Cablevision Chair Charles Dolan "has moved into the
lead in the bidding process" for the Jets, according to Bob
Glauber of NEWSDAY. Sources close to the sale process said
that Dolan "has nosed ahead of" Johnson & Johnson heir
Robert Wood Johnson IV after "upping" the bid past $600M.
Trustees of the estate of late Jets Owner Leon Hess "soon
will make a selection for the ownership transfer and the
league owners likely will vote on the proposed new owner
during the week leading up" to Super Bowl XXXIV on January
30. Glauber reported that a sticking point for Dolan is his
possible involvement in his brother Larry's purchase of the
Indians (NEWSDAY, 12/19). CBS' Jim Nantz noted on "The NFL
Today" yesterday that "some NFL owners at a Finance
Committee meeting on Tuesday expressed concern about" Dolan
due to concern over "potential conflicts of interest
involving Dolan's extensive media and sports franchise
holdings" (CBS, 12/19). But NEWSDAY's Steve Zipay cites a
league source and writes, "Despite [the CBS report], it
appears that NFL owners are not overly concerned about
potential conflicts of interest with" Dolan's bid for the
Jets. Zipay notes that the league will still "review"
Dolan's finances and media holdings (NEWSDAY, 12/20).