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Yankees Managing General Partner & co-Chair Hal Steinbrenner reiterated that he “plans on cutting the Yankees' payroll by 2014.” ESPN N.Y.’s Andrew Marchand noted the Yankees under the MLB’s new CBA “could save tens of millions of dollars if they lower their payroll -- now around $200 million -- to $189 million.” Steinbrenner said, "I've made it clear that is very important to me, for several reasons. You are talking about a 10 percent reduction in payroll. I don't see that as an outrageous concept. I never have." Meanwhile, he said that "neither manager Joe Girardi's job, nor anyone else's, is in danger,” despite the team “having relinquished a 10-game lead in the AL East.” Steinbrenner: "Jobs are not riding on this" (ESPNNY.com, 10/1).

ARE YOU ON THE LIST? In L.A., Helene Elliott noted the Stanley Cup “made its first public appearance Saturday since the Kings’ names were inscribed on it, and the updated trophy contained a surprise.” The name of club co-Owner Majestic Realty Chair & CEO Ed Roski, “omitted from the original list submitted to the NHL and the Hockey Hall of Fame, is on the top line following the names" of AEG Chair Phil Anschutz, Anschutz’s wife, Nancy, and AEG President & CEO Tim Leiweke. That gave the Kings 53 names on the Cup, "one above the limit, but Roski’s ownership role was considered important enough for the league to add his name.” Roski teamed with Anschutz “to buy the Kings out of bankruptcy in 1995, but the two men later became opponents in backing different proposals for a local NFL stadium” (LATIMES.com, 9/30).

DRAWING IRE: In Toronto, Daniel Girard noted MLS Toronto FC has “angered its most loyal fans with a promotion cutting seat prices.” A post on the team’s Facebook page Thursday morning read that for the “next 48 hours, the club was ‘waiving ticketing fees’ for its final two home games -- next Saturday versus D.C. United and Oct. 20 against Montreal.” A link headlined “No Fee Frenzy!” said that between 10:00am ET Thursday and 10:00am Saturday “all fees normally charged on top of the ticket price would be gone.” That amounts to C$8.50 per ticket plus C$5.25 “for each order, regardless of the size.” Girard noted many season-ticket holders commenting on Facebook “are angry” (THESTAR.com, 9/28).

FRONT RUNNER: In Akron, Stephanie Storm noted as the Akron Aeros minor league baseball team “begins the process of changing hands from the longtime father-son ownership of Mike and Greg Agganis,” Fast Forward Sports Group Founder & CEO Ken Babby’s name “has surfaced prominently as the reported buyer.” Babby’s father, Lon, is a “former sports agent who serves as the president of the NBA’s Phoenix Suns.” It is "understood that if Ken Babby were to gain control of the team, he would not move or rename the Aeros.” As of Friday, the Aeros' website “still listed Greg Agganis as the team’s chief executive [officer].” However, rumors have circulated that the “pending sale could be approved as early” as this week (AKRON BEACON JOURNAL, 10/1).

SBJ Morning Buzzcast: March 25, 2024

NFL meeting preview; MLB's opening week ad effort and remembering Peter Angelos.

Big Get Jay Wright, March Madness is upon us and ESPN locks up CFP

On this week’s pod, our Big Get is CBS Sports college basketball analyst Jay Wright. The NCAA Championship-winning coach shares his insight with SBJ’s Austin Karp on key hoops issues and why being well dressed is an important part of his success. Also on the show, Poynter Institute senior writer Tom Jones shares who he has up and who is down in sports media. Later, SBJ’s Ben Portnoy talks the latest on ESPN’s CFP extension and who CBS, TNT Sports and ESPN need to make deep runs in the men’s and women's NCAA basketball tournaments.

SBJ I Factor: Nana-Yaw Asamoah

SBJ I Factor features an interview with AMB Sports and Entertainment Chief Commercial Office Nana-Yaw Asamoah. Asamoah, who moved over to AMBSE last year after 14 years at the NFL, talks with SBJ’s Ben Fischer about how his role model parents and older sisters pushed him to shrive, how the power of lifelong learning fuels successful people, and why AMBSE was an opportunity he could not pass up. Asamoah is 2021 SBJ Forty Under 40 honoree. SBJ I Factor is a monthly podcast offering interviews with sports executives who have been recipients of one of the magazine’s awards.

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