Rome's new mayor, Virginia Raggi, "has decided to withdraw the city's backing for a bid to host" the '24 Games. The decision, to be formally announced later today, "effectively sinks Rome's bid and narrows the field" to Paris, L.A. and Budapest. Raggi's "anti-establishment" supporters "had always expressed doubts about staging" the Games, claiming that the "heavily indebted city could ill-afford to finance the investment needed." Italian Olympic Committee President Giovanni Malago has said that the bid "would fail without the city council's backing" (REUTERS, 9/21).

Team Canada last night eliminated the U.S. from World Cup of Hockey with a 4-2 win, and the mood at Air Canada Centre was "electric right from the beginning." The excitement could be felt from "blocks away." There was a "playoff atmosphere" in Toronto, and the "buzz in the arena was intoxicating." There were "some empty seats but it did not affect the overall mood" (TORONTO SUN, 9/21). In a "strange way, the Canadian efficiency quieted the pro-Canadian crowd all dressed up in red and white" (TORONTO SUN, 9/21).

Meanwhile, yesterday's crowd at the WCOH fan festival was "far from the ground capacity of 15,000," but the event "managed to attract fans from near and far" (TORONTO STAR, 9/21).

A group of investors with ties to Pro Football HOFer Ronnie Lott is "offering to purchase" the Oakland Coliseum land for $167.3M with "hopes of keeping the Raiders in Oakland," according to sources. The group's attorney sent a letter expressing the offer to local officials last week. The letter arrived before NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell "expressed optimism for a stadium deal in Oakland." Sources said that city officials view Goodell's comments as a "positive sign for an Oakland stadium deal, but that they are not moving forward with the offer from the investment group" (EAST BAY TIMES, 9/21).

MLB yesterday announced that Texas Live!, the mixed-use development near Globe Life Park and the Rangers’ planned new ballpark, is "expected to finally happen" by Opening Day in '18, with construction "set to begin in November." A 200,000-square-foot entertainment space "will be the first" part of the development to open. A 300-room hotel and 35,000 square feet of convention space "will follow that fall" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 9/21).

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred, in Arlington for the announcement, "offered his full support” for the proposed retractable-roof stadium as a “way to combat the excessive heat during the summer" (FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 9/21).

Texas Live: exciting things are coming Opening Day 2018! pic.twitter.com/xD9WWKMXiK

— Texas Rangers (@Rangers) September 20, 2016

Lagardere Sports has been hired as management consultant to the PGA Tour Greenbrier Classic. The company will work as an advisor to tournament operations and assist in player recruitment, sponsorship sales and activation around the event, which was canceled this year due to flooding. The '17 Greenbrier Classic is set for July 3-9 at the Old White TPC Course at the Greenbrier resort in West Virginia.

Lagardere also manages the PGA Tour Safeway Open and serves as management consultant for the CareerBuilder Challenge. In addition, the agency manages the Web.com Tour Albertson’s Boise Open Finals and “25 Card” WinCo Foods Portland Open.

Sources said that the Univ. of Florida "has extended an offer" to Mississippi State AD Scott Stricklin to be the next UF AD, replacing the retiring Jeremy Foley. A source said that the deal was for "at least" $1M a year but "could be upwards" of $1.4M. Stricklin makes $500,000 at MSU. He is from Jackson, Miss., and graduated from MSU, where he became AD in '10. Foley's last day at UF is Oct. 1 (Jackson CLARION-LEDGER, 9/21).

Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta is being built for the big events – that was the clear message from Falcons President & CEO Rich McKay during a presentation at the '16 AXS Sports Facilities & Franchises Conference on the new venue, which is set to open in the summer of '17. The size, scale and flexibility of the building was noted time and again by McKay, who said, “Too often big events aren’t a focus. But we focused on big events, like the college football championship, the NCAA Final Four and the SEC Championship. We wanted to make sure the building could house all of them.”

The conference continues today, highlighted by a closer look at the construction of U.S. Bank Stadium with Vikings Exec VP & CMO Steve LaCroix and Van Wagner Sports & Entertainment President & CEO Jeff Knapple, followed by a tour of the facility. Other morning panels will focus on team-created content and the potential for VR to change the fan experience. See the full agenda.

In two weeks, the NeuLion Sports Media & Technology conference will kick off in Manhattan Beach, Calif. Check out the all-star speaker line-up, which includes Clippers Owner Steve Ballmer, on our Events page.

The Austin Sports Commission is negotiating with the PBR to "bring a two-day event to the city next September," staging it at Erwin Center (AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 9/21).

When Hard Rock Stadium opens to the public Sunday for the Dolphins' regular-season home opener, a "dozen giant street-art murals, some up to 150 feet wide, by 12 artists, will be on view" at the venue (N.Y. TIMES, 9/21).

The Ivy League today will announce a "series of proposals aimed at curbing early recruiting in college sports." The proposed new rules would "prohibit verbal offers from coaches to potential recruits until Sept. 1 of the student's junior year of high school" (INSIDEHIGHERED.com, 9/21).

"People on both sides of the table understand that the game's doing well, and what should be most important to both sides is making sure we keep the game on the field for our fans" – MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred, on CBA talks with the MLBPA (AP, 9/20).

"This is not going to be something that's turned around in two or three months. As we've said before, we want something that's done strategically and systematically, build a strong foundation and not something that's a fleeting moment" – Nets GM Sean Marks, on the team's current rebuilding project (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 9/21).

ESPN.com notes, "Only three players of color are competing in the World Cup of Hockey. Team USA coach John Tortorella's stance on the anthem protests across professional sports has only made hockey look more exclusionary, an insulated world as unyielding as the ice it's played on."

Also: 

• Twitter's "TNF" stream shows NFL adapting to media landscape.
• SI visits St. Louis to find out what city will do now without Rams.
• NFL's concussion protocol remains flawed Despite improvements.
• Vikings WR Stefon Diggs looks to set fashion trend on practice field.

Criticism of #Mariners marketing to #BlueJays fans also way off. Part of job. Had other M's depts done more since '01, stands would be full.

— Geoff Baker (@GeoffBakerTIMES) September 21, 2016

Enough is enough though for USA Hockey - thank Lombardi/Holmgren/Burke/Torts for services, & never let them be involved again...

— Greg Brady (@gbradyradio) September 21, 2016

Blow it up, Team USA. Blow it all up from top to bottom. This reeks. #WCH2016

— Justin Karp (@jskarp) September 21, 2016

Nice activation from @SonnetInsurance at #WCH2016. Want fans to put attention to your brand? Give them a reason to do so. #sportsbiz pic.twitter.com/u9D43Iic2O

— Neil Horowitz (@njh287) September 20, 2016

The Wisconsin Procurement Institute will mode a panel discussion at the Packers' Mentor-Protege networking event at Lambeau Field. The event will feature reps of purchasing departments and businesses discussing purchasing methods.

Last night’s “Final Jeopardy!” category was “Pop Culture Characters.”

“In 2015 this character was made an honorary citizen of Japan after over 60 years of residence there.”

Last night’s edition of “Jeopardy!” featured the category “Major League Ballpark Food.”
For $200: “A little sweet, a little salty. It's the sweet potato waffle chicken sandwich at the Houston ballpark of this team.”
For $400: “Buy me some peanuts and also the ‘Cracker Jack and Mac’ dog topped with caramel sauce at this team’s PNC Park, arr!”
For $600: “Enjoy some mini doughnuts and toppings in a souvenir helmet at this St. Louis ballpark.”
For $800: “The Buffalo Cauliflower Poutine is a vegetarian option at this team’s Rogers Centre.”
For $1000: “Specialties of this ballpark include a crab and melted cheese pretzel and Chesapeake waffle fries topped with crab dip.”

Former NFLer Marshawn Lynch was a guest on TBS’ “Conan” to talk about life after retirement. Lynch said of calling the NFL the No Fun League, “The NFL don’t like a lot of stuff.” He then looked at his feet (wearing socks and flip flops instead of shoes) and said, “They might have fined me for this.” Lynch said of 49ers QB Colin Kaepernick’s national anthem protest, “With what’s going on I'd rather see him take a knee than stand up. … Got to start somewhere, and if that was the starting point, I just hope people open up their eyes to see that it's really a problem going on and something needs to be done for it to stop.” Before Lynch left one person in the audience received a “golden ticket” to Seattle with Lynch to tour the chocolate factory where Lynch’s new “Beast Mode Chocolate Bars” are made (“Conan,” TBS, 9/21).

NBC’s Jimmy Fallon said, “Panthers quarterback Cam Newton is getting mocked online for the outfit that he wore to his post-game press conference on Sunday. In a statement, Newton said, ‘I'm just trying to mix things up and add some class to these press conferences. If you have any problems with that, take it up with my friend, Mr. Chuckles’” (“The Tonight Show,” NBC, 9/20).

“Who is Godzilla?”

Correct responses to the “Major League Ballpark Food” category:
For $200: “Who are the Astros?”
For $400: “Who are the Pirates?”
For $600: “What is Busch Stadium?”
For $800: “Who are the Blue Jays?”
For $1000: “Who are the Nationals?”