MIAMI
NFL conflict may force Orange Bowl change
Orange Bowl plans women's tourney
The men go first at the 1999 Lipton
Miami, UCLA reschedule big-money date
Matadors draw 3,300 for first arena date
A potential scheduling conflict with the Miami Dolphins has FedEx Orange Bowl officials pondering their options. Should the Dolphins play a wild-card playoff game at Pro Player Stadium, the game would be the same day as the Jan. 2 Orange Bowl. One possibility: move the college game back to the Orange Bowl stadium. Another option: Change the date of the bowl game.
The Orange Bowl is working on a women's college basketball doubleheader similar to its HIP Health Plan Orange Bowl Basketball Classic. The event is to start in 1999. Sponsors and a venue have yet to be named, but Orange Bowl spokesman John Shaffer said the games probably will be played at Florida International University in Miami.
The 1999 Lipton Championships men's final will be played March 27 and the women's final March 28. It's the first time the tournament has played the women's final after the men's. The reason isn't that the women's game is getting more attention, said Lipton spokeswoman Lauren Sheprow. Rather, Fox Sports broadcasts an NHL game that Sunday, and it doesn't have enough time for the longer men's match.
The Miami Hurricanes and UCLA rescheduled their postponed Sept. 26 game for Dec. 5 at the Orange Bowl. The original game was called off owing to the threat of Hurricane Georges. Had the game not been played, UM would have lost about $500,000 and UCLA $700,000.
The East Coast Hockey League's Miami Matadors drew 3,368 fans to their first game at Miami Arena Oct. 16. The minor league hockey team reported attendance of 2,317 at its second game Oct. 18.
MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL
Playoffs take financial toll on Thunder
A time to cheer for most professional teams became a time to fret for the Minnesota Thunder soccer team. The team made it to the USISL A-League championship game, losing to Rochester, N.Y., on Oct. 17. But its success took a financial toll. Airfares, hotel tabs, additional salaries and other expenses for playoff games in Seattle and San Diego nearly depleted the team's cash reserves. Eagan, Minn.-based Northwest Airlines, a Thunder sponsor, donated tickets and waived ticket-change surcharges to help ease the burden. The team's ownership group, comprising top executives of Twin Cities companies, ponied up some extra cash. The officials say they're confident that success on the field will eventually pay off.
