PROMO OF THE YEAR, BABY? Fans dressed as their favorite
character from the movie "Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged
Me" will get free admission to tonight's Indians-Blue Jays
game at the SkyDome. Blue Jays President Gord Ash will be
"dressed up as Dr. Evil, with his two-year-old son expected
to appear as Mini-Me" (TORONTO SUN, 6/23).
PLAYOFF RUN = N.Y. $$: In Newark, George Jordan looks
at the economic windfall for the Knicks playoff appearances.
A source reports that Cablevision earns $1.8M from ticket
sales for each home game (Newark STAR-LEDGER, 6/23). N.Y.
Comptroller Alan Hevesi released figures showing that
spending in the city during the NBA playoffs will total
$77M. Regular-season spending totaled $113M from sources
including ticket sales, TV and radio fees and spending at
local sports bars and restaurants. The three final home
games at MSG against the Spurs are projected to bring in a
total of $17.7M in direct revenue (NEWSDAY, 6/23). On "ET,"
Julie Moran reported, "From Dharma to Matt Dillon to Billy
Crystal, Hollywood's big stars were jumping through hoops to
get the best seats" at MSG Tuesday night ("ET," 6/22).
LIGHTNING HASN'T STRUCK: In Tampa, Roy Cummings writes
that the sale of the Lightning to Pistons Owner William
Davidson "still isn't finished and the delay is adversely
affecting the makeup of the team." Current Owner Art
Williams "nixed the Lightning's already agreed-upon trade"
with the Stars on Sunday, and it is Williams "who will be in
charge Saturday [at the NHL Draft] if the closing isn't
completed by then" (TAMPA TRIBUNE, 6/23). In St. Pete, Gary
Shelton: "If you are Gary Bettman, it is time to get
involved. For the good of the league, it is time to make
this deal happen" (ST. PETERSBURG TIMES, 6/23).
MORE NOTES: N.Y. investor Scott Gordon has had "serious
discussions" about purchasing the operating rights to DC
United (WASHINGTON POST, 6/23)....The Red Sox said that they
will "revoke privileges" of season-ticket holders who scalp
All-Star Game tickets. Red Sox VP/Public Affairs Dick
Bresciani: "We're hoping our season-ticket holders will be
real fans and come to the game. If not, they'll face the
consequences" (K.C. STAR, 6/23)....Giants Managing Partner
Peter Magowan feels that D'Backs Managing General Partner
Jerry Colangelo "departed from his announced strategy of
building slowly to go heavily into the free-agent market."
Magowan: "The group that bought the Dodgers did the same
thing. They said they'd only be bumping their payroll up
with inflation, but then they signed Kevin Brown. I'm used
to doing business with people you can trust when they tell
you what they're going to do" (S.F. CHRONICLE, 6/23).
