Closing Bell

The Dodgers host their home opener tonight against the Reds, kicking off the 60th anniversary season of Dodger Stadium. Additions to the ballpark this year include a Sandy Koufax statue (to be erected June 18); new memorabilia exhibits; two museum-style installations around Negro Leagues Baseball; and new murals featuring the 60th anniversary logo of Dodger Stadium as well as Jackie Robinson. The Dodgers also renovated several seating areas, and they are renaming the Home Run Seats section the Coca-Cola Home Run Seats. Levy Restaurants has new menu items on tap, as well as a Taco Tuesday promotion for '22. See a full rundown of 60th anniversary features (SBJ).

Jaime Jarrin, who is "celebrating his 64th and final season" as the team's Spanish-language broadcaster, "will throw out the ceremonial first pitch" tonight (NBCLOSANGELES.com, 4/14).

Meanwhile, the City Section baseball championship game is "returning to Dodger Stadium." The high school baseball event was played at the ballpark every season since '69, "a streak that reached 51 consecutive years until COVID-19 issues forced the 2020 season to be canceled" (L.A. TIMES, 4/14).

More from the L.A. TIMES: "After 42 years and a COVID delay, Dodger Stadium readies for All-Star moment" ... "Book excerpt: The day Jackie Robinson came home to Dodger Stadium"

Candy Digital and the Jackie Robinson Foundation have released the Jackie Robinson NFT Collection to commemorate the 75th anniversary of Robinson breaking MLB’s color barrier. It is the first-ever NFT collection developed for Robinson, and 100% of the net proceeds from sales on Candy Digital’s primary marketplace will be donated to the JRF, which administers scholarship and leadership development programs for minority college students. A 1-of-1 edition NFT will be sold via auction, featuring a gold bust of Robinson that includes his digital signature and a curated video. Other NFTs include a silver bust of Robinson and a digitally signed baseball. The collection is available until April 18 at 7:00pm ET (Candy Digital).

A crowd of at least 35,000 is expected to attend the Errol Spence Jr.- Yordenis Ugas boxing match Saturday night at AT&T Stadium, according to Bruce Binkow, a consultant that works with Premier Boxing Champions. The welterweight title unification PBC bout will be the main event of a card Saturday that will start on the Showtime cable channel at 7:00pm ET before a four-fight card on Showtime PPV starts at 9:00pm. This is the third time that the native Texan Spence will fight at AT&T Stadium as part of a deal set up by Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones. The PPV price is $74.99, and the event is being promoted by TGB Promotions and Man Down Promotions. Sponsors are DraftKings Sportsbook, O’Reilly Auto Parts and “Memory,” a new movie that will be released in theaters at the end of April.

Binkow, president of Integrated Sports Marketing, told SBJ that the venue has been configured for about 35,000 people for this night of boxing and “we’ll definitely exceed that,” adding that this is a “testament to (Spence)’s popularity.” Spence was originally set to fight Manny Pacquiaolast year but had to pull out due to injury; Ugas stepped in and defeated Pacquiao, setting up this matchup that has the WBC, IBF and WBA belts on the line. Canelo Alvarez broke the all-time indoor boxing attendance record in the U.S. last May when he brought out around 73,000 fans as he defeated Billy Joe Saunders at AT&T Stadium.

The bankruptcy plan administrator for the XFL assets is suing former league Commissioner & CEO Oliver Luck for some of the more than $11M he was paid during his tenure, "arguing Luck didn’t deserve it and violated his contract." Luck two years ago sued his former XFL boss, Vince McMahon, to collect the $22.8M that remained on his contract when the league shuttered in '20. That case is ongoing. Now, administrator Peter Hurwitz contends Luck's compensation was "excessive," as he “lacked experience and business acumen to serve as a CEO and was not qualified for this position." He also claims Luck's performance was "woefully inadequate" (THEATHLETIC.com, 4/14).

The Brandr Group continues its string of deals bolstering its group licensing business around college NIL. A new partnership with Dyehard Fan Supply will bring that company's licensed apparel solutions to student-athletes who have opted into TBG’s group licensing programs at colleges where the two companies intersect. Dyehard will curate a unique NIL product offering consisting of custom sideline jerseys, private-label apparel and more. Dyehard’s ability to customize merchandise to each local fanbase will be a key aspect of the collaboration.

Meanwhile, TBG added to its school partnerships in a new deal with Rutgers Athletics, establishing a group licensing agreement across Rutgers' 24 intercollegiate sports (SBJ).

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The Mets will dedicate the press box at Citi Field in honor of Jay Horwitz, who headed Media Relations department from '80-'18, in a pre-game ceremony this Sunday prior to their afternoon game against the D-backs (Mets).

Tom Brady’s namesake apparel brand, Brady, launched its new Golf collection, marking the first dedicated sports category for the brand (Brady).

MLS, Liga MX and SoFi Stadium unveiled plans for a Leagues Cup Showcase event on Aug. 3. The Inglewood, Calif., stadium will host a doubleheader featuring Galaxy-Guadalajara and LAFC-Club America (MLS).

The Professional Fighters League (PFL) named Bravago Bold Seltzer the official hard seltzer of the MMA promotion, which kicks off its '22 season on April 20 at Esports Stadium Arlington (PFL).

“We are in the proposal stage. There will be more money, there will be opportunity. The main thing about this is the kids will not lose opportunity ... (and) the key thing is how can you put a system in place where everybody can get opportunity, yes put more money into the system and how can you prevent the ‘early signings’ that are being done” -- MLB consultant Omar Minaya, on MLB and MLBPA negotiating to create an international draft ( “MLB Now,” MLB Network, 4/14).

“Tsai and the league, and people who are upset about the tweet, believed that this impacted hundreds of millions of dollars -- the commissioner later admitted this -- and that there should be some level of punishment for inflicting this on the business. Again, the Nets and the league vehemently deny this” -- ESPN’s Mark Fainaru-Wada, on reporting that Nets Owner Joe Tsai was pushing the league to have then Rockets GM Daryl Morey fired over his tweets supporting the Hong Kong protests ( “SportsCenter,” ESPN, 4/14). ESPN.com wrote on how Tsai has become the  face of NBA's complicated relationship with China.

SBJ and The Esports Observer host a private, invitation-only Esports Rising dinner in California, in partnership with Monumental Sports & Entertainment and Populous.

Heat G Tyler Herro appears in a new digital ad for Bose before his team heads into to the NBA playoffs.

90,000 -- Approximate number of fans who visited Credit One Stadium over the nine days of the WTA Charleston Open, April 2-10, which welcomed fans back in-person for the first time since '19 (Credit One Bank).