Many of the NFL's most influential owners, including some on the league's Committee on L.A. Opportunities, "continue to have reservations about the Raiders' inclusion in the joint project with the Chargers in Carson, Calif." Sources said that the owners' concerns over the strength of the Raiders' ownership group "could result in no teams getting approval" to move to L.A. in '16. Furthermore, sources said that the odds of an L.A. move happening next year "would be significantly higher if the Chargers were either moving by themselves, or if they were paired with the Rams" (CBSSPORTS.com, 12/13). CBS Sports’ Amy Trask said, “Ultimately the league can’t afford to fail in Los Angeles, so getting it right is more important than getting it done quickly” (“The NFL Today,” CBS, 12/13).

Meanwhile, a little more than three weeks before the Rams plan to "file for relocation" to L.A., the team is "holding fan appreciation day" for today's home game against the Lions. Hotdogs, fountain soda and popcorn are 50% off, and "most merchandise" will be 25-50% off (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 12/12).

A "raucous crowd of 16,516, the largest to witness an MMA event in Nevada, paid a U.S. MMA record" of $10.1M to witness Conor McGregor record the "fastest title fight knockout in UFC history" last night in UFC 194 against Jose Aldo at the MGM Grand Garden (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 12/13). McGregor's 13-second knockout was quicker than former female bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey's "previous mark of 14 seconds set at UFC 184 in February" (ESPN.com, 12/12).

Meanwhile, Rousey will be "joined by" McGregor on the cover of EA Sports' "UFC 2" videogame. McGregor secured his spot after it was announced that the winner of last night's title fight "would grace the cover" alongside Rousey (CBSSPORTS.com, 12/13).

Hours after a New York judge on Friday "granted the state attorney general’s injunction barring the two largest daily fantasy sports sites, FanDuel and DraftKings, from operating in the state, an appeals court judge allowed the companies to keep operating until the legality of their games can be further considered." The decision by Associate Justice Paul Feinman of the Appellate Division of the State Supreme Court "came in an emergency hearing" and allows the companies "to do business in New York until at least Jan. 4" (N.Y. TIMES, 12/12). The emergency reprieve "could, for the moment, help DraftKings soothe growing jitters among the financial firms that handle money for the company and provide the lifeblood of its business" (BOSTON GLOBE, 12/12).

MASN late Friday filed in the N.Y. Supreme Court a notice of limited appeal of the vacatur ruling it received last month in its ongoing media rights dispute with the Nationals and MLB. In that ruling vacating a MLB Revenue Sharing Definitions Committee decision for the Nationals, Judge Lawrence Marks wrote that he did not have legal authority to send the matter elsewhere for resolution. But with the situation now at an impasse, the Orioles-controlled MASN argued it needs to have the case ordered to a "new and neutral forum, independent from MLB," calling the RSDC "irreparably conflicted."

The L.A. TIMES' Bill Plaschke writes now is the "perfect time" for USC AD Pat Haden to "step aside and let a new era move in." Haden "needs to walk away before he becomes the sort of distraction he was hired to eliminate, before his presence threatens the very stability he was hired to restore." He is "battling both medical and performance issues that have alumni and boosters worried and talking and plotting." Haden has become a "polarizing figure who surely doesn't need the undercurrent of discontent any more than his critics want to continue it" (L.A. TIMES, 12/13).

The Bengals in a letter to Hamilton County’s (Ohio) top administrator wrote they want "'third-party experts' to study Paul Brown Stadium, compare it other NFL stadiums and consider upgrades." The request, signed by Bengals VP Troy Blackburn, is "called for in a section of the Bengals lease that allows for the periodic review of the stadium." But it could mean county taxpayers "get socked with the cost of more improvements to the stadium." A stadium-wide review "has not happened after the Bengals took a pass on doing so during the Great Recession" (BIZJOURNALS.com, 12/11).

The Bucks defeated the Warriors last night before a "sellout crowd of 18,717" at the BMO Harris Bradley Center, "shocking the basketball world" by snapping the Warriors' 24-game winning streak to open the season and 28-game overall streak (MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL, 12/13). The sellout crowd "cheered for both the Bucks and the Warriors." But the crowd was "strongly behind the Bucks as they pulled away in the fourth quarter" (MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL, 12/13).

Bucks fans "decided to preemptively celebrate the Warriors losing by making shirts that read '24-1,'" and team co-Owner Marc Lasry was among those seen wearing one (SBNATION.com, 12/12).

Hawaii Gov. David Ige said that it is up to the Univ. of Hawaii and not the state to "decide the future and funding of its financially challenged athletic program." School President David Lassner has said that the school is "unable to increase its funding of athletics and the athletic department needs to seek increased community and fan support." Ige’s comments come as UH is "asking the Legislature" for $16.2M in supplemental funding, including $3M for athletics. An auditor's report this month showed that UH's athletic department "operated at a net deficit" of $4.2M for the FY that ended June 30. The department "is projecting as much as" a $4.8M deficit for the fiscal year that concludes June 30, 2016 (HONOLULU STAR-ADVERTISER, 12/13).

Lakers G Nick Young yesterday "marked his new deal with Adidas and sent the Internet abuzz" by "wearing Kanye West-designed Adidas Yeezy 750 Boosts" in the Lakers-Rockets game. Young, referencing his nickname, said, "I just signed with Adidas, welcome to the three stripes, Swaggy P. And I had to come in with some style and that's basically what it's all about." The move "made waves in part because the street shoes are nearly impossible to get, and some on Twitter worried he might get hurt wearing them." The suede, grey high-tops "have a Velcro flap over the laces and retail for $350, but they make so few pairs that they sell" on eBay and other resellers for thousands of dollars (AP, 12/12).

CBS yesterday drew a 5.1 overnight rating for Navy's 21-17 win over Army, up 13% from last year's 4.5. Yesterday's game was the highest-rated Army-Navy game in 19 years. The telecast peaked with a 6.3 from 6:30-7:00pm ET (THE DAILY).

adidas on Friday announced that it has "purchased an office building next to its North Portland campus, reflecting the continued growth over the past year" at the company's North American HQ (OREGONLIVE.com, 12/11).

Yesterday's Cincinnati-Xavier men's basketball game was played at Cintas Center "before a record crowd of 10,617 and a national TV audience" on Fox (CINCINNATI ENQUIRER, 12/13).

The Suns and Effen Vodka announced a multiyear partnership that includes the opening of the Effen Vodka Lounge at Talking Stick Resort Arena (Suns).

The NBPA yesterday "held a cardiac screening session for former players" at Toyota Center, the first in a series of sessions the union "hopes to move around the country" (CHRON.com, 12/12).

The Dolphins on Friday celebrated their 50th season with a gala function at a Diplomat hotel ballroom in Hollywood, Fla., that "included the introduction of the club’s 50 greatest players, all in their aqua alumni jackets" (MIAMI HERALD, 12/12).

 “The more that he is going down the road of discourse, the more important he becomes to get (the NFLPA) out of that discourse. It's an old-age argument that you got to keep people upset all the time so you stay relevant, and I think that's exactly where he is right now” – CBS’ Boomer Esiason, on NFLPA Exec Dir DeMaurice Smith (“The NFL Today,” CBS, 12/13).

"I don't think Donald Trump is a racist, that's just what he's selling the same way Peyton Manning sells Papa John's. He doesn’t go home and actually eat Papa John's. I mean that guy has enough internal injuries as it is" – NBC’s “SNL” cast member Colin Jost, during the “Weekend Update” segment (“Saturday Night Live,” NBC, 12/12).

"It’s awkward. But there was really no way to go about it. When you have a player of Kobe’s caliber that wants to continue to play and you think he can play at a high level, you’re going to let him play until he no longer wants to play" – Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak, on G Kobe Bryant's presence among the team's young players (BOSTON GLOBE, 12/13).

"I'm not expecting to be invited to the Super Bowl next year, Denzel (Washington) will probably get my tickets this year" – Actor Will Smith, on the NFL's possible reaction to his new movie, "Concussion" ("CBS News Sunday Morning," CBS, 12/13).

"I don't think anybody's going to be rolling up and down the ice. It'll be a very easy-flowing game." – Hockey HOFer Mike Modano, on playing in an outdoor alumni game featuring ex-Minnesota players against ex-Chicago players at TCF Bank Stadium as part of the Coors Light Stadium Series in February (ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS, 12/13).

The Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE's Jim Souhan profiles T'Wolves GM Milt Newton, who grew up in the Virgin Islands with "no shoes to fill" and "no footsteps to follow." Long before he "became a high school star, a college champion, a professional player and executive, Newton knew how to work for what he wanted." Now, he will "have to earn longevity" as the T'Wolves' top basketball exec.

The N.Y. DAILY NEWS' Vinton, Red & O'Keeffe sit down with U.S. Soccer Federation President Sunil Gulati, who has "been in the eye of the sport's corruption storm" since the U.S.' crackdown began this year. Insiders said that Gulati "was a forceful advocate for reform even before" the indictments. He will now "try to work within the system, perhaps embracing some of the reforms laid out earlier this month" by FIFA Reform Committee Chair Francois Carrard.

Elsewhere: 

• Buying out coaches' contracts has become college sports' "fastest-rising expense."
• Disproportionate number of black student-athletes shows "height of hypocrisy."
• The Royals' World Series trophy has "hardly sat still" since the team's clinching victory.
• A peek inside the Manhattan home of MSG Networks' hockey analyst Stan Fischler.

I appreciate the filmmakers of #FourFallsofBuffalo highlighting @RealSkipBayless three decades of trolling athletes.

— Richard Deitsch (@richarddeitsch) December 13, 2015

Day-after thought: singing of Army and Navy alma maters is college fb's most emotional moment. Perfect way to close great regular season.

— Bill Hancock (@BHancockCFP) December 13, 2015

PSA for #Mizzou fans: the hoops game vs Arizona is on the PAC-12 network. You have 7 hours to figure out if you get that channel or not

— Gabe DeArmond (@GabeDeArmond) December 13, 2015

Whoever had the idea to give out "24-1" T-shirts BEFORE the Bucks/Warriors game will be getting serious high fives in office Monday.

— Jason Gay (@jasongay) December 13, 2015