White Sox Chair Jerry Reinsdorf said Saturday that
"shutting out Cubs fans is the primary reason" he was
expected to approve a proposal making all tickets to the
three Cubs-White Sox games June 16-18 at Comiskey Park
available only as part of a four-game package, according to
Mike Kiley in the CHICAGO SUN-TIMES. Reinsdorf: "I don't
want 15,000 loud Cubs fans in the park. ... They can stay
home and watch it on TV" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 2/9).
RANGERS: The Rangers' failed attempts to change MLB's
thinking on realignment was "just one glimpse into the
frustration that general partners Tom Schieffer and Rusty
Rose have toward those in power," according to T.R. Sullivan
in the FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM. Sullivan: "It's also a
reminder of how far removed the Rangers are from baseball's
center of power and how little influence they have on major
issues" (FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 2/9). The Rangers sold a
team-record 46,200 tickets Saturday on the first day single-
game tickets were available (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 2/9).
REDS: The hirings of new staffers, including a Dir of
Media Relations and two positions in the season sales
office, have "raised the Reds from a bare-bones operation to
decent levels." Managing Exec John Allen said season-ticket
sales and ticket sales overall are up, despite some
"fallout" from a price increase (CINCINNATI ENQUIRER, 2/9).
MARLINS: An estimated crowd of 12,000 attended the
first day of the Marlins FanFest Saturday at Pro Player
Stadium. The team sold 300 season-tickets to give them more
than 13,000 currently. The team sold 12,500 season-tickets
last season (MIAMI HERALD, 2/9).
ANGELS: The Angels will hold a press conference today
to unveil the team's new uniforms for the upcoming season,
their first as the Anaheim Angels (Angels).
TWINS: 60,000 fans have attended the 78 appearances of
Twins players throughout the Midwest in the past two weeks
and the TwinsFest that was held last Friday and Saturday
(Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 2/9).
ROYALS: The Royals sold more than 11,000 tickets
Friday, the first day that single-game tickets were
available (K.C. STAR, 2/9).
PHILLIES: Phillies President Bill Giles is featured in
the PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS under the header, "Just A Bill
Of Goods? Sales Down, But Giles's Spirit Isn't." Giles on
his image in the community: "I have no idea what the public
is thinking" Sales of Phillies season-tickets are currently
at 8,500-9,000 for the '97 season, down from the club's
15,718 season-tickets last year. Group sales are off "maybe
as much as" 25% (PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS, 2/11).
A'S/GIANTS: Due to MLB trying to play as many games as
possible in warm-weather cities and domes in April, there
will be 12 days in April where neither the A's nor Giants
are at home and nine days when both are at home, as opposed
to the routine of one team travelling and the other at home.
A's Senior Dir/Broadcasting & Communications Ken Pries:
"We've written letters to the league and Bud Selig
explaining our position, which is how this would affect us
from an attendance standpoint, from an operations standpoint
-- since a lot of stadium workers work at both stadiums --
and from a TV standpoint. ... Despite our objections, they
went ahead and did it" (S.F. EXAMINER, 2/10).
