Despite the Redskins' decision to move their training
camp from MD to Ashburn, VA, this summer and begin charging
fans $10 for admission and parking, team President Steve
Baldacci said that the team is "not planning on making a
profit from this." Baldacci: "We're spending a lot of money
to set this up right and make it an enjoyable, first-class
experience for the fans. We believe the $10 fee is nominal,
as is the parking charge" (WASHINGTON POST, 5/25). NFL
Commissioner Paul Tagliabue, on the Redskins becoming the
first NFL team to require fans to pay to watch training
camp: "(The question of fairness) is up to the fans. If
they think it's unfair they won't come" (WASHINGTON TIMES,
5/25). Redskins Owner Daniel Snyder: "We're building
something special for this. Everything we're doing is
clearly for the fan experience. ... It will be a great
family value" (USA TODAY, 5/25). But CNNSI.com's Peter King
called the Redskins' admission fee "one of the worst PR
moves of this or any offseason" and wrote, "Great way to
build a fan base, 'Skins" (CNNSI.com, 5/24). In DC, Dan
Daly criticizes the plan: "Just think: 20 bucks to see
Darrell Green stretch out his hamstrings -- and that just
gets you in the door. ... What's truly comical is how
[Baldacci] has tried to spin this" (WASHINGTON TIMES, 5/25).
LATER RAIDERS? As part of an ESPN.com special on the
NFL in L.A., Mark Cannizzaro examined the chances of L.A.
landing another NFL team and wrote that the "most likely
candidate" to move there is the Raiders. One NFL insider:
"[Raiders Owner] Al Davis has told everyone who will listen
that he'll move back to L.A." NFL Exec VP/Business,
Properties & Club Services Roger Goodell: "The Raiders have
a lease in Oakland, as they recently stated, and continue to
operate under it. On the other hand, that's a source of
ongoing litigation." Davis described the team's current
situation in Oakland as a court "battle every day." Davis:
"Within our organization right now we might have a 50-50
(split) as to who would like to stay and who would like to
go. But I didn't bring them back [to Oakland] for this
turmoil. It's not fair to them" (ESPN.com, 5/24).
ADAMS LOOKING AT AFL DEUCE? Titans Owner Bud Adams is
talking with AFL Nashville Kats Owner Mark Bloom about
putting an af2 team in Knoxville, TN. Bloom, on Adams: "He
sees what the AFL is doing and the success it has had and
the success that [af2] is having as well" (AP, 5/25).
