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The slide in NFL ratings could be as much a trend as a blip.The presidential campaign, the growing move away from cable, the increase in live streaming sports and competition from compelling baseball have all been given as reasons for a double-digit decline in viewership through the first five weeks.All legitimate explanations, experts say. But one of the main selling points of live sports to the networks -- theyre appointment viewing that most people dont like to record and watch later -- could be eroding, as the fan base fragments, even for Americas most popular sport.Its not to say that less than the majority of people are going to sit down and watch the game at a certain time, said Dennis Deninger, who teaches sports management and sports media courses at Syracuse. Its just to say its retreating, and that retreat puts into question the value thats been attached to TV rights that were locked up for the long-term.According to Sports Media Watch , viewership for last weeks games was down 26 percent for Monday night, 15 percent for Sunday night (against the second presidential debate) and 20 percent for Thursday night. Overall, for the first four weeks of the season, ratings across the league were down 11 percent.The decline was concerning enough that league executives recently sent an internal memo to the NFL media committee, comparing this years slide to a lesser decline during the 2000 election cycle and conceding that, While our partners, like us, would have liked to see higher ratings, they remain confident in the NFL and unconcerned about a long-term issue.The current TV contracts, worth between $8.5 billion to more than $15 billion each, expire in 2021 and 2022. What the networks are willing to pay when its time to renegotiate will be the best indicator of how big an impact Americas changing viewing habits have had on the NFL, and whether pro football remains the nations undisputed entertainment king.But theres still a lot of uncertainty over how new technology will impact viewership. Best example: Yes, you can live stream Thursday night games on Twitter, but what if your connection is shaky? And how much better will that connection get over the next five years?There will be some instances where the composition of (the media deals) will change vastly, and others where theyll continue to engage with traditional partners, said Adam Jones, the director of PwC Sports Advisory Services. All the deals may not yield the same premiums. But we could see a shift in the actual structures of the deals, from traditional rights fees to a smaller base with more digital-based bonuses and incentives on the back end.PwC does not talk about specific sports leagues, though in a recent newsletter , it predicted a moderation in growth of rights fees for North American sports over the next five years.Though Jones says it will take time to see if this seasons sports ratings are cyclical or more long-term, it should be acknowledged that the market is not limitless when it comes to consumption through traditional broadcast.None of this is to say the NFL is hurting. That same league memo that recognized this years ratings issues said overall NFL viewership has increased 27 percent over the past 15 years. In 2015, the NFL accounted for 63 of the top 100 TV shows. Even with recent legal troubles for daily fantasy -- which could also be partially responsible for the ratings dip -- fantasy football is still considered a growth area for the NFL. The current numbers also dont take into account how many people are streaming the games.Deninger says giving viewers more options is the NFLs best long-term bet. He says the league, to some extent, has to feel some of the same effects as all other televised entertainment products -- the increase in nonlinear viewing. He said that according to comscore.com , Google sites that include YouTube draw 182 million unique users every month, all of whom are turning into clips of things they want to watch, when they want to watch them. Other websites post similar stats.The nonlinear sites where you go select whatever you want, they arent complaining about any drop off, he said. More and more, people are not waiting for things to be delivered to them, one way or another.How well the NFL bucks that trend -- or goes along with it -- will help shape the ratings and, from there, the dollar signs for the leagues next round of media-rights deal.AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL Solomon Hill Jersey . Zvonareva, who won the tournament in 2009 and 10, couldnt handle her opponents big groundstrokes in only her third event back after 17 months out with a shoulder injury. Zvonareva made her comeback in January in Shenzhen and played in the Australian Open but lost her first matches at both tournaments. Andre Iguodala Jersey .Y. -- Buffalo Bills coach Doug Marrone has drawn on his Syracuse connections once again by hiring Rob Moore to take over as receivers coach. https://www.cheapgrizzlies.com/464p-mike-miller-jersey-grizzlies.html . How great will be revealed in the next couple of days at the board of governors meeting in Pebble Beach, Calif. Michael Dickerson Jersey .J. -- Josh Cribbs was in the Pro Bowl in February and out of a job six months later. Juan Carlos Navarro Jersey . The Olympic champion curler and TSN curling analyst immediately went online to look at the Halls long list of honoured members. Thats when the enormity of the honour sunk in. OAKLAND, Calif. -- City and county officials approved opening negotiations with an investment group on a possible $1.3 billion stadium project that supporters hope will sway the Oakland Raiders to stay.The approvals Tuesday give an investment team anchored by Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott and former quarterback Rodney Peete the right to negotiate a formal agreement for a $1.3 billion stadium that includes $350 million in public money.The Alameda County Board of Supervisors voted earlier Tuesday, with the Oakland City Council voting later in the night.Seven city council members voted to enter negotiations with Lott. One council member abstained. Earlier in the day, three of five county supervisors voted yes after more than three hours of discussion and testimony in a room sparkling with sports celebrities.Lott said after the county vote that the work is just beginning.We still have a long ways to go. We still have to convince the NFL. We still have to convince (Raiders owner) Mark Davis. Weve got a long ways to go but today is a great day and a great moment for Raider Nation, he said.Earlier this year, Mark Davis said he was committed to moving the Raiders to Las Vegas, where a $1.9 billion stadium project has been approved. Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf vowed to continue working on a counter-proposal for the Raiders to stay at the Oakland Coliseum.A move to Nevada is not certain, although a vote by the NFL on whether to allow the move is possible as soon as January. Nevada will raise $750 million from a hotel tax to fund the stadium with billionaire casino mogul Sheldon Adelson contributing $650 million and the Raiders and NFL kicking in $500 million.The Raiders must get approval from 24 of the 32 NFL owners to move. NFL owners will receive an update on the stadium situation when they meet in the Dallas area Wednesday.The Raiders also have the option of moving to the Los Angeles area, where they can share a facility with the recently relocated Rams.A spokesman for the Raiders did not return requests for comment.Former Los Angeles Raiders great Marcus Allen made an emotional pitch to the Alameda County Board of Supervisors and later to the Oakland City Council, saying that losing the team would be devastating for Oakland.ddddddddddddt would be an emptiness that I dont think the city could recover from, he said.Other speakers urged caution even as they pledged support. They said officials should negotiate jobs and affordable housing for residents in east Oakland where the Coliseum is located, given the soaring cost of housing throughout the city.A sticking point was that Alameda County and Oakland still need to retire nearly $100 million in debt incurred for remodeling the current stadium to woo the team back from Los Angeles in 1995.The parties have identified $1.25 billion in potential financing for a project that may cost upward of $1.3 billion for a 55,000-seat stadium that could include mixed-use retail in the future.Lotts team, which includes the Fortress Investment Group, would contribute $400 million, with the NFL and the Raiders contributing $500 million.The city of Oakland would contribute $200 million for infrastructure such as storm drains and roadway parking. The money would be generated from bonds paid back from revenue created from the stadium and its surrounding commercial development.The city and county would also contribute at least 100 acres of land, valued at $150 million. One of the issues to be determined is whether the land would be sold or leased.Supervisor Keith Carson grilled a representative of Fortress for details on payment and revenue. He voted no.Supervisor Wilma Chan abstained. She said at the hearing that while fans have remained loyal, shes not sure that the Raiders want to stay.Board President Scott Haggerty joined supervisors Richard Valle and Nate Miley in moving forward, despite the many unknowns.What it comes down for me is trust and my mother would trust Ronnie Lott, he said. I trust this man and hes somebody I want to do business with, and I hope hes somebody Mark Davis wants to do business with.---For more NFL coverage: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '