Briefly: College football attendance falls again

Home attendance for college football games dropped for the fourth straight season, the biggest decline since 2014, according to the latest figures put out by the NCAA.

More than 34 million spectators took in games at the 129 schools in the Football Bowl Subdivision in 2017, with average attendance at 42,108. That's down 2.2 percent from last season.

Attendance at bowl games was also down for the seventh straight season, with an average of 40,506 fans taking in games in 2017. That's down 1,200 people from last season.

The Big Ten was the only Power 5 conference to see an increase in attendance, going from 66,151 fans in 2016 to 66,227 in 2017. It was the second straight season in which the league saw an increase.

The NCAA denied Notre Dame's appeal of a decision to vacate 21 victories because of academic misconduct, including all 12 wins from the school's 2012 national championship game run. University President Rev. John Jenkins criticized the decision, saying the school was being punished for enforcing its honor code.

The Kansas City Chiefs won't bring back linebacker Derrick Johnson, their career tackles leader, for next season. He will become a free agent when his contract expires in March.

Bitterness is not in play.

USA Gymnastics told Congress it has not used nondisclosure agreements in investigations except in the case of Olympic gold medalist McKayla Maroney, one of more than 200 women and girls who have said sports doctor Larry Nassar sexually abused them.

The Senate probe is focused on the nondisclosure agreement for Maroney, who in December sued to invalidate the deal.

John Manly, an attorney representing Maroney, said the statement "is a lie." He said he has "spoken to USAG athletes bound by NDAs."

The ATP says it is reviewing accusations by Donald Young that Ryan Harrison used racially inappropriate language when the Americans had a heated exchange during a match at the New York Open.

Harrison defeated Young 6-3, 7-6 (4) on Monday, and at one point the two argued.

Harrison responded on Twitter that audio would "clear me."

Crime: Police say former world champion boxer Adrien Broner has been charged with sexual assault after being accused of groping a woman at a mall in Atlanta.

Drag racing: Brittany Force was released from the hospital following a crash in the NHRA season opener in Pomona, Calif. Her team reported soreness as the only lingering effect.