The Nevada Senate yesterday "amended and passed a bill raising room taxes in Clark County to help fund" a domed football stadium and Las Vegas Convention Center improvements. The bill "now moves to the Assembly." Yesterday's vote "capped the second day of a special session called by Gov. Brian Sandoval" and "ended a long day of behind-the-scenes negotiations and passionate discussion." The bill "would boost the room tax rate by 0.88 of a percentage point to finance" $750M in "general obligation bonds over 30 years" (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 10/12).

See today's issue of THE DAILY for more.

President Obama last night was asked about athlete protests and what is the best way for athletes to effect social change, and he noted there are “so many ways to have an impact.” Obama: “How you do it is less important than your commitment to use whatever platform you have to speak to the issues that matter to people.” The comments came during an ESPN-hosted forum on sports and race from Greensboro, N.C., with anchor Stan Verrett as moderator. Obama said his “attitude with respect to all young people, including athletes who may have a higher profile, is you get engaged, you get involved, you get educated about the issues that are affecting your lives and then figure out what’s the best way for you to make a difference. Some people may decide that’s through protest. Others may decide, 'I want to mentor'” (ESPN, 10/11).

Heat players and coaches "locked arms" during the National Anthem before the start of last night's preseason game against the Nets. The team will "continue to talk" about what they can do to "make a difference." Heat F Justise Winslow said, "The next step is starting change in some way shape or form." The Heat also locked arms "while the team observed a moment of silence" for late Marlins P Jose Fernandez, as well as the two other victims of his fatal boating accident, Eduardo Rivero and Emilio Macias. The Nets stood with "their arms around each other" (PALMBEACHPOST.com, 10/11).

Meanwhile, the National Anthem singer at Monday night's NBA Kings preseason game "decided to kneel during the performance." The action by Leah Tysse before the game against Israel's Maccabi Haifa was "an apparent protest against racial injustice." The Kings organization said it respected Tysse's right to "exercise her freedom of speech." A team official said that she was "chosen to sing by a partner organization" (SACRAMENTO BEE, 10/11).

NBA China and Tencent Holdings have launched NBA League Pass in China, marking the first time fans in the country will have access to the subscription service featuring all NBA games. League Pass is available on Tencent Sports. For the '16-17 season, a subscription is priced at $164 (all figures US), with single games available for $2.20 each. The Team Pass option, priced at $55, includes all of the games for one team (NBA).

Ticketmaster has signed a multiyear contract extension with the Univ. of Florida to continue as the school’s official ticketing partner. The renewal makes Florida the 15th university to renew with Ticketmaster so this far year, following Oklahoma State, Georgetown, Georgia State and others. The deal covers football, basketball, baseball and Olympic sports, and it includes a variety of analytics services and integration with CRM outfit Fan Interactive Marketing, which also works with the UF athletic department. Ticketmaster has partnered with the school since '08.

ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith appeared on ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live” last night and talked about calling the upcoming Manny Pacquiao-Jessie Vargas boxing match. Smith: “When I think about me calling a boxing match, I grew up idolizing Howard Cosell. ... He was doing boxing every week and I loved it. The first boxing match I saw was Muhammad Ali versus Jerry Quarry in 1970. I was three, and I fell in love with the sport ever since, because my father is this big boxing fan. I never dreamed in my wildest dreams I would get to call a boxing match, particularly one of this magnitude. But then again, things tend to happen in a good way for me. After all, I'm here” (“Jimmy Kimmel Live,” ABC, 10/11).

We will go one-on-one with Under Armour Founder, Chair & CEO Kevin Plank on Dec. 7, and we will find out why he is so bullish on college sports. For more information and to register for the Dec. 7-8 Forum at the New York Marriott Marquis at Times Square, visit www.IntercollegiateAthleticsForum.com.

ESPN next year plans to launch a reimagined version of the 6:00pm ET "SportsCenter" led by Michael Smith and Jemele Hill. The on-air duo will take over as co-anchors on Feb. 6, the day after Super Bowl LI (ESPN).

The Stony Brook Univ. athletic department and Van Wagner Sports & Entertainment have reached a multiyear deal for Van Wagner to manage the department's multimedia and corporate sponsorship rights (Stony Brook Athletics).

Dick's Sporting Goods has signed a two-year deal with the Houston Marathon Committee to sponsor pre-race and post-race stretching zones for January's Chevron Houston Marathon. Financial terms "were not disclosed" (BIZJOURNALS.com, 10/11).

"USADA is in the business of trying to catch as many people as they can -- trying to make the test as sensitive as possible. ... They want to justify their paycheck at the end of the day" – UFC fighter Frank Mir, who in March tested positive for traces of an anabolic steroid (ESPN.com, 10/11).

"The love and support they have for me and the Houston Rockets is second to none. Hopefully, we can come back here next year or the year after that" – Rockets G James Harden, on the team's visit to China for a preseason game against the Pelicans (CHRON.com, 10/11).

"Competitively, we have more than gotten into the conversation as a Power Six. Everything is Power Five, Power Five, Power Five, and we've had to deal with it. It's been a real obstacle" – AAC Commissioner Mike Aresco (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 10/12).

"You can make the claim that we’re the best conference in the country. ACC football is as strong and as successful as it’s ever been" – Syracuse AD John Wildhack, on the ACC's decision not to change its scheduling model (ESPN.com, 10/11).

"Trump may fit in if he came in here, who knows?" – Broncos CB Aqib Talib, on Donald Trump's assertion that his lewd comments on tape were "locker-room banter" (Colorado Springs GAZETTE, 10/12).

The N.Y. TIMES writes gender equity disputes, displays of patriotism, arguments about workplace conditions and international squabbling are all "subjects that have lingered over U.S. soccer in recent months." The emotional impact of these "contentious issues is not limited to the players and officials involved," as fans are also taking sides.

Pro Football HOFer Steve Young in an excerpt from his new book, "My Life Behind The Spiral," wrote, "People think I live a charmed life. Maybe I do. After all, I play a boys’ game for a living. But it’s not just a game to me. It’s more like life or death."

Also: 

• Mark Shapiro's "fingerprints are all over" both the Indians and the Blue Jays.
• Nebraska's Rose-Ivey "remains bewildered" by reaction to his Anthem protest.
• Roger Goodell's critics feel he has come up "woefully short" in dealing with CTE.
• An inside look at David Ortiz' last moments in a Red Sox uniform.

A Chicago Cubs vs Cleveland Indians World Series is now slightly more likely than a Trump presidency.

— Nate Silver (@NateSilver538) October 12, 2016

Las Vegas Raiders. Just say it, doesn't it make sense.

— Mark Dominik (@MarkdominikESPN) October 12, 2016

ARod & Pete Rose: the oddest analyst pair on the planet. raw, honest, funny, interesting, wacky. I'm 1am punchy too, so it worked for me.

— Chris Fowler (@cbfowler) October 12, 2016

I swear Harold Reynolds talks just to talk. He makes up analysis just to hear the sound of his voice.

— Sal Maiorana (@salmaiorana) October 11, 2016

Fantastic news that @TonyKanaan will be back next season. In '16 he drove as well as I've ever seen him. @scottdixon9 and he make a 💪🏼 team https://t.co/IWqrKSBgSQ

— Dario Franchitti (@dariofranchitti) October 12, 2016

If you see a tweet we will not want to miss, send it to us at editorial@sportsbusinessdaily.com

Great to officially open my new Wine & Whisky Bar today at Edmonton Airport! pic.twitter.com/yZDAtVQCSr

— Wayne Gretzky (@OfficialGretzky) October 12, 2016

Last night’s “Final Jeopardy!” category was “Geography & Language.”

The world’s busiest container port, its name is also an English verb with criminal overtones.

NBC’s Jimmy Fallon said Donald Trump is “still under fire for the lewd and offensive tape that was released last week, the one he referred to as ‘locker room talk.’ Now, pro athletes are speaking out against it saying that is not how they speak in the locker room, while Tim Tebow said, 'I don't even like to say 'Billy Bush.''” Fallon: “I read about a high school football team in Washington state that has outscored its past three opponents 170-0. Players are pretty psyched. The first player said, ‘It's been an amazing season. I hope to keep it up.’ Next player said, ‘It's been an amazing run. It feels like we're unbeatable.’ Finally, their quarterback said, ‘Sorry guys, but I have to go back to my regular team’” (“The Tonight Show,” NBC, 10/11).

“What is Shanghai?”