League Notes

MLB Says Hunter’s Gift To Royals Could Violate League Rules

ESPN’s Peter Keating reported there was “buzz all around” last week’s Sports Concussion Institute summit in California, that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell is “actively involved in this.” Keating cited two people at the conference who said they were asked by the NFL Concussion Committee to “share their research.” Keating noted the NFLPA was “not very visible” at the summit, adding, “They may have been in the audience somewhere, but they did not make any presentations or speeches or talks” (“OTL,” 4/22).

PUT A CORK IN IT: MLB Commissioner Bud Selig’s office contacted the Twins and Royals yesterday after Twins CF Torii Hunter gave the Royals four bottles of champagne this weekend, “fulfilling a promise he made after the Royals swept the [Tigers] last September, helping the Twins win the division title.” The gesture violated an MLB rule that a team employee cannot give a gift or reward to another team employee “for services rendered.” The Royals agreed to send all four bottles back to Hunter (STAR TRIBUNE, 4/24).

NIGHT EFFECTS: While F1 Management Chair Bernie Ecclestone and billionaire Ong Beng Seng “have been discussing the possibility of holding a race under floodlights” in Singapore, FIA President Max Mosley said that the governing body “would need to carry out a full safety assessment before agreeing to any night races.” The FIA said in a statement, “We wouldn’t sanction night racing for Formula One without a very careful investigation” (REUTERS, 4/23).

SEASON’S GREETINGS: NFL Europa said it recorded its largest first two week attendance mark in the league’s 13-year history. Week 2’s total of 61,690 fans, plus Week 1’s record 89,367 fans, combined for attendance of 151,057, up from the previous high of 119,193 set in ’96 (NFL).