Briefly

The NHL and the players’ association have agreed in principle on a new collective bargaining agreement that will feature a hard salary cap linked to 54 percent of league revenue, a 24 percent rollback of existing contracts and qualifying offers, and a provision that will limit the salary of any single player to 20 percent of the team cap figure in any year, sources familiar with the labor negotiations told the Los Angeles Times Wednesday.

The agreement, which should be announced next week, also includes an NBA-style escrow provision under which 15 percent of each player’s paycheck will go into an escrow account until revenue is calculated after each season. If league-wide spending on salaries exceeds 54 percent of revenue, the difference between the salaries paid and the negotiated percentage will be paid to teams from the escrow account. If teams spend less than 54 percent, the escrow money will revert to players.

The league also agreed to let players represent their homelands at the Turin Olympics next February and will take an 18-day break to accommodate players’ travel and participation in the Games.

The All-Star game will be dropped, mollifying owners who opposed repeated interruptions to the season.

Brown wants to coach Pistons

After Larry Brown’s agent and the Detroit Pistons talked about his future again, the Hall of Fame coach insisted nothing had changed from his perspective.

“I just want to get well and coach the Pistons,” Brown said in an interview with The Associated Press. “I’ve been saying that for a long time, but nobody seems to believe me. I don’t know what else I can say.”

Brown, 64, has said if doctors deem him healthy enough, he wants to return next season to Detroit – and insists he will not coach another NBA team.

•Scott Layden, the former president of the New York Knicks and an assistant coach and administrator with Utah, is coming back to the Jazz as an assistant on coach Jerry Sloan’s staff, the team announced.

•The New Orleans Hornets signed first-round draft pick Chris Paul to a three-year contract. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

•The Los Angeles Lakers signed first-round draft pick Andrew Bynum. Terms were not announced.

•First-round pick Francisco Garcia agreed to a contract with the Sacramento Kings.

Tennis

Davenport pulls out of Fed Cup

Top-ranked Lindsay Davenport withdrew from the United States’ Fed Cup team for its semifinal matchup against Russia because of a back injury. Wimbledon champion Venus Williams will now lead the U.S team. Mashona Washington, making her Fed Cup debut at age 29, will be the U.S. team’s No. 2 singles player. Jill Craybas was called up to play doubles with Corina Morariu.

Football

Brown to sign, retire a Raider

Tim Brown will end his prolific NFL career with the Oakland Raiders after all.

“Tim will sign a one-day contract and retire as a Raider,” team spokesman Mike Taylor said.

The Raiders plan to hold a news conference later this month to recognize Brown, the former Heisman Trophy winner and longest-tenured player in franchise history.

The self-proclaimed “Mr. Raider” holds most of the club’s receiving records, and his 240 games with the team are the most in franchise history.

•Bowl Championship Series officials want instant replay used in all bowl games starting this season, and are confident it can be done.

The Big Ten became the first conference to use video review of football game officials’ calls last season, with an official in the press box determining if a play would be reviewed and overturning the call if replay showed conclusively it was wrong.

The NCAA gave all Division I-A conferences to opportunity to experiment with replay this season. The Western Athletic Conference and Sun Belt will not use replay this season.

Auto racing

Attorneys file lawsuit over USGP

Fans who attended the boycotted U.S. Grand Prix should receive more than the ticket refunds offered by Michelin, say attorneys who have filed lawsuits.

The French tire manufacturer, the seven Formula One teams that withdrew their cars, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and others also should pay fans for travel and other expenses, the attorneys said.

Michelin last week offered to refund money to those who bought race tickets and buy 20,000 tickets for those wanting to return for the 2006 race.

Horse racing

Historic Hollywood Park sold

Churchill Downs Inc. will sell historic Hollywood Park and surrounding acreage at the Inglewood, Calif., racetrack to Bay Meadows Land Co. LLC for $260 million in cash. The deal will likely close in September.

College sports

Aztecs name Schemmel new A.D.

Jeff Schemmel has been hired as athletic director at San Diego State.

Schemmel most recently was an associate commissioner with Conference USA and served as executive director for the 2001 men’s Final Four.

Golf

Pressel applies for LPGA waiver

Morgan Pressel, 17, runner-up at the U.S. Women’s Open, has petitioned LPGA commissioner Ty Votaw for a waiver to the tour’s age limit of 18.