NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell yesterday at the NFL owners' meeting "stopped short of calling for North Carolina legislators to repeal controversial House Bill 2," but said that the league "supports Charlotte leaders' efforts at diversity," according to Joseph Person of the CHARLOTTE OBSERVER. Goodell said that he "spoke with Charlotte Mayor Jennifer Roberts on Monday about the issue." Goodell: "Anything that discriminates is something that we oppose, and we will continue to fight that. ... We're going to work with the community to make the effective changes that are necessary long-term" (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 5/25). On Long Island, Bob Glauber notes Goodell yesterday "took his strongest stand yet" on HB2 (NEWSDAY, 5/25). However, PRO FOOTBALL TALK's Darin Gantt wrote the league so far "hasn't done all that much, beyond the normal proclamations of inclusiveness" on the law (PROFOOTBALLTALK.com, 5/24). Meanwhile, in Sacramento, Matt Barrows in a front-page piece notes the 49ers yesterday "became the first NFL team to speak out against" HB2 and "followed through with a $75,000 gift by CEO Jed York to an LGBT-rights advocacy group, Equality North Carolina" (SACRAMENTO BEE, 5/25).
EXPAND ON THE PLAN: In Baltimore, Jeff Zrebiec notes the NFL Competition Committee yesterday adopted some "relatively minor alterations" to the instant replay system that are "focused on helping the game officials get the call right on the field." Officials will "now be able to communicate more with the league office" in N.Y. during games to "avoid certain administrative errors involving 'appropriate assessment of penalty yardage, proper down and status of the game clock.'" This is a "continuation of the plan that was put in place during the playoffs last season." The league also will "now include 'administrative' decisions on penalty enforcement, proper down, spot of the foul and status of the game clock as part of what's reviewable" (Baltimore SUN, 5/25).
THE MEXICAN CONNECTION: Goodell yesterday announced that 110,000 people "have registered to purchase tickets" for the Nov. 21 Texans-Raiders "MNF" game at Mexico City's Azteca Stadium (S.F. CHRONICLE, 5/25).
