In Dallas, Eric Torbenson reported attorneys for Mavericks Owner MARK CUBAN “expect a state judge to dismiss one of two suits filed against Cuban” by Mavericks investor ROSS PEROT JR. Cuban’s lawyers yesterday said that “an arbitrator in October ruled for Cuban on the suit, which alleged mismanagement of the partnerships that control American Airlines Center.” Perot in ’09 filed suit against Cuban alleging that the arena’s profits “weren’t being distributed to partners and that Cuban was running the arena partnership to his advantage.” Court papers filed yesterday by Cuban’s lawyers -- and “unopposed by Perot’s attorneys -- will let District Court Judge EMILY TOBOLOWSKY end the suit and force Perot to pay Cuban’s legal fees, the amount of which wasn’t made public” (DALLASNEWS.com, 2/22).
PARTING GIFTS: In Orlando, Rachel George notes Univ. of Florida SID STEVE MCCLAIN confirmed that the University Athletic Association is “still finalizing details on additional compensation” for former football coach and current ESPN analyst URBAN MEYER. McClain said that administrators have been “having internal discussions since early January about what additional payments Meyer could receive, including if he might receive bonuses outlined in his football contract.” Additional compensation from the university could include bonuses that stipulate that if he “was still employed on Jan. 31, he would receive” a $1M. If he was “still employed on Feb. 1, the UAA would make an investment contribution of $150,000.” Meyer began his tenure at ESPN on Feb. 2 (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 2/23).
GETTING PERSONAL: In London, Kevin Eason notes “NO ANGEL: THE SECRET LIFE OF BERNIE ECCLESTONE,” the biography written by TOM BOWER, will premiere tomorrow night in London’s West End. F1 Management Chair Ecclestone said that he will “boycott the party” after a Sunday newspaper “serialisation of the book included sensational revelations about his family.” Ecclestone said of Bower, “Up until the time of reading the extracts from the book, I was more than supportive of him. I was more than a little disappointed with him when he included in the book matters concerning my family, which he agreed he would not, and allowed a newspaper to print a section of it referring to my family” (LONDON TIMES, 2/23).
POLITICAL PERKS: In DC, Tim Craig notes there is “squabbling over tickets for the Verizon Center and Nationals Park” among DC Council members. Several council members last week were “concerned” that DC Council Chair KWAME BROWN “was not fairly distributing the tickets the council receives for the Verizon Center.” DC Mayor ADRIAN FENTY and the council “have access to about 36 tickets in two boxes supplied to the city compliments” of late Wizards Owner ABE POLLIN. Council member JIM GRAHAM and other members said that since Brown became Chair, they "have not been getting their share of free tickets to one of the two city boxes" at the arena (WASHINGTON POST, 2/23).
NAMES: In Toronto, Mark Zwolinski profiles Blue Jays Assistant GM JAY SARTORI, GM ALEX ANTHOPOULOS’ “go-to person on player contracts,” the CBA, arbitration and “just about anything related to the business of baseball.” Sartori, 32, “works with team statistician, JOE SHEEHAN, providing statistical analysis and interpretation that helps the organization make better decisions on players and game situations” (TORONTO STAR, 2/23)....The Boston Pops yesterday announced its first Minor League Ballparks tour, visiting 10 cities from Aug. 16-30. The Pops will play music inspired by baseball, movies and rock 'n roll (Boston Pops)....D'Backs Special Assistant to the President & CEO ROLAND HEMOND "has been selected as the second recipient of the Buck O'Neil Lifetime Achievement Award," which "goes to an individual for extraordinary efforts to enhance baseball's positive impact on society." Hemond will receive the honor on July 23 as part of Baseball's HOF weekend festivities in Cooperstown, N.Y. (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 2/23)....MLB Giants Senior VP & General Counsel JACK BAIR last night received the lifetime achievement award at the Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal and S.F. Business Times' '11 Best Bay Area Corporate Counsel awards (BIZJOURNALS.com, 2/22)....Actors TOM CRUISE and SIMON PEGG attended last night's Canadiens-Canucks game. Cruise "has been in Vancouver since early December filming 'MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: GHOST PROTOCOL,'" which also stars Pegg (VANCOUVER SUN, 2/23)....IndyCar Series driver MARCO ANDRETTI ate at N9NE Steakhouse at the Palms in Las Vegas on Monday. Spurs G TONY PARKER dined "with a group of 15" at Tao at the Venetian on Saturday (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 2/23).
