ESPN’s Chris Mortensen reported after Friday's press conference and the recent issues surrounding the league, a couple of NFL team owners who were "strong supporters" of Roger Goodell have changed their stance on the commissioner. Mortensen said, "One said he was 'surprised,' another said he was 'disappointed.'" The net's Adam Schefter reported another league exec told him via text that "he did not think that Roger Goodell had as much support as some people think." Schefter: "He wrote in that text, 'Remember, 15 owners voted for Gregg Levy the last time that Roger Goodell was elected in 2006. ... The characteristics that bothered those 15 owners then have been on abundant display the last few weeks'" (“NFL Countdown,” ESPN, 9/21).

The Ravens' top execs, including Owner Steve Bisciotti, are "expected to speak at a news conference within a couple of days" to address an ESPN report alleging the team knew of the severity of Ray Rice's assault on his wife, but "still worked behind-the-scenes to get leniency" for Rice from the judicial system and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. Ravens Senior VP/Public & Community Relations Kevin Byrne in a statement said the report contained "numerous errors, inaccuracies, false assumptions, and perhaps misunderstandings" (Baltimore SUN, 9/21).

In the original report, ESPN found a "pattern of misinformation and misdirection" by the Ravens and the NFL. After the Rice incident, Bisciotti, Ravens President Dick Cass and GM Ozzie Newsome "began extensive public and private campaigns pushing for leniency." The Ravens also "consulted frequently with Rice's attorney," who in April "obtained a copy of the inside-elevator video and told Cass: 'It's f---ing horrible.'" Cass "did not request a copy of the video." He instead "began urging Rice's legal team to get Rice accepted into a pretrial intervention program after being told some of the program's benefits," including how it "would keep the inside-elevator video from becoming public" (ESPN.com, 9/19).

CBS, Fox, ESPN and NFL Network each addressed the NFL's off-field issues early on in today's pregame shows. CBS’ "The NFL Today" led with 10-plus minutes of discussion on NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell’s Friday afternoon press conference and the controversies surrounding the league. "Fox NFL Sunday" led with a tribute to former NFLer Rob Bironas, who died in an overnight car crash. A 10-minute discussion on the league's recent issues followed, including analysis of Goodell's presser.

Thirteen minutes into ESPN's "NFL Countdown" was a three-minute report on the Ravens, followed by 12 minutes of discussion on how the Ravens and Vikings handled the Ray Rice and Adrian Peterson cases, respectively. NFL Network aired a three-minute report on Goodell's press conference four minutes into "NFL GameDay Morning." FS1 led "Fox NFL Kickoff" with highlights of Goodell’s presser, followed by seven minutes of discussion. Meanwhile, NFL issues were featured prominently this morning on CBS' "Face the Nation" and ABC's "This Week" (THE DAILY).

Fox' Terry Bradshaw did not appear on "Fox NFL Sunday" due to the death of Bironas, his son-in-law. The net's Curt Menefee said, "Terry found out and obviously is leaving and is rushing to Nashville to be with his daughter Rachel, who just three months ago married Rob Bironas. Our condolences go out to the Bironas family, the Bradshaw family and everyone involved there." Howie Long added, "Heartbreaking day. Terry was very emotional when he left this morning to go back home" (“Fox NFL Sunday,” Fox, 9/21).

MLB and the MLBPA "were scheduled to meet Friday to begin negotiations to establish new policies and punishments for domestic violence." The NFL's recent spate of high-profile cases "prompted baseball and the MLBPA to open talks about the way the sport should deal with such episodes," even though the current CBA lasts through '16. MLBPA Dir of Communications Greg Bouris: "We view today's meeting as an important first step in working with the commissioner's office to address all of the issues connected to domestic violence" (ESPN.com, 9/19).

The Bills planned to "ease congestion at Gate 2" of Ralph Wilson Stadium today after fans last week "complained about long lines and delays that prevented them from being in their seats for the kickoff." New entrances "were supposed to eliminate the long waits that fans have complained about for years." Bills Senior VP/Communications Scott Berchtold said that while the number of gates "dropped from nine to six" as part of the $130M in improvements that debuted last week, the new entrances "were almost doubled in size" (BUFFALO NEWS, 9/20).

Meanwhile, a front-page piece in the BUFFALO NEWS asks how the public, with help from prospective Bills Owners Terry and Kim Pegula, would "pay for a new stadium that might cost" $1B or more.

The Univ. of Georgia Athletic Association BOD on Friday voted to "raise ticket prices" for football games next year and "again two years later, and to spend $400,000 to study the design and location of an indoor practice facility for football and other sports." Prices for the annual Georgia-Florida football game at EverBank Field "will increase next year to $70 for regular seats and $110 for club seats, up from the current $60 and $100" (ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION, 9/20).

The Univ. of North Dakota on Friday announced the formation of a new task force "to develop the process for picking a new nickname and logo." The school's teams have "played only as 'North Dakota'" since '12, when it dropped its Fighting Sioux nickname. Several prominent students, faculty, staff and former athletes "were chosen for the task force, which will create the selection process and anticipates providing recommendations" to UND President Robert Kelley "by the end of the year." The task force "is not charged with making the final selection." The "earliest time the university could adopt a new nickname and logo" is by January '15 (INFORUM.com, 9/19).

A source said that Lakers G Kobe Bryant "is not involved in an imminent sale of Italian Serie B club Bologna." A report in Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport suggested that a consortium led by attorney Joe Tacopina included Bryant and Impact Owner Joey Saputo, but a source said that Bryant "was not part of the deal" (ESPNFC.com, 9/19).

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver Cole Custer yesterday "became the youngest winner in a NASCAR national series at 16, taking the checkered flag" at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. He is the son of Stewart-Haas Racing Exec VP Joe Custer (AP, 9/19).

The NFL Giants today at halftime of their game against the Texans honored former Yankees P Mariano Rivera as the recipient of the NFL Hispanic Heritage Leadership Award (Giants).

"There is not a lot of difference. The ownership thing is just on a piece of paper somewhere. It’s full time running this team" – Dodgers President & CEO Stan Kasten, on being both a co-owner and president of the team (ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION, 9/20).

"The tennis boom in China is not a given. It will require nurturing and support. However, with the aura of Li Na and her desire to stay involved, I can see future Grand Slam champions from China within a decade" – Former Australian Open CEO Paul McNamee, on the state of Chinese tennis in the wake of Li's retirement (N.Y. TIMES, 9/21).

"Like Wayne Gretzky, her success opened up a region -- the financially lucrative Asian market -- and a generation of Chinese girls inspired by her 2011 French Open victory" – ESPN’s Howard Bryant, on Li Na (“The Sports Reporters,” ESPN2, 9/21).

"In those days, if you collected soda pop bottles, you could turn them in for 5 cents a bottle. You'd have 55 cents if you had 11 bottles, and you could sit in the bleachers Saturday or Sunday. So I grew up literally and figuratively in the old Polo Grounds" – Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully, on growing up a Giants fan before the team relocated to S.F. in '57 (S.F. CHRONICLE, 9/21).

Donald Trump: "The Wilson family should thank me. Pegula overpaid for the @buffalobills because of me!"

Media consultant Ben Grossman: "Seeing many more Adrian Peterson #vikings jerseys here in New Orleans than I expected on the way to the #saints game."
 
"The Dan Patrick Show" Producer Paul Pabst: "One of the best moves with @NBCSN EPL coverage is how they stay on the scene after the final whistle to let the fan/player stories play out."

ESPN Dallas' Tim MacMahon: "This is the smallest crowd I've ever seen for a Cowboys regular-season game. I've seen bigger crowds at Texas high school playoff games."
 
If you see a tweet we will not want to miss, send it to us at editorial@sportsbusinessdaily.com.

Golfer Michelle Wie posted this shot and wrote, "Doin a little rearranging at the airport newstand this morning...@GolfDigest"

The N.Y. TIMES' Barry Bearak examines the Ricketts family's ownership of the Cubs, writing they have "encountered all sorts of earthly bedevilments both on the field and off: aging, overpaid players; a 100-year-old ballpark with a beauty only skin deep; hardball Windy City politics; critics who say plans to install a mammoth outfield video board will change Wrigley Field forever, despoiling the understated charm of baseball’s loveliest oasis."

The BOSTON GLOBE's Kevin Paul Dupont looks back at former NFL Commissioner Bert Bell's handling of a '46 betting scandal involving two players, which "could have been the league’s grand undoing." But "without need of video or witnesses or lawyers, the NFL essentially wiped its hands clean of both players." Roger Goodell's modern-day NFL is "far more complex," but he must "up his game" quickly.

Elsewhere:

• CBS' Ian Eagle "finds the right mix of humor and pop culture."
• MLB teams' "covert science experiment" regarding brain training. 
• Are microchips the "next big thing" in sports technology?
• Does a university "lose any luster" with an official grocery store?
• Why Bob Ryan is "troubled by the essential mentality" of football.
• A "peek into Tom Renney's start as Hockey Canada's CEO."
• Greg Hardy case casting light on the "silent evil" of domestic violence.