In Montreal, Jack Todd writes that MLB "might announce
its approval of the Expos business plan tomorrow," with a
press conference possibly "as early as Thursday." But Todd
writes that "it's time to worry" if a deal isn't worked out
in time for MLB's winter meetings in Anaheim on December 10
(Montreal GAZETTE, 11/29)....A newspaper ad in Vancouver
"urges" Grizzlies fans to go to the team's home game against
the Rockets tonight to see Charles Barkley, Hakeem Olajuwon
and "that other guy," referring to Steve Francis, who was
drafted by the Grizzlies, but later demanded to be traded
(CP, 11/29)....In Boston, Will McDonough noted that the
Celtics average attendance is down 2,000 fans from last
season. With an average ticket price of $50, that's
$100,000 per game, which would come out to a $4M drop in
revenue for the entire season (BOSTON GLOBE, 11/27).
POLLIN SPEAKS OUT: Washington Sports Chair Abe Pollin
took out a full-page ad in the WASHINGTON POST last
Wednesday in the form of an open letter and wrote that his
reputation "has been challenged by inaccurate statements and
false innuendo" in regard to the Rising Tide legislation
killed by Congress last week (see THE DAILY, 11/18). Pollin
stated that he was promised the chance to refinance the debt
at MCI Center with tax free bonds by the city, which later
was forced to rescind its offer. Pollin: "Rising Tide was
an effort to induce others to invest in the city as I have
done. ... A part of Rising Tide would also allow MCI Center
to refinance its staggering debt with tax free bonds and
bring my debt service close to what was originally promised
to me. ... To deprive the Nation's Capital of all the
benefits that Rising Tide would provide because of, in my
opinion, a factually incorrect headline and an equally
misleading article in the Washington Times, is
unconscionable. ... I am ... deeply saddened about the
unfair and unjust charges made against me" (THE DAILY).
