A plan for spending taxpayer dollars to help build a new Vikings stadium today "will be submitted" to the Minnesota state Legislature in St. Paul. The plan would raise up to $300M in state funds through such streams as a sales tax on memorabilia and luxury seats, a lottery game and an income tax on the team's players – "a proposition that might be challenged in court by the Vikings or by the NFL." It would also "allow a local government to levy its own taxes." The bill will become public when it is formally introduced Monday to the state House and Senate (ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS, 4/8).

Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton said of the proposal, "I think it's very doable, and if the Legislature gets behind it, we'll have a stadium" (ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS, 4/8).

YES Network and DirecTV have reached a carriage deal that will "prevent any disruption in service." This comes ahead of the Yankees-Red Sox series that begins today. Another N.Y. RSN, SportsNet N.Y., has been absent from Dish Network since last week, and there "appears to be little hope of a deal anytime soon." SNY also is "talking to DirecTV about a new deal" (N.Y. TIMES, 4/8).

Meanwhile, Dish Network and Charter Communications made deals yesterday to "assure their subscribers will see Saturday's Twins game" on FS North. Mediacom and Cable One, which also have footprints in the upper Midwest, "have yet to strike a deal with FSN." Those two providers make up about 9% of the people who get FS North (STARTRIBUNE.com, 4/7).

After the "unprovoked attack last week at Dodger Stadium that left a San Francisco Giants fan with brain damage," L.A. Police Chief Charlie Beck yesterday "announced a plan to significantly increase the number of police officers on patrol during games." Beck said that "'at the absolute minimum' he would double the 30 to 40 uniformed officers who typically are deployed at games" (L.A. TIMES, 4/8).

Meanwhile, the Padres are "reviewing their security measures for this weekend's three games" against the Dodgers at Petco Park in response to the incident. Padres VP/Stadium Operation Mark Guglielmo said in an e-mail, "We will increase our staffing levels for this series with the Dodgers in addition to paying particular attention to specific areas both inside and outside the ballpark" (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 4/8).

The IOC is "set to help break the deadlock" between the British Olympic Association and LOCOG by "offering an olive branch of several million pounds during fresh talks" on the dispute over how profit from the '12 London Games is to be shared. The parties are slated to meet "in the next few days." It "appears that any IOC intervention may help solve the BOA's short-term cash-flow issues and fast track a deal" (London TELEGRAPH, 4/7).

The Red Sox and iParty announced that they have agreed to a two-year sponsorship deal making the New England retailer the team's official party store. The agreement allows iParty to use the character Wally the Green Monster in TV ads and other marketing efforts. Also, the chain will run several Red Sox-related promotions in stores and online. iParty will be featured on Fenway Park's new electronic scoreboard, where it will be described as the "Official Party Store" of the Red Sox (iParty).

ESPNBoston.com today will launch an Internet-only radio show, "ESPNBoston.com Radio with Adam Jones." The show will air live Monday-Friday from noon-2:00pm ET and will be available on the website and ESPN Radio applications. Host Adam Jones since '09 has served in several roles at Boston sports talk station WBZ-FM. Drew Brooks, who worked at ESPN Radio Boston 890, will produce the show and serve as Jones' on-air sidekick (ESPNBoston.com, 3/31).