MLS Fusion players "refused to practice" Monday after
"arguing" with team VP & GM Doug Hamilton about "poor
working conditions and what they feel is an exhausting
schedule of community-relations appearances," according to
Pedro Fonteboa of the MIAMI HERALD. Fusion Captain Eric
Wynalda: "A few of the players are upset about being called
out of a team practice to do a community event. As players,
no one wants to promote soccer and the Fusion more than we
do, but it has gotten to be too much for some players, and
they expressed that." One Fusion vet said that players feel
that "management is more worried about ticket sales and
community press than it is about a well-prepared team." In
the past three weeks, "despite" a seven-day trip to Mexico,
a two-day trip to Memphis and two exhibitions, many players
"have been asked to do several" personal appearances, some
"as many as" two per day (MIAMI HERALD, 3/16).
UNITED SALE CLOSE: In DC, Steven Goff writes that MLS
Commissioner Don Garber said that the "long-awaited" sale of
United's operating rights "for between" $25-30M "will be
completed in the next 30 days." Goff notes that NY-based
investment banking firm EM Warburg, Pincus and Co. "is
believed to be the buyer" (WASHINGTON POST, 3/16).
