In Dallas, Evan Grant reported the MLB Rangers are "expected to see total payroll reduced slightly" next season. President of Baseball Operations & GM Jon Daniels on Thursday said he expected the '14 payroll to be in a “similar range, but a little below,” the '13 figure. The Rangers spent approximately $125.3M on payroll in '13, "eclipsing the previous high total" of $120M in '12. However, the Rangers "experienced a drop in attendance" in '13 of about 300,000 fans, or nearly 9% over their "record paid attendance of 3.46 million" in '12 (DALLASNEWS.com, 10/3).
TASTE OF THE ROCKIES: In Denver, Troy Renck notes Rockies Owner Dick Monfort "following a second-consecutive last place finish" in the NL West, "promised not to raise season ticket prices in 2014 in a letter to season-ticket holders on Thursday." He also "vowed to bring a championship team to Denver." Monfort wrote, "We will not rest until we do it. ... Our organization is committed to doing everything in our power to bring you, the greatest fans in the world, a championship" (DENVER POST, 10/4).
WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE: In Minneapolis, John Vomhof noted the Wild have "posted especially strong results on the sponsorship front" heading into the new season. New sponsors for '13-14 include Campbell's Soup, Arby's and several other companies that "will be announced within the next couple of weeks." Jack Link's Beef Jerkey also "signed a multiyear sponsorship agreement with the club, returning for the first time" since the '07-08 season. Wild COO Matt Majka said, "We are already ahead of any recent year and I am cautiously optimistic that we are headed toward our best year ever on the sponsorship front" (BIZJOURNALS.com, 10/3).
BOMBS AWAY: In Winnipeg, Gary Lawless noted Manitoba Premier Greg Selinger "is prepared to overhaul the governance structure" of the CFL Blue Bombers if the team "can't meet its financial obligations to the province." While the province has "no say in how the Blue Bombers are run, the loan agreement that financed the team's new stadium gives Selinger options if the team defaults." Sources said that Selinger is "interested in a new operational model that would not only allow for greater transparency, but also the opportunity for fans to elect" its BOD. Selinger has "already told Bombers CEO Wade Miller and a select group of the club's board of directors they must live up to their loan obligation" (WINNIPEG FREE PRESS, 10/3).
