Attendance for the Astros has been "virtually stagnant" over
the past decade, and because Astros Owner Drayton McLane doubts
it will get better any time soon, he is "close" to selling the
team to William Collins, according to the HOUSTON CHRONICLE. A
recent report on the region shows going to Astros games ranks
"relatively low" among leisure activities. Also, only 23% of
Houston residents went to at least one Astros game last year
(HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 10/28). Astros Senior VP Bob McClaren, on
the low attendance: "It makes one question whether or not
Houston is a community that really enjoys major league baseball.
That doesn't make this town a good or bad sports town. It just
means that people haven't decided to spend their entertainment
dollars watching and participating in professional baseball"
(J.A. Adande, WASHINGTON POST, 10/28).
NEWS & NOTES: Tom Boswell writes, "Either McLane is just
teasing Collins and Northern Virginia to extract the best
possible deal for himself in Houston. Or else he knows that
[Orioles Owner Peter] Angelos is disliked so much that those
relocation votes can be lined up in less time than it took
Chrissie Hynde to sing the National Anthem" (WASHINGTON POST,
10/28)....Peter Gammons notes in his BOSTON GLOBE column while
acting MLB Commissioner Bud Selig "discounts" an Astros sale
since McLane hasn't explored all local options, McLane may force
the issue. He has both threatened lawsuits and said he needs
$150,000 in Astrodome improvements and 14,000 season tickets
added to his current base of 8,500 within two weeks (BOSTON
GLOBE, 10/29).... Virginia Baseball has placed its $2-3M ad
account with Richmond-based Arnold Finnegan Martin (ADWEEK, 10/23
issue).
