NFL owners will almost surely approve the Raiders' relocation to Las Vegas by noon PT today, conditional on the team securing a lease and hiring a developer. After the vote in Phoenix, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, Raiders Owner Mark Davis, Texans Owner Bob McNair (finance committee chair) and Steelers President Art Rooney II (stadium committee chair) are set to speak to the media. The Raiders would play two more seasons in Oakland. It is unclear where they would play in '19, with the $1.7B Las Vegas stadium not slated to be completed until '20.

One "major franchise issue being whispered about" at the NFL owners' meeting in Arizona is the future of the Panthers. Owner Jerry Richardson is "advanced in age, is battling some health issues and is not attending this meeting, and many other owners anticipate this franchise to be sold before his passing." While owners "anticipate there will end up being stern restrictions forbidding the franchise from moving to be part of any deal, there is growing sentiment that this could become more of a front-burner issue this offseason" (CBSSPORTS.com, 3/26).

Meanwhile, sources indicated that the regular-season games in Mexico City, "while not only being continued, could eventually be expanded to multiple games" per year (CBSSPORTS.com, 3/26). Steelers President Art Rooney II noted his team is "not on the list" to play in Mexico this season. However, he is "hoping it happens in 'the next few years'" (TRIBLIVE.com, 3/26).

The NFL’s effort to improve the pace of its broadcasts could reduce game length by an average of five minutes, NFL Exec VP/Communications Joe Lockhart said, echoing what NFL Senior VP/Officiating Dean Blandino told owners last night to kick off their annual meeting. Last week, NFL COO Tod Leiweke at the Leaders Sports Business Summit said the average game takes three hours and eight minutes, so a five-minute reduction is a less-than-3% drop. Lockhart: “There is an average of 156 plays in a game, but our goal is to keep that but to take five minutes out of the dead time.”

During yesterday evening's one-hour session, owners also heard videotaped presentations from Apple CEO Tim Cook and GE Chair & CEO Jeff Immelt. Their comments were interspersed with presentations from league execs, Lockhart said. Asked about potential business ties with Apple, Lockhart said that is not why Cook spoke, but he did not specify what Cook spoke about.

Dolphins Owner Stephen Ross has "proposed building a state-of-the-art tennis complex adjacent to Hard Rock Stadium and partnering" with the ATP/WTA Miami Open owners to "move the 32-year-old tournament from Key Biscayne to Miami Gardens." The proposal, which would be privately funded, would include a Stadium Court "inside the football stadium for marquee matches, a smaller permanent Grandstand Stadium, permanent match courts and permanent practice courts." It would also feature a "hospitality area with permanent dining and entertainment facilities" (MIAMI HERALD, 3/27).

American NHL players plan to "skip participation of the men's IIHF World Championships in May if USA Hockey uses replacement players at the women's IIHF World Championships." USA Hockey "continued to seek out replacement players during the weekend, although it has struggled mightily to land enough players to fill out the roster as several would-be players took to social media to state they had rebuffed offers to play." The women's world championships are set to begin in Michigan on Friday (USA TODAY, 3/27).

Las Vegas' Cashman Field in its annual Big League Weekend hosted "two sold-out games" featuring the Cubs and Reds, with crowds of 11,455 on hand Saturday and 11,285 Sunday. Fans had "complimentary things to say about the stadium experience" despite the "narrow, crowded concourse and long waits in line." Attendance for the Triple-A PCL Las Vegas 51s is "typically much lower" at the ballpark, so "some of these problems are less likely to crop up on an average day." But they prompted 51s President & COO Don Logan to consider what the event "might be like at a new park" (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 3/27).

Boston-based New Balance today is launching a marketing campaign that "celebrates its roster of Boston-area athletes and the city's unique sports accomplishments." The effort, dubbed “This Is Boston,” features Bruins D Zdeno Chara and D Torey Krug; Red Sox 2B Dustin Pedroia and LF Brock Holt; U.S. runners Abbey D’Agostino and Cory McGee; and skateboarder PJ Ladd. The brand’s spring campaign "runs through April and will greet crowds" at next month’s Boston Marathon (BOSTON HERALD, 3/27).

An estimated 90 San Jose Police Department officers "responded to a violent skirmish" yesterday afternoon outside of Avaya Stadium "between fans of two Mexican soccer clubs set to play a match there" – Club America and Monarcas Morelia. A stadium fence was "torn down in the ensuing skirmish." Attendees of the exhibition match "entered the stadium without further incident and police planned to monitor the situation throughout the evening" (S.F. CHRONICLE, 3/27).

At a ballroom dinner event, Lois notes she is the “only woman here.” Peter: “Yeah, they’re ex-athletes, which means they’re all divorced. In fact, their ex-wives are having a banquet next door with their money.” The coach then invites Lois to sit at the head table “right between Pedro Martinez and Ted Williams’ severed head.” Williams: “There’s a special place in hell for whoever’s responsible for me ending up like this” (“Family Guy,” Fox, 3/26).

Are you or someone you know in sports business going to the Final Four this weekend in Phoenix? If so, SBJ/SBD wants to hear about your experience. Sign up here and we’ll connect with you after the nets are cut down.

Massachusetts state lawmakers are "exploring a major expansion that would position it as one of only four states to allow online gambling" (BOSTON GLOBE, 3/26).

The "third and final phase" of the Braves' SunTrust Park transportation plan is expected to be released today (MDJONLINE.com, 3/26).

A Rupp Arena crowd of 2,527 attended yesterday's Stanford-Notre Dame NCAA women's tournament game, which aired on ESPN before the start of men's tourney games on CBS. Stanford won 76-75 to advance to the women's Final Four (THE DAILY).

Tough Mudder has reached a deal with Active Network to serve as the endurance racing series' event management technology provider beginning in '18 (Tough Mudder).

"They’ve saved up their money. They want to go see somebody play, and that person’s not there. I get it. If it was me, I’d be miffed myself. But we all have different roles, different jobs, and different goals" – Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, on how fans react to NBA teams resting top players (SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, 3/27).

"I know I can't fill his shoes. I also know that I'm not being asked to. ... I'm grateful that my bosses want me to use my various experiences and perspectives to try to facilitate interesting and insightful conversation amongst our analysts and challenge or interject when need be" – ESPN's Sam Ponder, on succeeding Chris Berman as the host of "Sunday NFL Countdown" (SI.com, 3/26).

"I should be the example of why college athletes should be getting paid in college or why I can't use my name to benefit off my likeness in college. Why can I see 'I Like Jake Butt and I Cannot Lie,' I see those shirts and I'm living paycheck-to-paycheck in college" – Former Michigan TE Jake Butt, on NCAA athletes' inability to benefit commercially from their names and likenesses (ESPN.com, 3/24).

The WALL STREET JOURNAL's Jason Gay writes the practice of holding the Final Four in large stadiums is "passe and needs to end." Basketball played "in a gigantic tuna can is out of sync with modern culture." The move in '17 is to "go small and sustainable." A basketball arena – a Staples Center, a Madison Square Garden – "would suffice."

Also: 

• Jim Harbaugh discusses his "surprising foray into policy" on legal aid for the poor.
• A Boston Globe reporter tries to keep up with a few NFLers in a workout.
• The S.F. Deltas are the "ultimate soccer startup, fueled by tech money, innovation."
• Jerry Krause's critics "would never acknowledge his role" in the '90s Bulls' success.

NFL took great pains to keep the Raiders out of LA. They're too popular here. Would hurt the other team that moved. But is Vegas too close?

— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) March 27, 2017

This is the first NFL owners meeting in 23 years that a Los Angeles vacancy has not been in play.

— Sam Farmer (@LATimesfarmer) March 26, 2017

failure to gin up more cvg of how bad the First Take move has been for ESPN/ESPN2 in aggregate is a failure of PR leadership at Fox Sports

— Sports TV Ratings (@SportsTVRatings) March 27, 2017

Sorry students. If we cancel classes tomorrow, what would we do after a WBB win tomorrow? You had fun today. Go to class tomorrow!

— Harris Pastides (@HarrisPastides) March 27, 2017

Sacramento State will introduce Mark Orr as its new AD in a press conference at 10:00am PT. Orr had served in the same position at Saint Mary's College for the past nine years.

MLS Commissioner Don Garber will appear at Ballpark Village in St. Louis to rally support for public funding for a new soccer-specific stadium in the city. The event is called for 5:15pm CT.

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Friday night’s “Final Jeopardy!” category was “Native American Place Names.”

“You have to go through military security to reach this town with a Marine base on three sides and the Potomac on the other.”

NBC’s Jimmy Fallon said, “Michael Phelps posted on Instagram that a Starbucks barista labeled his coffee ‘The GOAT’ for ‘Greatest Of All Time,’ while another customer was like, ‘Actually, I think there was a mix-up’” (“The Tonight Show,” NBC, 3/24).

“What is Quantico?”