Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval tomorrow will sign into law an "increase in Clark County's hotel room tax to help finance a 65,000-seat domed stadium, clearing the path" for the Raiders to move to Las Vegas. A supermajority of Nevada lawmakers on Friday passed the bill, which "includes a separate hotel room tax increase to help fund" $1.4B in improvements to the Las Vegas Convention Center. This capped a weeklong special session in which there was "no shortage of drama" (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 10/15).

Raiders Owner Mark Davis in a statement said, "All parties have worked extremely hard to develop and approve this tremendous stadium project that will serve as a proud new home for the entire Raider Nation" (Raiders). Davis said that he "plans to fly to Las Vegas" tomorrow. He "would not officially file for franchise relocation until January," when a formal league vote on the issue is expected. Davis said that he has "no plans for the Raiders to play regular-season games in Las Vegas until the new stadium opens," likely in '20 (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 10/15).

ESPN’s Adam Schefter said, “Most people around the league believe it's a question not of if the Raiders are moving to Las Vegas, but when they're moving to Las Vegas. Maybe they could wind up playing some preseason games there the next couple of years until that stadium is built." Schefter said the topic "will come up at this week's owners meetings" in Houston, but it is "not going to be a pressing issue" (“SportsCenter,” ESPN, 10/16).

The Maple Leafs yesterday "retired their former 'honoured' numbers in an emotional ceremony prior to the team's home opener" against the Bruins, marking a "'change of philosophy' as the franchise began its 100th season." The 13 numbers, representing 19 players, included the No. 14 of Hockey HOFer Dave Keon, who was "named the franchise's top player of all time a day earlier." All of the players or their survivor attended and "stood in a ring at centre ice" (TORONTO STAR, 10/16). Thirteen Cup banners "preceded the player banners" in the ceremony, which "hit the right notes." The usual opening-night player intros were "skipped in favour of skating out to the centre ice circle as a whole and giving a stick salute" (TORONTO SUN, 10/16). It was "rousing and dramatic" (SI.com, 10/16).

Keon had been "estranged from the franchise and an outspoken critic of its number-honouring policy." The "surprise announcement" by team President Brendan Shanahan "amounted to a seismic moment in franchise history that removed a stain of the past" (TORONTO STAR, 10/16).

Standing ovation as Dave Keon's #14 is raised to the rafters at ACC. pic.twitter.com/eeops5Aqah

— Christine Simpson (@SNChrisSimpson) October 15, 2016

The D-backs today named Mike Hazen Exec VP & GM. Hazen this season served as Red Sox Senior VP & GM "following 4 seasons as the club's assistant GM." Prior to joining the Red Sox in '06, Hazen spent five seasons with the Indians. Hazen and D-backs President & CEO Derrick Hall will hold a news conference at Chase Field tomorrow. Hall said, "Mike's background is the perfect balance of scouting, player development and analytics" (MLB.com, 10/16).

LPGA Commissioner Mike Whan said that the Tour "will back golf authorities no matter what decision they make" about hosting the '17 U.S. Women's Open at a Donald Trump-owned course amid a "storm over sexually aggressive comments" from Trump. The USGA is "facing calls to move the event" from Trump National Golf Club in New Jersey. Whan said, "In a strange way I'm lucky that the LPGA has no direct dealing with Donald Trump or Donald Trump properties. ... All I've said to the USGA is this, 'You have long since proven you support women's golf so if you tell us this is the right place to play then we're right there with you'" (REUTERS, 10/15).

The Univ. of Tennessee BOT on Friday "approved a proposal" for a $106M renovation to Neyland Stadium that the school is "aiming to have completed" by Aug. '19. Tennessee Senior Vice Chancellor of Finance & Administration Chris Cimino said that the project would be "financed by donations and the athletic department's operating revenues." Tennessee Chancellor Jimmy Cheek said it would require "no taxpayers dollars." The project includes "renovating the south ground and concourse levels and relocating the visitors’ locker room" (AP, 10/14). 

FIFA’s governing council on Friday voted to "bar countries in Europe and Asia, which will host the next two World Cups, from bidding to host the tournament" in '26. The decision "significantly increases the chances that the event will take place in the United States, either as the sole bidder or in partnership with a neighbor such as Mexico or Canada." Still, FIFA "left a door open for multiple-country bids, voting to consider co-hosting proposals 'on a case-by-case basis'" (N.Y. TIMES, 10/15).

The Big 12 BOD today begins two days of meetings in Dallas, with an announcement expected tomorrow on an "expansion decision." School presidents could choose to add more teams, "stand pat with 10 schools" or "prolong the suspense until December or sometime next year." Commissioner Bob Bowlsby is "expected to address" the group at a dinner tonight (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 10/16). Sources indicated that the "most likely outcome is not expanding" and that there have been "discussions with the Big 12's TV partners to pay the league not to expand." An amended TV deal "will be discussed this weekend," but it is "unlikely any final agreement will be reached" (SI.com, 10/14).

MLS is wrapping up its regular season with "simultaneous kickoffs split by conference this weekend and leaguewide next weekend." Today's Eastern Conference games begin at 3:15pm ET, and Western Conference games begin at 5:28pm. ESPN today is airing Toronto FC-Impact and Rapids-Timbers, along with "whip-around coverage of all the other games going on at the same time." Canadian broadcasters TSN and RDS are "pooling resources behind the scenes" for their coverage of Toronto FC-Impact. MLS and its TV partners first "tested having simultaneous kickoffs to end the season last year" (PHILLY.com, 10/15).

Also today, MLS held its Expansion Priority Draft, in which Minnesota United FC and Atlanta United FC took their "first halting steps" as MLS clubs (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 10/15).

The Packers will honor Pro Football HOFer Brett Favre at halftime of today's Cowboys-Packers game, "putting his name up on the Lambeau Field facade along with the franchise's others enshrined in Canton and presenting him with his Hall of Fame ring." Packers coach Mike McCarthy said, "The organization is excited about having him back. ... There will be a ton of energy outside the stadium, inside the stadium" (PACKERS.com, 10/14).

Meanwhile, the Univ. of Tennessee football program honored Peyton Manning yesterday before it hosted Alabama at Neyland Stadium. Manning "received handshakes and hugs" from former UT coach Phillip Fulmer and Tennessee AD Dave Hart (Knoxville NEWS SENTINEL, 10/16).

The Purdue BOT on Friday approved $5.6M in gift funds needed to install lights at Ross-Ade Stadium, "a necessity to meet Big Ten television contractual requirements." The project will "begin in March and be completed in August." This is the "last season that television networks will pay for temporary lighting, a $60,000 rental fee per game." Purdue, Northwestern and Michigan State are the only Big Ten programs "without permanent lighting." Michigan State also has "plans to install lights by next season" (Lafayette JOURNAL & COURIER, 10/15).

Salesforce.com has "declined to pursue a takeover" of Twitter. As Salesforce "exits, virtually no other suitors seem likely to emerge" as bidders (N.Y. TIMES, 10/15).

MLB Giants President & CEO Larry Baer "wrote an open letter to fans in which he expressed a variety of thoughts" about the '16 season as well as the team's outlook for '17. This came four days after the team suffered its first postseason series loss since '03 (ESPN.com, 10/15).

The Blues invited the family of original team Owner Sid Salomon III to yesterday's game against the Rangers. Salomon's former wife, Carol, "dropped the ceremonial first puck, along with her children Sid IV, Tim and Patti" (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 10/16).

The "first 14,000 fans to enter the gates at Kansas Speedway" for today's NASCAR Sprint Cup Hollywood Casino 400 will "receive a commemorative pin saluting" retiring driver Tony Stewart (K.C. STAR, 10/15).

About "20,000 people poured into the Smith Center" on Friday for the Univ. of North Carolina's "Late Night With Roy," the men's basketball program's first practice of the season named after coach Roy Williams (Raleigh NEWS & OBSERVER, 10/15).

"We definitely have all the A-listers, they usually don't come out till the end of the season. But the request for tickets today are off the charts" – Patriots Owner Robert Kraft, on celebrities attending today's Bengals-Patriot game, QB Tom Brady's first at Gillette Stadium since his Deflategate suspension ended (NFL.com, 10/16).

"I'm staying on the positive. We're 4-1" – Kraft, when asked if he was putting Deflategate behind him (“SportsCenter,” ESPN, 10/16).

"Barely aware of the incident or its purpose, my comments were inappropriately dismissive and harsh. I should have declined to respond" – Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, in a note to reporters apologizing for calling 49ers QB Colin Kaepernick's demonstrations "dumb and disrespectful" (N.Y. TIMES, 10/15).

"I thought the roof was caving in. I really did" – Cubs 2B Javier Baez, on the crowd noise at Wrigley Field after C Miguel Montero's pinch-hit grand slam in Game 1 of the NLCS against the Dodgers (USATODAY.com, 10/16).

"They should stay where their real fans are in Oakland and that area. ... They should play where the 49ers play in Santa Clara" – TNT's Charles Barkley, in a guest appearance on CBS' "The NFL Today," discussing the Raiders' effort to move to Las Vegas (CBS, 10/16).

In the N.Y. TIMES, former pro cyclist David Millar writes under the header, "How To Get Away With Doping." Millar, the author of "Racing Through the Dark" and "The Racer: Life on the Road as a Pro Cyclist," notes he took PEDs and had "won some of the biggest races in the sport of cycling, including a World Championship title." Millar: "I had cheated." The downfall of cycling's PED era – "one that had existed, to some degree, in professional cycling for nearly a century – was long overdue."

In N.Y., Filip Bondy notes the "current set of titleholders in American professional sports reads like a list of Best Places to Retire with Low Housing Prices." The Cavaliers hold the NBA title, the Royals are the defending World Series champions and the Penguins hold the Stanley Cup. Bondy: "How did we allow the minnows their feeding frenzy?"

Elsewhere:

• Blue Jays President & CEO Mark Shapiro visits his old team in ALCS.
• The "lost history" of L.A.'s version of Wrigley Field.
• Tom Brady has "basic rights" to stay silent on Donald Trump.

Much of the foundation for the Patriot way in terms of scouting came from the ideas and thoughts of @Gil_Brandt. Hall of Fame for Gil

— michael lombardi (@mlombardifoxtv) October 16, 2016

Always awesome to have Charles Barkley on set. He brings a palpable joy and energy to the studio. The man knows his football, too

— Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) October 16, 2016

Finally -- an NFL KO return for TD by Philly's Wendell Smallwood vs Washington. It took six weeks for the NFL to return a KO to the house.

— Rick Gosselin (@RickGosselinDMN) October 16, 2016

Back at my hotel room. It does not have Fox Sports 1. MLB sold out its TV rights for money. If you want to grow the game, this is a bad way.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) October 16, 2016

Nigel Hayes has arrived at GameDay and, of course, he has a sign. @darrenrovell pic.twitter.com/tMd5Vk4zT9

— Badger Beat (@BadgerBeat) October 15, 2016

The #Indians are up 2-0 in the #ALCS and LeBron James is loving it https://t.co/i5hBNDNfqN pic.twitter.com/gDQGpnZAnS

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) October 15, 2016