A deal between 49ers co-Owners Denise DeBartolo York
and Eddie DeBartolo "could be imminent," according to Kevin
Lynch of the OAKLAND TRIBUNE. DeBartolo York's husband,
John York, and 49ers Interim CEO Larry Thrailkill "canceled
their trip to Vancouver this weekend and instead went to
Ohio. DeBartolo was also in Ohio" (OAKLAND TRIBUNE, 8/16).
BUCS HERE FROM ANGRY FANS: The Bucs sold all single-
game tickets to their final four home games, but "the team's
landmark day was littered with angry fans." Many had waited
in long lines since midnight but did not get tickets (Ernest
Hooper, ST. PETERSBURG TIMES, 8/16). The Bucs sold out in
45 minutes, the "fastest sellout" in team history and the
first time since '81 that all eight home games will be sold
out (TAMPA TRIBUNE, 8/16). Meanwhile, in Tampa, Nick
Pugliese reported that "hundreds" of Bucs season-ticket
holders "were blindsided" when they opened their notices and
discovered their seats at the new Raymond James Stadium
"weren't even close to their requests." Fans said that the
"biggest problem" was that season-ticket holders were not
allowed to pick out their seats in the new stadium because
of ongoing construction. Their seats were assigned by a
computer. An unsigned letter from the Bucs accompanying the
seat assignments stated: "Please be assured that there was a
tremendous amount of time spent by the Buccaneer staff
reviewing ALL seat locations" (TAMPA TRIBUNE, 8/16).
RAVENS: In Baltimore, the Ravens put 6,000 end-zone
tickets per game on sale Saturday at $30 and $35 each,
except for the September 6 home opener. By the end of the
day, Ravens Ticket Manager Roy Sommerhof said that more than
13,000 tickets had been sold, "leaving fewer" than 29,000
remaining for the season, including 1,000 upper-deck, end-
zone seats for the Colts game (Baltimore SUN, 8/16).
