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Leagues and Governing Bodies

NFL VOTES TO PUT THE BROWNS UP FOR BID; $1B FEE FLOATED

          Unable to "set a price" for the new Browns franchise,
     NFL owners agreed yesterday to a "managed bid process" to
     establish the market value and select the owner of the team,
     according to Tony Grossi of the Cleveland PLAIN DEALER.  NFL
     Commissioner Paul Tagliabue said that a "minimum bid, based
     on analyses by one or more independent consulting firms,
     would be established in late July."  After league ownership
     committees whittle the field to an undetermined number,
     ownership candidates would submit bids."  Tagliabue added
     that an owner will be selected "no later than early
     September -- on criteria other than the highest bid." 
     Tagliabue: "We've talked about a process that has integrity"
     (Cleveland PLAIN DEALER, 5/20).  In Akron, David Adams
     writes that while "many owners extolled the virtues of
     getting fat cats ... to outdo each other, some owners warned
     that looking only for the green could be dangerously
     myopic."  Lions Owner William Ford Jr: "The league can win
     the bidding war, and end up with the wrong guy in there, and
     that wouldn't be good for Cleveland and the NFL."  Adams
     reports that it "wasn't uncommon" for $500M, $600M or even
     $1B franchise fees to "be bandied about" during the
     yesterday's meetings in Coral Gables, FL (AKRON BEACON
     JOURNAL, 5/20).  In DC, Richard Justice writes that the
     league hopes the entry fee will exceed $500M, but that
     Tagliabue "was careful to say that the highest bidder might
     not get the franchise."  Tagliabue: "It's the overall
     quality of the package" (WASHINGTON POST, 5/20).  In Tampa,
     Pat Yasinskas reports that Bucs Owner Malcolm Glazer
     believes the fee should be $1B, and submitted that proposal
     last week.  Raiders Owner Al Davis says Glazer's number is
     close: "With the great situation in Cleveland and the great
     fans, it has to be one of the best situations in pro sports. 
     I think the fee has to be very high."  But Ravens Owner Art
     Modell chuckled at Glazer's figure: "It's not going to be
     that exorbitant a price" (TAMPA TRIBUNE, 5/20).  In Akron,
     Terry Pluto calls the bid process "nothing more than a
     shakedown.  It's nothing more than a bunch of suits
     determined to wring every last dime out of the new Browns
     owners, but these wimps don't have the guts just to set a
     high price and take the heat" (BEACON JOURNAL, 5/20).
          SEARCHING OUTSIDE? Cleveland Mayor Michael White and
     Tagliabue "hinted" yesterday that they would be "willing" to
     accept an owner whose residence is outside of Northeast OH
     or even OH.  In Akron, David Adams writes that both "seemed
     to go out of their way -- more than they have in the past --
     to say non-Ohioans would be OK" (BEACON JOURNAL, 5/20).
          MORE STADIUM FUNDS: The NFL agreed to contribute $15M
     for cost overruns at the new Browns stadium.  In Cleveland,
     Bill Lubinger reports that the funds will "not only" help
     with overruns but "ease potential cash flow problems
     stemming from a possible delay in receiving funds" from the
     state of OH.  Although overruns are projected at $14.8M, the
     City Council has estimated that they could hit more than
     $24M.  The $15M "gift" is in addition to the $45M the league
     has already "advanced for the stadium" (PLAIN DEALER, 5/20).
          L.A. STORY: In L.A., T.J. Simers writes that Michael
     Ovitz "put on a show" for the NFL owners last week in New
     York, "his agent/salesman skills hitting home with owners
     who appreciate sizzle."  Ovitz's plan for a new stadium in
     Carson included "mission-like bells on top of the stadium
     that ring every time the home team scores a touchdown." 
     Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones: "I thought his presentation was
     very imaginative."  But L.A. Councilmember Mark Ridley-
     Thomas, the "point man" for New Coliseum Partners, said of
     Ovitz's NFL bid: "Interest can often be fleeting.  Glitz is
     just what it is.  The devil's in the details."  Ovitz: "I
     have been very encouraged by the NFL's interest.  This is a
     big project that is going to take a long time, but I'm in it
     for the long haul" (T.J. Simers, L.A. TIMES, 5/20).
          FL NOTES: ESPN's John Clayton reported that the Oilers
     "have sold more than 60% of the 41,000 seats at Vanderbilt
     Stadium in Nashville in less than a month, and they are
     still going through their list of PSL buyers for their new
     stadium in Nashville, with general public sales yet to come"
     ("SportsCenter," 5/19)....NFL VP George Young will oversee a
     "career development" symposium for coaches today at the
     meetings.  In N.Y., Mike Freeman reports that "almost all"
     the coaches and coordinators "will attend," adding that the
     symposium idea "arose because of the lack of representation
     of blacks among the coaching ranks" (N.Y. TIMES, 5/20).

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