Former Thrashers President Don Waddell said that he "will stay employed by the Atlanta Spirit on an 'open ended' agreement with co-owner Bruce Levenson." He will "help with the closing of the sale agreement with True North Sports and Entertainment, shut down the team’s practice facility in Duluth (the lease expires at the end of August) and assist with the Hawks and Philips Arena." His "main focus the past five months was trying to find a buyer willing to keep the Thrashers in Atlanta." Waddell said that he "worked with 22 people or groups that expressed an interest in buying" the team. The "final interested party was a family from North Carolina, but when they decided not to move forward, during the Atlanta Spirit’s negotiations with True North, the end was at hand" (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 6/23).
EASTERN INFLUENCE: EPL club Manchester United yesterday said that it "expects continued growth in Asia to drive sales of merchandise and revenue from commercial agreements, although the club remained mum on the prospects for an IPO in Hong Kong." ManU Commercial Dir Richard Arnold, at a press conference to promote the team's Asia Trophy Tour, said that with "more than 190 million fans in Asia, out of nearly 300 million around the world, the region had become 'very important' to the team." He added that the club has seen "rapid expansion of its Manchester United Cafe Bars in India, and in China, sales of sporting apparel has been an 'overwhelming success'" (REUTERS, 6/23).
TICKET CHANGES: EPL club Liverpool Managing Dir Ian Ayre has "defended the club’s decision to change the way tickets are sold to LFC official members." In Liverpool, James Pearce notes next month members "will be able to buy tickets in advance for all of the Reds’ home league games to be played prior to December 31." Tickets for all home games in the second half of the season "will go on sale in November." Last season the "week-long window for fans to take advantage of priority access to the 8,000 seats for members was restricted to around four weeks before each fixture." Ayre said, "We are a globally supported club so we need to provide solutions that work for everyone" (LIVERPOOL ECHO, 6/23).
