Franchise Notes
Bills Toronto Series GM Adrian Montgomery said that there is "no reason" why next year's Bills game in Toronto "couldn't be played during the CFL season." Montgomery: "That's something we would sit down and figure out in a spirit of collaboration with the [CFL Toronto Argonauts] and Bills. There may be an opportunity, in theory, to do a football weekend with the Argos or something like that." However, Montgomery stressed that "such a possibility isn't even being considered at this point and that the NFL has final say on who plays here and when" (TORONTO STAR, 12/10). Meanwhile, in Buffalo, Gene Warner reports Bills Toronto Series organizers acknowledge that they "may have to look at reducing ticket prices" for future games, and at least "some of the remaining four regular-season games could be played earlier in the season." Montgomery said of ticket prices, "I will acknowledge that in these strange (economic) times, we have to look at everything to make the event better" (BUFFALO NEWS, 12/11).
THE BEST A MAN CAN GET? In London, Ian Herbert wrote of a potential sale of EPL club Liverpool FC under the subhead, "Gillett Tight-Lipped On Sale Prospects As Middle Eastern Buyers Disappear From View." Financial analysts indicated that with Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum "no longer interested" in purchasing the club, co-Owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks might only find a purchasers if they are "forced into a fire sale by their banks foreclosing on them or them running out of money." Analysts believe that Gillett and Hicks "may be wishing they accepted" Maktoum's US$746.1M offer made "before the credit crunch hit and may even accept" US$522.3M, the total sum of their owed loans (London INDEPENDENT, 12/9).
MLB NOTES: In Milwaukee, Don Walker notes there is "not a specific number for next season's payroll" for the Brewers after the team's '08 payroll topped $90M. But Brewers Owner Mark Attanasio said that GM Doug Melvin has "some flexibility to make a run for a quality player." Attanasio also said that the team "turned a slight profit this past season, although he did not disclose specifics" (MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL, 12/11)....In Denver, Woody Paige reported the Rockies on January 24 will host their first FanFest at Coors Field. The event is "limited to the first 5,000 season-ticket holders who respond," as opposed to other pro sports franchise who hold similar events for all season-ticket holders. Rockies VP/Communications & PR Jay Alves: "We want to take it slow and easy and see how it goes first" (DENVER POST, 12/10).
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