Wizards Owner Ted Leonsis discussed his involvement in the NBA CBA negotiations, specifically addressing "media reports labeling him as a hard-line owner.” He said, “I have to chuckle at some of the characterizations.” On the upcoming season, Leonsis said, “We just came off a couple of months where there was lots of angst and drama and discussion and pixels being generated. I don’t care about any of that. I care that tomorrow’s the first preseason game and the 26th is the kickoff of a new season. I’m very excited. I’m very positive” (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 12/15).
BEHIND THE SCENES: In N.Y., Josh Kosman reports a new book, “Wilpon’s Folly,” notes Mets Owner Fred Wilpon asked MLB Commissioner Bud Selig to “play the bad cop” and “help him scuttle a deal that could have resulted in him losing majority control of the team.” Hedge-fund manager David Einhorn earlier this year “was set to invest $200 million for a 17 percent minority stake in the Mets.” In exchange, Wilpon agreed that “if the team didn’t repay Einhorn in five years, he would be able to acquire a majority stake for a nominal amount.” In the book, author Howard Megdal writes, “The idea would be that Selig would play the bad cop. When Major League Baseball put the kibosh on Einhorn, Wilpon would have plausible deniability, and could throw up his hands and say, ‘What can I do? This is how MLB works’” (N.Y. POST, 12/16).
SPREADING THE NEWS: In West Palm Beach, Ben Volin writes Dolphins fans Chris Joseph and Roger Paul “aren’t happy that owner Stephen Ross fired coach Tony Sparano this week yet opted to keep” GM Jeff Ireland. So from 10:00am-12:00pm ET during the Jan. 1 game against the Jets, “an airplane hired by Joseph and Paul will be flying around Sun Life Stadium with a sign: ‘Mr. Ross, save our Dolphins. Fire Jeff Ireland.’” Volin notes the sign “cost $1,500, but Joseph and Paul didn't have to put up much of their own money.” Instead, they “solicited donations on their popular fan blog Finsnation.com, and fans ponied up anywhere from $1 to $100 to spread the message that they want Ireland out” (PALM BEACH POST, 12/16).
LEADING THE LEAGUE: In Buffalo, James Fink noted with the exception of Nov. 2, every Sabres game at First Niagara Center “either has been sold out or is sold out through the Sabres’ Dec. 26 Boxing Day game against the Washington Capitals.” Sabres fans “have been equally supportive when it comes to purchasing merchandise or watching games on TV” as merchandise sales are "near the top” in the NHL and the Sabres “lead the NHL in local TV viewership” (BIZJOURNALS.com, 12/14).
