The 76ers' plan to build a South Philadelphia arena is a "major pivot" for the team, which spent two and a half years planning a Center City arena that just gained approval in December, according to Paul Schwedelson of the PHILADELPHIA BUSINESS JOURNAL. For years, Comcast Spectacor -- which owns the South Philadelphia Sports Complex and the Wells Fargo Center where the 76ers currently play -- has been "offering the Sixers a 50-50 ownership split of a future South Philadelphia arena in an effort to keep the Sixers from leaving the Sports Complex." The change in plans comes days after "Macy's announced its impending closure at the Wanamaker building, adjacent to City Hall and near the proposed Sixers arena" (PHILADELPHIA BUSINESS JOURNAL, 1/12). In Philadelphia, Rob Tornoe noted that as part of the arena deal, Comcast will "take a minority stake in the Sixers" and will assist the team in "a bid to bring a WNBA franchise to Philadelphia (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 1/13). Philadelphia Building & Construction Trades Council President Ryan Boyer said that the team "plans to demolish Wells Fargo Center and will eventually build a new arena in South Philadelphia." Philadelphia City Councilmember at-large Jim Harrity said that he was "disappointed in the surprise move" and felt "bamboozled." Harrity said that he is "upset that the city's schools won't get the promised money from taxes the arena would bring" (NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA, 1/12).

CELEBRATION IN THE CITY : In Philadelphia, Gammage, Myers, & Orso wrote a Chinatown community that “believed its ruination lay in the planned construction of a new Sixers arena” in Center City “rejoiced” following the pivot. Chinatown organizer Mary Yee, who “helped lead opposition,” expected that organizations that “led the fight would be holding celebrations this week,” and that the coming of the Lunar New Year on Jan. 29 -- the Year of the Snake -- “promised to be especially festive.” Yee said, “The mayor and Council really got played. ... We’re glad it’s a victory, but all of this could have been avoided.” In a statement issued last night, the No Arena coalition said it was “relieved to hear that the nightmare of a Center City Sixers arena will not haunt our city any more.” The statement also “chastised those on City Council who approved it” ( PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 1/12 ).

The NBA has informed the Spurs their game against the Lakers on Monday night at Crypto.com Arena "will go on as scheduled." The status of the game was "uncertain" after the league postponed the Spurs-Lakers game on Saturday night due to the ongoing L.A. wildfires that have destroyed more than 10,000 structures and killed at least 13 people. The Spurs finished practice Sunday morning at Crypto.com Arena "not knowing whether they would be playing Monday night," but "word came down from the league shortly after the workout ended that the game was a go" (SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS, 1/12).

The Clippers are "still scheduled to face" the Heat on Monday night at the Intuit Dome, despite Clippers coach Tyronn Lue saying that "other members of the Clippers’ support staff and organization were affected by the fires." Clippers Fs Kawhi Leonard and Nicholas Batum were among those whose families were affected by the fires in some way. Lue said it was "above my pay grade" on whether or not the Clippers should play the game against the Heat (L.A. TIMES, 1/12).

Meanwhile, the PGA Tour has sent a memo to players as it relates to  the effects of the L.A. fires around Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, home to the annual Genesis Invitational next month, saying "it is too early to make any determinations and is focused on other more important factors in an area" (SI, 1/12).

The Las Vegas Aces have put together a "growing pile of donations" at the team’s headquarters in Henderson for L.A.-area residents affected by the still-burning wildfires, with volunteers working "tirelessly alongside Aces players, coaches and staff to try and bring some relief." From noon until 5pm PT on Sunday, the Aces "collected diapers, N95 masks, air purifiers and more -- all items that would be placed in trucks to be driven to" L.A., where the Aces said they will work alongside the L.A. Sparks "to distribute the donations to the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank." The volunteers consisted of Aces players, coaches, office staff and Las Vegas community members (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 1/12).

The Golden Knights are also "in the process of finalizing their fire aid plans." The organization’s AHL affiliate, the Henderson Silver Knights, played the Ontario Reign on Wednesday, and the proceeds from that game’s 52/48 raffle "will go toward fire relief efforts" (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 1/12).

The Lakers will host a donation drive at their upcoming games at Crypto.com Arena this week starting on Monday to support the community and relief efforts in light of the wildfires. Collection bins will be located outside Crypto.com Arena, and the collections "will start when doors open 90 minutes before tipoff until halftime of each matchup." The Lakers will also host a drive-thru donation drive from 9am-6pm on Tuesday-Saturday at their UCLA Health Training Center in El Segundo. The Lakers are asking that "clothing donations are not made," but the following items will be accepted:

• Non-food Items: deodorant, toothpaste, toothbrushes, lotion, waterless shampoo, phone chargers (battery pack), socks, mittens (gloves), hand warmers, beanies, blankets; 
  
  

• Food items: peanut and other nut butters, protein-based snacks (bars, peanut butter, protein cookies), crackers, peanut butter crackers, trail mix, fruit snacks, energy bars, pop top tuna, pop top chicken, 100% juice boxes, raisins and other dried fruit, UHT milk, individual cereal boxes, 16-20 oz water, non-carbonated drinks (L.A. TIMES, 1/12).

The PWHL on Sunday set a women's hockey attendance record in the U.S., as a "raucous crowd" of 14,108 fans came out to Denver's Ball Arena to watch the Minnesota Frost take down the Montréal Victoire 4-2 as part of the league's nine-city Takeover Tour. The PWHL's tour began last weekend with a "lively crowd" of 12,000 in Seattle. In Vancouver on Wednesday, 19,038 fans filled up Rogers Arena, with the sold-out crowd "hitting just above the stadium's capacity for hockey games." As for potential league expansion plans, the Denver crowd responded to the attendance total with a chant: "We want a team." The league set the world attendance record twice last year, with two matchups in Canada between the Toronto and Montreal franchises. The first took place on Feb. 16 in Toronto's Scotiabank Arena in front of 19,285 fans; the second was on April 20, with 21,105 fans filling Bell Centre (YAHOO SPORTS, 1/12).

Representatives of the D-backs have "made a pitch to state officials to use sales tax revenue to fund improvements to Chase Field." The discussions come as the club "hopes to make major improvements" to the ballpark, and "as time runs short for funding those changes." It was "unclear what portion of the 5.6% state sales tax was proposed to be placed in a fund for the team, how much money was projected to be collected, or how long the redevelopment fund would be active." D-backs CEO Derrick Hall "has shown interest in establishing a way to recover tax revenue" like the NFL's Cardinals do at State Farm Stadium in Glendale via the Arizona Sports and Tourism Authority. The special arrangement at State Farm Stadium "appears similar to lawmakers' descriptions" of the D-backs' proposal. The team's lease at county-owned Chase Field in downtown Phoenix expires in 2027 (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 1/11).

NBC Sports on Sunday night "debuted a promotional spot" for its upcoming NBA coverage during halftime of the Commanders-Buccaneers wild-card game. The spot -- featuring Bucks F Giannis Antetokounmpo, Spurs C Victor Wembanyama and Celtics F Jayson Tatum -- is NBC’s first with original content including NBA players since the league’s new series of TV deals were announced last July. The spot unveiled Sunday stars actor Jack McBrayer -- of "30 Rock" fame -- "leading a tour of the NBCUniversal back lot" with a group of tourists that includes Antetokounmpo, Wembanyama and Tatum, "all in their team uniforms and asking McBrayer questions." Among them: Wembanyama "asking if he can get on 'America’s Got Talent' and Tatum asking if the tour goes through any metal detectors -- as he points to his Celtics championship ring" (AP, 1/12). The spot will be running across NBCUniversal properties including the Today show and Access Hollywood, and Today has a big NBA feature planned for Monday during the show. The NBA and its teams will also show the promo on their platforms (SBJ).

World No. 1 women's tennis player Aryna Sabalenka is “getting the star treatment from Nike” with a “creative tribute” to her game in time for the Australian Open. In the spot, Sabalenka takes “center stage in a room filled with shattered debris -- all unfortunate victims of her booming serves and forehands.” The 40-second video is set to the tune of Nancy Sinatra’s cover of “Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down),” with the destroyed items being “depicted alongside speed readings.” Each one refers to a “speed Sabalenka's serve has been previously measured at -- a cheeky way of visualizing her signature power.” Sabalenka does not seem to be a signature Nike athlete “just yet,” but “all the signs are pointing to the 26-year-old continuing to build her personal brand with the Swoosh, her longtime apparel partner” (TENNIS, 1/12).

In this week’s issue:

• Icon of the Industry: CAA Icon has built a reputation for ‘herculean work’ as an owners’ rep in the venue world, and done so without a lot of recognition or losing sight of its founder’s mission 20 years ago, SBJ’s Bret McCormick writes.

• Complicated saga of Jack Easterby: His quick ascent to the top of the Texans after time with the Patriots stunned NFL observers. His fall was even swifter. Now, in his first print interview, he tells SBJ’s Ben Fischer that he’s seeking a second chance.

• What’s next for Endeavor?: No sports company had acquired a more diverse set of assets than Endeavor. Now, with an impending take private move, the company has plans for a reorganized and far more concentrated business, SBJ’s Chris Smith reports.

• New look for golf media: The Golf Channel marks its 30th anniversary but also awaits its future with a spinoff coming; the PGA Tour Studios have opened; and LIV Golf has a new home. All that makes for an interesting start to the year in golf media. SBJ’s Josh Carpenter goes in depth.

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

• Philly shocker: 76ers to remain in South Philly

• CFP semifinals keep up excitement around event

• Rams settle into AZ with great assist from Cards

• U.S. Soccer committed and bullish on '31 WWC

The Patriots will introduce Mike Vrabel as the team's new head coach Monday in a press conference at noon (WCVB.com, 1/12).

The Australian Open set a new attendance record with 59,621 people turning up to Melbourne Park on Monday, breaking the previous first Monday attendance record of 51,293 -- set last year (Melbourne HERALD SUN, 1/13).

The L.A. TIMES went with the header, "How the NFL and Rams worked together to relocate playoff game amid an L.A. tragedy." The NFL "will break new ground" Monday -- "a heart-wrenching kind of history the league never wanted to make" -- as the first-round playoff game between the Rams and Vikings, originally planned for SoFi Stadium, has been relocated to Arizona because of the L.A. wildfires. It marks the first time a natural disaster has prompted the NFL to move a postseason game to a neutral site. In an exclusive interview, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell detailed the "high-level coordination required to make the change -- including rival teams going to extreme lengths to help each other-- while staying focused on what is far more important than a game." Goodell: "The guiding principle for us has always been, don’t interfere and do anything that’s going to impact negatively on public safety. Make sure you’re not sapping resources from the responders."

Also: 

• Mike Vaccaro: Notre Dame’s return to prominence is a gigantic win for college football.

• He's the NFL player. She gets the autograph requests.

• Eamon Lynch: An ex-LIV Golf star’s fate shows the perils of being suckered for short-term cash.

• JuJu Watkins is a model for young players not only for her talent but also her humility.

• NHL season has been defined by mediocrity across the board.

• Eric Staal arrived at a franchise with no history, and helped make some worth celebrating.

• A timely reminder to the irate fans of Nashville: Sports are supposed to be fun.

MONDAY

• The Sports Field Management Association will host its Annual Conference & Exhibition at the Palm Springs Convention Center. The four-day event will include educational seminars, hands-on workshops and the latest technology on display. Conference attendees will also be able to tour professional, college and municipal facilities that offer a range of insights. Some of the professional organizations attending include the American Sports Builders Association (ASBA); National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA); Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA); and the Professional Grounds Management Society (PGMS) (4 days).

Have an event we should feature? Send an email to  malongi@sportsbusinessjournal.com.

"Saying he fell in love with his country while a prisoner in someone else’s, he dedicated the rest of his life to public service."

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