At this time last year the Blue Jays projected losses
of US$20M this season, but that figure was "an optimistic
amount ... given the sliding Canadian dollar and declining
attendance," according to Geoff Baker of the TORONTO STAR.
Baker: "The Jays look very much like a club preparing to
peddle itself on the open market after doing so on an
unofficial basis for several months." The "guaranteed
revenue stream" provided by the recently concluded TV deals
with the CBC and CTV SportsNet, may be an "added attraction"
to potential buyers (TORONTO STAR, 9/27). Also in Toronto,
Jim Hunt writes that Don McDougall dropping plans to buy the
team is the "worst news for Blue Jays fans ... [since]
McDougall could have provided the leadership and the cash
the Jays need to be competitive. ... For the good of
baseball in Toronto, it's time Interbrew SA sold to someone
interested in running a baseball team" (TORONTO SUN, 9/29).
AROUND THE DIAMOND: Twins President Jerry Bell
"estimates" that the team will lose between $10-12M this
season, plus $5M in interest (Scott Miller, ST. PAUL PIONEER
PRESS, 9/28)....Devil Rays Managing General Partner Vince
Naimoli said that the team is "on target to become one of
baseball's top five producers in key revenue areas." The
Rays sold 2.5 million tickets, averaging 30,939 per game,
ranking fifth out of 14 teams in the AL. But preseason
projections were for 3.3 million. Because of the shortfall,
as well as about 7,500 no-shows per game, the city of Tampa
will receive "slightly" more than $1M, short of the $1.6M
projected in its lease deal (TAMPA TRIBUNE, 9/27)....In
Montreal, about 150 Expos employees demonstrated outside of
Premier Lucien Bouchard's office, sang "Take Me Out to the
Ball Game" and carried signs "urging government help to keep
the baseball team in town" (OTTAWA CITIZEN, 9/29)....Orioles
COO Joe Foss said that the team "will break even or lose a
small amount" this season (Bill Meyers, USA TODAY, 9/29).
