Franchise Notes

Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson yesterday said that it is up to the Indians to "determine how to handle" the issue of whether to retire their Chief Wahoo mascot, but added that he "generally supports Native Americans who feel that the grinning logo is a racist caricature of their culture." Jackson said, "If there are Native Americans who believe it's offensive to them, then who am I to tell them it's not? And I support whatever they want to say about that. It’s up to the Indians how they work that kind of stuff out" (Cleveland PLAIN DEALER, 3/6).

EARLY BIRD GETS THE WORM: In DC, Dan Steinberg reported for the '14 season, Nationals primary-account holders or their partners "will receive a rewards bonus for arriving early" to games. They will "get 20 bonus points per card for using their Ultimate Ballpark Access card 60 minutes or more before the first pitch, and 10 points per card for scans that happen with less than 60 minutes to go." Similarly, plan holders "will receive 10 points per card for print-at-home scans that come 60 minutes or more before the first pitch, and 5 points per card for print-at-home scans that happen with less than an hour to go." Thus, getting to the park "early five times can now earn plan holders a free ticket" (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 3/5).

GAME, SET, MATCH: In Las Vegas, Steve Carp reports the World TeamTennis Las Vegas Neons franchise, which was "scheduled to play at the Darling Tennis Center in July and had signed Sam Querrey as its marquee player, was folded Wednesday by the league after owner Deepal Wannakuwatte had the assets of his Sacramento-based medical supply company, International Manufacturing Group Inc., frozen by a federal judge" (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 3/6).