NHL: In Toronto, Stephen Brunt writes that "it was a
wise move" by NHLPA Exec Dir Bob Goodenow in showing up for
yesterday's summit on the state of Canada's NHL franchises,
though "the temptation must have been to blow it off
altogether." Brunt notes that it may not best interest of
Goodenow's union to offer aid to Canadian teams: "If it
comes to the idea of a direct subsidy of player money to
underwrite Canadian owners, you can imagine what the
response would be, and should be" (GLOBE & MAIL, 6/30). In
Toronto, Bill Lankhof: "If the NHL is committed to Canada,
as commissioner Gary Bettman claims, and there is a problem
within the industry then fix it within the industry. ...
Asking taxpayers for a bailout is a copout that we would
expect from the CBC, or the artsy crowd" (TOR. SUN, 6/30).
TENNIS: In Ft. Lauderdale, Charles Bricker writes on
WTA Tour player Alexandra Stevenson, and notes that the
person listed as the father on her birth certificate is
Julius Winfield Erving II, the same name as RDV Sports VP
Julius Erving. Erving, asked whether Stevenson is his
daughter: "That's an interesting question coming from
someone I don't know." But Bricker adds that Stevenson's
mother, Samantha, once lived in the Philadelphia area and
wrote about the Sixers as a freelance journalist. But she
has "steadfastly refused to discuss [this issue] with
reporters" (SUN-SENTINEL, 6/30). WTA Tour CEO Bart McGuire
wrote a letter to Samantha Stevenson and "expressed concern"
about her alleging racism on the Tour in newspaper stories.
But Stevenson said, "They know I did not make disparaging
comments about the tour" (WASHINGTON POST, 6/30).
CORRECTION: As part of its agreement to acquire the
Ericsson Open, IMG plans to sell rights to its men's tennis
tournament in Marseilles. THE DAILY regrets the error.
