LOS ANGELES: News Corp. co-COO Peter Chernin was
interviewed by the L.A. TIMES' Jason Reid last Friday and
said that Fox "is committed to supporting the Dodgers'
efforts financially" and "reaffirmed that Fox is on board
for the long term" (L.A. TIMES, 2/20). In N.Y., Murray
Chass reported that Dodgers GM Kevin Malone used Fox's deep
pockets to "lure" former Cardinals scouting director Ed
Creech to L.A. to become Dodgers Dir of Scouting Ops.
Creech "is expected" to double his Cardinals' salary in a
couple of years (N.Y. TIMES, 2/21). New Dodgers Manager
Davey Johnson said he has never met News Corp. Chair Rupert
Murdoch. Malone said he has only met him once. Malone:
"Mr. Murdoch is a very busy man, but I'm sure they'll meet
and talk" (Toronto GLOBE & MAIL, 2/22).
CHICAGO: The Cubs' inaugural lottery for single-game
tickets produced the biggest day of ticket sales in team
history, according to David Schwartz of the CHICAGO TRIBUNE.
About 300,000 tickets, or nearly 25% of the 1.3 million
single-game tickets the Cubs were offering for the entire
season, were sold last Friday (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 2/20).
TORONTO: Blue Jays President Gord Ash says that the
future of the team "is clearer" under owner Interbrew SA.
Ash: "Ownership tells me that they're committed to hold on
to the team long-term. That's the first time I've ever
heard that from their mouths" (Toronto GLOBE & MAIL, 2/22).
FLORIDA: The Marlins sold 37,000 single-game tickets
during their two-day FanFest this weekend and over 200
season tickets. The team sold 25,000 tickets on Saturday,
which is more than they sold in both days last year, and
"neared" the '97 total of 43,000, "which was boosted" by the
$89M free-agent spending spree (Mike Phillips, MIAMI HERALD,
2/22). Mike Phillips wrote that during FanFest, Owner John
Henry "came off as an easy-going, soft-spoken owner who has
a genuine concern for his fans" (MIAMI HERALD, 2/21).
TAMPA BAY: The Devil Rays have sold approximately
13,500 full-season tickets in addition to 3,100 20-game
mini-plans. The team sold about 21,000 full-season tickets
all of last year (ST. PETE TIMES, 2/21).
