CART: In Detroit, Chengelis & Goricki report that an
estimated 50,000 fans attended the CART Michigan 500 Sunday
at MI Speedway, which featured the "third-closest finish" in
league history. But the attendance was about 120,000 fewer
than those who attended the NASCAR Winston Cup Kmart 400 at
the facility in June (DETROIT NEWS, 7/24). Also in Detroit,
Steve Crowe writes that crowd estimates "ranged from"
35,000-50,000, and the track "wasn't about to dignify the
disappointing turnout by attaching a number to it" (DETROIT
FREE PRESS, 7/24). In Indianapolis, Robin Miller writes
that CART's deal at the MI Speedway expires after next
year's race, and if CART "turns its back" on MI Speedway, it
"truly has no clue about its heritage and what makes this
form of motorsports so special." Miller writes that CART's
departure from MI would not be a "shame. ... No, it would be
a disgrace" (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 7/24). CART Interim Chair &
CEO Bobby Rahal said, "It's not an issue of us not wanting
to be here." But Rahal noted, "There's a disconnect
somewhere" (MIAMI HERALD, 7/24).
NOTES: MLB Blue Ribbon Panel on Baseball Economics
member George Mitchell writes an Op-Ed in today's WASHINGTON
POST supporting the findings the four-member panel made
public recently: "If fundamental changes are not made to
baseball's economic system, the fans of nearly two-thirds of
baseball's franchises will have little hope of seeing their
teams in the postseason" (WASHINGTON POST, 7/24)....In N.Y.,
Murray Chass wrote that the World Umpires Association (WUA)
has given the Major League Umpires Association until August
1 to "accept a tentative deal" with MLB that "would restore
the jobs" of ten of the 22 umpires who lost their positions
last year. WUA President John Hirschbeck said if a decision
isn't reached by August 1, the WUA will "proceed to complete
its negotiations with [MLB], without making arrangements for
the 22 out-of-work umpires" (N.Y. TIMES, 7/22).
