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With Real Madrid Out, MLS
Needs An All-Star Plan |
MLS: Real Madrid's announcement of a two-game tour in Japan means the team will not be available to play in the MLS All-Star Game, and in Chicago, Kent McDill writes MLS has reportedly contacted ChampionsWorld to fill the spot. But McDill writes ChampionsWorld is not "likely to help, since it is competing for the American soccer dollar" (IL DAILY HERALD, 6/8)....U.S. National Team MF Claudio Reyna, on the int'l view of the MLS: "People are excited about it. So many players that I've played with and against — people that I run into — are very interested about playing here sometime. There's a big appeal about playing in the (U.S.) and being part of the growth of the sport" (ESPN2, 6/5).
OPENING UP: OWRS investor Paul Gentilozzi reiterated last weekend that he would "welcome discussions with [IRL] President Tony George but is heartened by the long-term prospects for Champ Car." Gentilozzi, on a possible merger with the IRL: "The mechanics of it is not the issue. It's the philosophical issues that have to be resolved. It's not about rules and (engine) liters. All of that can be fixed." Gentilozzi added that he "was peeved" by the N.Y. Times Op/Ed last week by Roger Penske. In Indianapolis, Steve Ballard wrote that in the piece, Penske, who switched from CART to the IRL, "intimated that George is close to landing a title sponsor for the IRL and that will lead to more Champ Car teams jumping series" (INDY STAR, 6/6).
TICKET SALES: The USTA said that U.S. Open tickets "sold at a record pace" yesterday, the first day of sales to the public. About 20,000 seats sold by 6:00pm ET, in addition to the 20,000 that went in a pre-sale to AmEx customers (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 6/8)....In Milwaukee, Gary D'Amato reports that about 83% of the ticket-buyers for the 86th PGA Championship August 9-15 at Whistling Straits in Kohler, Wisconsin, are from Wisconsin, "an unusually high percentage of in-state sales for a PGA." Also, 8,000 people have applied for 3,600 volunteer positions (MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL, 6/8).
