Jets Owner Robert Wood Johnson IV has secured a $100M loan from First Union Corp. "to help finance" his $635M purchase of the team. The loan will be acquired through N.Y. Jets LLC and is structured as a five-year revolving credit (BLOOMBERG, 2/24)....In Denver, Adam Schefter writes that ticket prices for the Broncos' upcoming season will remain the same. Broncos Owner Pat Bowlen: "We talked about it briefly after the season, and there was no reason, or desire, to raise ticket prices" (DENVER POST, 2/25)....The ROCHESTER BUSINESS JOURNAL's Mike Dickinson profiles the marketing efforts around the Bills moving training camp to Rochester. Bills Senior Manager of Rochester Operations Peter Guelli: "This is going to be the biggest marketing event ... Rochester has ever seen. ... It's not every day an NFL team brings their camp into another city." The Bills "acknowledged they expect more than the 25,000 people" who visited the team's previous camp in Fredonia, NY, and one source said that the team "will be disappointed if the camp does not draw more than 100,000 fans" (RBJ, 2/18 issue). VIVA LAS VEGAS? Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman and an "unnamed NBA team owner looking for a new home delayed a meeting Thursday" after Goodman said that he "wasn't prepared to get down to specifics." Goodman told reporters that he is "waiting for the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority to update a study on a proposed sports facility." Goodman expects the report "in about 30 days" (L.V. REVIEW-JOURNAL, 2/25). SI's "Scorecard" examines Goodman's efforts to secure a major pro sports team for Las Vegas and writes, "The failure of the [IHL's] Thunder and the lukewarm support for the [Triple A] Stars raise the question of whether Vegas residents will ever abandon their TV set for box seats" (SI, 2/28 issue). MLB: In Pittsburgh, Chuck Finder reports that by late yesterday, the Pirates had sold about 10,450 full season ticket packages, averaging 60 to 80 partial or full plans per day. Pirates Dir of Sales Jim Alexander said that "almost all field and 200-level season-ticket packages have been sold out" (POST-GAZETTE, 2/25)....USA TODAY's Rod Beaton reports that MLB has fined the Braves $100,000 for "improper signings" and imposed a six-month ban on the team's scouting or signing of players from the Dominican Republic. MLB ruled that the Braves signed SS Wilson Betemit of the Dominican Republic on his 15th birthday, when he was "too young to turn pro" (USA TODAY, 2/25). NOTES: Mavericks F Dennis Rodman, after being ejected from last night's game against the Jazz, on NBA Commissioner David Stern and VP/Basketball Operations Rod Thorn: "David Stern and Rod Thorn, they need to get their [expletives] kicked" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 2/25)....In Cleveland, Amy Rosewater reports that aside from Cavaliers Owner Gordon Gund, other possible bidders for the IHL Lumberjacks include Indians Owner Larry Dolan and North Coast Professional Sports, which recently purchased the NPSL Crunch. Rosewater notes that the Cavaliers have the "first right of refusal" on a potential purchase (Cleveland PLAIN DEALER, 2/25).
