NFLPA player reps are scheduled to vote to either re-elect union Exec Dir DeMaurice Smith or replace him with one of eight challengers tonight in Maui. Voting is expected to begin at about 6:30pm Maui time. It takes at least 17 of 32 player rep votes to elect the exec dir. Prior to the voting, Smith and the eight challengers -- Michigan-based attorney Jim Acho, NFLPA Senior Dir of Player Services & Development Jason Belser, former NFLers Sean Gilbert and Robert Griffith, entrepreneur Rob London, former NFLPA counsel Arthur McAfee, former NFLer and Navy Admiral John Stufflebeem and attorney Andrew Smith -- will meet with player reps in breakout sessions.

About 15 to 20 reps were expected to meet with each of the candidates in the morning in breakout sessions to ask them any questions they want answered, as well as to interact with them in a smaller group setting. The candidates will have 15 minutes each to present closing statements this afternoon. NFLPA player reps and exec committee members yesterday worked from 7:00am until after 6:00pm listening to presentations from all of the candidates, including the incumbent Smith. Security firm Hillard Heintze yesterday gave player reps a report into the backgrounds of all the candidates.

Visa, the NFL's "biggest sponsor among those up for renewal, announced Saturday that it was extending its partnership with the league." Terms were not disclosed, but a source said that the deal "came at an increase over the previous five-year deal." Visa has had an official deal with the league since '95, but "doubt over whether big sponsors such as Visa would return was created when the brand, along with other official sponsors, expressed public disappointment in September over the league's handling of the Ray Rice assault and the Adrian Peterson child discipline cases." However, the NFL "did not lose a single national sponsor" during the '14 season (ESPN.com, 3/14).

NYC FC's home debut tonight at Yankee Stadium against the Revolution is expected to draw a crowd "greater than 40,000." It will be "close to a sellout" at a building "that is clearly not built for soccer." The seats "will be too far from the field, which will be too narrow for much wing play from attacking midfielders" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 3/15). Many of the attendees "will be there out of curiosity." But after today, the curiosity around NYC FC "quickly will wane and the product on the field will be what draws fans" (N.Y. POST, 3/15). In an attempt to "make the stadium feel like a home during this lengthy stay, NYC FC has sought to personalize it wherever possible" (N.Y. TIMES, 3/14). 

Meanwhile, club sponsor Etihad Airways today runs a quarter-page ad in the N.Y. Times with the copy, "Proud to sponsor your new arrivals" (THE DAILY). SI.com's Brian Straus on his Twitter feed posted a picture of fans queuing up outside the ballpark.

ESPN tonight will air "I Hate Christian Laettner," the latest installment in its "30 for 30" film series, which focuses on the titular former Duke basketball player. See Friday's issue of "Closing Bell" for reviews of the movie (THE DAILY). Laettner said of the film, "The first time I liked it; there was nothing in it that hurt me or caused me concern. But the second time, I liked it a lot better, sitting there with my children and some teammates, having a lot of proud-feeling moments" (NEWSDAY, 3/15). The documentary "explores why people feel things so deeply about someone who was largely free from controversy in a long career" (N.Y. TIMES, 3/15).

NASCAR's "new electronic officiating system" made its debut during yesterday's Xfinity Series race at Phoenix Int'l Raceway, where about 50 HD cameras were "mounted atop PIR's grandstands able to monitor all pit-road activity." NASCAR declined to reveal the cost of the 30-server system, which is "more accurate and increases safety by taking officials off pit road" (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 3/14).

Meanwhile, Stewart-Haas Racing driver Kurt Busch today will run his first race of the season during the Sprint Cup Series CampingWorld.com 500 after being suspended for the first three races of the season, and "everybody was welcoming him back" at PIR. It "wasn't just fellow racers and Sprint Cup crew members offering him hugs, high fives and fist bumps, either." Fans in the garage area have spent the weekend "lining up near his car and hauler to welcome his return" (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 3/15).

Driver Nicolas Prost yesterday captured victory in the first FIA Formula E race "in front of a crowd that packed stands and standing room areas" in downtown Miami. Off the track, "rookie mistakes" by organizers "cramped the fun for some fans." The smattering of fans who arrived for the 8:15am ET practice session "found little traffic on the surrounding streets," but construction on the course "hadn’t been finished." Practice was "pushed back," yet qualifying and the race "went off on time" (MIAMI HERALD, 3/15).

A crowd of 17,160 attended UFC 185 last night at American Airlines Center, "a near sellout" including Pro Football HOFer Michael Irvin and Eagles RB DeMarco Murray. Murray, a former Cowboy who signed with the Eagles last week, "was booed loudly" by the Dallas crowd "when shown on the big screen." The UFC returned to the arena "after a soldout show last March." The seats were "almost a third full for the prelims, which started four hours before the main card" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 3/15).

Meanwhile, UFC 192 "will take place at the Toyota Center" on October 3, the "third time in five years" that the promotion has held an event in Houston (CHRON.com, 3/14).

UFC President Dana White and fighters Ronda Rousey and Jessica Eye yesterday took the stage as part of the SXSport track of the SXSW conference to "talk about women's strides in the sport" (USATODAY.com, 3/14). Domestic violence awareness group No More co-Founder Jane Randel and former NFLer Don McPherson on Friday "participated in a panel entitled 'Can Sports Help End a Culture of Violence?'" (USATODAY.com, 3/14).

Meanwhile, the "jock quotient is ramped up this year" with panels including "The 12 Month Sports Season," "The Athlete Slash Entrepreneur" and "Punch Drunk: Hockey Fighting At A Crossroads." Last night was premier night for "Son of The Congo," an hour-long documentary about Thunder F Serge Ibaka that is the debut film for ESPN's Grantland Features (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 3/15).

Iowa State Univ. AD Jamie Pollard, who suffered a heart attack last week, on Twitter wrote that he was brought to tears when "the swarm of Iowa State fans" following the ISU men's basketball team's upset of Kansas at the Big 12 Championship chanted his name (K.C. STAR, 3/15).

FIFA President Sepp Blatter this morning met with Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani after saying that the country must "do more to improve working conditions" around the construction of stadiums for the '22 World Cup (AP, 3/15).

MLB Ambassador for Inclusion Billy Bean yesterday "spoke to Red Sox minor leaguers" about his experiences in baseball, where he felt "the strain of trying to hide his sexual orientation" (BOSTON GLOBE, 3/15).

More than 26,000 participants are expected to take part in today's L.A. Marathon, "which is marking its 30th anniversary" (L.A. TIMES, 3/15). The men's winner was Daniel Limo of Kenya and the women's winner was Olga Kimaiyo, also of Kenya (LATIMES.com, 3/15).

The D-Backs announced that the attendance of 13,032 for yesterday's sold-out Spring Training game against the Giants set the single-game record for Salt River Fields at Talking Stick. It is the second time in a span of a week that the team set a single-game attendance record (D-Backs).

"I'm glad I was able to do this. It definitely feels like one of the biggest and one of the proudest moments of my career" – Tennis player Serena Williams, on her return to competition at the BNP Paribas Open after a 14-year absence (ESPN.com, 3/13).

"It's unfortunate it happened; I'm glad she's back. This was a good day in the history of our tennis tournament" – BNP Paribas Open CEO Ray Moore, on Williams' return to the event (N.Y. TIMES, 3/15).

"There’s no checks and balances in that front office. It used to be (Eagles Exec VP/Football Operations) Howie Roseman. They kicked him out of his office. He’s probably down the hall in the small office without any windows working on the Penske file. In a few weeks, he might be in the basement mumbling about how (Eagles coach Chip Kelly) has his stapler” – N.Y. Daily News’ Manish Mehta, on the Eagles' front office (“The Sports Reporters,” ESPN, 3/15).

"I'm not comfortable wearing green and white, because it reminds me of a certain New York football team" – Patriots Owner Robert Kraft, on the color of his clothing at a St. Patrick's Day celebration (NYDAILYNEWS.com, 3/15).

"GoDaddy and I have really grown up together. I feel our message parallels each other. I want to give back and help, which is a huge part of GoDaddy" – NASCAR Sprint Cup driver Danica Patrick, speaking to an Arizona-based non profit, on the importance of community service (BIZJOURNALS.com, 3/12).

The N.Y. DAILY NEWS' Kevin Armstrong notes broadcaster Bill Raftery will serve as an analyst on TBS' Final Four broadcast, and "self-deprecation is Raftery's favorite shtick." The 71-year-old "is an equal-opportunity quip artist, fashioning phrases for fans and sharpening barbs for broadcast teammates." Also, NEWSDAY's Neil Best writes under the header, "People's Choice: Everyone Loves Bill Raftery Calling Final Four."

The N.Y. TIMES' Joe Nocera wrote under the header, "Syracuse, Boeheim And The NCAA." There are "few organizations that can make a mountain out of a molehill like the NCAA." The report it issued last week, accusing Syracuse Univ. and its basketball coach Jim Boeheim of a pattern of cheating, "is a pretty good example." The NCAA padded "one serious 2012 offense with a handful of extraneous, at times silly, allegations ... over the course of a decade."

Elsewhere:

• Race team co-Owner Gene Haas is "described as methodical," but also "a gambler."
• An excerpt from a new book on Mets GM Sandy Alderson, titled "Baseball Maverick."
• Consultants “specialize in developing" narratives that connect with IOC voters.
• Rodeo and ranching represent the Wright family’s "hope for future generations."
• Agent, GM "do a negotiating dance" to keep CB Kareem Jackson on Texans’ roster.

NFLPA election going about as well as expected. 2 sources in attendance already grumbling that election is rigged in De Smith's favor

— Ben Volin (@BenVolin) March 15, 2015

Just met with seasonticketholders at isles game. Answered questions re move . Will do more events like this.

— Brett Yormark (@brettyormark) March 15, 2015

Fun morning learning how 3M made all our lives better at SXSW with @jessesingh @donbranch @3M #LifeWith3M #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/L5xido8aPf

— brent dewar (@brentdewar) March 14, 2015

"We expect to put tablets in the dugouts this year for the first time." -Bob Bowman, #MLB #SXSW #SXsports

— Brent S. Gambill (@BrentSGambill) March 14, 2015

With Minneapolis & Sacramento looking highly promising for the 2 MLS expansion slots, where does that leave Beckham & Miami?

— Grant Wahl (@GrantWahl) March 13, 2015

Nike is petitioning to cancel my Lights Out trademark trying to bully me into a settlement. Nice try it's not... http://t.co/xwndD6LvPy

— Shawne Merriman (@shawnemerriman) March 15, 2015

Please do not complain to me how qualifying for the 4th race of the year was bumped to a different channel for conference tourney basketball

— Nick Bromberg (@NickBromberg) March 13, 2015

Not only will Giancarlo Stanton wear this helmet he helped design for protection, he'll look ultra cool doing it... pic.twitter.com/PHvtmOFkbv

— Stephania Bell (@Stephania_ESPN) March 15, 2015