NFL and Raiders reps yesterday met for the first time with Fortress Investment Group, which is proposing to invest $400M in the Oakland stadium plan, according to sources. The meeting in S.F. comes as the Oakland City Council tonight is scheduled to vote on entering an exclusive two-month negotiating period with Fortress to develop a new stadium and mixed-use development on the site of the Coliseum (Daniel Kaplan, Staff Writer). The vote is an "attempt to get something in front of the Raiders and the NFL to slow down the momentum of the Raiders' proposed move to Las Vegas" (S.F. CHRONICLE, 12/13).

Approval of the Fortress deal will "allow administrators to negotiate a formal agreement" for the project, which includes $350M in public money "by way of land and future revenue." Team Owner Mark Davis has committed to moving the Raiders to Las Vegas (AP, 12/13). Oakland leaders are "hoping to have a detailed proposal to present to NFL owners who have the final say on the team' move, and are expected to vote early next week" (EAST BAY TIMES, 12/13).

Four San Diego City Council members today are slated to send a letter to Chargers Owner Dean Spanos offering a "lease of $1 a year for 99 years for the Qualcomm Stadium site as a starting point for negotiations for a new stadium." Copies of the letter also will go to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and the 31 other NFL owners. The Chargers have until Jan. 15 to "exercise an option to join the Rams in a stadium in Inglewood scheduled to open" in '19 (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 12/13).

The Chargers tomorrow will ask league owners at their meeting in Irving, Texas, to waive the NFL mandated debt limit so the club can borrow half of the $550M relocation fee it would be assessed to move to L.A., sources said. Sources indicated that the debt waiver, along with the agreement with the Rams, is on the agenda for tomorrow’s meeting (Daniel Kaplan, Staff Writer).

The NFL today announced the four games it will stage in London during the '17 regular season (NFL).

'17 NFL LONDON SCHEDULE
WEEK	DATE	AWAY-HOME	SITE
3 or 4	9/24 or 10/1	Ravens-Jaguars	Wembley Stadium
3 or 4	9/24 or 10/1	Saints-Dolphins	Wembley Stadium
7 or 8	10/22 or 10/29	Vikings-Browns	Twickenham Stadium
7 or 8	10/22 or 10/29	Cardinals-Rams	Twickenham Stadium

Mets 3B David Wright in '04 wore a dress as part of the team's annual rookie hazing

MLB's new CBA today is set to be ratified by both sides, and as part of the agreement, the league created an anti-hazing and anti-bullying policy that "covers the practice" of dressing up rookies in women's clothes. The MLBPA "agreed not to contest it." The policy "prohibits 'requiring, coercing or encouraging' players from 'dressing up as women or wearing costumes that may be offensive to individuals based on their race, sex, nationality, age, sexual orientation, gender identify or other characteristic.'" Not all outfits are banned, as "superheroes such as Batman and Spider-Man are OK" (AP, 12/13).

Lagardère Sports today will announce that it has hired Matt Baldwin as VP/Coaching. Baldwin, working out of Baltimore, represents about 50 college and pro football/basketball coaches and execs. He will report to Lagardère President of Team Sports Joel Segal. Most recently, Baldwin worked at law firm Silverman Thompson Slutkin White as head of the Sports & Entertainment group. He has also worked at IMG, CAA Sports and Professional Sports Representation.

Baldwin's hire is part of a Segal's charge to build additional team sports, talent marketing and broadcasting practices through key hires and acquisitions. Segal was promoted to head the team sports practice in May, and the Baldwin hire is the first move by Segal in his new role.

Collier County (Fla.) commissioners today will decide "whether to push forward negotiations" with the Braves for a new Spring Training venue. It "could cost the county" $101M to build a ballpark, "buy the land and set up a parking lot." To pay for it, the county "would have to borrow the money and raise its tourist tax" from 4% to 5% to "help pay down that debt." County Manager Leo Ochs said that the decision "has to be made soon because the Braves will need a stadium" by spring '19 (NAPLES DAILY NEWS, 12/9). The Braves, "seeking to relocate their spring home from Disney World" in '19, also "continue to consider other sites in Florida, including one in Sarasota County" (ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION, 12/13).

Browns Owner Jimmy Haslam III today is scheduled to answer questions in a videotaped deposition about the "large-scale fraud that engulfed" his family business, the Pilot Flying J chain of fueling centers. He has been subpoenaed to appear at 9:30am ET today in Alcoa, Tenn. This will mark the "first time Haslam has been forced to discuss the issue since federal agents raided" the company's HQ in April '13 and "seized tens of thousands of documents" (Cleveland PLAIN DEALER, 12/13).

Kevin Johnson's stint as Sacramento Mayor ends today, and in his eight years on the job he was able to "keep the Kings in town, open the new Golden 1 Center and jump-start development downtown." His "biggest victory" came in May '14 when the City Council "approved the arena financing deal with the Kings." He and the City Council also "paved the way for construction at the downtown railyard, which could include a soccer stadium if Republic FC succeeds" in making the jump from USL to MLS (SACRAMENTO BEE, 12/10).

NBA China and eHi Car Services Limited today announced a multiyear marketing partnership that will make eHi the official marketing partner and car rental services partner of the NBA in China (eHi).

The NBA D-League will experiment with four- and five-person officiating crews for nine games this season, beginning Dec. 26 (NBA).

Kentucky Speedway will "go totally smoke-free in all seating areas next year." The ban "includes e-cigs and vapor" (Daytona Beach NEWS-JOURNAL, 12/13).

The Hartford Stadium Authority today will "resume its monthly meetings to get an update from Arch Insurance" on the completion of Dunkin' Donuts Park. The meeting comes with "exactly four months left" until the Double-A Eastern League Hartford Yard Goats' next scheduled opening day of April 13 (HARTFORD COURANT, 12/13).

“We’re going to start charging Bill (Battle) and Nick (Saban) some income tax for coming to Atlanta so much” – Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl President Gary Stokan, joking on Alabama football playing in Atlanta so often in recent years (DOTHAN EAGLE, 12/13).

"Hopefully, we laid a foundation down. It kind of opened our eyes on different situations going on out there. It brought awareness to a lot of things that have happened out there" – Knicks F Carmelo Anthony, on his efforts to inspire social change in '16 (THEUNDEFEATED.com, 12/12).

"She trailblazed a way for girls like me who want to make some money. I’m hoping to stand on top of her shoulders and continue to have judo girls kill it in the cage" – Olympic judo Gold Medalist Kayla Harrison, on UFC fighter Ronda Rousey (N.Y. TIMES, 12/13).

"There’s a lot of traffic in Atlanta, I’m not going to solve that" – Braves President of Development Mike Plant, on the team's plans for traffic and transportation to SunTrust Park (ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION, 12/13).

USA TODAY's Martin Rogers writes FIFA should "strip Russia" of the '18 World Cup in the wake of another investigation into state-sponsored doping. While the narrative of Russian drug cheating has "primarily revolved around the Olympics," soccer is "also one of 30 sports named."

The N.Y. TIMES notes the Pistons next season "end their 39-year self-exile from Detroit." It began in the late '70s, when the team in a sport "played increasingly by young black men fled the city while hockey’s white-as-ice Red Wings stored their gloves and sticks in a downtown arena named for Joe Louis."

Also: 

• How do President Obama and President-elect Trump differ on concussion policy?
• NHL Panthers exec Eric Joyce's unusual path includes military service in Iraq.
• Rams' homecoming season in L.A. has not gone exactly as planned.

There could be some adjustments, but it appears the Dodgers will pay more in luxury tax in 2017 than the Padres will dole out in salaries.

— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) December 12, 2016

How can a professional announcer not know what the word "pliable" means?#MNF #Gruden #patriots

— Rob Lowe (@RobLowe) December 13, 2016

If we're trying to get the Old Englanders to embrace the #NFL, why send that lineup of games to London for 2017? #Yeesh #💩

— Matt Chatham (@chatham58) December 13, 2016

Concussion settlement? NFL surrounded the fort, starved the troops. Doesn't come close to needs but something while alive-a bad choice.

— Ralph Cindrich (@RalphCindrich) December 13, 2016

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

MLS will hold its expansion draft at 2:00pm ET to fill up the rosters of Atlanta United and Minnesota United. The draft will "consist of five rounds, so 10 MLS teams will lose just one player." Free agency will open at 5:00pm, but the list of players is "very small compared to the expansion pool" (ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION, 12/13).

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

“In a 1694 Royal Society lecture, he suggested an astronomical cause for the biblical flood in Genesis.”

Last night’s edition of “Jeopardy!” featured the category “Basketball.”

$200: “If you want to play tight defense, employ a ‘full court’ this.”
$400: “The 2015 and 2016 NBA Finals both matched up these two teams.”
$600: “In the NBA, an award is given to the best of these ordinal players, usually the first off the bench.”
$800: “2015-16 was the 19th and final season for this NBA great from the U.S. Virgin Islands.”
$1000: “Karl Malone was one of the most dominant at this two-word position.”

NBC’s Jimmy Fallon said, “The NFL just announced that there will be four regular season games in London next year, and people in London are psyched. In fact, one fan's already wearing her beer crown. She's very excited” (“The Tonight Show,” NBC, 12/12).

“Who is Edmond Halley?”

Correct responses to the “Basketball” category:

$200: “What is a press?”
$400: “Who are the Cavaliers and Warriors?”
$600: “What is the sixth man?”
$800: “Who is Tim Duncan?”
$1000: “What is a power forward?”