A footwear industry trade association estimates the "increased tariffs on footwear would translate" into $7B in "annual additional costs for customers." In Under Armour's case, 15% of its products produced globally come from China ( BIZJOURNALS.com, 5/20 ).

Ligue de Football Professionnel, the French soccer governing body that oversees the country’s professional leagues, has selected Elevate Sports Ventures to sell North American media rights, sponsorships, tickets and premium seating for its newly announced U.S.-based tournament. The tournament, called the EA Ligue 1 Games, will be held at Audi Field on July 18 and 21.

The four-game tournament will be played between four of the most popular French first division soccer clubs -- AS St. Etienne, FCG Bordeaux, Olympique de Marseille and Montpellier HSC. Elevate, formed in '18 as a partnership between the 49ers and Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, will sell that collection of commercial rights for the tournament.

704Games formally announced that the inaugural eNASCAR Heat Pro League season will debut this coming weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The first races will be held Sunday at the NASCAR Trackside Live stage ahead of the Monster Energy Cup Series Coca-Cola 600, with live streaming coverage on NASCAR's Facebook page and 704Games' Twitch feed. Drivers  Chase Elliott ,  Ryan Blaney  and  Bubba Wallace  will be on hand for pre-race festivities. The new esports league's season will culminate during the '19 NASCAR playoffs ( 704Games ).

Our sister publication, The Esports Observer, runs a regular briefing recapping the week that was in esports . This week: LCS tells Echo Fox to take “corrective action,” NCAA opts out of Esports.

Intersport Brand Engagement & Content Summit

Agway Energy Services has reached a partnership with the Orioles. The natural gas, electricity and energy services provider recently added Maryland to its footprint ( Suburban Propane ).

Hoplite Power will install five vending machines for its portable phone chargers, dubbed Hoplite Hubs, in Citi Field by early next month ( Hoplite Power ).

The MGM Grand in Las Vegas was officially selected today as the host venue for the July 20 WBA welterweight championship bout between  Manny Pacquiao and Keith Thurman ( TWITTER.com, 5/20 ).

"These things are surprising to hear and disheartening. But I look forward to the opportunity to talk with him and sit down with him and work through them" -- Lakers GM Rob Pelinka , on Magic Johnson today saying Pelinka went behind his back during his time as president of basketball operations ( LATIMES.com, 5/20 ).

"It was an interesting 24-48 hours there. There was a lot of conspiracy theory; people saying, 'DJ hasn't been on the podcast, this is all part of this elaborate plan'" -- NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah , on reports last week that he may have been considered for a front office position with the Jets ( TWITTER.com, 5/20 ).

Complexity Gaming, the esports organization owned in part by Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones , will have a press conference and ribbon-cutting ceremony at 4:30pm CT to celebrate the grand opening of the GameStop Performance Center at The Star in Frisco.

Discover partnered with the NHL on a program to give deserving groups and individuals a day with the Stanley Cup. This video looks at one of the recipients in that effort, the Buffalo Bisons women's hockey program and its director,  Shelley Looney . The Bisons also received a $10,000 donation.

PBS' "Antiques Roadshow" will air from Churchill Downs Racetrack from 8:00-9:00pm ET.

6 -- Consecutive golf majors that have been won by a Nike endorser, including Brooks Koepka 's most recent PGA Championship title. CNBC’s Adam Reed : “Nike stopped making (golf) equipment but they’re still making apparel and doing very well” ( “Street Signs,” CNBC, 5/20 ).