In N.Y., John Crudele reports the Yankees are "trying a new way" of filling the ballpark and trying to "jack up attendance with a recently introduced $49.99 Ballpark Pass." The pass will "get the buyer into all 16 regularly scheduled home games in August," which means that it "doesn't include" the rescheduled Mets-Yankees game on Aug. 13. The pass is for "standing room only" (N.Y. POST, 7/31).
PAID STABLE: In Indianapolis, Chris Sikich cited documents as saying that to "help lure" the Colts' training camp to Westfield, Ind., city officials agreed to pay about $1.1M over three years "toward the team's hotel rental." The city incentives would "go toward the lease of a 152-room Cambria Suites, which the team will use for roughly 30 days each summer." The deal with the hotel "obligates the city to pay" 50% of the cost for the team to "lease the entire hotel for training camps" this year, as well as in '19 and '20 (INDYSTAR.com, 7/30).
FLIPPIN' OUT: In S.F., Al Saracevic noted the A's have "found their message ... their rally cry," which is "Bat Flippin' Season." That is what it says on T-shirts CF Mark Canha "made for his teammates during their just-completed road trip." The shirts "arrived in the clubhouse" during the Rangers series last week, and "became an immediate hit." Everyone is "wearing them under their jerseys." The phrase itself is in "reference to the criticism Canha received after hitting a game-winning home run against the Giants" on July 14 (S.F. CHRONICLE, 7/31).
