Salt Lake hopeful of NHL agreement

The Salt Lake Organizing Committee is "very optimistic" that NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman will decide by the end of this year to allow league players to participate in the 2002 games, said David Johnson, senior vice president of games for the SLOC. Johnson said the SLOC has had conversations wi ...

Tags: IOC, NHL

L.A. suburb willing to pony up for Ovitz stadium

The city of Carson, Calif., plans to move ahead with preparations for a bond issue of $50 million to $100 million to help fund the Hacienda, a football stadium and mall project proposed by former Hollywood agent Michael Ovitz. Carson Mayor Pete Fajardo said that since Ovitz approached officials ...

Tags: Houston Rockets, NFL

Upper Deck may owe MLB players

An arbitrator has found "credible" allegations that Upper Deck Co., the leading trading card company in the United States, may have shortchanged the Major League Baseball Players Association, and sources say the MLBPA is looking into the matter. The allegations came to light during a binding arb ...

Picabo Street plans moves into TV roles

Gold medal-winning skier Picabo Street is pursuing a career as a television personality — including on-air sports announcing jobs and a made-for-television movie — in the wake of an injury that left her unable to compete for at least a year, said her agent, Brad Hunt. Street, 27, signe ...

Tags: Gold Medal Management, NBC, Rossignol

NTRA plans to sign up more casinos

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association expects a number of casinos to join the organization, said NTRA Commissioner Tim Smith . The NTRA announced on Aug. 28 that Ledyard, Conn.-based Foxwoods Resort Casino had joined as an associate member, the first casino race book in the country to sig ...

Tags: Hollywood Park Inc., National Thoroughbred Racing Association, NTRA

NFL's next new team may pay lower entry fee

The winning bidder for the NFL's 32nd franchise — whether it will be one of several Los Angeles-area groups or a Houston contingent — may actually pay a lower expansion price than the new owner of the Cleveland Browns, some sports business experts say. Estimates for the Cleveland franc ...

Tags: Bonham Group Inc., Cleveland Browns, Game Plan LLC, NFL

New home stirs fervor for Lakers, Kings

More than a year before the Staples Center opens, season-ticket sales have surged for both the Los Angeles Lakers and the Los Angeles Kings as fans line up to get on priority lists for the new $300 million arena. "We are set to break the all-time record for season-ticket renewals," said John Ci ...

Tags: Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Kings, Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Sparks, NBA, Sacramento Kings, Staples Inc.

Indy takes pole position in race for Formula One

Indianapolis appears to have roared into the lead in the race to host the first Formula One grand prix in the United States in nearly a decade, after Las Vegas lost its perceived front-runner status because of governmental snags. "We believe we have a 50-50 or better chance" to host the U.S. For ...

Tags: Formula One, Indianapolis Motor Speedway Corp., IndyCar

Women's sport, fitness channel is shaping up fitness channel is ...

Pyper Davis, new president of Fox/Liberty Networks' Fit TV, said she is talking to women athletes and women's sporting event organizers about being part of the first-ever women's sports and fitness channel. Davis, formerly senior vice president with Fox/Liberty and a member of the team that laun ...

Tags: Fit TV, Fox, New York Liberty

L.A.'s NASCAR lite may lead to bigger race

NASCAR is coming to Los Angeles with a minor league race, major league stars and a million-dollar marketing blitz. Organizer Bill Burke, president of LA Events Inc., said he expects to lose money on the Featherlite Southwest Series race to be held on the streets of Los Angeles' inner city on Lab ...

Tags: Lexus, NASCAR