Franchise Notes

In Cincinnati, Pat Brennan notes 464,720 fans attended Nippert Stadium during FC Cincinnati's inaugural MLS season. The per-match average of 27,336 fans is "third-most among all MLS clubs." Those numbers "surpassed the previous club records of 437,197 combined fans" during the '18 USL season (25,717 per game) (CINCINNATI ENQUIRER, 10/1).

PAY TO PLAY: In N.Y., Joel Sherman wrote the Mets' Wilpon family "must raise" the team's payroll for '20. Sherman: "If the Mets want to contend next year -- and they do -- then it is going to be hard to construct a playoff roster without lifting the payroll" (N.Y. POST, 9/29).

NO-BACK: In Chicago, Rosenthal & Bannon wrote the Bears' 1936 throwback uniforms on Sunday were "not attractive." The Bears have "great, classic home and away uniforms." So, why "abandon them for XFL-esque orange alternates and gaudy throwbacks?" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 9/30).