The NHL today announced the postponements of the '21 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic and '21 Honda NHL All-Star Weekend. The '21 Winter Classic, featuring the Wild facing the Blues at Target Field in Minneapolis, was originally scheduled for Jan. 1, 2021. The Panthers were to host the '21 All-Star Weekend at BB&T Center, originally scheduled for Jan. 29-30, 2021. Both events have been postponed due to the ongoing uncertainty resulting from the coronavirus. The NHL intends to return to both Minnesota and Florida for these signature events in the near future (NHL).

Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin's NASCAR team today revealed its name: "23XI Racing -- pronounced twenty-three eleven -- in honor of both" Jordan's retired Bulls number and Hamlin's car number. Also unveiled today via social media: driver Bubba Wallace's car will bear the No. 23 when it "makes its debut next season." The team "has not named a manufacturer for its debut at the 2021 Daytona 500, but because Hamlin drives a Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing, the No. 23 will almost certainly be a Camry aligned with JGR" (AP, 10/22).

The NFL has taken Buccaneers-Raiders off NBC’s “SNF” this weekend, swapping it with Seahawks-Cardinals. The switch was taken to protect NBC‘s window in case the Raiders’ COVID-19 cases force a postponement. However, the league said the switch was made out of “an abundance of caution” and officials currently expect all games to be played. The Raiders are currently awaiting contact tracing results to determine the extent of COVID spread.

49ers Enterprises President Paraag Marathe is "currently in negotiations" with EPL club Leeds Owner Andrea Radrizzani over "increasing the American Football franchise's stake in the club," which is now around 10%. While Marathe "acknowledges that the 49ers want more of a say in how things are done at Elland Road, he is adamant this remains a partnership alongside Radrizzani, not a takeover." Marathe sits on the board at Leeds and serves as 49ers Exec VP/Football Operations, while heading up the investment arm (London TELEGRAPH, 10/22).

See today's upcoming issue ofSBD Globalfor more.

The Professional Women's Hockey Players Association is receiving a $1M boost from Secret Deodorant to "continue its barnstorming Dream Gap Tour of games and relieve any financial uncertainties resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic." The commitment is "considered the largest for professional women’s hockey in North America." The renamed Secret Dream Gap Tour will feature "six events this winter, with players also competing for cash prizes." PWHPA consultant and Hockey HOFer Jayna Hefford said players will now receive the "necessary training facilities and resources" that "professional sport demands" (AP, 10/22).

The NWSL wrapped up its season over the weekend with fall series matches in Tacoma, and the league is touting some of the metrics from its unusual '20 campaign. Fall series games on CBS averaged 383,000 viewers. The league’s seven contests on the CBS broadcast network were the seven-most watched games in NWSL history, and year-over-year, NWSL domestic television audiences were up nearly 500%. Viewership peaked with 653,000 for the Challenge Cup finale in July. NWSL mentions on social platforms are up 152% year-over-year; coverage in news media is up 55% (NWSL).

Quibi Founder Jeffrey Katzenberg and CEO Meg Whitman on CNBC today addressed the recent move to shut down the streaming service. Whitman: “We had a very successful launch, and over summer we started to see a slowdown in our momentum. We tried many different things, many different products, packaging models, we changed our marketing, we changed the app around many different times. But it was clear that for whatever reason this was not going to be as successful as Jeffrey and I had hoped. ... The best thing to do, the honorable thing to do, is to return money to shareholders when we knew this was not going to have a path forward as a viable standalone business.”

Katzenberg said “all of us expected a much better outcome,” but at this point the "best thing we can do is return as much money to them as we can and then take care of our employees in the best way possible.” Katzenberg said one of the issues was, “we asked people to pay for it before they actually understood what it was." This was “designed for on the go, in between, in a moment of time in which no one was on the go," so our "product market fit was wrong.” Katzenberg said the company’s “library is actually quite attractive and that will be the next pivot for us which is to wind the company down and to see if there is somebody who will value that library” ( “Squawk Alley,” CNBC, 10/22).

Guaranteed Rate is taking title sponsorship of the Cactus Bowl, which will be rebranded the Guaranteed Rate Bowl. Guaranteed Rate President & CEO Victor Ciardelli said the deal is for one year: “We like the fact that it’s in Arizona; we are doing a lot of business out West.” The date for the game at Chase Field in Phoenix has not been announced yet. Guaranteed Rate will be the game’s exclusive financial partner, including mortgages, home loans and home buying categories. The lender's partnership includes digital and social media, content, in-stadium exposure, on-site activation and TV ads on ESPN and ESPN Radio.

The last two editions of the game were called the Cheez-It Bowl, but the sponsor has since taken title sponsorship of the former Camping World Bowl. Fiesta Bowl Exec Dir Mike Nealy said, “When it gets to March and we’re looking for a title sponsor and COVID is raging, maybe there is going to be less fish in the pond, but it only takes one.” Ciardelli and Nealy said there is enthusiasm the partnership can become a long-term relationship. Nealy: “We’re pretty excited to have a great partner. And in these times, maybe it means a little more, too.”

The Brewers today "signed a multi-year sponsorship deal with Wisconsin-based retailer Fleet Farm." The partnership gives Fleet Farm "branding and online assets displayed at the Brewers home stadium, Helfaer Field and the team's spring training complex, American Family Fields of Phoenix." Fleet Farm will also become the "title sponsor for the Brewers Baseball Academy for youths ages 6 to 14" (BIZJOURNALS.com, 10/22).

Louisiana Tech hired Central Florida Deputy AD/Competitive Excellence Eric Wood as AD. He will be officially introduced tomorrow at 11:00am CT (Louisiana Tech).

The X Games today held its inaugural Shred Hate Day, part of an ongoing anti-bullying initiative. Highlighting the effort was an afternoon panel on the X Games YouTube channel featuring skier Gus Kenworthy, BMX rider Mykel Larrin and skateboarder Jordyn Barratt  (X Games).

Cowboys LB Jaylon Smith today launched the Educational Summit for Minority Entrepreneurs. The inaugural MEI Summit, a free virtual event, will broadcast on Nov. 11-12 (MEI).

“In the business world, these things take time. ... It’s really important that we not just engage our fans through digital social media, we need to understand not what they want but why they want it, and I don't think we understand our fans well enough. That’s one of my observations coming into this role” -- Washington Football Team President Jason Wright, on the rebranding process ( “Squawk Box,” CNBC, 10/22).

"We've really just been working over the last couple years to make sure the team is here long term. ... Approving this lease is the final step in that" -- ECHL Jacksonville Icemen President Bob Ohrablo, on efforts to secure a five-year lease extension with the city that would cut around $150,000 from its annual rent at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena (BIZJOURNALS.com, 10/22).

Former NFLer Anquan Boldin, USWNT F Midge Purce and WWE's Thaddeus “Titus O’Neil” Bullard will headline the second digital session in the Athletes’ Voices and Harvard Univ. “Pitch for Change” speaker series at 5:00pm ET. Register for the event. ... Read more about Athletes' Voices.

The Dodgers, now locked in a 1-1 World Series with the Rays, produced this video recapping how this year's squad advanced to the Fall Classic.

Meanwhile, MLBPA outlet Infield Chatter highlights Rays breakout star  Randy Arozarena.

$520,000 -- Value of a three-acre parcel of land energy company Pioneer Natural Resources ("Pioneer") is donating to the Bush Tennis Center in Midland County, Texas. The land will be used to develop the a proposed expansion including five indoor basketball courts, a 50-yard indoor turf field and a high-performance training/fitness center (Pioneer Natural Resources).