GOT HEAT? The Heat and team President & coach Pat Riley
have "mutually agreed to trigger an extension clause" that
should keep Riley with the team until the 2004-05 season
(Ft. Lauderdale SUN-SENTINEL, 8/19). Riley signed a 10-year
deal with the Heat in '95, although next season would've
been his last as coach under the terms of the deal. Details
of the extension were not released (MIAMI HERALD, 8/19).
THEY NEED A MIRACLE EVERY DAY: In Orlando, Larry Guest
writes that the first-year WNBA Miracle "has been
unfailingly upbeat." Guest adds that the team might break a
"nagging recent fiscal streak" for RDV Sports and appears to
be a "financial success." RDV Sports VP Pat Williams: "I
don't know the exact numbers, but it looks like it's going
to be a profitable venture" (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 8/19).
NOTES: The Vikings share of gate revenue for Saturday's
game against the Browns at Cleveland Stadium will be between
$1.25-1.5M, the "largest visiting gate" the team has ever
received. Per NFL rules, the split for preseason games is
50-50, but the visiting team gets only 40% of 85% of the
gross during the regular season (STAR TRIBUNE, 8/19).
...Anaheim Mayor Tom Daly: "We're hearing that both the
Ducks and the Angels may be on the market. We're also
hearing that this process could take some time, and it may
or may not end in a sale. ... I suspect (Disney) will have
an ongoing role (with the Angels)" (O.C. REGISTER, 8/18).
...In Portland, Blazers Senior VP Harry Hutt, on bringing an
NHL team to the Rose Garden: "As you sit here from a
distance, it appears there will be other opportunities. ...
We didn't go out looking for Pittsburgh. We haven't placed
phone calls to the New York Islanders" (OREGONIAN,
8/18)....In S.F., Ray Ratto called the A's the "hottest
property around": "People are starting to wonder if maybe
[co-Owners Steve] Schott and [Ken] Hofmann will still be in
a selling mood in October. ... They may want to stay in for
the inevitable lovefest on the back side" (S.F. EXAMINER,
8/18)....BuytheJets.com, the site set up by two Jets fans to
generate pledges from fans wishing to purchase an ownership
stake in the team, had received more than 2,000 pledges
averaging $500 each as of noon yesterday (WALL ST JOURNAL,
8/19)....The Braves will keep postseason ticket prices the
same as last year, with prices ranging from $11 for
standing-room/upper-pavilion tickets to $150 for lower-level
seats during the World Series (ATL. CONSTITUTION, 8/18).
