VISION QUEST? In N.Y., Rachel Scheier reports that
Cablevision Chair Charles Dolan "declared he's looking for
partners" and would sell the company "at the right price
anytime." Cablevision, which owns the Knicks, Rangers and
MSG, is valued at $12.1B (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 7/14).
HOUSTON COUNT DOWN: The expansion Houston NFL franchise
will unveil its nickname, logo and colors September 6. Team
Owner Bob McNair said that "he has yet to make a decision"
between three nicknames -- Texans, Stallions and Apollos --
but Texans and Stallions "are his favorites." Meanwhile,
McNair said that the city was "in the lead" for hosting the
2004 Super Bowl (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 7/14).
FREE AGENT MEN: In Charlotte, Rick Bonnell writes that
for Hornets free agent G Eddie Jones' visit to the Bulls
yesterday, the team "brought a band and cheerleaders and a
mascot to greet him" at O'Hare Int'l airport. Jones will
ride a yacht and attend an MLB game during his visit
(CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 7/14). In Winston-Salem, John Delong
writes that the Bulls' hospitality "didn't rival the
million-dollar spectacle" that the Magic put together for
Grant Hill and Tim Duncan (WINSTON-SALEM JOURNAL, 7/14).
Meanwhile, SI's Ian Thomsen profiles the Magic's efforts to
lure free agents Hill and Duncan and writes that the team
"took the unprecedented step of hiring" former
Communications Dir Alex Martins as Recruiting Coordinator.
When Hill and Duncan arrived at the team's offices, "they
were greeted by hundreds of employees wearing T-shirts with
pictures of the two players bridged by a single word:
Imagine" (SPORTS ILLUSTRATED, 7/13 issue).
MINOR LEAGUES: The ECHL Richmond Renegades were sold to
Richmond Sports Partners (RSP) yesterday for a reported
$1.2M. The new ownership group consists of ten partners,
including VA business exec Anthony Markel and Denver
business exec Bill Stewart, who will serve as President &
CEO. RSP signed a three-year lease with SMG for the team to
play at Richmond Coliseum (RICHMOND TIMES-DISPATCH, 7/14).
...CBA execs reached an agreement with NY-based United
Sports Ventures to put an expansion team in Upper Marlboro,
MD at Show Place Arena (WASHINGTON POST, 7/14).
