A "highly placed source" revealed Friday that NFL
Commissioner Paul Tagliabue, along with NFL team owners, are
"seriously considering" a proposal that would "effectively turn"
the CFL into a developmental operation for the NFL, according to
Marty York in the Toronto GLOBE & MAIL. CFL owners and execs are
100%"behind the idea because "it may be the only chance the
financially strapped league has for survival." David Macdonald,
CFL vice-chair and co-Owner of the Tiger-Cats: "No one in our
league is against the idea of setting up a working relationship
with the NFL, not even the Western clubs. ...The point is, the
NFL can do a lot more with us than they can with the WLAF. Why
not work together? (Toronto GLOBE & MAIL, 10/26).
SUPER BOWL HOSTS: Tagliabue was present for the Lions game
and floated the possibility of a Super Bowl in Detroit if Wayne
County voters approve the building of a sports complex in
downtown Detroit November 5, according to Curt Sylvester in the
DETROIT FREE PRESS. Tagliabue said that the Lions' project had
been presented to the Super Bowl Advisory Committee, which was
"enthusiastic and very supportive." Tagliabue: "I'm confident
that when the time comes to pick a year and pick a date for the
Super Bowl, the National Football League will do that, if this
project goes forward." (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 10/28). Tagliabue:
"From the league's perspective, we want to assure you our
commitment to this project is unswerving, and you can count on
it" (DETROIT NEWS, 10/28). In Atlanta, an bid to bring Super
Bowl XXXIV to the Georgia Dome had city and civic officials
working over the weekend "refining the pitch" they'll make on
Thursday in New Orleans to NFL owners who will award the '99 and
2000 sites (Len Pasquarelli, ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 10/27).
NEWS & NOTES: ESPN's Chris Mortensen reported that if the
Bengals cannot sell 50,000 PSLs by the end of April '97, plans
for their proposed new stadium will be "dead" and they will
"emerge as the leading candidate" to move to Cleveland
("SportsCenter," ESPN, 10/27).
