League Notes
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Poll Shows 37% Of Respondents Believe NBA
"Somewhat Or Likely Alters" Outcomes Of Games |
AD AGE’s Michael Bush noted 37% of respondents to a recent poll
believe that the NBA “somewhat or very likely alters the outcomes of its
games.” The YouGovPolimetric Omnibus Poll of 907 people was conducted June
2-4, prior to former NBA referee Tim Donaghy's game fixing allegations last week.
The poll found that among casual or avid fans 41% “think it’s either
very likely or somewhat likely that the NBA alters the outcome of games.”
Only 46% of respondents were aware of Donaghy being investigated by the FBI. YouGovPolimetrix
Senior VP & GM Ted Marzilli said, “The NBA has to take some action by
implementing some rules and be visible about it. Acknowledge there is the perception
of an issue, that there may actually be an issue and that you are going to do
everything you can to ensure there is a trust between fans and the NBA” (AD
AGE, 6/13). Both CBS' David Letterman and NBC's Jay Leno last night
opened their
monologues by referencing the NBA's game fixing scandel. Letterman said, “Everybody
have a great Father's Day? I had a lot of fun, went out to dinner and came home
and watched the crooked NBA Finals." NBC's Jay Leno said, “Congratulations
to the Lakers. They won last night. To be fair, I knew the Lakers were going to
win because the refs told me before the game (THE DAILY).
COMMUNITY SERVICE: In Boston, Nick Cafardo wrote in the six
months since the Mitchell Report was released, “how often have you heard
about a player going to a classroom to lecture kids and denounce the use of
steroids? There have been a few, but too few.” Steroid youth education
“seemed to be what [former U.S. Sen. George] Mitchell was getting at in
the report.” He “named names because he wanted those players to
get out there and spread the word about the hazards of steroids.” But
it seems many players are “taking a called third strike -- still
licking their wounds from being named in the Mitchell Report -- at a time
when they should be swinging away” (BOSTON GLOBE, 6/15).
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Specter (c) Says That He Is No Longer
Pursuing NFL's Spygate Scandal |
LEGISLATIVE MATTERS: U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA) said that he “won’t
bother to ask Congress to purse the NFL’s ‘Spygate’ scandal
and plans to look into another sports-related issue: public financing of stadiums.”
Specter said of Spygate, “I’ve gone as far as I can.” He said
that he “didn’t call the matter before the Judiciary Committee because
it already has ‘too much to do.’” And he added he is “not
interested” in the allegations by former NBA referee Tim Donaghy against
the league. But Specter said that taxpayers “should not have to foot any
of the bill for stadium construction for NFL owners, who enjoy an antitrust exemption”
(PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS, 6/17).
NOTES: With the PGA Tour’s new drug-testing policy going
into effect July 1, golfer Sean O’Hair said that the “whole thing
is a non-issue, at least among the players he knows.” Golfer Mike Weir:
“The players think it's fine. There is no opposition that I’ve heard.
Might as well do it” (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 6/15)....Women's
Professional Soccer Commissioner Tonya Antonucci said that the league, which
will begin play next April, will hold a draft of U.S. national team players
in mid-July. The league “plans to start play with seven teams, possibly
an eighth in San Diego, then add expansion teams in Philadelphia, and perhaps
in Seattle in 2010” (N.Y. TIMES, 6/17).
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