The Marlins will open up 2,000 left-field upper-level
seats at Pro Player Stadium for a three-game series against
the Cardinals and Mark McGwire, August 31-September 2, "and
the team hopes to sell the tickets to a local sponsoring
company," according to Alan Snel of the Ft. Lauderdale SUN-
SENTINEL. The seats are normally closed. Marlins VP/Sales
& Marketing Jim Ross said that "a handful" of companies are
interested in buying the series seat package, including
current sponsors and some not involved with the Marlins.
Upper-level seats usually sell for $7, but Ross said a
sponsor "could get a discount" (SUN-SENTINEL, 7/14).
THE LAST DON? In Miami, Barry Jackson reports that the
sale of the Marlins to Don Smiley "remained in doubt Monday,
with two potential investors failing to commit and another
saying he has decided not to invest." Palm Beach business
exec George Lindemann said he "probably will not invest,"
and Smiley "has been unable to get commitments from
broadcast mogul Barry Diller or WQAM co-Owners Greg Reed and
George Beasley" (Barry Jackson, MIAMI HERALD, 7/14).
