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State sport briefs
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Charges dropped in
Masters ticket cases
AUGUSTA  — Several cases against golf fans accused of illegally buying and selling tickets to The Masters tournament in Augusta have been dismissed.
The Augusta Chronicle reports that charges against three suspects were dropped Thursday.
The dismissals bring the total number of people cleared to 12 out of more than 30 people charged with disorderly conduct during the tournament week.
All three men whose cases were dismissed pleaded no contest to the disorderly conduct charge. Solicitor Harry James recommended their cases be dismissed with the condition in two of the cases that their bond money be forfeited.
Judge William D. Jennings III agreed, and the defendants were sent on their way. One of the three men insisted on a trial, saying he was innocent and didn’t wish to forfeit his bond.

Olympic flame lit
ANCIENT OLYMPIA, Greece  — The flame that will burn during the London Games has been lit at the birthplace of the Ancient Olympics.
An actress dressed as a high priestess used a concave mirror to focus the sun’s rays and light a torch under bright sunny skies Thursday. There was no need for the backup flame that was used during the final rehearsal for the Olympic torch lighting a day earlier.
After the end of the choreographed ceremony, the priestess will hand over the torch to the first torchbearer, Greek swimmer and Olympic silver medalist Spyros Gianniotis.
He is the first in a line of 490 torchbearers to carry the flame across 1,800 miles on Greek soil before the flame is handed to the London Games organizers on May 17.
The Olympics will be held from July 27-Aug. 12.

ESPN, ACC extend TV deal through 2026-27
For the Atlantic Coast Conference, more teams and more games means a lot more TV money. The ACC and ESPN have extended their television deal through the 2026-27 season.
A person familiar with the agreement told The Associated Press that it’s worth $3.6 billion over the 15 years.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity because financial terms weren’t released when the two sides announced the deal Wednesday.
The deal comes ahead of the planned additions of Pittsburgh and Syracuse from the Big East.

— Associated Press

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