Twins Owner Carl Pohlad is "more optimistic about the
future of the franchise and baseball in general than he has
been since" '91, when the Twins last won the World Series,
according to Sid Hartman of the Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE.
With MLB Commissioner Bud Selig being granted additional
power, Pohlad "is convinced Selig will give small-market
teams a chance to survive." The Twins could get "as much"
as $18M in revenue sharing in 2000, and Pohlad sees more
revenue coming from the Internet and a new TV deal. Twins
Dir of Marketing David St. Peter said that corporate income
could increase 30% this season (STAR TRIBUNE, 3/16).
BRAVES UNDERGO DIVERSITY TRAINING: In Atlanta, Tammy
Joyner reports that the Braves, "taking a page from
corporate America's playbook," have hired a diversity expert
to "coach the team through the difficult time" after P John
Rocker's controversial remarks in SI. During spring
training, team sessions with Cook Ross, a MD consulting
firm, have been "mandatory for everyone from farm team
rookies to Braves President Stan Kasten." Topics have
ranged from the O.J. Simpson trial to "dealing with
stereotypes about athletes, to how life in America for
minorities differs dramatically from what whites
experience." Kasten said the Braves are considering more
sensitivity training sessions (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 3/16).
GLASS THAT CUTS? In K.C., Jeffrey Flanagan writes that
with the Royals BOD accepting David Glass' bid for the team,
"There should be some very nervous people at Kauffman
Stadium. ... All those employees -- and they know who they
are -- who threw David Glass aside and hitched their wagons
to Miles Prentice will soon pay the price." Flanagan
predicts that Royals President Mike Herman will not be
retained: "Herman's lack of baseball knowledge may not have
offended the Prentice group -- there were whispers that
Prentice was considering keeping Herman on -- but it won't
be indulged in the new regime" (K.C. STAR, 3/16).
PIRATES SELL ONE-TIME FEE: In Pittsburgh, Chuck Finder
reports that license fees for the "best" 2,900 seats at PNC
Park will "be one-time fees, unlike those at some other new
stadiums that are imposed annually or every few years."
Pirates VP/Marketing & Broadcasting Vic Gregovits: "There
are other teams that do charge an annual fee to sit at the
premium level. But the overall opinion here was to have a
one-time charge that will give [fans] a feeling of
ownership." So far, the team has sold "about one-fourth" of
the Charter Seat Licenses and expects to raise $8-10M from
the fees overall (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 3/16).
