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Sunday, March 26, 3:00pm ET

Weekend Rap .... Latest News .... NFL Vegas Vote Nears

NFL Owners Look Poised To Vote In Favor Of Raiders' Move To Vegas

By Daniel Kaplan

The city of Oakland late Friday disclosed its last-ditch offer to keep the Raiders, but the NFL quickly threw cold water on it, all but assuring owners at this week's annual meeting will approve the club’s relocation to Las Vegas. The proposal is the same one the city presented to owner committees in early March, where it was coolly received, sources said. Contacted Friday on whether Oakland’s newly public offer would make a difference for the vote in Phoenix, Giants President & CEO John Mara replied, “Nope.” One NFL source said, “We appreciate the continued efforts. The foundation elements – rapid access to the land at nominal cost and free of major contingencies are not present.”

In a letter sent Friday to Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell wrote that the Oakland stadium proposal is "filled with uncertainty." Goodell wrote the plan is not "clear and specific, actionable in a reasonable time frame, and free of major contingencies" (EAST BAY TIMES, 3/26). Schaaf yesterday at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum joined area business leaders and "about 100 Raider fans" for a rally to "make their pitch about why the team should stay in Oakland" (SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, 3/26).

Source: Latest Raiders Stadium Cost Projection At $1.7B, Not $1.9B

By Daniel Kaplan

The cost to build a stadium in Las Vegas for the Raiders is just under $1.7B, more than $200M less than the $1.9B previously projected, according to a source close to the NFL. The source got the information from a copy of the relocation resolution NFL owners will vote on tomorrow or Tuesday. The resolution also discloses there is another $200M public subsidy from Nevada for capital improvements, in addition to the publicized $750M raised from a bed tax. That means the Raiders' share of the stadium cost comes down significantly, making the owners' vote all but certain. The Raiders will need to borrow less than $500M, the source said, far lower than many had previously assumed. It is unclear if that includes the $200M stadium financing loan from the NFL.

NFL's Annual Meetings Begin With Many Rule Changes Up For Vote

NFL owners kicked off four days of annual league meetings today in Phoenix, with owners, GMs, and coaches "convening to vote on new rules and policies" for the '17 season. Owners will "vote on 24 proposals – 15 rules, 6 bylaws and 3 resolutions." The Eagles "want to disband the rule that teams must wear only one style of helmet all season," which prohibits "throwback helmets." The Redskins want to "do away with the requirement of wearing 'Color Rush' uniforms" (BOSTON GLOBE, 3/26). The Bills and Seahawks proposed making "every penalty subject to a coach's challenge" (L.A. TIMES, 3/26).

USA Hockey Reaches Out To Potential Women's Team Replacements

USA Hockey has "reached out to Division III college players, as well as postgraduate college players, as potential replacements" for the women's national team that has threatened to boycott the IIHF Women's World Championship, now less than a week away (ESPNW.com, 3/25). USA Hockey has "hit up high school ranks" as well (USATODAY.com, 3/25).

Several players said that they "rejected overtures from USA Hockey to serve as replacements," posting "messages on social media saying they support the national team and would decline or have declined any outreach from USA Hockey" (AP, 3/25). USA Hockey sponsor Dunkin' Donuts "declined to say whether it would consider pulling its funding." However, Dunkin' VP/Field Marketing Tom Manchester said, "We support the current members of the U.S. team." Other USA Hockey sponsors Nike, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Liberty Mutual and Marriott "did not return messages." Toyota opted not to comment (USATODAY.com, 3/24).

Online Ticket Marketplace Vivid Seats Looking To Sell For $1.5B

Online secondary ticket marketplace Vivid Seats is "looking for a buyer and they're hoping to fetch a price" around $1.5B. Sources said that Vista Equity Partners is "working with Morgan Stanley to unload Vivid," which could "net a tidy profit for the firm a little over a year after acquiring the business" for about $850M. Founded in '01, Chicago-based Vivid Seats has "grown to become the third-largest secondary ticket seller" in the U.S. A source said that companies like Amazon and Priceline had "taken a look at Vivid Seats but decided not to acquire it." eBay-owned StubHub is "not interested" (TECHCRUNCH.com, 3/23).

Warriors Bring Awareness To Fraudulent Tickets With "Stop Fraud Night"

The Warriors will host Stop Fraud Night when the club hosts the Grizzlies tonight at Oracle Arena, highlighting the team's continuing effort to warn fans about the potential dangers of purchasing fraudulent tickets from a non-verified third party. The team will host a group of fans at the game who have previously been denied access to Oracle Arena this season due to unknowingly buying phony tickets. Those fans are invited to a pregame Q&A with Basketball HOFer Jerry West and can watch the Warriors in the EFFEN Vodka Penthouse suite for the entire game. The Warriors will provide attendees with special Stop Fraud Night T-shirts (Warriors).

F1 Kicks Off Season Entering New Era Without Ecclestone At Helm

The '17 F1 season officially kicked off today with Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel winning the Australian GP in Melbourne. The race marked the "first time in 43 years that Bernie Ecclestone will not be running the racing series." It is "unclear what changes" new owners Liberty Media will make, but over the last few weeks, F1 Chair Chase Carey, Managing Dir of Motorsports Ross Brawn and Managing Dir of Commercial Operations Sean Bratches have been "canvassing opinions, taking stock." Bratches described it as "a listening tour." F1 team Red Bull Principal Christian Horner said, "They're credible people, they're marketers, they're accustomed to putting on big events" (N.Y. TIMES, 3/25).

College Attendance Notes: Elite Eight Sites Draw Strong Crowds

Half of the NCAA Tournament's Elite Eight games were played last night, and Oregon's upset win against Kansas at Sprint Center drew a "partisan Kansas crowd of 18,643" (ESPN.com, 3/26). Gonzaga earned its first-ever trip to the Final Four by beating Xavier 83-59 in front of 17,011 at SAP Center. The crowd "appeared to be backing Gonzaga" (CINCINNATI ENQUIRER, 3/26).

The NCAA men's hockey tournament started this weekend, and in yesterday's games, Harvard earned a trip to the Frozen Four by beating Air Force in front of 3,708 at Dunkin' Donuts Center (BOSTON GLOBE, 3/26). Minnesota-Duluth beat Boston Univ. at Scheels Arena in front of 5,277 to make the Frozen Four (BOSTON GLOBE, 3/26). Friday's N.Y. TIMES went with the header, "College Hockey Has A Talent Glut, But Nowhere To Grow."

Former Laker Shaquille O'Neal Has Statue Unveiled At Staples Center

The Lakers on Friday at Staples Center unveiled statue of Basketball HOFer Shaquille O'Neal, and "more than a dozen former teammates attended, as did Dale Brown, O'Neal's coach at Louisiana State, and rapper Snoop Dogg." O'Neal's statue, the "eighth at Staples Center," hangs from an awning and depicts O'Neal "hanging from a rim after dunking with both hands" (L.A. TIMES, 3/25).

As the 1,500-pound bronze statue was unveiled, Former Lakers on hand included Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Phil Jackson, Kobe Bryant, Jerry West, Elgin Baylor, James Worthy, Luke Walton, A.C. Green, Gary Payton, Derek Fisher, Robert Horry and Brian Shaw. The crowd was "treated to a family reunion more than a fireworks display." Jackson "shared the stage" with Lakers President Jeanie Buss a "few months after their long engagement was called off." Former Lakers exec Jim Buss was "conspicuously absent" (SI.com, 3/25).

Auto Club Speedway Celebrates 20th Anniversary With NASCAR Race

Auto Club Speedway in Fontana "celebrates its 20th anniversary" with today's Auto Club 400 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race, and Roger Penske remains "proud of the 568-acre track he built on the site of a former steel mill despite the highs and lows the speedway has endured in the last two decades." Penske: "We didn’t know what the reaction would be in such a major metropolitan market to what we were doing. It’s become one of the best stops on the NASCAR schedule." The track has become one of the "favorite tracks among drivers and fans." Auto Club Speedway President Dave Allen: "The on-track racing product is better than it's ever been" (L.A. TIMES, 3/26).

Legal Bills For UNC Academic-Athletic Scandal Approaching $18M

Newly released legal bills show the "costs related to the long-running academic-athletic scandal" at UNC "are approaching" $18M. UNC said on Friday that from mid-'15 to near the end of '16, the school spent another $5.6M on "legal costs for the NCAA investigation." The "largest recipient" of the $5.6M was the N.Y.-based Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom law firm, who "received more than" $2M. N.Y.-based Bond Schoeneck & King law firm received $1.3M from August '15 to December '16 (Raleigh NEWS & OBSERVER, 3/25).

Broadcaster Verne Lundquist Profiled On "CBS Sunday Morning"

CBS’ Verne Lundquist was the subject of a “CBS Sunday Morning” profile, with CBS' Jim Axelrod visiting the famed broadcaster at his home in Steamboat Springs, Colo. Some of Lundquist's best lines from the interview are below:

  • On calling some of sports’ greatest moments: “The challenge is to be appropriate to the moment. To not embellish the moment, to not overwhelm it.”
  • On being honored at different SEC stadiums during his final season calling SEC football: “I had to swallow hard and pinch my inner thigh to keep from crying.”
  • On serving as emcee at the Strings Music Festival in Steamboat Springs: “I'm used to talking about Alabama and Auburn and we've got 20 million people watching. It doesn't faze me, but when I walk out this door, it's a hard swallow and you think, ‘Dear Lord, get me through this’” (“CBS Sunday Morning,” 3/26).


Speed Reads....

The NASL S.F. Deltas hosted their inaugural game yesterday against the Indy Eleven at Kezar Stadium, and the team drew a crowd of 4,133 to the 9,000-seat stadium (NASL).

Pirates 3B Jung Ho Kang has reportedly been "denied a visa" to enter the U.S. following his DUI conviction in South Korea (CBSSPORTS.com, 3/24).

Grocer Harris Teeter has signed on as a partner of the USL Charlotte Independence for the '17 season (Independence).

Quick Hits....

"Of the 32 teams, I believe the Raiders have the best chance of succeeding in Las Vegas if any team has a chance" – Former Raiders CEO Amy Trask (SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, 3/25).

"The Lakers are my family. I'll always be available for Jeanie (Buss) and the whole organization" – Former NBAer Kobe Bryant (TWITTER.com, 3/24).

"I would actually love to see the playground that got built for it, or homeless people that got food. I would like to see actually what the money does, because it's supposed to go to charity right? So what does it really do? I would like to see that" – NASCAR driver Danica Patrick, on where the money from fines levied on drivers goes (AP, 3/24).

“Football fans must be having a hard time understanding the big fuss of NBA stars sitting out games on the roads. Do you think Jets fans would mind if Tom Brady sat one out at MetLife, or Bears fans if Aaron Rodgers rested at Soldier Field? Trust me, they wouldn't” – ESPN’s Jeremy Schaap (“The Sports Reporters,” ESPN, 3/26).

Weekend Hot Reads....

THE MMQB goes with the header, "The Raiders Move: What's In It For Las Vegas?" The city "sees joining the NFL club as a way to raise its civic stature. The LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL features Bay Area fans' reactions to the possibility of losing the Raiders. Unlike other suitors, the money and the political will are there – in abundance. The BUFFALO NEWS goes with, "Major Leagues Finally Ready To Deal Las Vegas In."

Soccer blog FOURFOURTWO.com writes the "past few months have been a turning point for the USL," and the league's relationship with MLS also "finds itself at a pivotal moment." Ten MLS teams "currently own their reserve teams in USL under the same name and likeness."

Elsewhere:

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Sunday Comic....

A sneak preview of SportsBusiness Journal's weekly editorial cartoon:

Today's Back Pages....

The Weekend Rap offers today's back page sports covers from some of North America's major metropolitan tabloids:

 N.Y. Post  N.Y. Daily News Newsday   Boston HeraldChicago Sun-Times

Hit The Ground Running: The Week Ahead

THE DAILY’s Week Ahead March 27-April 2

MONDAY
  • National Association of Sports Commissioners: Sports Event Symposium begins (Sacramento)

TUESDAY

  • “MLB: The Show 17” video game released
  • NIT men’s semifinals (Madison Square Garden)

WEDNESDAY

  • McDonald’s All-American Game (United Center - Chicago)

THURSDAY

  • PGA Tour Shell Houston Open (Golf Club of Houston - Humble, Texas)
  • LPGA ANA Inspiration begins (Mission Hills Country Club - Rancho Mirage, Calif.)(1st major of ’17 season)

FRIDAY

  • NCAA Women’s Basketball Final Four (American Airlines Center – Dallas)
  • NIT Championship (Madison Square Garden)

SATURDAY

  • NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Alpha Energy Solutions 250 (Martinsville Speedway)
  • NCAA Men’s Basketball Final Four (Univ. of Phoenix Stadium – Glendale, Ariz.)

SUNDAY

  • MLB season begins (three games)
  • Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series STP 500 (Martinsville Speedway)
  • NCAA Women’s Basketball National Championship (American Airlines Center – Dallas)

Note: Events are subject to change. Information about upcoming events can be sent via email to calendar@sportsbusinessjournal.com.