DO NOT PASS GO: Jurors began deliberating Friday on the
lawsuit filed by MLS players claiming that the league was a
monopoly "designed to keep salaries down" (see THE DAILY,
12/8). The main question of the suit is whether a second
league would have "increased competition, or decreased it by
driving both leagues to bankruptcy." MLS Commissioner Don
Garber, on the players' suit: "They're arguing, ludicrously,
that we should have two Division I leagues competing in this
market when we're struggling with even one." More Garber,
on the legality of the league's central ownership model:
"The single-entity aspect is an important case for all
sports. We are fighting for the right to determine how to
run our business." Players attorney Jeffrey Kessler, in his
closing arguments to the jury: "This case is being watched.
The future of soccer, in a very real sense, is what you're
going to be deciding" (Jimmy Golen, AP, 12/9).
NHL ALL STARS: The NHL will announce today that the
Panthers and the National Car Rental Center will host the
NHL All-Star Game in February '03. NHL Group VP/Events &
Entertainment Frank Supovitz: "We think it's an incredible
opportunity to showcase our game in a very non-traditional
market, arguably the warmest market at that time of year"
(SUN-SENTINEL, 12/11)....Meanwhile, Stephen Gregory reports
that the '02 NHL All-Star Game at Staples Center could "pump
at least" $10M into the L.A. economy (L.A. TIMES, 12/11).
NFL EUROPE LOSSES: In N.Y., Mike Freeman wrote that NFL
Europe "is not a profitable business," as the NFLPA and NFL
said that they "split" a "staggering" $20M in losses on the
league this year. But Freeman wrote that there are "no
plans at this point to drop the league" (N.Y. TIMES, 12/10).
WOMEN'S SOCCER TOUR: In Dallas, Mark Zeske wrote that
although promoters did not release official attendance,
"more than 10,000 fans showed up" to Reunion Arena Saturday
to see the Discovery Health Channel Women's Soccer Challenge
(DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 12/10). In Houston, John Lopez puts
the attendance for Sunday's Discovery match at Robertson
Stadium at 11,121 (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 12/11).
MEN'S COLLEGE SOCCER: In Charlotte, Scott Fowler writes
that the Univ. of CT (UConn) defeated Creighton (NE) Univ.
(CU) at Ericsson Stadium yesterday to win the NCAA Division
I men's soccer championship in front of a crowd of 11,421.
Fowler adds that participation by a local team in the
weekend's semifinals or final "would have hardly made a
dent" in filling the stadium. The semis on Friday, IN Univ-
CU followed by UConn-SMU, "only drew" 10,752. Fowler:
"Those sparse crowds came after a reduction in ticket prices
from last season" (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 12/11).
