MLB: The trades of Gary Sheffield, Bobby Bonilla and
Mike Piazza "have not had an overwhelming effect on
attendance" for the Marlins, as they averaged almost 19,500
for their recent seven-game homestand, and Saturday's game
against the Pirates had an announced crowd of 30,499.
Marlins VP/Sales & Marketing Jim Ross: "The numbers have
held up" (MIAMI HERALD, 5/28)....The Rangers have started
running ads for single-game luxury box rentals, which run
for $2,000-5,000 per game (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 5/26)....
...White Sox Chair Jerry Reinsdorf, on the team's sluggish
attendance: "People will come back. When the Bulls' season
ends, when we get nice weather" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 5/28).
NBA: In Utah, a DESERET NEWS editorial on the Jazz: "We
applaud them for showing how to win, and how to act after
doing it. ... [They have] shown how to treat an opponent
with respect and how to resist the urge to return insults"
(DESERET NEWS, 5/28)....In Detroit, Joe Falls: "I am afraid
we are about to see the biggest politically correct
overreaction to any sport in our time with the advent of the
[WBNA Detroit Shock]. ... I have a notion they will get as
much press coverage this summer as the Tigers" (DETROIT FREE
PRESS, 5/28)....In San Antonio, Buck Harvey reports that
following George Karl's dismissal as coach of the Sonics, a
CA-based PR firm sent a three-page fax to Seattle newspapers
that was titled "Why Bob Hill Should Be Considered for an
NBA Coaching Job" (SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS,
5/28)....MSNBC's Keith Olbermann, on the Knicks' ticket
increase, including raising courtside seats to $1,350 per
game: "There are individual Knicks players who are not worth
$1,350 a season, let alone for one game" (MSNBC, 5/27).
NOTES: An editorial in the HARTFORD COURANT says that
the AHL Wolf Pack "brought some affordable excitement to the
Civic Center" following the departure of the Whalers to NC
(HARTFORD COURANT, 5/28)....Carlos Hermosillo, the Mexican
player who signed with MLS, could play as soon as June 7 for
the Galaxy and is "expected to be a huge draw in Los
Angeles' huge Hispanic population" (USA TODAY, 5/28)....A
group of Native Americans "urged" a federal agency to cancel
the trademark protection of the Redskins. A ruling against
the trademark "would not force the club to change its name,"
but the Redskins and NFLP "could lose exclusive rights" to
use the name. The Trial and Appeal Board is expected to
rule in three or four months (WASHINGTON POST, 5/28).
