Calgary business exec Jack Singer "has been left
behind" in a bid for an NFL expansion team in L.A.,
according to Allan Maki of the Toronto GLOBE & MAIL. Singer
was approached "late last year" by a Hollywood Park group
which "asked for his" financial help in an NFL bid. Singer:
"I've only spoken to the people involved one time. I told
them, 'As soon as you get the information together, send me
a package.' Other than that, all I can say is no comment."
Michael Ovitz and the New Coliseum Partners are both vying
to bring an NFL team to L.A. (GLOBE & MAIL, 1/27).
WHAT ABOUT BOB? Houston business exec Robert McNair
will make a presentation Thursday to the NFL Finance
Committee where he "expects to unveil a model of the world's
first retractable-roof football stadium." McNair is
competing with the two L.A. groups for the 32nd franchise.
McNair: "I'm meeting with people and trying to explain why I
think our deal is the best among the three." McNair
"believes the NFL will choose him because of simple
economics," though he did say that with the inclusion of
billionaire Eli Broad, the New Coliseum Partners proposal
"is more reasonable and realistic" than that of the Michael
Ovitz-led Carson project (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 1/27).
WHAT'S THE SECRET HANDSHAKE? In DC, Liz Clarke examines
the NFL's ownership structure, calling it "one of the most
exclusive clubs" in the U.S. Clarke reports that other than
race and age, "it's hard to generalize about NFL owners.
All 31 are white. Thirty are men. Their average age is
63.8." Ravens Owner Art Modell commented on the recent
influx of new owners into the league: "I did a head count
recently and the old-guard ownership could have a meeting in
a phone booth" (Liz Clarke, WASHINGTON POST, 1/27).
YOU SNOOZE, YOU LOSE? BLOOMBERG NEWS' Barry Bloom spoke
to an NFL official who said that the 49ers "may lose" the
right to host the 2003 Super Bowl because of "delays in
building a new stadium." Miami and San Diego "are the top
contenders" to host the game (BLOOMBERG, 1/26).
YIKES, THE LEAGUE MUST LOVE THIS: In Miami, Dan
LeBatard writes under the header, "Sex In The NFL: Too Much,
Too Easy. Infidelity, Group Sex, Problems Prevalent."
LeBatard's extensive story is "about sex" and claims to
"take you inside the work-hard-play-hard-live-hard NFL world
where wives fight with their husbands' mistresses in the
stands, and women purposely try to get pregnant to get
closer to NFL paychecks, and orgies with teammates fall
under the category of 'camaraderie'" (MIAMI HERALD, 1/27).