HOCKEY

Pirates to add Church as 16th member to their Hall of Fame on March 10

The Portland Pirates will induct left wing Brad Church into their Hall of Fame during March 10 ceremonies at the Cumberland County Civic Center when they play the Manchester Monarchs.

Church, who lives in Cumberland and is general manager of the Saco-based Portland Junior Pirates, beat out Patrick Boileau and Peter Ferraro in balloting held during the past three weeks on the team’s website.

Church, who played 281 games for the Pirates over six seasons, will be the 16th member in the Hall, which was founded in 1999.

FOOTBALL

NFL: Powerful as the NFL is, it’s making way for President Barack Obama.

Opting to play a game on a Wednesday for the first time in more than 60 years, the NFL will open the regular season on Sept. 5, to avoid conflicting with Obama’s speech at the Democratic National Convention the next night.

The Super Bowl champion New York Giants will host the Wednesday night season opener starting at 8:30; their opponent hasn’t been announced yet.

The league hasn’t played a game on a Wednesday since Sept. 22, 1948, when the Rams faced the Lions.

The NFL regular season has started on a Thursday since 2002.

• A St. Louis Rams executive says the team is willing to trade the second overall pick of the draft.

Quarterbacks Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III are expected to go 1-2 in the draft, with Indianapolis holding the top pick. The Rams are set at quarterback with Sam Bradford, the first overall pick in 2010.

• Linebacker Ahmad Brooks signed a six-year contract extension with San Francisco.

CFL: The Saskatchewan Roughriders signed quarterback Colt Brennan, who played for the University of Hawaii and was a 2007 Heisman Trophy finalist.

BOXING

WBC: The WBC suspended British boxer Dereck Chisora indefinitely following his brawl with former WBA champion David Haye after a title fight against Vitali Klitschko in Germany. Chisora will be taken off the WBC rankings and is banned from fighting for its title.

BASKETBALL

WNBA: The Minnesota Lynx made a sign-and-trade move with the Phoenix Mercury, sending forward Charde Houston and the 24th overall draft pick in the 2012 WNBA draft to Phoenix for the 18th pick.

TENNIS

DUBAI CHAMPIONSHIPS: Roger Federer defeated Michael Llodra 6-0, 7-6 (6) to reach the second round Dubai, United Arab Emirates.