In N.Y., Mike Vaccaro writes the Wilpon family, which owns the Mets, has "engendered an enormous amount of bad will" in N.Y. That is "thanks to many things." They had a "prominent role as both beneficiary and victim of Bernard Madoff’s Ponzi scheme," and are big-market owners who have "never fully embraced big-market economics in a sport lacking a salary cap." They also have been "serial meddlers (especially Jeff Wilpon); and as chief architects of a franchise hurtling toward a 13th losing season in those 18 years" (N.Y. POST, 7/24). THE ATHLETIC's Marc Carig wrote almost all of the turmoil facing the Mets "stems from the Wilpons." How a franchise "responds to these crises is telling." The Mets have "shown almost zero progress when it comes to keeping kitchen fires from becoming infernos." That is "not to say that the Wilpons don’t care about the Mets." Rather, it is more "accurate to say that they care too much" (THEATHLETIC.com, 7/23).
COME TOGETHER: The Sabres and NWHL Buffalo Beauts, both owned by Pegula Sports & Entertainment, will host an NHL-NWHL doubleheader at KeyBank Center on Dec. 29. The Beauts will host the Minnesota Whitecaps at 2:00pm ET, while the Sabres will host the Bruins at 7:00pm. Every fan that purchases a ticket for the Sabres game will also receive a ticket for the Beauts game (Ian Thomas, Staff Writer).
SEEING NO IMPACT: In Toronto, Steve Simmons notes the CFL Toronto Argonauts have a "supply of tickets available at a reasonable price by today’s ticket standards of entertainment products." There just "isn’t any demand for them." The Argos won the Grey Cup last November, which makes it "two championships in six years." However, the team "didn’t move the turnstiles at all." Pushing tickets "isn’t something MLSE does with any kind of regularity or need." They operate "mostly high-demand franchises" (TORONTO SUN, 7/24).
