Sports Desk

Football

Giants fans Face costly Stadium seat licenses

More than 80% of the Giants' current season ticket holders will be charged between $1,000 and $7,500 for the right to buy tickets for the team's new stadium under a personal seat license plan announced by the Giants yesterday. Licenses for some of the best seats will cost as much as $20,000.

The plan gives the first detailed breakdown of the costs season ticket holders will incur and their options to downgrade.

The Giants announced two weeks ago that they would be imposing seat license fees, which have become a common means of helping sports team owners finance new stadiums.

Giants chief executive John Mara noted that revenue from the one-time fee will raise $371 million toward the cost of the $1.6 billion stadium being built and paid for by the Giants and Jets. It is scheduled to open for the 2010 season.

Mara said half the money raised by PSLs would have to be paid in taxes.

The Jets have not announced whether they will require season ticket holders to buy PSLs, but Mara said he would be shocked if they did not, knowing the debt the Giants have incurred.

"I don't particularly like to come out with a PSL program, but I also know that it is in the best long-term interests of this franchise," Mara said in terming the PSL decision one of the toughest of his life.

Baseball

A's trade Blanton to Phillies

The Oakland Athletics traded away their second starting pitcher this month, dealing burly right-hander Joe Blanton to the Philadelphia Phillies for three minor leaguers on yesterday.

A's general manager Billy Beane swapped Blanton a week after sending Rich Harden to the Chicago Cubs — and that's with his team very much in contention in the AL West, six games behind the first-place Los Angeles Angels.

"Philadelphia was aggressive," Oakland assistant GM David Forst said. "They made it clear they needed a starting pitcher to help out and we were able to get the deal done."

The minor leaguers involved are left-hander Josh Outman, who was in Double-A, and second baseman Adrian Cardenas and outfielder Matt Spencer, both players in Single-A.

Nomo retires; Japanese star pitched Two no-hitters

Hideo Nomo, who pitched a pair of no-hitters and led a rush of Japanese players to the major leagues, is finished. Nomo announced his retirement yesterday, agent Don Nomura said. Once known for a deceptive delivery and a devastating forkball, the 39-year-old Nomo was released by the Kansas City Royals in late April. Nomo's 123 wins are the most in the majors by a Japanese pitcher. He was the 1995 NL Rookie of the Year with the Los Angeles Dodgers and is one of only four pitchers to throw no-hitters in the AL and NL.