TEAM ADVERTISING AND COMMUNICATIONS: The Lightning's
new off-season ad campaign will feature the tag, "No More
Excuses, It's Time To Just Shut Up And Play Hockey." The
campaign, created by the team in conjunction with Tampa-
based Leonard Anderson Advertising, will include radio and
print ads slated to run through the beginning of September,
when the pre-season campaign will begin (Lightning)....In
Chicago, George Lazarus reports that the IHL Wolves have
linked with IL-based Townsend Agency for its marketing
communications program, including direct marketing and
advertising (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 7/29).
IS IT BETTER THAN WAITING AN HOUR? The first 1,000 fans
arriving at tonight's MLS Mutiny-United game at RFK Stadium
will receive a free Powerball ticket eligible for tonight's
estimated $250M jackpot (WASHINGTON POST, 7/29).
MLB NOTES: The Yankees "confirmed" that Reggie Jackson
has resigned his $100,000-a-year position as special adviser
to team Owner George Steinbrenner. However, the team said
reports of a "flap beyond repair" between Jackson and
Steinbrenner "have been exaggerated" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS,
7/29)....St. Petersburg and Devil Rays officials "are locked
in a dispute," as the city claims the team owes "nearly"
$70,000 in ticket stub revenues which it "failed to remit to
the city." The dispute stems from stubs collected during
the NCAA regional tournament held in March at Tropicana
Field. The Devil Rays argue that withholding the cash in
question "is permitted under its lease agreement with the
city" (TAMPA TRIBUNE, 7/29)....MO AG's office said yesterday
that it is "investigating two local memorabilia stores for
selling fake Mark McGwire autographs" (USA TODAY, 7/29). At
his present pace, McGwire would break the single-season HR
record in Cincinnati on September 9, but, since the Reds'
policy is to sell seats "from home plate out, rather than
all over the park," seats in the left-field upper deck are
"unavailable" right now. Reds Managing Exec Dir John Allen:
"We've only sold 18,000 tickets for that game. If
everything else is selling out, we'll open it up"
(CINCINNATI ENQUIRER, 7/28). In Cincinnati, Paul Daugherty
wrote that the Reds' ticket policy "is out of left field."
Daugherty: "Why inconvenience the paying customers? There
aren't that many these days" (CINCINNATI ENQUIRER, 7/28).