St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman has decided that he "doesn't have enough City Council votes to forge an agreement" that would allow the Rays to explore potential new ballpark sites "on both sides" of Tampa Bay. He said that this "keeps the team playing at Tropicana Field into an indefinite future." Kriseman: "We are at a standstill." The mayor consulted with "three key council members" yesterday before he "threw in the towel" (TAMPA BAY TIMES, 3/31).

Indy Star's front page weighs in on  Religious Freedom Restoration Act

Emmert said between now and July, when the law would come into effect, “members of the NCAA have to stop and say, ‘What relationship do we want with the state of Indiana?’ We hold lots of events here. ... We have to be able to conduct our affairs and run our championships in an environment that reflects our core values of inclusion and diversity and make hard decisions, and the members are going to have to make some hard decisions” (“Squawk Box,” CNBC, 3/31).

Meanwhile, the S.F. CHRONICLE's Ann Killion writes the new law puts the NCAA in an "untenable position, along with the NFL, U.S. Swimming and Diving and other organizations that host large events in the state."

The Nassau County Rules Committee voted 5-2 to allow for an influx of foreign financing for the redevelopment of Nassau Coliseum. The committee approved a "change to the county's lease" with Forest City Ratner affiliate Nassau Events Center LLC, and the full county legislature will consider the measure on April 13. Forest City seeks $90M from Chinese investors, allowing the developer to "increase its total investment in the Coliseum rebuilding" from $229M to $260.5M (NEWSDAY, 3/31).

The Bucks tomorrow are expected to "reveal a new color scheme for their jerseys," a change co-Owners Wes Edens and Marc Lasry said that they "hoped could be done after taking over the team last spring." The current color scheme of forest green, red, silver and white has been in effect since the '06-07 season, "when it replaced a purple and green theme." There have been a "few teasers from the team on Twitter" about the new look (MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL, 3/31).

Ripken Baseball today is expected to formally announce a naming-rights deal with security contractor Leidos for the Single-A New York-Penn League Aberdeen IronBirds' ballpark, which will now be called Leidos Field at Ripken Stadium. Terms of the multiyear agreement were not disclosed, but it is "expected to be approved by Minor League Baseball and to be in place when the IronBirds open the season June 19." Virginia-based Leidos also is the shirt sponsor for DC United (Baltimore SUN, 3/31).

The Rolling Stones this morning announced their summer tour dates. The 15 shows include stops at five NFL stadiums, five college football venues, two MLB ballparks and Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The “Zip Code Tour” begins May 24 at Petco Park.

Vail Resorts announced that it has bought Perisher ski resort in Australia for US$136M "from James Packer subsidiary, Murray Publishers and Transfield Corporate." The resort is on a lease until '48 "with a 20-year option to review" (SMH.com.au, 3/31). Perisher is the "largest ski resort in the Southern Hemisphere" and the "most visited" in Australia. The deal is expected to close in Q4 '15 following "approval by the New South Wales Government" (VAILDAILY.com, 3/30).

South Korea-based Nexen Tire has renewed its partnership agreements with the Dodgers, Rangers, Tigers and Angels for the '15 MLB season (Nexen).

Great Britain will "not have soccer teams" at the '16 Rio de Janeiro Games because England's FA "failed to gain support from the other three federations." Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are "against united British teams, saying they risk their independence within FIFA" (AP, 3/31).

Orlando City SC yesterday formally submitted its bid to “host games in the 2016 Copa America Centenario.” Jacksonville and Tampa are also “being considered in the initial process” (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 3/31).

The city of Inglewood, Calif., has selected TAL Global to assess the safety and security of Stan Kroenke's proposed NFL stadium (TAL Global).

“Having Louisville and Kentucky would have been one of the best of all time” – Jeff McGuinness, owner of Indianapolis-based 317 Tickets, on Kentucky, Wisconsin, Michigan State and Duke making the Final Four and bumping up ticket prices on the secondary marketplace (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 3/31).

“If they don’t want to pay extra for cameras, just use the cameras Belichick used in Spygate” – ESPN’s Tony Reali, on the NFL researching the addition of more replay cameras around the field (“Around The Horn,” ESPN, 3/30).

“We’re not tanking games. It is irresponsible for them to go on TV saying that. If you work at ESPN, you get fired for saying stuff like that” – T'Wolves President and coach Flip Saunders, on Jazz broadcasters mentioning his team during a discussion about tanking (SALT LAKE TRIBUNE, 3/31).

“I don’t expect people to go into the ground and build a facility without some sort of commitment that they are going to get a team. But I do think you need a plan, and a commitment to how that plan is going to be executed” – MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred, on needing a strong commitment from Montreal to build a new ballpark in order for them to land a team (CP, 3/31).

Last night’s 11:00pm ET edition of ESPN’s “SportsCenter” led with Dayton-UConn Women’s NCAA Tournament, followed by NHL highlights and Rockets-Raptors. Last night’s 11:00pm ET edition of FS1’s “Fox Sports Live” led with Rockets-Raptors, followed by Kings-Grizzlies, Suns-Trail Blazers, Kings-Blackhawks and Flames-Stars. FS1 did not report on the NCAA Women’s Tournament.

ESPN’s Keith Olbermann called out his “world’s worst” persons in sports: Michigan State campus police for arresting students for throwing bagels into the air after Michigan State defeated Louisville to go to the Final Four. Olbermann also criticized the Golf Channel and Golf Digest, “which responded with umbrage” after an 84-year-old woman on “The Price Is Right” hit a putt in her game like a croquet shot, and the CEO of St. David’s Hospice in Wales for staging a charitable half-marathon on a course that was two-fifths of a mile short.

YAHOO SPORTS notes while "everything looks positive for MMA supporters in New York," UFC co-Chair & CEO Lorenzo Fertitta "isn't getting cocky" when it comes to the state lifting its ban. He "knows the political realities and after years of nonsense, he has come to expect the unexpected." 

ESPN.com: "More than a quarter of all helmets worn by hockey players, from the NHL to youth leagues, are unsafe, according to an independent study provided to 'Outside the Lines' that ranked hockey helmets based on their ability to reduce concussion risk."

Also:

• Would bringing back the bullpen cart hasten MLB's pace of play?
• A primer on Rutgers' efforts to build a new basketball facility.
• NHL's Situation Room has made critical calls on goals this season.
• Maine AD Karlton Creech shares his vision for sports programs.

MLB fantasy draft over. Projected stats have me finishing 10 of 12. Last year's stats had me finishing 12th. #Money

— Rich Eisen (@richeisen) March 31, 2015

In London today, Dana White predicted UFC 189 would do more than a million PPV buys and UFC 187 would do 800-850K.

— Marc Raimondi (@marc_raimondi) March 31, 2015

Olbermann out there looking to score points by demanding action that would’ve needed to be taken days ago if it had any chance of happening.

— Jesse Spector (@jessespector) March 31, 2015

So happy for my longtime radio side-kick @HeyBoyRogers at the Chateau. He announced on his FB Page a new Morning Show here in our hometown!

— Tim Brando (@TimBrando) March 31, 2015

Cablevision is "planning to make an offer" for the N.Y. Daily News "as early as this week, valuing the troubled tabloid at just $1," according to a source. The source said that the $1 bid "takes into account" the newspaper's reported $30M annual loss and $150M investment in a printing press, and "declining circulation that relies heavily on newsstand sales rather than on subscriptions" (REUTERS, 3/31).

Last night’s “Final Jeopardy!” category was “Women Authors.”

“In addition to her novels, she also wrote a children’s book about Sun Yat-Sen and an ‘oriental cookbook.’”

Last night’s edition of CBS’ “Late Show” featured host David Letterman talking about his IndyCar team, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. He said he wanted to “give something back” to Steak 'n Shake, who is a new sponsor this season on Graham Rahal’s car.

ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel said, “I watched a lot of college basketball this weekend. There were some great games, but I will say this: None of those games, not a moment from those games, compared to this moment from the Golden Chihuahua All-Star Game in Chihuahua, Mexico. It’s a real thing. … Remember a couple years ago during NBA All-Star weekend when Blake Griffin dunked over a car? Well, this was the Golden Chihuahua version of that.” The broadcast then aired footage of a player attempting to dunk over a car but missing the dunk and falling over the side of the car. Kimmel said, “He didn’t even really come close” (“Jimmy Kimmel Live,” ABC, 3/30).

David Beckham appeared on CBS’ “The Late Late Show” last night and said he was in L.A. for Easter. Beckham said, “I love London but we miss L.A. as a family every single day because it was so great to us for so many years. We were here for six years and we got treated unbelievably well as a family.” Beckham talked about having his son get a job to earn money to afford to new things, including soccer cleats and apparel. Host James Corden noted, “You know you’re sponsored by adidas, right? They’ll probably give you that stuff.” The interview featured the "exclusive" premiere of a new underwear line from Beckham and Corden (“The Late Late Show,” CBS, 3/31).

Last night’s Top Ten list was “Top Ten Signs You’re In A Lame Cult.” Letterman said the “Church of Scientology has come out against the film ‘Going Clear’” on HBO, which said “it’s a cult” (“Late Show,” CBS, 3/30).

10) “Claims its teaching can help you live up to 65 years.”
9) “Its motto is Latin for ‘We accept Visa and MasterCard.’”
8) “There's no weird naked stuff.”
7) “It's not a cult so much as it is a carpool.”
6) “Claims Jennifer Lawrence as a member, but it's really just one member named Jennifer and another named Lawrence.”
5) “Founded by L. Ron Howard.”
4) “’Headquarters’ is a Red Lobster.”
3) “Mostly about selling Mary Kay Cosmetics.”
2) “It's called ‘Greg's Holy Church of Letting Greg Sleep With Your Wife.’”
1) “The only way out is death or two-weeks written notice.”

“Who was Pearl Buck?”