MLB: In N.Y., Murray Chass writes that the Padres' fast
start has put them "in position to make a positive
statement" in their campaign for a new stadium. Padres
President & CEO Larry Lucchino, on the team's turnaround:
"You need financial wherewithal, given the unbalanced player
compensation system we have. With [Owner] John [Moores']
willingness, we were able to invest some serious dollars in
rebuilding the team" (N.Y. TIMES, 4/21)....USA TODAY's Hal
Bodley reports that after last weekend's Tigers-Yankees
series was switched from New York to Detroit, the Tigers are
now "trying to put a price tag on how much the switch cost."
Bodley: "It shouldn't be more than $500,000, but baseball
will make up the difference if [the] Yankees or the City of
New York doesn't cover the entire amount" (USA TODAY, 4/21).
NBA: With Sunday's sellout against the Pistons, the
Nets set an all-time attendance mark. This year's total
attendance of 718,523 surpassed the mark of 684,102 set in
the '94-'95 season (Newark STAR-LEDGER, 4/20)....The Sixers
set three attendance marks at their Friday night home finale
against the Bulls. The crowd or 21,305 was a record,
breaking the previous high of 21,104, set in January versus
the Bulls. In addition, the season attendance total of
655,417 bettered the mark of 646,788, set in '82-'83, and
this year's average game attendance of 15,986 surpassed the
15,775 average during that same season (76ers).
AFL: The AFL Rattlers have sold more than 11,000 season
tickets, the team's highest total ever (AZ REPUBLIC, 4/19).
LEGAL-ESE: The Supreme Court yesterday refused to take
on a contract dispute between the Redskins and its former
insurance group, Hartford Accident and Indemnity Co. The
justices let stand a federal appeals court ruling that will
force the Redskins to pay additional premiums for workers'
compensation policies the club had with Hartford from '88-
91. Hartford's '94 lawsuit is seeking $5.3M in additional
payments (AP/WASHINGTON POST, 4/21)....Lamar Hunt has asked
the OH Supreme Court "to stop the upcoming trial in the
Columbus Blue Jackets case and order its dismissal." The
requests came just hours after Judge John Bessey of Franklin
County Supreme Common Pleas Court ordered a trial in the
cast to start May 4 (COLUMBUS DISPATCH, 4/21).
