MLB TICKET PRICES: USA TODAY lists the average ticket
prices for all 30 MLB teams, and Chuck Johnson reports that
22 of the teams increased prices for '99. Overall, MLB's
average ticket price rose 7% to $15.26, up from $14.24 last
year. The Red Sox have the highest average ticket price at
$23.84, up 15.6% from '98, while the Twins have the lowest
at $8.22, unchanged from last year (USA TODAY, 2/11).
OTHER NOTES: In Dallas, the Mavericks have printed bar
codes on season tickets and spent $25,000 for scanners and
software to find out which ticket holders attend games. The
Mavs are the first pro team in the Dallas area to use
scanners (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 2/11)...Bucks G Ray Allen
signed a six-year, $70.9M contract extension with the team
and "saved himself" about $3.5M by hiring attorney Johnnie
Cochran at the rate of $500 per hour to oversee his
negotiations with Bucks Owner Herb Kohl. By using an
attorney, Allen avoided having to pay an agent's fee of 5%
(MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL, 2/10)....Sources said that the
Redskins attempt to re-sign QB Trent Green is being
"blocked" by Jack Kent Cooke estate trustees, who have
"prohibited Redskins officials from making their desired
contract proposal ... before Friday." But the trustees are
consulting with potential team owners Howard Milstein and
Daniel Snyder (WASHINGTON POST, 2/11).
