Good afternoon, here’s what we’re following at SBJ Today:
- Pittsburgh leaders hope to use NFL Draft to highlight city’s renaissance, celebrate its football history
- Big East Commissioner Val Ackerman announces retirement
- Philadelphia to offer free transportation from World Cup games
- Plus: Tweaks for Boston Marathon, Sabres win first NHL playoff game in 15 years, LIV Golf vows to return to Mexico City in 2027 and more
Start your morning with Buzzcast with Abe Madkour: What will Padres’ high valuation mean for MLB labor talks; another Mile-High record. Listen >>
THE BIG STORY
Pittsburgh leaders hope to use NFL Draft to highlight city’s renaissance, celebrate its football history
The traveling NFL Draft has become one of the best municipal branding platforms in sports — a three-day, nationally televised opportunity for cities to redefine how millions see them, reports SBJ’s Ben Fischer.
This year, Pittsburgh civic boosters hope the draft combats an outdated regional stereotype sometimes reinforced, ironically, by NFL broadcasters, who are fond of showing establishing shots of molten steel and factory workers during Steelers games.
During this week’s Draft (Thursday-Saturday), Pittsburghers hope attendees and TV viewers see less industrial imagery and more of a city built on robotics, autonomous vehicles, AI and medical research, along with the beauty of its modern skyline nestled between steep hills and broad rivers. Visit Pittsburgh VP/sports Jim Britt: “It’s a really, really unique opportunity for us to showcase what this region is in 2026 to people who might be thinking of what it may have been in 1986 or 1976. And boy, it’s a completely different place than it was back then.”
5 STORIES WE’RE WATCHING
1. Big East Commissioner Val Ackerman announces retirement: Big East Commissioner Val Ackerman, a member of SBJ’s 2011 class of Champions, is retiring after nearly 13 years in the role after returned the conference to prominence in college basketball.
2. Philadelphia to offer free transportation from World Cup games: The Philadelphia host committee for the World Cup and the city’s SEPTA transit system agreed that fans can ride for free when leaving games at Lincoln Financial Field, a stark contrast to the transit situations around MetLife and Gillette stadiums.
3. Boston Marathon makes tweaks ahead of 130th running: Boston Marathon organizers consulted a crowd science expert to better manage the field of more than 32,000 runners as it travels through the city and nearby towns during the race.
4. Sabres treat long-suffering fans with a thriller in first playoff game in 15 years: Sabres fans waited 5,472 days for their first playoff game since 2010-11, a 4-3 comback victory over the Bruins in Game 1 in front of 19,070 fans.
5. LIV Golf says it will return to Mexico in 2027 amid uncertainty: LIV Golf announced it will return to Club de Golf Chapultepec for LIV Golf Mexico City in 2027, even as the tour faces questions about its future.
ON THE MOVE
- Victory Live named Kate Howard as CRO. Howard, a 2022 SBJ Game Changers honoree, most recently served as CCO at Eventellect. Prior to that, she was a VP at the NFL (Victory Live).
- Veteran sports media execs Allyson Davis and Melissa Forman launched women’s sports media company Allez Sports. Davis notably served as SVP/Marketing at Universal Sports Network and held leading roles with Red Bull and Fox Sports. Forman served as SVP/Development and Production, Original Programming at Fox Sports and had tenures with Speed Channel, Fuel TV and Viacom (Allez Sports).
- F1 promoted Executive Producer Lee Minter to head of creative studio (Leaders).
- Patrick Allvin is out as GM of the Canucks, with President of Hockey Operations Jim Rutherford confirming the move early Friday morning (Vancouver PROVINCE, 4/17).
NAMES IN THE NEWS
- The “Ueck” documentary on late HOF radio voice Bob Uecker premiered Thursday on opening night of the Milwaukee Film Festival at the Oriental Theatre. After the initial 7pm CT screening sold out (around 1,020 seats), the fastest sell-out in the event’s history (MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL, 4/18).
- Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, who is among a crowded field of likely Democratic presidential hopefuls, has is using sports to connect beyond party lines, such as a recent appearance on the “The Pat McAfee Show” alongside UFC President and CEO Dana White, to announce that a championship bout, UFC 330, is coming to Philadelphia in August. (WASHINGTON TIMES, 4/17).
- Yankees P Cam Schlittler was among the stars to watch Game 1 between the Knicks and Hawks on Saturday night at MSG, joining actor/director Ben Stiller, tennis HOFer John McEnroe, model Jordyn Woods and Basketball HOFers Patrick Ewing, Walt “Clyde” Frazier (ESPN.com, 4/19).
- Former NFLer Hugh Douglas, former soccer player Carli Lloyd and late NHLer Johnny Gaudreau will highlight the list of inductees into the 2026 Philadelphia Sports HOF (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 4/17).
HOT READS
The Long Beach PRESS-TELEGRAM went with the header, “What will the Grand Prix of Long Beach look like in next 50 years?” The Grand Prix of Long Beach, now in its 51st year, has become the premier street race in the U.S. The question now: What can new Grand Prix Association of Long Beach President and CEO Jim Liaw, his staff and the city do to make it bigger and better.
- Nearing first-year anniversary, LPGA commissioner has impressed his players and sponsors, with much work still to do.
- Marshawn Lynch doesn’t disappear into his roles.
- Sports merch that’s cute? It exists.
- The obsessive race to make a four-ounce running shoe.