The Pittsburgh-Allegheney County Sports & Exhibition Authority last night voted to provide about $2.8M to the Pirates for improvements the team has made at PNC Park. The funds will "cover about half" the $5.7M cost of upgrades to the ballpark's "sound system and control room, including new wiring and a new heating, ventilation and air conditioning system." The team will cover the balance of the cost (TRIBLIVE.com, 4/9). The "control room improvements will be in place" for Monday's home opener against the Tigers (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 4/10).

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred appeared on CNBC this morning and said while the '15 season is less than a week old, the league has seen “pretty good returns already” on its attempt to increase the pace of play. He again stressed the objective is not to shorten the game, but it was “more we wanted fans to look at the game and say, ‘It moved a little more crisply. It moved along at a good pace,’ and the slow moments in the game were shorter.” Red Sox Chair Tom Werner said he has “noticed in the first few games” the players have “adopted the program, and I do think the game is crisper” (“Squawk Box,” CNBC, 4/10).

Meanwhile, the Double-A Eastern League is adding pitch clocks this season, but they "will not be used until updated training is available for, and completed by, clock operators" (RICHMOND TIMES-DISPATCH, 4/10).

MLB Rangers co-Chair Ray Davis sat for a rare interview with the DALLAS MORNING NEWS, the first since his ownership group "took over the franchise" in '10. He added that it "might be his last" such Q&A. Davis said, "I think the focus should be on the people that are running the team – [manager] Jeff Banister and [GM] Jon Daniels – and players. ... And the more visible the ownership is, the less visible they are" (DALLASNEWS.com, 4/10).

About 25,000 Houston residents were on hand at the Astrodome last night for the abandoned venue's 50th anniversary celebration, including a "handful of erstwhile sports stars and a few local officials." The crowd "outnumbered those who entered Minute Maid Park" for an Indians-Astros game. After a "few words from dignitaries and the presentation of a Dome-shaped birthday cake," attendees were given the "final opportunity to walk along a carpeted path to see what remains" of the venue (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 4/10).

The IOC today announced that the city of Lausanne, Switzerland, has granted the organization a lease on its HQ for another 100 years through 2115. This comes as the IOC is "building new headquarters on the same site to bring all its 500 employees under one roof." The news was revealed amid a "series of ceremonies with local officials" to mark the 100th anniversary of modern Olympics founder Pierre de Coubertin deciding to establish the HQ in Lausanne (AP, 4/10).

The NFL has asked the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals to overturn Judge David Doty's Feb. 26 decision that vacated Vikings RB Adrian Peterson's suspension. The league is arguing that Doty "should have deferred" to the league's CBA and that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell "had the authority to levy whatever suspension he saw fit." Peterson can be considered for reinstatement Wednesday, so the NFL's appeal is "not likely to be heard in court until long after Peterson's status has been resolved." The legal issue in play is "how much authority the commissioner should retain in disciplinary matters" (ESPN.com, 4/9).

Sparks C Candace Parker "will sit out at least the beginning of the upcoming WNBA season to rest." Parker, "like many WNBA players, also plays overseas, essentially creating a year-round commitment to basketball." Sparks GM Penny Toler said, "It was Candace's decision." Mercury G Diana Taurasi in February said that she would miss the entire '15 WNBA season after accepting an offer to rest from Russian club UMMC Ekaterinburg, the same team Parker plays for. Unlike Taurasi, Parker "isn't getting paid" sit out (AP, 4/9).

CBS announced that it has reached "various carriage agreements to bring 'CBS All Access,' its digital subscription services," to 55% of U.S. households. The service charges $5.99 a month for "live-streaming and on-demand access" (HOLLYWOODREPORTER.com, 4/9).

Kaiser Permanente of the Mid-Atlantic States has signed a deal to become the Orioles' official health care and coverage provider. The multiyear sponsorship takes effect this week (Kaiser Permanente).

Mount St. Joseph basketball player Lauren Hill died last night from a rare form of brain cancer, DIPG. She became the face for the disease, "the voice for voiceless children and the name behind the donations to fight the battle against pediatric cancer" (LOCAL12.com, 4/10).

"A bowl game is like an NFL franchise. It's important for a city because at least one time a year your town is on Fox Sports or ESPN. That's Chamber of Commerce stuff. Shreveport is a great city, so having this game is very important" – Fox' Terry Bradshaw, on the Independence Bowl operating without a title sponsor (SHREVEPORT TIMES, 4/10).

"It's an event that brings the whole world together. And to have it in Boston would be amazing. Every host city has reservations, but once it happens, it's amazing" – NBC Sports' Johnny Weir, on Boston's bid for the '24 Games (BOSTON HERALD, 4/10).

"I have a charity foundation and want to auction them off, but I was a little worried about whether I was doing the right thing. But they were great to me" – Golfer Charley Hoffman, on a pair of Masters flags he bought at Augusta National's clubhouse and then had Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer autograph (N.Y. TIMES, 4/10).

Last night’s 11:00pm ET edition of ESPN’s “SportsCenter” led with Kings-Flames, followed by Yankees DH Alex Rodriguez hitting career home run No. 655, Steelers S Troy Polamalu announcing his retirement, Mets-Nationals, Indians-Astros, Blue Jays-Yankees and The Masters. Last night’s 11:00pm ET edition of FS1’s “Fox Sports Live” led with Polamalu’s announcement, followed by Masters highlights, Bulls-Heat and Trail Blazers-Warriors.

ESPN’s “Olbermann” did not air last night.

The BOSTON GLOBE notes, "A cursory look at the commentary coming from Hamburg and Rome, two cities competing with Boston for the 2024 Olympics, reveals that we are not alone in our Sturm und Drang and agita." The GLOBE also examines how the Olympic issue has exposed "peculiarly local foibles like nothing else could."

The N.Y. TIMES takes a closer look at Beijing's efforts to land the '22 Games under the header, "Scientists Question Environmental Impact Of China's Winter Olympics Bid."

Also:

• New rush of deals could create further consolidation of media.
• Why expansion to Las Vegas is worth the risk for the NHL.
• N.Y.'s famous night life carries perks, risks for pro athletes.
• A look at the role of search firms in college coaching hires.
• Does the golf industry need to appeal to millennials to survive?
• Thunder's brain trust has helped build team into perennial power.
• Denver's support of sports teams outpaces household incomes.
• Dallas sportscaster Dale Hansen becomes Internet sensation.

We lost one of our greatest storytellers today with the passing of legendary Philadelphia sportswriter Stan Hochman.

— Billie Jean King (@BillieJeanKing) April 10, 2015

Seen at Augusta:Van providing free shuttle to the course with big sign on top: "God Damn America in Jesus' Name." Not sure of interpretation

— Filip Bondy (@filipbondy) April 10, 2015

Slept on fact that NHL told #Habs they had TWO MINUTES to salute their great stars Lach & St. Laurent. I'm angrier now. Column coming today

— Dave Stubbs (@Dave_Stubbs) April 10, 2015

Bruins fans have grabbed the torch this morn...and stand poised to fire everybody.

— Kevin Paul Dupont (@GlobeKPD) April 10, 2015

NBC Sports Digital for the first time will use mobile app Meerkat to live stream the weigh-ins for Saturday's "Premier Boxing Champions" card via the @NBCSports Twitter handle.

Villanova Univ. hosts the '15 Jeffrey S. Moorad Sports Law Journal Symposium entitled "Game-Changers: An Inside Look at a Volatile Year in Sports."

Last night’s “Final Jeopardy!” category was “Reference Works.”

“Now in its fourth edition, the book with this title first appeared in 1918 as a 43-page guide for Cornell English students.”

TNT’s Kenny Smith appeared on TBS’ “Conan” last night with host Conan O’Brien calling Smith’s role on TNT’s “Inside The NBA” a “dream job.” O’Brien: “You get to sit there, you to get hang out, you get to talk about basketball. It's fun. It seems like it’s a pretty sweet job.” Smith said, “I would say it's a dream job, especially for a guy who grew up as a fan but at times, which is crazy, Charles (Barkley) goes, ‘I'm going to retire. I’m going to stop.’ I’m like, ‘Dude, we work one day a week.’ That is retirement” (“Conan,” TBS, 4/9).

“What is ‘Elements of Style?’”