Details have not been fully worked out, but MLB Rangers co-Chair Ray Davis is poised to become the club’s designated control partner, replacing departing CEO Nolan Ryan. MLB Commissioner Bud Selig on Thursday said, “I have profound respect for Nolan, as you know. Things happen in life. Clubs have to make the right decisions for them.” Davis’ designation is likely to occur at MLB owners’ meetings scheduled for Nov. 13-14 in Orlando (Eric Fisher, Staff Writer).
RAISING ARIZONA: In Phoenix, Mike Sunnucks reported the Coyotes are "exploring ways to make games more friendly for Canadian fans." Coyotes President Anthony LeBlanc on Tuesday "talked about ideas to boost team attendance." LeBlanc, a native of Canada, said that there are as many as 500,000 "part-time Arizona residents who are from Alberta and British Columbia." He wants them to "go to more Coyotes games and not just when their hometown teams are playing." LeBlanc also wants to "promote more sports tourism to the Valley from Canada and northern U.S. markets" (BIZJOURNALS.com, 10/22).
NO SLEEP 'TIL...: Nets and Barclays Center Chief Revenue Officer & CMO Fred Mangione said of maintaining the team's New Jersey fan base, "When we transformed the brand and relocated the team, we took the approach that we were an expansion team. We started from scratch. We started the foundation to obtain new fans, while engaging with our current fans. However, the data shows that only a small percentage of our New Jersey fans have followed us to Brooklyn. Our goal is to own Brooklyn and in year two expand to engage the other boroughs" (ADAGE.com, 10/23).
SEE YOU IN COURT: FAIRWARNING.org's Levin & Silverstein reported the MLB Giants and Marlins "are under investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor for possible federal wage law violations." The "possible improper use of unpaid interns is a focus of the Giants probe." It is the Labor Department’s "second recent investigation of the Giants over pay practices involving lower level employees" (FAIRWARNING.org, 10/24).
