In San Jose, Kerry Crowley notes Giants co-Owner Charles Johnson's donation to U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith's campaign has "outraged many Giants fans who have pledged on social media to stop spending money on tickets and merchandise until Johnson sells his stake in the team." Johnson is believed to "hold the largest stake of the Giants, but the team website lists him among 28 other principal owners" (San Jose MERCURY NEWS, 11/26). In Sacramento, Marcos Breton wrote Johnson is "free to support financially the racist people or causes of his choice." Breton: "And as someone who has followed the Giants and dumped a considerable amount of money on Giants tickets and merchandise for more than 40 years, I am free to divert my discretionary income elsewhere as long as Mr. Johnson is on the scene" (SACRAMENTO BEE, 11/25).
A NEW ERA? In Baltimore, Peter Schmuck noted Orioles Exec VP John Angelos and Ownership Rep Lou Angelos last week held a "well-choreographed introductory news conference" for new Exec VP & GM Mike Elias. The "slick and savvy presentation seemed to signal a new era of both Orioles baseball and O’s management." The event had the "feel of a coming-out party" for the Angelos brothers. John Angelos seemed to be saying that he and his family "intend to own the club for a long time." He also said that the outcome of the MASN case would have "no effect on the resources available to Elias" (BALTIMORE SUN, 11/23).
LAW & ORDER: In Cincinnati, Jessie Balmert noted the Ohio Supreme Court ruled 5-2 that the Reds "aren't required to pay taxes on promotional products from bobbleheads to t-shirts and players' cards." The Reds "factor the cost of bobbleheads and other items, used to entice fans to less-competitive games, into the price of their tickets." The case arose when the Ohio Department of Taxation told the Reds that they "owed about $88,000 in taxes for bobbleheads and other items" distributed between '08 and '10. Tax officials argued that the Reds "didn't charge a separate, distinct amount for the bobbleheads" (CINCINNATI ENQUIRER, 11/22).
