In DC, Rich Campbell cites an AP report Thursday that indicates 79% of Americans "favor keeping the ‘Redskins’ name,” while 11% “believe the name should be changed. Eight percent were unsure while 2% did not answer. The last national poll on the subject “showed 89 percent support of the name.” That survey was “conducted in 1992 by The Washington Post and ABC News.” The recent poll was conducted April 11-15 and “included interviews with 1,004 adults.” It has a “margin of error of 3.9 percentage points” (WASHINGTON TIMES, 5/3).
STORM BREWING? In Raleigh, Luke DeCock notes Hurricanes Owner Peter Karmanos “might actually spend the money it takes” to make his team Stanley Cup competitors. The team ranked 20th in the NHL in payroll this season, and the Hurricanes are “moving into a new division full of free-spending major-market teams.” Team President & GM Jim Rutherford said that the Hurricanes “will try to keep pace with their new peers as the cap drops from $70.2 million to $64.3 million.” Rutherford: “We’ll probably be at about $60, $61 million next year. Now we’re getting into that area. We know we had to do that with the change of divisions” (Raleigh NEWS & OBSERVER, 5/3).
LEFT IN THE DESERT: In Phoenix, Sarah McLellan notes Coyotes G Mike Smith, who becomes an unrestricted free agent July 5, could be the “latest star -- and most painful exit -- in the Coyotes’ ownerless nightmare if he chooses more money and stability elsewhere.” If the Coyotes “operated under normal circumstances, it’s likely Smith would be signed by now.” The team has “hinted as much, but the lack of ownership -- once again -- has stalled negotiations” (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 5/3).
KICKING UP THEIR GAME: In Portland, Allan Brettman notes the MLS Timbers “registered their 39th consecutive sellout” Thursday night against the Revolution, and instead of “easing off the throttle, Timbers management said it has shifted into a different gear, seeking to retain the faithful and reach out to the uninitiated.” The team's sales staff “includes a four-person core that keeps track of the 15,250 season ticket holders, putting to use customer-relations techniques that would be as applicable to a community theater group as it would an MLS team.” The marketing staff earlier this year “launched a campaign to bring new fans to Jeld-Wen Field.” The Timbers have a 97% season-ticket renewal rate, which team officials "say is the best in the league” (Portland OREGONIAN, 5/3).
