MLB: In Denver, local ticket agents say that the
"marked-up resales" of All-Star Game tickets are "flat."
Rock & Jock Tickets Owner Bruce Brown: "It is looking like
tickets will be readily available" (DENVER POST, 6/15).
...In Philadelphia, Jayson Stark wrote the "latest buzz" is
that agent Scott Boras "may take some of his high-profile
clients," such as J.D. Drew, and seek citizenship in some
draft-exempt country such as Costa Rica. Then they could
become free agents "and could start up a hot bidding war,"
similar to Cuban players (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 6/14).
TURNER/NBC FOOTBALL: In Boston, Will McDonough reported
on the NBC/Turner football league and said that Ted Turner
and "his aids in Atlanta are carrying the ball and doing all
the research and development, with NBC waiting to see the
final product" (BOSTON GLOBE, 6/13). BLOOMBERG'S Rick
Westhead wrote under the header, "Players In Europe Pinning
Hopes On Proposed NBC/Turner League" (SAN DIEGO UNION-
TRIBUNE, 6/14). Brian Ransom, agent for Rams CB Ryan McNeil
is "threatening" to take his client to the new league in
'99. Ransom: "I'd like to find out how soon their plans are
finalized" (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 6/14).
OTHER NOTES: On Friday, 73 people watched the USBL Long
Island Surf-Atlanta Trojans game at Stony Brook Indoor sport
complex. Surf CEO Steve Shillet: "I don't understand why
Long Island doesn't support a Long Island team" (NEWSDAY,
6/15)....The Nuveen Tour's BTI Championships in Raleigh, NC,
"easily cleared their total attendance goal of 20,000" for
the week. BTI Tournament Director Karen Happer said that
attendance could hit 22,000-23,000 (NEWS & OBSERVER, 6/15).