NASCAR’s championship has come down to two HOF owners, with two Chevrolets against two Toyotas "racing in the Arizona desert for the sport’s top prize" next Sunday. Hendrick Motorsports is fielding Kyle Larson and reigning Cup champion Chase Elliott at Phoenix Raceway. Joe Gibbs Racing will counter with Denny Hamlin and Martin Truex Jr. This championship is "Hendrick vs. Gibbs in head-to-head competition, but four drivers will be individually racing for NASCAR’s top prize." Hamlin led the Cup standings for 22 consecutive weeks but "lost the regular season championship to Larson over the final three weeks" (AP, 11/1).

NASCAR driver Kyle Busch apologized on Twitter after he "said the R-word" -- a derogatory term for those with intellectual disabilities -- "when speaking to media members after a dramatic Cup race at Martinsville." Busch was eliminated from postseason contention Sunday and was "frustrated with how driver Brad Keselowski raced him." Busch: "It’s frickin’ (r-word), man, and so stupid." He wrote in his subsequent Twitter apology, “In one of my post-race interviews I used a word I should never use and I want to apologize for it." A NASCAR spokesperson said that Busch’s comments "were being reviewed and NASCAR would potentially have something to announce Monday regarding a fine and/or mandated sensitivity training" (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 11/1).

The "very direction" of the NHLPA is "in question" as its Exec Board conducts a conference call today in the wake of the Blackhawks sexual abuse scandal. Union Exec Dir Don Fehr is "expected to be pushed for answers on how exactly that breakdown happened" while speaking with player reps from the 32 teams. That group "has the power to remove Fehr from his job -- although it’s not clear if it will pursue that course of action." NHLPA bylaws dictate that 18 members of the board "would have to support Fehr’s ouster to trigger a change." A number of players are "concerned about his involvement, or lack of involvement," in the Kyle Beach situation, and his "standing with membership is believed to be weakened" (TORONTO STAR, 11/1).

If the subject of the call is Fehr’s conduct, the board "can go into executive session that would exclude him from the meeting." Fehr is "conducting his annual fall tour," and he met with the Oilers on Friday (N.Y. POST, 10/30). Rangers D Jacob Trouba, the team's union rep, said of the purpose of the meeting, “Guys want answers. ... Players want to know what happened, where the shortcomings were with the PA. Obviously a lot of breakdowns in the situation on a lot of different parts. But what could the PA have done better to prevent [what happened to Beach] from happening?” (N.Y. POST, 10/31).

A crowd of 43,122 was in attendance at Truist Park last night for Game 5 of the World Series, as the Astros beat the Braves 9-5 to extend the series. Game 6 is tomorrow night in Houston (ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION, 11/1). Prior to Game 5, The Battery near Truist Park was "closed to everyone" but ticket holders due to high volume. Up to 100,000 were "expected to pack The Battery" last night, as the Braves looked to win their first World Series since '95 (WSBTV.com, 10/31).

Legal sports betting began in New Orleans and much of Louisiana yesterday morning. Harrah's New Orleans set up a "temporary sportsbook at the casino," where former Saints QB Bobby Hebert placed the first bet in the city. Another Caesars Entertainment property, the Horseshoe Casino in Bossier City, "accepted Louisiana's first sports bets on public land" at 7:00am CT -- "two days after they, along with Boomtown Casino in Harvey and L'Auberge in Baton Rouge, received the state's first licenses." A sports betting measure "was made law in June," but it took "several months for the Louisiana Gaming Control Board and Louisiana State Police to accept, investigate and then approve licenses" (NOLA.com, 10/31).

There were 11,755 "no-shows" for yesterday's WFT-Broncos game at Empower Field at Mile High. That "doesn’t happen in Broncos Country, not this early in the season unless the faithful have stopped believing." Those empty seats "shouted a vote of no-confidence in coach Vic Fangio and screamed for change" (DENVER POST, 11/1). Despite the empty seats, that those tickets were sold means the game was officially recorded as a sellout (SBJ).

Below are attendance figures from Week 8 of the NFL season, including Thursday night's game in Arizona and all of Sunday's matchups.

Every week,  SBJ Atlas contributes data-driven insights to SBJ across multiple channels, including sponsorship insights, partnership rosters, social media movers and other content to inform your business decisions. To find out more about how SBJ Atlas can help you target partnerships, connect with decision-makers and eliminate research time, sign up for our  weekly newsletter.

The SWAC named General Motors its exclusive automotive sponsor through '24. The three-year deal covers the entire conference footprint, with GM supporting championship events, scholarships, Esports gaming labs, workforce initiatives and more (SWAC).

UTSA signed football coach Jeff Traylor to an extension through '31 that will "raise his average annual salary" to $2.8M (TWITTER.com, 10/31).

“If you’re going to be in this business, you’ve got to learn the business. So I’m thinking, OK, I’ll be around basketball. ‘No, you’re going to intern in every department.’ Community relations, public relations, marketing, sales -- you name it, I did it" -- Wizards coach Wes Unseld Jr., on advice he received from his HOF father on learning every aspect of the business of basketball (N.Y. TIMES, 11/1). 

“Thank you, Houston Astros and Atlanta Braves, for somehow both having mascots that look like bootleg Shrek costumes. … Thank you, World Series trophy, for looking more like an award that's given to ‘Lipstick of the Year’” -- NBC’s Jimmy Fallon in his recurring “thank you notes” segment ( “Tonight Show,” NBC, 10/29).

The L.A. TIMES profiles former NBAers Allen Iverson and Al Harrington, who are "ready to take over the cannabis scene in L.A." Iverson ’96 is the Basketball HOFer's "new marijuana business venture with Viola, a 10-year-old company founded by" Harrington. Harrington is a "true cannabis evangelist." As for Iverson, there is "something about him that screams community and connection." So it is "clear why he and Harrington are collaborating."

Also: 

• Will universal DH mark the end for hitting pitchers?

• Yale-Columbia golf rivalry going strong 125 years after first match.

• He ran the first N.Y. Marathon and the 50th.

• New Black NBA coaches wonder why it "took so long to get a shot."

TUESDAY

• SBJ's Brand Innovation Summit begins in Chicago (2 days)

• NFL trade deadline: 4:00pm ET

• 6th Coordination Commission for '22 Beijing Games

• Colts Owner Jim Irsay hosts first of two events in DC showcasing art/memorabilia from his collection. Tuesday's event invitation-only, followed by Wednesday night "Jam Session" at Lincoln Memorial

• Activision Blizzard, Under Armour report earnings

WEDNESDAY

• WADA virtual session on Anti-Doping Testing in 2021: Olympic Games, Paralympic Games, COVID-19 and future testing changes

• Fox, Electronic Arts, Take-Two Interactive Software, Discovery, MGM Resorts report earnings

THURSDAY

• Acushnet, Dish Network, Quebecor, iHeartMedia report earnings

FRIDAY

• Draftkings reports earnings

Read More >>>

Some of the top news items from yesterday's edition of Weekend Rap.

• NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman meets with Kyle Beach

• Jerry Remy passes away from cancer at age 68

• Billionaire Todd Boehly in talks to buy NWSL Spirit

• Jon Gruden considering legal action after settlement

This week's issue features our College Basketball Season Preview. Look for upcoming sections on:

• Nov. 8: New Voices Under 30

• Nov. 15: Facilities: Fan Experience

• Nov. 22: The Business of Esports

Also, see this week's SBJ for stories on ...

• NFL’s gambling game plan

• DEI pioneer Richard Lapchick makes his next move

• Ted Metellus running point on the TCS New York City Marathon

Friday night’s “Final Jeopardy!” category was "Songs & U.S. History."

"Victory in 1805’s Battle of Derna on the coast of North Africa inspired a lyric in this song made official in 1929."

Last night’s edition of “Jeopardy!” featured the category “Foul Play.”

$200: “In boxing this rhyming two-word bit of downtown illegality is frowned upon for good reason.”

Read More >>>

CBS’ Stephen Colbert noted the Indians are changing their name to the Guardians “after a lengthy search to replace their old, racist name." But it "turns out they didn't search lengthily enough, because now they're being sued by a roller derby team named the Cleveland Guardians." Colbert: “Do we really need to take this to court? I say settle it like true sportsmen: Guardians vs. Guardians. Baseball players get bats and steroids, roller derby guys get roller skates and a lot of questions from their family. ... But these rolly derbers have a strong argument, because their team has called itself the Cleveland Guardians since 2013, so the former Cleveland Indians are just continuing their tradition of stealing a name from people who were here first” ( “The Late Show,” CBS, 10/29).

The recurring segment “Tonight Show Superlatives” promoted NBC’s “SNF” matchup of Cowboys-Vikings, with players from both teams receiving awards ( “The Tonight Show,” NBC, 10/29).

“What is the U.S. Marine Corps hymn?”

The correct responses to the “Foul Play” category were:

$200: “What is a low blow?”

$400: “What is a yellow card?”

Read More >>>