MLS: In Portland, Abby Haight reported that MLS COO
Mark Abbott, "the point man for league expansion," toured
Civic Stadium, had lunch with business leaders and met with
Mayor Vera Katz "in what probably was the first of several
visits." Portland business leaders and "soccer enthusiasts"
are promoting the city for one of two expected MLS expansion
franchises in 2000 or 2001. Charlotte, Seattle and
Cincinnati are also "in the running" (OREGONIAN, 7/22).
OTHER NOTES: TX Motor Speedway GM Eddie Gossage, on the
track getting a second Winston Cup race for '99: "We'd love
to ... but I don't anticipate it. I'm just being honest"
(DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 7/23)....J.I. Albrecht, a former CFL
GM, says that "blacks are discriminated against" in the CFL,
and has "made a plea" for the league to provide blacks with
new, non-playing opportunities in his new book, "A
Prescription for CFL Survival." Among other things,
Albrecht suggests that blacks "be groomed for head-coaching
and on-field officiating positions" (Marty York, Toronto
GLOBE & MAIL, 7/23)....Former AFL Commissioner Jim Drucker,
who is looking to acquire an AFL expansion team for '99,
said that if more than 7,000 fans attend this Saturday's AFL
game at Kemper Arena, the city "will be his top choice" as
the site for a franchise. Already more than 5,000 tickets
have been sold. AFL Commissioner David Baker said that an
expansion team would cost $7M (K.C. STAR, 7/23).