Goodell says economic pinch felt by NFL

The NFL faces challenges in weathering the economic downturn despite the game’s popularity, commissioner Roger Goodell said on Wednesday.

Responding to questions during a business leaders luncheon in San Antonio, Goodell said the NFL is not recession proof, citing stadium financing and struggles by the league’s sponsors as specific problems.

Borrowing money has become difficult and expensive as credit has tightened, potentially hampering stadium projects, and many companies that the league relies on for sponsorships have had to cut back.

Fans, worried about their household finances, are feeling the effects also, he said.

“We’re all feeling the pinch right now, some more than others, and it’s something we want to remain sensitive to,” Goodell said.

•Brady recovers: New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady underwent surgery on his left knee this week, a month after he was sidelined with the season-ending injury.

•Man indicted in slaying: Willie D. Clark, 25, was indicted on first-degree murder charges in the drive-by shooting death of Denver Broncos cornerback Darrent Williams on New Year’s Day 2007 in Denver.

•Henry posts bond: Former Denver Broncos running back Travis Henry could be released from a Denver jail today after posting a $400,000 bond on federal cocaine charges.

•Harrison sued: Marvin Harrison is being sued by a man who says he was shot in the hand and body in April by the Indianapolis Colts star.

Harrison, who was never arrested or charged, is being sued by Dwight Dixon for $100,000 in damages in a suit filed in Philadelphia on Sept. 2. Police are investigating the shooting, the District Attorney’s office said.

•Tests for Looker: St. Louis Rams wide receiver Dane Looker will have additional tests designed to rule out an aneurysm after a CAT scan that cleared him from a concussion revealed a brain abnormality.

•Two Broncos fight injuries: Denver coach Mike Shanahan announced that the Broncos will be without two of their key components against Jacksonville on Sunday: tailback Selvin Young and tight end Tony Scheffler. Both strained groins in Denver’s rain-soaked win over Tampa Bay last weekend.

Auto racing

Carpentier released

Patrick Carpentier was released from Gillett Evernham Motorsports and Mike Wallace and AJ Allmendinger will finish the season in the No. 10 Dodge.

Carpentier was likely being let go at the end of this season, anyway. GEM had already hired Reed Sorenson to take over the car next season.

•Canadian government only hope: The company that runs the Canadian Grand Prix is no longer interested in doing so and suggested that only the government can save the event, a spokesman for promoter Normand Legault said.

FIA, the world governing body for motor sports, announced that the Montreal race had been dropped from the 2009 calendar.

Tennis

Purse increased

The 2009 Australian Open will offer $15.6 million in prize money, with the men’s and women’s singles winners receiving an 18 percent increase.

Tournament officials said the singles winners will receive about $1.15 million each based on current exchange rates.

•Upsets abound: Two former No. 1 players, Ana Ivanovic and Amelie Mauresmo, lost in the second round at the Kremlin Cup in Moscow.

Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia staved off two match points to upset Ivanovic 3-6, 6-2, 7-6 (4). Mauresmo lost 6-7 (2), 6-4, 6-4 to second-seeded Dinara Safina.

Miscellany

Haywood needs surgery

Washington Wizards center Brendan Haywood will have surgery for a torn ligament in his right wrist, but it was not clear how much of the NBA regular season he will miss.

•Man found guilty: Kanyanta Mulenga was found guilty of fatally shooting former British heavyweight boxing champion James Oyebola on July 23, 2007, over an argument about smoking in a London bar.

•Spain No. 1: European champion Spain remained No. 1 in FIFA’s soccer rankings, followed by Italy and Germany. The U.S. is No. 24.

•New digs for Cup: Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., will host the Breeders’ Cup for a seventh time on Nov. 5-6, 2010, the event’s first trip to the track since the Cup expanded to a two-day format in 2007.

•Drug no longer banned: The drug that got American skeleton racer Zach Lund barred from the Turin Olympics is being removed from the World Anti-Doping Agency’s banned list. Lund tested positive for finasteride, an ingredient in a hair-restoration pill that also was believed to be capable of masking steroid usage.