In Newark, Rich Chere cited a Devils team source as
saying that the sale price of the team to YankeeNets will
increase by $15M if the team wins the Stanley Cup. That
would bring the team's final price tag to a "staggering"
$190M (Newark STAR-LEDGER, 2/16). Meanwhile, Yankees Owner
George Steinbrenner, on possible changes with the Nets
organization: "There's going to be a lot going on with that
team. A lot of changes" (Newark STAR-LEDGER, 2/17).
NOTES: While the Padres sold presenting sponsorship
rights for the 2000 season to the Sycuan Indian tribe,
Tigers VP/Business Operations David Glazier said that he is
"not worried that yet another level of commercialism will
have an adverse effect on the game." Glazier: "I used to
worry that fans would be disgusted by it all. But now I
think people just want to win, and if this helps them win,
then they react to that" (USA TODAY BASEBALL WEEKLY, 2/16
issue)....Prospective Mavericks Owner Mark Cuban, on being
criticized for his signing of Dennis Rodman, and on Rodman's
remarks challenging NBA Commissioner David Stern to a fight:
"I would do it again in a heartbeat. We expected Dennis to
be flamboyant and play the press, and he has. Dennis isn't
being literal. He is being an entertainer. Remember, the
NBA isn't life or death. ... [Stern] knows this better than
anyone. He reinvented the NBA as pure entertainment, and he
is smart enough to not take Dennis literally and to let the
fans have some fun with it" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 2/17).
