Rose Bowl loses sponsor

The Rose Bowl game needs a new presenting sponsor after Citi, the financial conglomerate that had put its name on the New Year’s Day event for the last seven years, decided not to renew.

Though the Tournament of Roses has some say in the matter, ESPN handles the negotiations because it owns the broadcast rights.

Citi’s decision to walk away appeared to result from several factors, including an uncertain economy and the fact that ESPN, having acquired the rights to all the Bowl Championship Series games, has asked for a broader commitment from sponsors, a Rose Bowl official said.

“I think there were certain facets of the bundling and packaging that were different from what Citi was used to,” said P. Scott McKibben, executive director of the Tournament of Roses and an L.A. Times executive. “We’re very comfortable with where [ESPN] is going with this.”

Citi declined to comment. An ESPN spokeswoman said the network “is engaged in active discussions with several advertisers and will make an announcement at the appropriate time.”

-- David Wharton

PRO FOOTBALL

Chargers release safety Ellison

The San Diego Chargers released safety Kevin Ellison, who had been told by Coach Norv Turner to stay away from minicamp last month after his arrest on suspicion of possessing a controlled substance.

Police in Redondo Beach said Ellison was arrested in late May after he was stopped for speeding in a school zone near his former high school. Police said a search of Ellison’s vehicle turned up 100 Vicodin pills. He was booked and released on $10,000 bail.

Ellison, who played at USC, started nine games at strong safety as a rookie in 2009.

Carolina Panthers receiver Steve Smith will miss the start of training camp because of a broken left forearm.

The Saints released veteran defensive end Bobby McCray, abruptly parting ways with a playoff starter who helped New Orleans win its first Super Bowl title.

McCray started all three of the defending champions’ playoff games last season.

ETC.

Celtics’ Wallace is likely to retire

Boston Celtics Coach Doc Rivers says that center Rasheed Wallace is probably going to retire.

Rivers said on WEEI-AM in Boston that Wallace, 35, told him before Game 7 of the NBA Finals that he believed it was the last game of his career.

The volatile big man was the most-ejected player of his era, with 30 ejections since the league started keeping such records in 1992.

Redshirt sophomore Taylor King has voluntarily withdrawn from the Villanova basketball program.

The school said in a statement that the forward from Santa Ana Mater Dei plans to remain at Villanova to complete his degree requirements.

With Candace Parker out for the season because of shoulder surgery, Sparks Coach Jennifer Gillom said the club is interested in acquiring free-agent center and onetime Oklahoma standout Courtney Paris.

-- Melissa Rohlin