Nassau County Exec Edward Mangano announced plans to "build a new practice facility and corporate offices" for the Islanders at Cantiage Park in Hicksville, "even as the team moves to Brooklyn next season." Mangano during his State of the County address said that the projects "would be at no cost to taxpayers." The team's current corporate office is in Nassau Coliseum, which will "close for 18 months" during renovations, and its practice space is in Syosset (NEWSDAY, 3/12).

Comedian Will Ferrell today will visit five Spring Training ballparks in Arizona as production begins on a new HBO special from Funny Or Die in partnership with MLB. Ferrell is dedicating the special to the fight against cancer and honoring former MLBer Bert Campaneris by playing every position on the field for 10 different teams in the same day. The special is slated to air later this year. The effort can be followed on social media with the hashtag #FerrellTakesTheField (MLB).

While jury deliberations began yesterday in the Super Bowl XLV seating trial in Dallas, plaintiffs are "seeking to have a witness subpoenaed to testify again after an ESPN story" published yesterday "appeared to contradict what he said under oath." In the ESPN.com report, seating contractor Scott Suprina said the NFL "encouraged me not to tell the whole story." Suprina has been a "central figure in this trial." But Suprina later said, "I don’t lie for people. I don’t lie, period" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 3/12).

King County (Wash.) Exec Dow Constantine is "open to modifying the agreement to build" an arena in Seattle so that the venue may house "only an NHL tenant." This follows a "similar statement from Seattle Mayor Ed Murray." A memorandum of understanding signed in '12 "calls for partial public funding only after an NBA team is secured." Constantine wrote, "The opportunity to bring NHL hockey to King County is one we should not miss" (KING5.com, 3/11).

Discussions on a potential bowl game in Little Rock "have picked up" again. Sun Belt Commissioner Karl Benson said that the conference is "still considering a tie-in" to a game at War Memorial Stadium, but that "no oral or signed agreements exist with another league ... a title sponsor or a television network." This comes after reports of a bowl at War Memorial featuring Sun Belt and AAC teams "perhaps as early as this year." Arkansas State AD Terry Mohajir said that he is "supportive of the potential bowl game" (ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE, 3/12).

The AHL BOG is "believed to be convening this week," likely today, for a vote on "two transfer proposals." One would move the NHL Jets' St. John's IceCaps from Newfoundland "back to Winnipeg's MTS Centre," presumably resurrecting the Manitoba Moose moniker. To "fill that void" for the '15-16 season, the Canadiens are proposing to transfer their AHL affiliate, the Hamilton Bulldogs, to St. John's (WINNIPEGFREEPRESS.com, 3/8).

NFL Network hired Tiffany Blackmon, a regional reporter based in Atlanta. A former reporter for CSN Houston, she will work on shows like “NFL Total Access,” “Around the NFL,” “Path to the Draft” and “NFL GameDay Morning” (John Ourand, Staff Writer).

About “two in five American households now subscribe to a video streaming service like Netflix, Amazon Prime or Hulu Plus, according to a new report from the media measurement company Nielsen that tracked the penetration of the digital offerings” (NY. TIMES, 3/12).

The Fire have extended their agreement with Time Warner Cable SportsChannel to make the channel the team’s Wisconsin TV home for the '15 season. SportsChannel will air 21 Fire games this year (Fire).

A fan was stabbed during last night’s Grizzlies-Celtics game at TD Garden. The victim was taken to the hospital “with injuries that were not considered life-threatening” (BOSTON GLOBE, 3/12). The incident occurred "in the balcony of the arena" (AP, 3/12).

A bill reinstating the tax break for the Breeders’ Cup to be held in Kentucky this fall is “headed to Gov. Steve Beshear, who will sign it” (Louisville COURIER-JOURNAL, 3/12).

49ers GM Trent Baalke said that the team is “conducting its own investigation” into the arrest of FB Bruce Miller on suspicion of misdemeanor battery of a spouse (S.F. CHRONICLE, 3/12).

The Harvest America Evangelistic Crusade, an event that drew more than 20,000 people to AmericanAirlines Center last year, “will switch to AT&T Stadium” this fall (FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 3/12).

“I think the dust has settled on expansion. But when you look at it geographically, you have to scratch your head a little bit” – Tennessee AD Dave Hart, on the possibility of SEC expansion (Nashville TENNESSEAN, 3/12).

“I don’t think we’re in trouble. There might be other players that think of doing it. But I don’t think it’s going to be a chain reaction, like next season six more players are going to be sitting out” – Mercury C Brittney Griner, on G Diana Taurasi being paid by her Russian team to sit out the WNBA season (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 3/12).

“I can’t imagine how this could have been communicated this way. It is wholly inaccurate and categorically false. Tiger owns his own name and always had” – Agent Mark Steinberg, on a report claiming Nike Golf owned the rights to Tiger Woods' name (GOLFCHANNEL.com, 3/11).

“It’s going to suck, but you have to deal with it” – Yankees 1B Mark Teixeira, on field conditions at Yankee Stadium due to two NYC FC games being played there before the start of the MLB season (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 3/12).

“I do think it is the prerogative of the conference to determine how we play our championship. Mandating that we would have a championship game is similar to us advocating that everybody play everybody in the other leagues” – Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby, on the conference petitioning the NCAA to loosen its restrictions on conference championship games (ESPN.com, 3/11).

Last night’s 1:00am ET edition of ESPN’s “SportsCenter” led with Rockets-Trail Blazers, which was the lead-in to the broadcast, followed by Clippers-Thunder, Pistons-Warriors, Hawks-Nuggets and the Patriot League men’s college basketball title game. ESPN aired a report on NFL trades and free agent news 10 minutes into the broadcast. Last night’s 12:30am ET edition of FS1’s “Fox Sports Live” led with Lafayette College-American, followed by men’s teams that have earned a spot in the NCAA Tournament, Clippers-Thunder, Grizzlies-Celtics and a report on the NFL trades and free agent news seven minutes into the telecast.

CHICAGO TRIBUNE headline: "Pro Stadiums Throw Taxpayers For A Loss." Even with AEG scuttling plans for Farmers Field, "Southern Californians are not free of the threat of having to pay for a professional football team that most of them will never go to see."

ESPNNY.com on Tuesday's final planned regular-season Rangers-Islanders game at Nassau Coliseum: "Why the smattering of empty seats well into the second period? ... Was it because the Islanders' long goodbye from their 43-year-old home is starting to sink in?"

Also:

• Basketball conference tournaments are a boon for Las Vegas.
• Gonzaga took unique path to sustained success in men's hoops.
• Remembering the late Dave Goldberg, an original NFL insider.
• MLS' Don Garber talks CBA, league's future, small markets. 

How savvy of a businessman is Darrelle Revis? There is clever product placement in the picture of him signing his contract. @steaz #nyj

— Manish Mehta (@MMehtaNYDN) March 12, 2015

Ariel Emmanuel, Co CEO of WME/IMG, showbiz meets sport. Look out for Le Bron James' Hollywood debut

— Ashling O'Connor (@ashlingoc) March 12, 2015

Neil Everett is pain to my ears

— jeffpearlman (@jeffpearlman) March 12, 2015

Everyone says Chip Kelly is remaking the Eagles in his image. Last I looked, there weren't any ruddy faced, overweight men on their roster.

— Tim McGhee (@tpmcghee) March 12, 2015

#Jaguars fans sending a message to @DeMarcoMurray on the corner of Route 17 and Collins #JaguarsToday pic.twitter.com/lwEyk980Nr

— Tyler Devitte (@1010XLTyler) March 11, 2015

Walt Disney Co.'s annual meeting takes place in S.F.

Knicks Assistant GM Allan Houston will meet with school choice supporters and state lawmakers in Nashville.

Signature gathering begins for a ballot measure that could accelerate approval and construction of a proposed L.A. stadium for the Chargers and Raiders.

The FTC announced that it is charging DirecTV with “deceptive advertising – alleging the television provider tried to trick consumers into deals that would leave them paying more than expected for television service” (WASHINGTON POST, 3/12).

Last night’s “Final Jeopardy!” category was “2014 Albums.”

“With a new release and eight viral videos to go with it, he had the first comedy album in 50 years to top the Billboard 200.”

ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel said of the upcoming Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather fight, “The most anticipated fight for many years. They’re expected to break every pay-per-view record. Floyd and Manny had a press conference here in L.A. today. By the way, Floyd and Manny? This doesn’t sound like two guys that would fight. It sounds like guys you would play chess with in Washington Square Park.” More Kimmel: “Last night Amar'e Stoudemire of the Dallas Mavericks did some interviews after a tough loss at home. He told reporters he believes his teammates need to stop clowning around and act like professionals. 'Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a marching band to lead.' Why is he dressed like a bell hop at the Grand Budapest Hotel?”

Kimmel said of the Pacquiao-Mayweather press conference, “Before the press conference they held a red carpet event, which to me seems overly glamorous for guys who wear shorts to work. All the major sports news outlets were there, including our very own Guillermo.” Show regular Guillermo attended the event and asked the personalities questions on the red carpet (“Jimmy Kimmel Live,” ABC, 3/11).

Last night’s Top Ten list was “Top Ten Other Changes at the Circus.” CBS’ David Letterman said, “Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus announced they will no longer be using elephants. They will be using robotic gigantic electronic, gigantic electronic robots” (“Late Show,” CBS, 3/11).

10) “Maximum clown blood alcohol: 0.08%.”
9) “Performers must use a circus-approved e-mail address.”
8) “Bearded ladies allowed to marry one another.”
7) “More difficult ‘Looserope Walking.’”
6) “Free admission for women named ‘Babs.’”
5) “Hot dogs now only made from circus animals that died of natural causes.”
4) “Your choice of balloon: helium or highly flammable hydrogen.”
3) “The Sitting Wallendas.”
2) “Senator Tom Cotton juggles loyalty to president and the Iranian Mullahs.”
1) “Immediate ejection if you're caught Ringling your Barnum.”

“Who is Weird Al Yankovic?”