After the team topped his goal of 1,500 new season
ticket sales with 1,544, Senators Chair Rod Bryden said that
the team's future in Ottawa is more secure and he will not
look to sell the franchise. Bryden: "This team is now in a
position where a bad year is just that. There will be bad
years. But that is not a basis to abandon the community"
(OTTAWA CITIZEN, 2/19). Meanwhile, Canadian-born actor Mike
Myers bought four season tickets to help the team's season
ticket drive ("NHL 2Night," ESPN2, 2/19).
NBA NOTES: Anaheim Mayor Tom Daly said that the city
"will attempt to persuade" the Rockets to move to Arrowhead
Pond. Daly: "We will be talking to the Rockets" (L.A.
TIMES, 2/18). But in Orange County, Larry Bortstein wrote
that league officials and NBA "insiders" said that it is
"unlikely" Southern CA would get a third NBA franchise
(ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, 2/19)....In N.Y., Selena Roberts
reported that the Knicks "are considering" whether to move
their training camp from Charleston, SC, in response to the
state's flying of the confederate battle flag over the State
Capitol. Knicks VP/Franchise Operations Steve Mills: "This
is obviously an issue that concerns us" (N.Y. TIMES, 2/21).
NOTES: Mets co-Owner Fred Wilpon, when asked if he
would consider selling the Mets: "It's not going to happen.
Period. I am not ever not going to be involved by my choice
with the New York Mets." Wilpon said that talks with N.Y.
Mayor Rudy Giuliani's office on financing a new ballpark are
"struggling" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 2/21)....Reds GM Jim Bowden,
on Ken Griffey Jr.: "We've had to put in 10 more phone lines
just to handle the demand and our ticket office is now open
seven days a week. I've had at least five GMs tell me their
ticket sales have increased substantially because of Griffey
being with the Reds" (USA TODAY, 2/22).
