League Notes

DUPUY ON SQUAWK BOX: MLB President & COO Bob DuPuy appeared this morning on CNBC's "Squawk Box," which was guest hosted by David D'Alessandro, Chair of MLB sponsor John Hancock. DuPuy discussed topics including steroid testing, baseball's recent resurgence, and the future of the game from the youth level. DuPuy, on baseball's success this past season: "I'd like to think it was a continuation of the sorts of things that Commissioner Selig has done under his leadership over the past 11 or 12 years and we can continue that. Increased revenue sharing, competitive balance tax, the format change [and] interleague play have all rekindled interest in baseball" ("Squawk Box," CNBC, 12/4).

NFL: Oakland County (MI) exec Brooks Patterson, a member of the Detroit Super Bowl Host Committee, "wants to temporarily divert" the county's portion of the state's hotel-motel tax and give it to the committee. That amounted to $7.4M last year. While Patterson said "we cannot in good conscience donate $500,000 from our general fund," he added that he "wants to find some way to help" in '06 (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 12/4)....BC Lions President Bob Ackles said that the CFL, whose working agreement with the NFL expires on December 31, is looking to extend the deal about four months. The CFL is slated to make its final US$500,000 installment

East Urges NTRA To Purchase Stable Of Worthy Horses

NTRA: In an Op-Ed in BLOODHORSE, Private Perfumery President Victor East wrote of the Thoroughbred Industry, "Any horse worth an investment in emotional attachment is being sent to the sidelines with a cough or put out to stud with a thud. ... The NTRA should purchase a stable of horses worthy of public attention, that will be the 'stuff' of what effective advertising is made, that will race in the races it puts on TV, that will campaign for as long as their legs have some run in them — a dynasty of horses that will become as accomplished as the ... Yankees or as familiar ... as Funny Cide was this spring" (BLOODHORSE.com, 12/2).