Houston's NFL expansion team has retained Chip Namias
of L.A.-based Athlete & Event Sports PR as its PR and media
relations consultant through October 2001. Namias, who
serves as Athlete & Event President, has handled PR for team
owner Bob McNair since October '98 (Houston NFL
Holdings)....In Ottawa, Bruce Garrioch reports that the
Senators have "lowered their demands for damages" in their
lawsuit against holdout C Alexei Yashin. Senators Chair Rod
Bryden had "originally sought" $7M for Yashin not honoring
the final year of his contract, but Garrioch cites sources
as saying that the team "is now seeking only" US$930,000. A
league source said that he "wasn't sure how" Bryden and the
NHL "arrived" at $930,000, but he "believes it was based on
lost revenues because the 'team didn't make the second
round'" of the playoffs (OTTAWA SUN, 8/10)....In CA, David
Holbrook cites the Oakland Football Marketing Association as
saying that of about 27,500 PSL holders for Raiders games at
Network Associates Coliseum, "nearly" 10% "have failed to
renew." Meanwhile, ticket sales for individual games "are
slightly ahead of last year" (C.C. TIMES, 8/10)....In DC,
Michael Wilbon, noting 17,538 fans attended last night's
Rockers-Mystics game at MCI Center, writes the Wizards
"can't draw 17,000 to MCI on a Wednesday night unless the
Lakers or Pacers are in town, and they wouldn't do it if
tickets cost one-third the price." More Wilbon, on the
crowd at last night's game: "Not one pair of feet went up
the aisle and out the door early. When the game ended, they
stayed and danced at their seats" (WASHINGTON POST, 8/10).
