Off the wire

FOOTBALL Browns keep Mack

The Cleveland Browns have matched Jacksonville’s offer sheet for Pro Bowl center Alex Mack and will keep one of their top players. Mack signed a five-year, $42 million offer from the Jaguars on Friday, and the Browns matched the deal a few hours later. Mack, 28, will receive $26 million guaranteed in the deal, which he can void after two seasons. Also, the Browns are not allowed to tag or trade him. Cleveland’s decision to keep Mack ends a strange saga that began when the team placed a $10 million transition tag on him at the outset of free agency. Browns owner Jimmy Haslam repeatedly pledged his commitment to hanging on to Mack and kept his word. Mack has not missed a snap in five seasons with the Browns, who drafted him in the first round in 2009.

BASKETBALL Final 4 breaks records

The Final Four was a record-breaker. Dallas set a weekend attendance mark with 158,682 attending the three NCAA Tournament games, which was 9,006 more than last year in Atlanta. Monday’s title game drew a record 79,238, while Saturday’s semifinals drew a record 79,444. Overall, the tournament drew 739,189. Regional sites filled 96 percent of seats, the First Four games were filled to 94 percent of capacity, and second- and third-round sites were 91 percent full. The two semifinals also were the most-watched college basketball games in cable history. The Kentucky-Wisconsin game grossed 16.3 million viewers, while the Connecticut-Florida game drew 11.7 million viewers. The title game drew 21 million viewers. The NCAA also saw a 76 percent increase in live streams for the two semifinal games.

Jarnell Stokes has decided to bypass his senior season at Tennessee to enter the NBA Draft. Stokes, a 6-8, 260-pound forward, confirmed Friday at a news conference that he had decided to begin his pro career. The news was first reported by CBSSports.com. Stokes averaged 15.1 points and 10.6 rebounds per game to earn first-team All-SEC honors this season while helping Tennessee go 24-13 and reach the Midwest Regional semifinals. He had 22 games with at least 10 points and 10 rebounds to tie the school single-season record set by Bernard King in 1976-77. Stokes was at his best in the NCAA Tournament, where he averaged 18 points and 12.8 rebounds in 4 games. Stokes’ departure means Tennessee will have to replace four of its top five scorers from this year’s team.

Six-time All-Star Lou Hudson has died at 69. The Atlanta Hawks said he died Friday in Atlanta. He was hospitalized and listed in grave condition last month after a stroke. Hudson starred for the franchise in St. Louis and Atlanta. He averaged 20.2 points in 13 NBA seasons, including 11 with the Hawks. He finished his career with the Lakers. His No. 23 was retired by the Hawks. Bob Pettit and Dominique Wilkins are the only other Hawks players to have their numbers retired. The University of Minnesota also retired Hudson’s number. Hudson, a native of Greensboro, N.C., was a first-round pick by St. Louis in 1966. He scored the first points for the Atlanta Hawks in 1968.

MOTOR SPORTS Hass to field F1 entry

NASCAR team owner Gene Haas said he has been granted a license from Formula One’s governing body to start what he hopes will be a U.S.-based entry in the global series. Haas received documents from the FIA on Thursday, according to Stewart-Haas spokesman Mike Arming. Haas co-owns a NASCAR team with Tony Stewart that fields drivers Stewart, Kevin Harvick, Danica Patrick and Kurt Busch. Haas thanked the FIA for its decision in a statement Friday. He said it is an exciting time for those hoping to see “an American team return to Formula One.” Formula One chief Bernie Ecclestone said this past Sunday at the Bahrain Gran Prix that the U.S.-backed team led by Haas would likely join the series next season.

Greg Biffle said he and Roush Fenway Racing are getting closer to a contract extension and could have an announcement soon. Biffle’s contract is up after this season,but he expects to continue driving the No. 16 Ford as he has done full time since 2003. He said Friday there are many “moving parts” in finishing a deal and that the parties will meet with primary sponsor 3M in Minnesota next week for additional discussions.

GOLF Cup captain named

Carin Koch has been appointed captain of the European Solheim Cup team that will face the United States in Germany next year. The Ladies European Tour said the Swedish golfer will be the one to lead a team seeking an unprecedented hat trick of wins for Europe at Golf Club St. Leon-Rot from Sept. 18-20, 2015. Last year, Europe claimed its first victory in the United States with an 18-10 victory at Colorado Golf Club after ending the Americans’ dominance in the competition in 2011 at Killeen Castle.

BASEBALL Livelier balls in Japan

The commissioner of Japanese baseball has apologized after random tests showed the official ball is livelier than it should be. The tests revealed that balls used at six stadiums March 29 were livelier than they should have been. Nippon Professional Baseball Commissioner Katsuhiko Kumazaki said he wanted to “apologize for causing a commotion.” Japanese baseball plans to re-test the ball and has asked ball manufacturer Mizuno to explain why the balls are livelier than what the league specified. The apology is reminiscent of a ball controversy that hit Japanese baseball last season. Ryozo Kato, the previous commissioner, resigned in October to take responsibility after the official ball had been made livelier without his knowing.

Tampa Bay Rays left-hander Matt Moore plans to play catch in a few days to see how his left elbow is feeling. Moore went on the 15-day disabled list Tuesday. He also experienced elbow soreness last year while going 17-4 with a 3.29 ERA for the Rays. He had an MRI and was waiting for a team doctor to compare it to previous tests. He said Friday that he felt better and was hoping to play catch in three to five days, giving him a clearer idea of whether he’ll need surgery. The Rays haven’t announced his replacement in the rotation.

HORSE RACING Churchill will keep more from each bet

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Churchill Downs plans to start taking a bigger cut from bets wagered on its races, which means gamblers cashing winning tickets will collect less money.

The track will apply the new so-called takeout rate when its spring meet starts April 26 - a move that could add $8 million to Churchill’s revenues and increase purses by a similar amount, according to The (Louisville) Courier-Journal.

The increase will apply to the Kentucky Derby.

Churchill’s takeout will be the maximum allowed under state law - between 17.5 percent and 22 percent, depending on the type of wager. That’s up from the 16 percent to 19 percent Churchill had been taking from the betting pool.

The Louisville track is contractually required to direct roughly half the takeout to purses after taxes.

Churchill Downs spokesman John Asher said without the change spring purses would have been cut, including the likely cancellation of some stakes races.

“If Churchill Downs is to present a competitive racing product, purses must be strong enough to keep current stables in the state and attract new stables and horses to the Kentucky racing circuit,” Asher said.

Churchill’s takeouts will remain competitive nationally. But Jeff Platt, president of the Horseplayers Association of North America, predicted less money will be bet overall, offsetting the revenue gains.

Churchill is counting on a net gain from the higher takeout even if betting declines. The track has already increased its stakes purses for the spring meet by 2.7 percent to $7.68 million for the 24 stakes races.

Marty Maline, executive director of the Kentucky Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association that includes owners and trainers, said he expects horseplayer groups to be upset but believes the change will be noticed mostly by big bettors.

The change comes after efforts to legalize casino gambling stalled again in the Kentucky General Assembly.