BALTIMORE
IBL team picks BayRunners for name
Class A team hits 1 million mark
The local franchise of the International Basketball League will be known as the Baltimore BayRunners. The nickname was picked from more than 300 entries in a public contest to name the team. The team will begin play as part of the IBL's inaugural season in November.
The Delmarva Shorebirds hit the 1 million mark for all-time attendance for regular-season games. The Class A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles reached the plateau on May 20, when 3,522 fans saw the team play Augusta, Ga. The Shorebirds began play in 1996 and have led the South Atlantic League in attendance each of the franchise's three seasons.
BOSTON
Revolution adds pregame show
The New England Revolution has started broadcasting a pregame show the day before each of its Major League Soccer games. The show is available both on the radio and via the team's Web site, www.nerevolution.com. The half-hour show features interviews with players and coaches, news stories from practice, injury reports, starting lineups and interviews with upcoming opponents. Radio broadcasts of the team's games also are simulcast on the team's Web site.
BUFFALO
Niagara inks radio deal for teams
Bills offering stadium tours
Bisons set attendance record
Niagara University signed a three-year deal with WJJL-AM of Niagara Falls to broadcast a select number of games of the school's men's basketball and hockey teams. The school has not had a radio broadcast for basketball for the past two seasons.
The Buffalo Bills will begin giving fans hard-hat tours of Ralph Wilson Stadium on June 8. The weekly tours will be held each Tuesday evening throughout the summer as work continues on the stadium's $95 million renovation. The stadium project, which includes the addition of club suites and general seating, is about 55 percent complete.
The Buffalo Bisons are again setting the attendance pace for minor league baseball teams this season and are even challenging one MLB team in paid attendance. The Bisons, who have led all minor league teams in tickets sold for each of the past 11 seasons, started 1999 with the largest Opening Day crowd in International League history — 19,699. Through 19 dates, the Bisons had sold an average of about 8,600 tickets a game, only about 900 fewer a game than the Montreal Expos, who were averaging about 9,500 fans a game through 25 dates.
CHICAGO
DePaul will stay in Horizon
DePaul University signed a three-year extension with Rosemont Horizon officials to continue to use the 18,000-seat suburban arena as the home for the school's men's basketball team. Financial terms were not disclosed, but DePaul is expected to play at least 10 games at the Horizon each season. The facility is currently undergoing a $20 million renovation. In August, the Horizon will be renamed the Allstate Arena when the insurance giant's recently signed naming-rights deal takes effect.
