When MLB owners meet on Wednesday and Thursday in Phoenix,
one of the top issues will be a long-awaited revenue-sharing
plan. In Milwaukee, Tom Haudricourt reports, if acting MLB
Commissioner Bud Selig calls a vote, "expect it to pass"
(MILWAUKEE JOURNAL-SENTINEL, 3/17). But, Mark Maske reports
large-market owners may "put up a fight" and delay consideration
further. One management official: "This thing isn't a done deal
yet" (WASHINGTON POST, 3/17). Selig: "Nobody debates revenue
sharing. It's in what form and when" (Murray Chass, N.Y. TIMES,
3/17).
SUPER-BROUHAHA: In an extensive piece in Sunday's N.Y.
TIMES, Chass connects the debate over superstation rights fees to
revenue-sharing. He writes, "If anyone is to go on strike this
time, it could be the low-revenue clubs that are holding the
league television agreements hostage to a new revenue-sharing
agreement." There is disagreement on several issues: 1)
Retroactive rights fees to be charged to Turner Broadcasting,
owner of the Braves and TBS. A committee led by Expos Owner
Claude Brochu has recommended TBS pay $24.3M each for '94 and
'95, while Selig -- in a bid to get the Braves' vote on revenue-
sharing, according to one club exec -- would cut it to $24.3M
total. 2) Several small-market teams are threatening to withdraw
rights of visiting teams to carry games on their local TV outlets
without revenue-sharing. One lawyer familiar with the debate
said, if Selig doesn't have the votes, "He'll probably try to get
a rollover of the TV agreements so you don't have potential
chaos" (N.Y. TIMES, 3/17).
THE BREAKDOWN: The interim revenue-sharing plan submitted
to owners would transfer about $39M from the top 13 teams above
the average projected local revenues to the bottom 13 teams. Top
contributor: The Yankees at $7.25M. Top recipient: Royals at
$4.51M (N.Y. TIMES, 3/17).
LABOR UPDATE: In L.A., Ross Newhan reports, despite
speculation to the contrary, owners will restore service time
players lost during the strike (L.A. TIMES, 3/17).
