Yesterday afternoon's Game Two of the Mets-Braves NLCS
drew 44,624 at Turner Field, which was "almost the same
number" of tickets sold for Game One and about 6,000 short
of a sellout. In N.Y., Judy Battista writes that "seven
sections of seats in the upper deck were virtually vacant,
continuing a trend that disappoints the Braves: they can't
sell out their playoff games" (N.Y. TIMES, 10/14). In
Tampa, Bill Chastain writes that the "sellout drought is
less an indictment of Braves fans than it is an economic
model at work. Ever hear about the law of supply and
demand? ... Ticket prices for the NLCS range from $45 in the
upper level to $60 for dugout and club seats. At those
prices there is not as much demand" (TAMPA TRIBUNE, 10/14).
RIPKEN NOT PLEASED WITH DISCLOSURE: Orioles 3B Cal
Ripken said he was "uncomfortable" that team execs mentioned
his name in connection with the dismissal of GM Frank Wren
(See THE DAILY, 10/8). Ripken: "Am I upset? I'm
uncomfortable and feel I shouldn't be in the middle of that.
Beyond that, I'm not furious" (WASH. POST, 10/14).
LEIWEKE TO WILD? In St. Paul, Charley Walters writes to
"look for" First Tee Program Exec Dir Tod Leiweke to "soon
be hired" as President of the Wild (ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS,
10/14). Meanwhile, the Wild feel that Winnipeg will "be a
major focus" of its Canadian marketing efforts. Wild VP/
Communications Bill Robertson: "I consider that a key market
for us in the respect that they're not going to be season-
ticket holders, but they're going to be interested in group
tickets" (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 10/14).
NO ART LOVER? Former Lightning GM Phil Esposito, on
former team Owner Art Williams, who fired Esposito two games
into last season: "Art was completely out of his element.
He had no idea what he was getting into. He asked me what I
thought about this team when he first got here, and I told
him it wasn't going anywhere. He just got mad at me. He
said, 'That's a bad attitude'" (ST. PETE TIMES, 10/14).
PEROT SPEAKS: Mavs Owner Ross Perot Jr., on reports of
a "chilly relationship" between Mavericks President Terdema
Ussery and coach Don Nelson: "Professionally they work fine
together, but Terdema needs more wins. He has to go sell
tickets. So Terdema is very, very anxious to get a winning
team, and he should be" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 10/14).
LEARNING TO SHOOT WITH J: Nets C Jayson Williams will
hold a "conference call today with 50 or so Nets season-
ticket holders unsure about renewing their packages. He
hopes to convince them to keep the faith until the wins
start rolling in" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS 10/14).
WERE FANS NOT FANATTICAL ENOUGH? In Orlando, Todd Pack
examines the Magic closing their last two FanAttic stores
and notes that the team ranks seventh in NBA merchandise
sales. Peter Schlutz, manager of a local Kmart, on Magic
merchandise: "It just doesn't sell. People want to wear
what the winners wear." But RDV Sports VP Karl Droppers
said, "I don't think it's that fan interest has waned here.
It's that it's waned everywhere" (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 10/14).
L.A. GETS INDOOR SOCCER TEAM: The WISL has granted an
expansion franchise to an Anaheim ownership group which
still must come to terms on an arena lease. League owners
"rejected San Diego's expansion request, citing a need for
further information." The league gave Anaheim and San Diego
groups "until the end of October to complete the
requirements to play next summer" (L.A. TIMES, 10/14).
LENO WANTS ANSWERS FROM NFL: Jay Leno, on the NFL
awarding an expansion franchise to Houston: "I called NFL
headquarters. I tried to complain. I tried to find out why
they didn't give us, L.A., a team. I got this huge document
detailing [the reasons]." From the "document" Jay acquired
from the NFL: "'L.A. already has too many men who wear tight
pants and slap each other in the butt.' That is wrong.
That is not a reason. ... 'If L.A. had a football team, it
might inspire Kevin Costner to do a football movie.'
Alright, nobody wants that. ... I agree" (NBC, 10/13).
