In N.Y., Murray Chass reported that Yankees Owner
George Steinbrenner signed the YankeeNets deal on Thursday
night. MLB must still sign off on the deal, and Chass wrote
that MLB officials are "eager to learn" if YankeeNets plans
to go public (N.Y. TIMES, 9/25). Meanwhile, Steinbrenner
was seen having lunch with Cablevision Chair Charles Dolan
on Friday in N.Y. (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 9/25)....In
"anticipation of being forced out when" DC United's
operating rights are sold, some of the team's minority
investors have joined a local effort looking to bring an A-
league soccer team to Montgomery County, MD. The estimated
cost for a team is between $500,000-$2M (WASHINGTON POST,
9/25)....The Raiders drew 50,458 at Network Associates
Coliseum for their game against the Bears yesterday, about
12,500 less than capacity. In Chicago, Don Pierson noted
that of the 143 luxury boxes at the stadium, "half are empty
on a season basis." Raiders Marketing Dir Richard Rogers
said that while sales figures are up for tickets, "it has
been difficult to get people to look at" the luxury suites.
Meanwhile, Raiders Owner Al Davis said that there is no
corporate base in Oakland and the city "could keep the A's
if they let the Raiders go" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 9/25). Davis:
"Chicago, more than any other city in America now could use
a second [NFL] team and support it ... certainly with their
corporate base and beautiful downtown. No one is suggesting
that, are they?" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 9/26)....At yesterday's
Browns-Ravens game, "out-of-town Dawg Pounders" were told to
remove buttons that had a "profane" message to Ravens Owner
Art Modell. PSINet Stadium Security Guard Robert Bernier:
"We're trying to create kind of a family atmosphere -- no
profanity of any sort" (AKRON BEACON JOURNAL, 9/27).
