"Some 5,000 to 7,000 fans jammed downtown Phoenix, where
officials of the fledgling" Diamondbacks and Devil Rays
"gathered to build a future for their teams, one player at a
time," according to Hoye & Ropp of the ARIZONA REPUBLIC.
Outside the draft, "people from all over the country blended
together for the afternoon to watch the draft unfold,
transforming Phoenix Civic Plaza into a giant tailgate party"
(Hoye & Ropp, ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 11/19).
DESERT NOTES: Marlins GM Dave Dombrowski, on having the
Devil Rays join the FL market: "I don't think Tampa Bay is
going to have much on our market per say as far as our
drawing audience is concerned. Most of our fans come from
South Florida, a few from Central Florida, and they'll have a
chance to go back and forth to both places. Our key
primarily is going to be if we can get a new stadium"
("SportsCenter," 11/18). Expos GM Jim Beattie, on the team
being forced to dump large salaries: "For us to really build
some stability with the revenues that will enable us to keep
these players, that's gonna' come in the package of a new
stadium, and that's all [that's] important to us right now"
("SportsCenter," ESPN, 11/18). Red Sox CEO John Harrington,
asked on future expansion: "Before we expand we'll have to
see an increase in our talent base" (USA TODAY, 11/19). For
media coverage of the draft, see (#8).
