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USA Track and Field has cut an eight-year deal for NBC to present the federations key events on its main broadcast network, cable and digital platforms.The deal is considered groundbreaking for Olympic sports, many of which pay the networks production costs in exchange for the air time.The arrangement greatly reduces USATFs costs, which have reached nearly $2 million a year, according to a person familiar with the negotiations. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because financial details of the agreement were not public.The agreement calls for at least 18 hours of live coverage of USATF events, including national championships and the Prefontaine Classic, with at least eight of those hours on NBC. These events are in addition to the 2020 and 2024 Olympic Trials and Olympics.This is the latest in a series of moves that have dramatically increased NBCs presence in presenting Olympic sports. In 2010, the last year NBC presented Olympic sports only on weekends and on its main broadcast channel, it televised about 75 hours of Olympic sports, not counting the Games and trials. In 2016, NBC will exceed 1,300 hours on all its platforms.NBC has the contract to televise the Olympic Games in the United States through 2032.USATF CEO Max Siegel announced the NBC contract at his State of the Sport speech Thursday evening during a meeting in Orlando, Florida.This years biggest highlight: The 32 medals the U.S. team won at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics. It was the most at a non-boycotted Olympics since 1932.On its Twitter feed, USATF said the federation provided more than $14 million in support to more than 700 elite athletes. From that amount, 28 athletes earned more than $100,000 and 111 athletes earned more than $38,000.Siegel also said the federation has brought in four new corporate partners in 2016 and 12 since 2013.I believe weve just scratched the surface as to where we can go, Siegel said during his presentation. We have grown equity in the sports marketplace.The new NBC contract also could free up money that could presumably trickle down to athletes.A big portion of the CEOs deal-making acumen will likely be determined over the long term, as the market determines whether Siegel made a good bet in 2014 when he signed a sponsorship contract with Nike that lasts through 2040 and is believed to be worth between $450 million and $500 million. Thats about four times annually what the USATF had been getting from Nike, though its hard to determine how those sponsorship deals might look in two decades. DeAnthony Melton Rockets Jersey . Olli Jokinen, Mark Scheifele, and Bryan Little each had a goal and an assist as Winnipeg won 5-2, handing Calgary its record-setting seventh consecutive loss on home ice. Eric Gordon Jersey .ca! Hi Kerry, Its another day and here we are looking at another dubious hit to the head. In this case Blue Jackets forward Brandon Dubinsky elbowed Saku Koivu in the head about a second after he dished off the puck to a teammate, knocking him unconscious. https://www.rocketsrookiesshop.com/Russell-Westbrook-City-Edition-Jersey/ . Andreas Johnson had a goal and two assists while Jacob de la Rose also scored for Sweden (2-0-0). Esa Lindell and Rasmus Ristolainen replied for Finland (1-1-0) Lindell opened the scoring for Finland just 41 seconds into the game, but the hosts quickly regained their composure and tied the score less than four minutes later on Wennbergs first of the game. Clint Capela Rockets Jersey . A forerunning sled crashed into the worker Thursday at the Sanki Sliding Center. The unidentified worker broke both legs and was airlifted to a nearby hospital. Clyde Drexler Rockets Jersey . Supported by three-run homers from Jayson Werth and Wilson Ramos, the young right-hander went seven strong innings in the Washington Nationals 8-4 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday night.BROSSARD, Que. - It has been one injury after another for the Montreal Canadiens. Goaltender Carey Price was the latest to go down as the team announced Thursday he will miss the rest of the Canadiens playoff series against the Ottawa Senators with a lower-body injury. That came a day after captain Brian Gionta was told he will be out for the rest of the post-season with a torn biceps tendon in his left arm. He is to undergo surgery on Friday. With centre Lars Eller out with a concussion and facial injuries from an open hit by Ottawas Eric Gryba in Game 1, and with forwards Brandon Prust and Ryan White sidelined with upper-body injuries, the Canadiens had a patchwork lineup in Thursdays must-win Game 5 at the Bell Centre. Habs defenceman Josh Gorges said the missing regulars meant the rest will have to hunker down and play more as a team while facing elimination from their best-of-seven Eastern Conference quarter-final series. "It magnifies it even more when youre missing key players from your lineup," said Gorges. "The emphasis goes even more on being a team. "Playing together, playing tight. We have to be five-man units all over the ice. Thats the only way we can be successful." With Price out, Peter Budaj made his first career playoff start, with Robert Mayer of the AHL Hamilton Bulldogs as his backup. Forward Michael Blunden was to see his first action as well. The 30-year-old Budaj went 8-1-1 with a 2.29 goals-against average and a .908 save percentage this season. But his only regulation time loss was a 5-1 defeat at Ottawa on Jan. 30 in which he faced 27 shots. He also played in the overtime period of a 3-2 loss in Game 4 in Ottawa on Tuesday night in which he admitted he should have stopped Kyle Turris game-winning shot at the 2:32 mark. "Hes a good goalie," said Habs forward Colby Armstrong. "He competes hard and gives us a chance to win. "Hes played great for us this year when hes had to come in and shut the door. We have a lot of faith in him." Price, who injured his right knee late in regulation time of Game 4, struggled at times in the series and had a 3.26 goals-against average and .894 save percentage. It left Canadiens fans hoping for the kindd of turnaround that Jaroslav Halak, who like Budaj is from Slovakia, helped pull off in 2010.dddddddddddd That year, Montreal erased Washingtons 3-1 lead in the first round of the playoffs and then upset Pittsburgh before losing to Philadelphia in the conference final. "We know his ability," Gorges said of Budaj. "Were a confident group in front of him and we know we have to play the same way we would any other night." Budajs strong play prompted the Canadiens to give him a two-year contract extension worth US$1.4 million per year on April 10. He signed a free agent with Montreal in 2011 from the Colorado Avalanche. In Denver, he was backup to Craig Anderson, who is now the Senators starter. Mayer has been called up before, including on Feb. 16 this season, but has yet to get into a game for the Canadiens. Gionta was injured in the second period of Game 1. He sat out the next game, but returned and assisted on Montreals only goal in a fight-filled 6-1 defeat in Game 3. But the pain was to much to continue in the series. "That just shows his character and leadership," said Gorges. "Hes been outstanding since hes been here. "Hes helped change the face of this franchise back to being a proud franchise. I think the rest of us can follow in his footsteps." Gionta is expected to be ready for training camp in the fall. There was no word on how long Prust or White will be out of the lineup. Eller has been skating with fitness coach Pierre Allard but is not expected back soon. A quote from Gryba on Wednesday raised some eyebrows and when he said: "We can smell blood. We can taste blood. And its time to put them away." Some found it provocative because of the pool of blood Eller left on the ice after the hit. But Gorges said he hadnt heard the quote and coach Michel Therrien said "no comment." Senators forward Zack Smith said Gryba chose his words poorly. "In some cases players say stuff that fuels the other team, but it that case, Im sure guys over there know he didnt mean it in that way — literal blood, as in the Eller hit," said Smith. "Not that it matters, but Im sure they know he didnt mean it that way." ' ' '