Franchise Notes

NFL: In San Diego, Norberto Santana writes that the 15-member Citizens' Task Force on Chargers Issues held its first "substantive" meeting last night. The meeting featured a broad overview from Assistant City Attorney Les Girard on the terms of the '95 contract intended to keep the Chargers in San Diego until 2020. Task Force Chair David Watson said that the next meeting, on September 12, would feature reps from the NFL, who are "expected to discuss the value of an NFL franchise to a city and the economic effect" of this season's Super Bowl in San Diego (UNION-TRIBUNE, 8/30)....In New Orleans, Allee-Walsh & Duncan report the Saints have partnered with Honduran soccer club Olimpia Deportivo. The deal "involves an effort to broadcast Saints games and [TV] shows in Honduras, exchanging marketing information and business personnel between the two organizations, sharing sports knowledge in areas such as player training, fitness and health, a joint merchandising effort, and an exhibition soccer game and youth clinic to be held in New Orleans this fall" (TIMES-PICAYUNE, 8/30).

NOTES: In Ottawa, Andrea Lanthier reports Ottawa Mayor Bob Chiarelli joined Senators COO Cyril Leeder and former mayor Jim Durrell in a "last-minute" press call "in hopes of encouraging businesses to invest in season tickets for their clients and employees." The call "came on the heels" of Senators Chair Rod Bryden's "creative solution to saving the debt-ridden team." The team needs to sell at least 10,500 season tickets to make Bryden's "long-term plan work." Thus far, less than 8,000 have been sold (OTTAWA SUN, 8/30)

MLB Mascots Unhappy With Working Conditions

....In Toronto, Stephen Brunt notes the CFL Argonauts will host Muhammad Ali at the Skydome during the team's October 20 game against the Renegades. Argonauts marketing consultant Garth Drabinsky: "This is non-entertainment related. This isn't like putting Shaggy on at halftime. ... It's part of a larger local and national event" (GLOBE & MAIL, 8/30)....The WALL STREET JOURNAL's Jerry Guidera writes that MLB team mascots say that the teams "aren't giving them enough of the revenue they generate." The mascots "are also fed up with exhausting schedules, menacing fans, and the heat and general lack of respect," and they "don't like the teams' growing restrictions on their routines." The mascots say that "the restraints, which often limit their visits to the stands, alienate them from fans and make it harder to do their jobs." Guidera notes most mascots earn $30,000-45,000 a year in salary (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 8/30).