The NFL has hired Muhleman Marketing's Max Muhleman to
"assess" whether the L.A. market "can bear the prices two
competing ... groups plan to charge" for seats if awarded
the 32nd franchise. Muhleman was hired in late December
(SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 1/18 issue)....IHL President Doug
Moss said that Victoria, British Columbia, "is set" for an
expansion team "in the next couple of years," and the Las
Vegas Thunder will be "moving out" of the Thomas & Mack
Center to another in the city. Moss: "We have had offers to
play in arenas connected to different casinos, but we don't
know if we want to go that route" (CINCINNATI POST, 1/18).
...Of the 39 LPGA events returning from '98, the HealthSouth
Inaugural's $550,000 purse, down from $600,000, is the only
one to decrease. LPGA Commissioner Jim Ritts: "In the
latter quarters of last year, the health industry ... was
faced with a great deal of tumult." As a result, Ritts said
that the LPGA allowed HealthSouth to reduce the purse and
agreed to help them sell-off some of their advertiser
inventories in the telecast (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 1/16)....The
CPBL Board of Directors includes former NBA MVP Spencer
Haywood, U.S. Rep. Carrie Meek (D-FL) and the N.Y. Post's
Peter Vecsey. CPBL President Paul McMann: "We're not going
the way of the ABL. What differentiates us from the ABL is
we know what we have to do. The ABL didn't. Our league
won't survive on ticket sales alone" (BOSTON GLOBE, 1/17).
