BASEBALL: The NAPBL has officially changed its name to
"Minor League Baseball" and has developed a new logo with
longtime MLB partner New Era Cap (NAPBL). In Charlotte, Stan
Olson reports that the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors
Authority is "paying" $750,000 annually for three years to
host the Triple-A World Series, and "anyone watching" the
games on ESPN2 "will see the words `Las Vegas' over and
over." The first two games drew announced crowds of more
than 5,000, but "actual attendance was a bit more than half
that." Olson: "Las Vegas isn't really concerned about
attendance at the games. It's working on building future
attendance at its casinos" (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 9/24).
MLB: FSN's Keith Olbermann reported that the Major
League Umpires Independent Organizing Committee "announced
its formation" Thursday. Union head and AL umpire Dave
Phillips said that it "has the support of more than" 40 of
the 93 MLB umpires "in a bid to replace the current union"
(FSN, 9/23)....An ESPN Chilton Sports Poll asked 490 MLB
fans, "What Do You Find Most Interesting About Baseball
Right Now?": 42.5% "care most about" the home run race,
25.3% care about their favorite team and 11% care about the
pennant and wild-card races (ESPN MAGAZINE, 10/4 issue).
NOTES: The NFL drew 1,010,820 fans last weekend,
marking the first time the league has attracted more than
one million fans in a single weekend. The previous high was
999,778 fans for 15 games on November 23-24, 1997 (NFL).
...In N.Y., Peter Vecsey reports that Isiah Thomas' deal to
buy the CBA "remains unconsummated" (N.Y. POST, 9/24).
