In brief: Wimbledon tourney raises purse, roof

Wimbledon agreed to equal pay for men and women, phased out curtsies to the Royal Box and is building a retractable roof over Centre Court.

Wimbledon also announced champions will each receive $1.49 million this year, an increase of 5.8 percent. Total prize money for the two-week tournament will increase 3.4 percent to $23.46 million.

Last year marked the first time women earned equal prize money at the grass-court Grand Slam.

Poor weather caused scheduling chaos last year.

Next year, the completion of a retractable roof over Centre Court will help alleviate the problem.

Football

Bills earn big money

The Buffalo Bills will receive $78 million – more than double their calculated 2006 operating income – to play eight games in Toronto over the next five years.

The Bills will play five regular-season and three preseason games, starting this year, at the downtown Rogers Centre.

In becoming the NFL’s first team to play annual games outside the United States, the Bills are scheduled to host Pittsburgh in preseason at Toronto on Aug. 14, followed by Miami on Dec. 7.

“In Nashville, Tenn., former Tennessee Titans wide receiver Tyrone Calico faces indictment on drunken driving charges after a judge sent his case to the grand jury. The second-round pick was released by the Titans in 2006

“Ed Marion, an NFL official for 28 years and a head linesman in three Super Bowls, died Monday at Paoli, Pa. He was 81. Marion worked playoff games in 20 consecutive seasons.

“Ivan Orsen Caesar Jr., a linebacker who played one season for Minnesota Vikings in 1991, was fatally shot in an apartment building in Orlando, Fla., after a dispute. He was 41.

Soccer

All-English Euro final

Soccer’s European champion will be from England.

Manchester United set up the first all-English final in the history of the Champions League, beating Barcelona 1-0 at Manchester.

Manchester will meet Chelsea or Liverpool in the final on May 21 at Moscow.

“Brazilian star Ronaldo went into hiding after a run-in with cross-dressing prostitutes that prompted police to investigate whether to charge one with trying to extort money from the soccer star.

“Gordon Bradley, who coached Pele and Johan Cruyff in the North American Soccer League, died in Manassas, Va. He was 74.

Miscellany

Injury sidelines Powell

World-record holder Asafa Powell won’t race for the next two months because of a chest injury. His manager said the sprinter will be able to run at the Beijing Olympics in August.

“Ben Hansbrough, who helped Mississippi State advance to the NCAA tournament’s second round, is transferring to Notre Dame.

Hansbrough is the younger brother of Associated Press Player of the Year Tyler Hansbrough, a forward for North Carolina.