San Antonio Mayor Ivy Taylor on Friday said that she "would be open" to the city hosting the Raiders on an interim basis while a stadium is being constructed in Southern California. She added that while the city "will remain open to NFL 'conversations,' there are 'some other things that may be more accessible and feasible in a shorter time frame'" like MLS or MLB. Taylor said of the Alamodome as a temporary NFL venue, "We are already making improvements over there for the (2018) Final Four, so we would be open to that" (SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS, 8/15).

Meanwhile, the Raiders "have now sold more than 40,000 season tickets for this season" at O.co Coliseum, which is the most since the team came back from L.A. in '95 (SFGATE.com, 8/15).

More than 44,000 tickets have been sold for today's U.S. women's national soccer team match against Costa Rica at Heinz Field -- a "record for a single-game friendly by an American women's team." The match in Pittsburgh is the "first leg of a 10-game victory tour," and the team will have the World Cup trophy "in hand" (PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW, 8/16). A "big reason for the big crowd" is USWNT D Meghan Klingenberg, a Richland, Pa. native. USWNT F Abby Wambach said that Klingenberg's presence in Pittsburgh is "almost inescapable" (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 8/16). The TRIBUNE-REVIEW's Rob Rossi examines Klingenberg's role-model status in the region.

BMO this morning sponsored a clinic at Air Canada Centre "as part of a basketball-based marketing push that includes endorsement deals" with Raptors G Kyle Lowry and three Canadian players -- Celtics C Kelly Olynyk, Bucks G Tyler Ennis and T'Wolves F Andrew Wiggins. Fifty "young basketball players" were expected for the clinic, which was run by the four NBAers. While BMO sponsors the Raptors and Toronto FC, "this is its first partnership with players in either" MLS or the NBA. BMO CMO Connie Stefankiewicz said that signing the four players "was the logical next step as the bank looks to deepen its involvement in sports" (TORONTO STAR, 8/16).

Patriots QB Tom Brady's Deflategate lawyers on Friday night filed a "seething memorandum" to U.S. District Judge Richard Berman that "ridiculed" NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. Brady's lawyers in the filing make Goodell seem "incompetent and dishonest." The attorneys also "expanded earlier arguments that the NFL’s procedure for reviewing Brady’s alleged involvement" in Deflategate "violated federal law." The NFL responded in its filing on Friday by "asserting that questions about evidence concerning Brady’s alleged involvement are completely irrelevant under the law." The league also insists that Goodell "enjoyed ample facts to conclude that Brady ... had 'personal involvement in a tampering scheme.'" If Brady and Goodell "fail to reach a settlement in their case, Friday will probably be remembered as the day when the point of no return was crossed and when the gloves truly came off" (SI.com, 8/15).

Tuesday "marks seven months since the AFC Championship game," and people still "don’t know Tom Brady’s fate" (BOSTON GLOBE, 8/16).

TNT averaged 1.7 million viewers through the first two days of PGA Championship coverage (Thursday/Friday), marking the event's best early-round audience since '09. The 1.7 million viewers also is up 25% from last year. Thursday's coverage drew the best first-round audience since '10, and TNT on Friday averaged 2.0 million viewers, marking the best second-round audience since '09 despite play being suspended early due to inclement weather. PGA.com also has seen record audiences for its live streaming of the event. Through Friday, the PGA.com accounts on Twitter and Facebook saw combined impressions up 76% (Turner Sports).

Meanwhile, CBS drew a 3.2 overnight rating for yesterday's third-round coverage, tied with last year as the best Saturday for the event in six years. Coverage yesterday peaked from 5:30-6:00pm ET (CBS).

USL club Sacramento Republic FC on Friday announced that it "will seek fan input on design and entertainment ideas for a stadium that would be built" should the city obtain an MLS expansion team. The team said that a project group "is already in the early stages of the stadium’s conceptual design phase and expects to finish a 'concept design' later this year." It "launched an online survey for input on the stadium design" that will be available through Thursday. Fans "will then randomly be selected to join focus groups that will begin meeting next week and will be asked to provide more in-depth feedback" (SACRAMENTO BEE, 8/15).

Tiger Woods' name is "still on the list of players" for the PGA Tour Wyndham Championship, and that means the tournament "must prepare for him." Woods "could withdraw from the tournament anytime between now and Thursday." But his agent, Mark Steinberg, said that "plenty of notice would be given to give an alternate the chance to prepare." Tournament Dir Mark Brazil said that extra tickets "have already been printed, plans for an expanded media center are in place and extra shuttle buses have been requested." He estimated that Woods' presence "could draw an extra 5,000 to 10,000 spectators per day." Woods said of whether he will play, "I’m just going to sit back, and I’ll go through it with my team. We’ll talk about it, what I need to do and see if that’s the right move or not. We’ll decide [in the] next couple days" (Greensboro NEWS & RECORD, 8/16).

A "confluence of factors -- quality and depth of athletes, nearness of the Rio Games, weeklong activities on Georgia Street and buzz from an often-shrill crowd of about 10,000" -- made the P&G Gymnastics Championships at Bankers Life Fieldhouse "resemble an Olympic Trials rather than another nationals." Organizers announced attendance of 15,370 for yesterday's women's competition, which "also included the afternoon session for juniors." Gymnast Gabby Douglas said, "It was so insane, like the energy. This arena was just so dynamic, and I loved it because I just feed off the crowd." Competitor Simone Biles "became the first woman in 23 years to win a third successive U.S. all-around title" (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 8/16).

David Falk, the longtime agent for Michael Jordan, took the stand Friday in the Basketball HOFer's lawsuit against defunct supermarket chain Dominick's for "using Jordan's name without permission" in an '09 ad. Falk "loudly ridiculed the Dominick's ad and bragged about the unparalleled value of Jordan's brand." Falk said that Jordan has "maximized the value of that brand over the last 31 years by carefully selecting a small number of 'all-American' brands and forcing them to sign multiyear contracts" worth more than $10M. Falk added that Jordan signing a deal for a single print ad with Dominick's "would have run counter to that strategy and would have been 'the dumbest thing he could do'" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 8/15).

Hublot announced it has become the official timekeeper and watch for EPL club Chelsea (Hublot).

UAB "sent a letter to its supporters Friday asking them to send in their promised donations to help the football program earlier than planned." Instead of "having donors make their initial payments by Jan. 1, the letter asks them to make those payments by Sept. 1 -- or 17 days from now" (AL.com, 8/14).

Red Sox manager John Farrell on Friday "told reporters he is stepping away from the team for the reminder of the season to battle Stage 1 lymphoma" (BOSTON HERALD, 8/16).

The Univ. of Tennessee football team last night practiced at Neyland Stadium "in front of an announced crowd of about 40,000" (Knoxville NEWS SENTINEL, 8/16).

"I never wanted to feel like I was forcing it on them. It just happened. The outcome was amazing. It was nice to know my teammates see me for who I am, not my sexuality" -- Rookie level Pioneer League Helena Brewers 1B David Denson, on becoming the first active pro baseball player to come out publicly as gay (MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL, 8/15).

"We want some action out there -- really, a heavyweight fight" -- PGA of America CEO Pete Bevacqua, on what he wants to see during the final round of the PGA Championship ("Live From The PGA Championship," Golf Channel, 8/16).

"I was in jail over there. It's like a jail. But it's OK. I'm back, and I'm going to help the team, help Miami" -- Marlins CF Marcell Ozuna, on his recent stint with the Triple-A PCL New Orleans Zephyrs (MIAMI HERALD, 8/16).

"This is phenomenal, getting a chance to have these kids further their education and -- key word -- for free from LeBron James. That’s fantastic" -- NBA TV’s Steve Smith, on Cavaliers F LeBron James’ pledge to provide scholarships for students to attend the Univ. of Akron ("NBA GameTime," NBA TV, 8/15).

"It's night and day from back then to now. Obviously more teams, better facilities, stadiums, soccer facilities, training facilities, even the media. Everybody is jumping on board. The players the league is attracting now are big time" -- Dynamo D DaMarcus Beasley, on the growth of MLS since he joined the league in '99 (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 8/15).

"I don’t think we should promise economic development for the area if the soccer stadium is built. I don’t think that should be the sales pitch because it’s not a reality" -- Miami Mayor Tomás Regalado, on a proposed MLS venue in the Little Havana area of the city (MIAMI HERALD, 8/15).

The WALL STREET JOURNAL ran an excerpt from John Bacon's forthcoming book, "Endzone: The Rise, Fall, And Return Of Michigan Football," about UM's effort to entice coach Jim Harbaugh to return to his alma mater. It was at a wedding last July that "two bits of conventional wisdom -- that the Harbaughs were unwilling to leave California and the NFL, and had no interest in Michigan -- were revealed as illusions." In fact, Harbaugh "had never lost his feeling for Michigan."

ESPN.com's Bob Pockrass wrote NASCAR and IndyCar team owner Roger Penske has a "competitive streak combined with a business savvy" that keeps the 78-year-old billionaire from retiring. As racing season gets closer to determining a champion, NASCAR driver Brad Keselowski said that Penske "gets more involved." But Penske "isn't only about championships," as he "eyes the future of his organization."

Elsewhere:

• Orlando City SC has followed the Sounders' blueprint and found "big success."
• The Giants "for years monopolized the football discussion throughout New England."
• Track and field icons "battle to take over the presidency" of the sport's governing body.
• The Bucks' facility plan exemplifies "all that is wrong with our arena-shakedown age."
• Charlie Herrin's task of fixing Comcast customers' bad experiences "is huge."
• Many sports fans in their teens and early 20s "rarely sit and watch an entire game."

Seriously is there a worse run Company than @comcast ? Customer service is a 0 out of 10. The kicker? They DON'T CARRRRRE!!!!!!!!!!

— Kirk Herbstreit (@KirkHerbstreit) August 14, 2015

Peeps. I’m hearing tix sales need to boost for @poconoraceway, come on, let’s get this going and get the party started! Let’s be all in!!!

— Graham Rahal (@GrahamRahal) August 16, 2015

Once again - it's amazing that billionaires can successfully pressure cities to pay for new sports arenas in 2015. http://t.co/0byaGTYb0d

— Bill Simmons (@BillSimmons) August 15, 2015

Not @NBCSN's fault because they just pull down a feed, but these quick-fire replays in #CPFCvAFC too often at the expense of live action.

— Ben Grossman (@grossman) August 16, 2015

On plane after my 1st #NASCAR race call. @DaleJarrett @tvdaveburns @Noble_Jim @TheAlexHayden held my hand - thank you brothers! Great day!

— Leigh Diffey (@leighdiffey) August 16, 2015

First time I've seen this: Security officials at Georgia Dome are practicing corralling a fan storming the field pic.twitter.com/ut8Ltm4Eye

— Jim Wyatt (@jwyattsports) August 14, 2015