NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue appeared before a Senate
panel yesterday "and all but pleaded for Congress to grant the
league an antitrust exemption so it could keep its teams in
place," according to Michael Sokolove in today's PHILADELPHIA
INQUIRER. But Tagliabue "hedged" when asked if the league would
use such an exemption to prevent the Browns' move to Baltimore.
Tagliabue, upon questioning from PA Sen. Arlen Specter: "It
depends on our economics -- our costs." OH Sen. Mike DeWine, who
is co-sponsoring the "Fans Rights Act" with fellow OH Sen. John
Glenn, took aim at the NFL's policy of not sharing revenue from
sales of luxury boxes and premium seating. DeWine: "This
distorts the market. Your own rules put a premium on moving.
They could be changed." Tagliabue: "That is something we are
working on." Sokolove writes the furor over "franchise free
agency" has created a "rare issue on which both Democrats and
Republicans seem to agree the federal government should take some
kind of active role" (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 11/30). But in
Boston, Aaron Zitner writes, "Past trys to regulate professional
sports have gone nowhere, and this latest bid is unlikely to
pass" (BOSTON GLOBE, 11/30).
IN A NUTSHELL: Tagliabue: "Right now antitrust law, as it
applies to internal commitments among members of sports leagues,
is being interpreted in a way that is ripping leagues apart"
(WASHINGTON POST, 11/30).
MORE REAX: In Tampa, Phil Wilson said the Bucs and other
NFL teams contemplating a move "might want to hold off packing"
with the legislation gaining support of "key senators" and the
league calling for "swift action" (TAMPA TRIBUNE, 11/30). NFLPA
Exec Dir Gene Upshaw sees no need for new laws: "I think it's
really best for the leagues to take care of their own business"
(USA TODAY, 11/30).
SENATE SUPPORT: Sen. Judiciary Chair Orrin Hatch, who has
lobbied for a repeal of MLB's antitrust exemption: "I am open to
proposals that would allow leagues to control franchise moves"
(Akron BEACON JOURNAL, 11/30). Hatch: "The NFL and NHL have
thrived without antitrust exemptions, while an exemption allowed
baseball to get complacent. But some limited antitrust exemption
may be needed" (N.Y. TIMES, 11/30). VT Sen. Pat Leahy, another
critic of MLB's exemption, also "appeared supportive" of a
limited exemption for franchise control (WASHINGTON POST, 11/30).
COUNTER VIEWS: Houston Mayor Bob Lanier "took almost an
opposite approach from most speakers" before yesterday's hearing,
according to the HOUSTON CHRONICLE. Lanier, hinting that Houston
might sue the NFL to get an expansion team, called the league a
"monopoly" charging "monopoly prices." Lanier: "If we don't
treat the question of the number of franchises through expansion,
the pressure to get all the money by the owners will remain."
Lanier argued against giving the league more power through an
exemption, noting the NFL could still allow teams to relocate --
and then collect relocation fees. Later, Tagliabue called
Lanier's suggestions "completely unrealistic." Tagliabue: "We
have to solve the problems of existing franchises before we start
adding franchises." Upon hearing that, Lanier said, "De Beers
would say the same thing about diamonds, I have never heard of a
monopolist that recommended its demise or diminution" (John
Williams, HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 11/30).
TV COVERAGE: NBC's Robert Hager: "Without changes in the
rules or laws, no community, no matter how loyal, can be certain
their team will remain." Hager's piece was fairly extensive and
went beyond football. He had a graphic which identified teams in
both MLB and the NHL that are thinking about moves ("NBC Nightly
News," 11/29). ABC's Armen Keteyian's piece covered not only the
hearings but also featured interviews with Nashville Mayor Phil
Bredesen and a Nashville city councilman arguing for money to be
spent on schools, etc. Keteyian: "But for now, the issue in
pro sports seems to be, if you build it, they will come" ("World
News Tonight," 11/29). CNN's Fred Hickman on the protests from
Browns' fans: "It was kind of a 'million fan march,' oh, give or
take a few hundred thousand" ("Sports Tonight," 11/29). CNBC's
Hampton Pearson: "[With] stadiums full of voters being ripped
apart by the loss of their sports teams, it has Congress thinking
about new ground rules for sports franchise moves" ("Sports
View," CNBC, 11/29).
