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Today: Big Silicon Valley players look to grab “TNF” streaming rights, and the Rays’ ballpark site search hits another roadblock.

The NFL is "selling the rights to stream its 'Thursday Night Football' games next season, and at least four big tech companies are interested." Sources said that Facebook, Amazon, Twitter and YouTube "have all submitted proposals to the NFL." All four companies also "talked to the NFL last year about the same deal, which Twitter won" with a $10M bid to stream 10 games. It is "possible others have also submitted proposals" (RECODE.net, 3/23).

Meanwhile, the Redskins have submitted a proposal that "would change league bylaws to allow teams to opt out of the Color Rush uniforms." Under current rules, teams playing in "TNF" games "have to wear the uniforms" (PROFOOTBALLTALK.com, 3/24).

A report by the California Legislative Analyst's Office yesterday stated that L.A.'s bid for the '24 Games "avoids the financial pitfalls that have plagued recent Games." The LAO "called on city officials, the legislature and Gov. Jerry Brown to join LA 2024 officials in a united California front against potential pressure" from the IOC to "adopt changes that would increase the cost of hosting the Games" (ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, 3/24).

Meanwhile, LA 2024 Chair Casey Wasserman yesterday tweeted in response to the IOC's proposal that it simultaneously award the '24 and '28 Games to the two remaining bidders for '24 -- L.A. and Paris.

At this critical time, IOC's 24/28 strategy is smart if 24 city provides new ideas, stability & lowest risk for next 7 years. That's @LA2024

— Casey Wasserman (@caseywasserman) March 24, 2017

Rays Owner Stuart Sternberg "revealed some complications in his team's search for a new stadium on Thursday, yet said he's still confident they will find a new home in the Tampa Bay area." The Rays' "top five choices for a new stadium -- three in Tampa and two in St. Petersburg -- are unavailable." That "may push the team's time line for finding a new site" from August to the end of '17. Sternberg: "We had some ideas on locations that just weren't available, that I thought would have worked perfectly, but they're off the table" (TAMPA BAY TIMES, 3/24).

Erie County (N.Y.) lawmakers yesterday "voted 10-1 to take ownership of the three acres next to the Bills' existing practice facilities." A few legislators last week "questioned whether Erie County should take title to the land." The Bills "bought the property with the intention of converting it" into a $4.5M practice field. But Majority Leader Joseph Lorigo said that the team "should own its practice field and pay taxes on it." The property will now be "rolled into the 197-acre stadium complex already owned by Erie County, which includes New Era Field, the Bills' Field House and other practice facilities." The Bills currently "have one outdoor practice field" (BUFFALO NEWS, 3/24).

The St. Paul Port Authority staff is recommending Milwaukee-based developer Irgens "as a partner in the effort to redevelop the Midway Shopping Center property" next to the MLS stadium site. If approved by Port Authority officials, Irgens will "enter a joint venture" with the Port and Minnesota United to "eventually purchase a 15.6-acre site that contains the shopping center -- part of which needs to come down to make way for the stadium." Irgens will have 60% ownership in the joint venture, the soccer team will have 30% and the Port Authority will have 10% (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 3/24).

The Mets and concessionaire Aramark yesterday unveiled a series of new food and beverage options for the ’17 season at Citi Field, including ballpark versions of N.Y. culinary favorites Cookie Dô NYC, which makes an edible cookie dough, and Nicoletta Pizzeria. Also planned for this season is the introduction of the Jim Beam Bourbon Bar in center field near the Home Run Apple. The new offerings follow a series of larger facility changes rolled last year at Citi Field, now entering its ninth season, including a renaming of two luxury areas for car brand Porsche and the introduction of the Coca-Cola Corner and Bud Light Landing. “It’s very important to keep iterating each season, and keep pushing the envelope on what’s possible from a fan experience standpoint,” said Exec VP & CRO Lou DePaoli.

TNT’s Shaquille O’Neal appeared on ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live” last night, with host Jimmy Kimmel telling the audience during his monologue, “We have a big and tall show for you tonight." Kimmel noted the last time O’Neal was a guest on the show "I surprised him. The Lakers let me tell him on the air ... that they were putting a statue of him up at the Staples Center. At first, he didn't believe me, he thought it was a prank. It turns out I have a credibility problem." The broadcast aired footage of workers installing the statue of O’Neal, with Kimmel saying it was “nine feet tall, it weighs 1,200 pounds, so it’s actual size and weight."

Kimmel said to O’Neal, “To get a statue of yourself outside the Staples Center is very, very rare and very special.” O’Neal: “I have to thank you because I came here around this time last year and you told and you know I don’t believe anything you say.” Kimmel: “I had to go back after the show and say, ‘No, I wasn’t kidding, you’re really getting a statue.’” O’Neal said for the unveiling ceremony tonight in L.A., he won’t “wing it” but prepare a speech for the occasion. O’Neal: “I’ll probably go tonight and just sit and re-watch the show and see how beautiful I am. Then I’ll probably just start writing it” (“Jimmy Kimmel Live,” ABC, 3/24).

A fire at Texas Tech's Athletics Sports Performance Center construction site on Wednesday night caused "minimal damage." Safety protocols "were in place and no delays in the project are expected" (LUBBOCK AVALANCHE-JOURNAL, 3/24).

Acura today runs a full-page ad in USA Today touting the inclusion of its NSX GT3 Race Car in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and SCCA Pirelli World Challenge (THE DAILY).

LG today promotes its sponsorship of the NCAA Tournament in a full-page ad in USA Today for its SideKick top-loading washer (THE DAILY).

MLB today runs a full-page ad in USA Today congratulating Team USA on its World Baseball Classic victory and recognizing global sponsors GungHo, Hublot, Nippon Express and Nomura (THE DAILY).

"It's going to be snappy; very nice. It's probably going to be the most valuable ring in U.S. sports" – Cubs Chair Tom Ricketts, on the club's World Series rings, which it will hand out on April 12 (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 3/24).

"An educational training video on celebrations? Spend that money on something else like a video on investments or something that will help the players" – Packers TE Martellus Bennett, on the NFL producing a video to illustrate how players are permitted to celebrate (BOSTON GLOBE, 3/24).

"It’s easy for me, because I’m working for an owner who just doesn’t believe in it" – Hornets coach Steve Clifford, on how team Owner Michael Jordan influences his decision not to rest players (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 3/24).

"I could learn as much or more from Bill Belichick as I could from the manager of Manchester City. I think it’s critical to understand what coaching is and how to manage a team, and the sport is immaterial" – U.S. men's national team coach Bruce Arena (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 3/24).

"Filling Lawlor [Events Center] twice this year for sellouts and having 10,000 or more people (six) times this year, that made a difference. That made a difference in Eric Musselman’s decision-making process, and that’s a big deal to us" – Nevada AD Doug Knuth, on retaining men's basketball coach Eric Musselman (RENO GAZETTE-JOURNAL, 3/24).

WSB-ABC notes Falcons Owner Arthur Blank has "donated his Mountain Sky Ranch in Montana for veterans to become disconnected in the remote wilderness." It is part of the Heroes and Horses program, which helps veterans who are "struggling to adjust back to life in society." The effort is centered around the vets "finding their purpose in life."

Also: 

• Writers weigh in on which college basketball programs "are the best to deal with."
• Spend 24 hours with ESPN's Adam Schefter on his "biggest day of the year."
• LaVar Ball is "the epicenter of a national debate over parental bravado."
• UK, UNC, UCLA could make the South Regional a "better show" than the Final Four.
• Will NHL teams start resting star players like their NBA counterparts?

2 months ago, we developed program for female 🏈players to enter @NFL. Today, we focus on the women who currently take names in NFL #progress

— Samantha Rapoport (@samrap10) March 24, 2017

Biggest improvement I think that could be made is partnering with platforms for live distro. Don't put all games on MLB-owned properties.

— Kyle Stack (@KyleStack) March 24, 2017

The goalposts for Kaepernick are moving so rapidly now they should be put on wheels.

— mike freeman (@mikefreemanNFL) March 24, 2017

I've always thought the sports equivalent of pilot season is preseason: Possibilities and promise, but let me know when the season starts. https://t.co/OofiJAXZZd

— Steven Coogan (@stevenacoogan) March 24, 2017

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

The NFL kicks off its second annual Women's Career Development Symposium. The two-day event in Phoenix will bring together more than 40 female execs from NFL teams and the league office.

The Univ. of Florida holds its Entertainment & Sports Law Symposium at the UF Martin Law Martin Levin Advocacy Center. The keynote speakers are Exclusive Sports Group President & CEO Andrew Baker and ESPN's Andrew Brandt.

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#Leafs hold moment of silence for the victims of recent attack in London pic.twitter.com/UHKPjnQdIT

— Kristen Shilton (@kristen_shilton) March 23, 2017

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

“The word that gave us ‘picaresque’ may also have inspired the name of this clever valet featured in a 1786 opera.”

“Who is Figaro?”