The $517M cost of Safeco Field is a "cloud over" the
Mariners and the ballpark, according to Laura Vecsey of the
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER, who cites "speculation that the
dispute about the overruns is hurting" the team's ticket
sales. Vecsey: "Whether Safeco Field is a field of dreams
or a field of ill will, the Mariners are going out find out
soon enough." Mariners President Chuck Armstrong, on the
slow pace of the team's ticket sales: "Maybe it's because
the season snuck up on them. Or that the first games are
midweek. Besides, we're already ahead of total ticket sales
from a year ago. We've sold 1.8 million. Last year at this
time, we had sold 1.7 million" (SEATTLE P-I, 3/31).
SLOW DRIP? Anaheim Sports President Tony Tavares, on
Disney Chair Michael Eisner: "He's not passionate about
having to own this team. If somebody came to him with the
right offer, would he get out? Yes. It's not necessarily
part of Disney's core strategy any more. He's accomplished
what he set out to do, which is to ensure that major league
baseball stays in Anaheim." In L.A., DiGiovanna & Shaikin
wrote that "the rest of baseball has noticed Disney's
ambivalence." A "high-ranking" NL exec, on Disney's
ownership: "They haven't gone into this headfirst. They
haven't turned the Disney spigot on" (L.A. TIMES, 3/30).
SAN DIEGO: The Padres have sold 11,088 full-season
ticket equivalents for the season as of the end of last
week. The team had 11,515 in '99 (Padres).
