Stars C Mike Modano, a former member of the Minnesota
North Stars, "expressed skepticism" that the expansion Wild
will be "successful." Modano: "They don't have the
businesses in Minneapolis. People were griping about a $28
top-priced ticket up there." Wild VP/Communications Bill
Robertson, who "took a lighthearted view" of Modano's
comments: "We've sold all our suites, we have 13,000 ticket
deposits, our merchandise is in the top half of the league,
things are going extremely well" (STAR TRIBUNE, 9/30).
MLB: In Phoenix, Maureen West writes on the D'Backs
Volunteer Fan Mail Club, a seven-member group which lives in
a city-owned, low-income apartment building for elderly and
disabled people, a few blocks from Bank One Ballpark. The
group attended last night's game and "earn their tickets and
acclaim by answering" the D'Backs' general fan mail.
D'Backs Community Relations Manager Veronica Zendeja said
that the volunteer group "works so well" that other MLB
teams are "considering doing something similar" (ARIZONA
REPUBLIC, 9/30)....Cubs RF Sammy Sosa hit his 62nd home run
before 16,106 fans at Philadelphia's Veterans Stadium,
while an "estimated" crowd of less than 3,000 fans attended
Game One of a Padres-Cardinals doubleheader, in which
Cardinals 1B Mark McGwire went on to hit home runs Nos. 62
and 63. FSN's Keith Olbermann: "Maybe the bloom is off the
home run rose" (FSN, 9/29). ESPN's Rich Eisen, on fan
reaction: "Talk about ho-hum. ... Last year people would
have clawed each other's eyes out just to get a chance to
catch it" ("SportsCenter," ESPN, 9/30).
NOTES: In Vancouver, Gary Mason writes that the "only
true measure" to "convince" NBA Commissioner David Stern to
keep the Grizzlies in Vancouver "will be at the ticket
gate." Mason: "If GM Place is jammed this season, many
people are now convinced the Grizzlies will last this season
and beyond." Mason added that Stern is "now seen" as
Vancouver's "biggest ally" (VANCOUVER SUN, 9/29)....In
Milwaukee, Bob Wolfley writes that the Packers have a
developed a new revenue stream in offering business leaders
a four-day seminar called "Training Camp for Business,"
which will educate the execs on "what has made" the Packers
a "successful organization." The seminar costs $1,995 for
each participant (JOURNAL SENTINEL, 9/30)....The Ravens-
Falcons game will not be televised locally Sunday, as about
17,000 tickets are available (ATL. CONSTITUTION, 9/30).
FULL COURT PRESS: Lin Dunn, coach of Seattle's WNBA
franchise, will dribble a basketball for five-and-a-half
miles up and down the streets of Seattle today in an effort
to help sell the remaining 1,700 season tickets to reach the
WNBA's required sale of 5,500 by October 15 (Full House).
