PRESERVING THE GAME: MLB Commissioner Bud Selig will
look to expand the powers of commissioner at the league's
owners meetings beginning Tuesday in Phoenix, including more
flexibility in mandating revenue sharing among teams. In
Chicago, Phil Rogers wrote that Selig is "believed to have
enough support" to expand his authority. Former MLB
Commissioner Peter Ueberroth said if Selig is granted more
power "it will be a dramatic improvement for the game. It
gives Bud the power to attack the problems" (CHICAGO
TRIBUNE, 1/16). A PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE editorial states
that more "power" for Selig can't "come soon enough. ...
While some owners fear they'd be turning too much of the
game over to their hired hand ... it's time that the
individual they choose has the ability to work on behalf of
the game, not just a roomful of millionaires" (PITTSBURGH
POST-GAZETTE, 1/17). The SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL offers its
revenue sharing for MLB is this week's issue (1/17).
EQUAL PAY DEBATE RAGES ON: The men's champion at the
Australian Open will earn $490,750, compared to $466,050 for
the women's champion. WTA Tour player Lindsay Davenport:
"It was very disappointing a few years ago when they (took
equal prize money) away from us. For a couple of years
there we weren't maybe as popular as we are now. They said
that's the reason why they took it away, and if we generated
more interest they would give it back to us. Yet, it kind
of seems like we've done it now and they've turned their
head and are not budging from giving us back equal prize
money" (AP, 1/17). Andre Agassi: "I think the entertainment
value of men's tennis versus women's tennis is ultimately
subjective. ... We are talking about money and we are
talking about all of us being overpaid" (L.A. TIMES, 1/17).
NOTES: The NHL on Saturday suspended Penguins coach
Herb Brooks one game "for shoving" Avalanche play-by-play
announcer John Kelly after last Thursday's Penguins-
Avalanche game (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 1/16).
