The 2000 Olympics and a World Cup-type of baseball
tournament "were among the topics discussed" yesterday at an
"unusual meeting" between MLBPA officials and owners,
according to Murray Chass of the N.Y. TIMES. Although no
decisions were made, Chass writes that the talks were
"significant" because they were the "formal beginning of a
joint effort to expand baseball internationally." MLB COO
Paul Beeston, who attended the meeting with six other club
reps, said the new committee "discussed a variety of
issues," including the all-star Japanese tour scheduled for
November, the potential of playing games outside North
America, and the future of a worldwide tournament based on
the World Cup (Murray Chass, N.Y. TIMES, 7/16).
GEARING UP IN THE HUB: The Red Sox, who will host next
year's All-Star Game, unveiled the game's logo yesterday,
which is emblazoned with the words "Boston, All-Star Game
'98" on a broad green background "intended to suggest" the
Green Monster. In Boston, Gregg Kruppa writes that the logo
"and others will be omnipresent" in the city by next season.
City officials now predict the All-Star Game will generate
"at least" $50M in tourist spending, "up sharply" from the
original $40M estimate (BOSTON GLOBE, 7/16). The Red Sox
announced that existing season-ticket holders who hold the
full season this year and renew in '99 "will be able to
purchase tickets" for the All-Star Game and surrounding
events. New season-ticket customers will also be
accommodated "while supplies last" (BOSTON GLOBE, 7/16).
