"Super Bowl 50" just looks better than "Super Bowl L."

X, V and I are nicely symmetrical, but with the unbalanced L in line for the 2015 season, the NFL decided to scrap the Roman numerals for a year.

The championship game in Santa Clara, California, on Feb. 7, 2016, will be known as "Super Bowl 50."

Starting last April, NFL executives viewed more than 70 potential logos for the 2016 game. They found it's hard to build an attractive image around what league vice president Jaime Weston calls "the lonely L."

Using the big 5-0 instead had the added benefit of emphasizing the significance of the Super Bowl's 50th iteration. That allows the NFL to celebrate the milestone all season long.

"It's a much bolder statement," said Weston, the NFL's VP for brand and creative.

In 2017 in Houston, though, the game will revert to "Super Bowl LI."

Kaepernick receives six-year extension

Colin Kaepernick isn't planning a massive shopping spree now that the 49ers gave him a six-year contract extension with a record-setting $61 million guaranteed.

"The three most expensive things I own are my TV, my bed and my couch. I'm going to keep it that way for a while," Kaepernick said upon signing a deal worth up to $126 million.

Wiley joins lawsuit against NFL

Former Pro Bowl defender Marcellus Wiley added his name to a lawsuit accusing NFL teams of illegally dispensing powerful narcotics and other drugs to keep players on the field without regard for their long-term health.

The lawsuit originally was filed May 20 in U.S. District Court in northern California and amended Wednesday to add 250 more players, bringing the total to 750 plaintiffs.

Wiley, who played in Buffalo, San Diego, Dallas and Jacksonville from 1997-2006, is the ninth player identified by name, joining former Chicago Bears Jim McMahon, Richard Dent and Keith Van Horne, Jeremy Newberry and others.

... The NFL suspended Giants defensive back Jayron Hosley for the first four games of the 2014 season for violating the substance abuse policy. ... Bills defensive end Jerry Hughes confirmed he was driving the second car in an alleged race on city streets that led to teammate Marcell Dareus crashing his 2012 Jaguar into a tree last week. ...

college athletics

NCAA won't penalize suit winners

The NCAA says current college players won't be penalized if they receive part of the payout from a $40 million settlement with video game maker Electronic Arts.

Last week, the two sides agreed to a deal to settle a lawsuit that contended the company improperly used the images and likenesses of current and former college players.

If the deal is approved by the court, more than 100,000 athletes including some current players could get paid.

Depending on how many athletes apply for the settlement, the payments could range from as little as $48 for each year an athlete was on a roster to $951 for each year the image of an athlete was used in a video game.

Plaintiffs in the case, which dates to 2009, contend the NCAA conspired with Electronic Arts and Collegiate Licensing Co. to illegally use their images or likenesses in video games.

AROUND THE HORN

Auto racing: IndyCar penalized Team Penske and a crew member for Schmidt Peterson Motorsports for violations that occurred at Detroit last weekend.

Team Penske has been fined $5,000 for violating the rule regarding the weight of the car on the No. 2 driven by Juan Pablo Montoya.

IndyCar also placed Schmidt crew member Don Oldenburg on probation for violating the series' social media policy. It's not clear what Oldenburg posted to warrant a punishment.

Golf: Thomas Bjorn and Richard Sterne withdrew from the U.S. Open because of injuries.

ASSOCIATED PRESS