Sports

The Major League Baseball season begins in two weeks and many Minnesota Twins fans are still wondering how closely they'll be able to follow their team on television this year. Nearly two-thirds of the Twins' games will be televised on a network that is currently unavailable to most Minnesotans.

Gov. Tim Pawlenty announced his stadium plans Monday afternoon. The governor's stadium advisory commission recommended the state build new ballparks for both the Minnesota Twins and the Vikings.

Gov. Tim Pawlenty on Monday presented a plan for new Twins and Vikings stadiums that would require team owners to pay about one-third of the project cost. Pawlenty's plan would authorize local governments to raise restaurant and lodging taxes.

Temperatures are warming, the sun is up later in the afternoon and -- most important of all -- the players have reported to baseball's spring training camps. Hope springs eternal... at least in the spring.

The top Senate Republican criticized Gov. Tim Pawlenty's stadium commission Wednesday for ruling out expanded gambling as a funding source for new Twins and Vikings stadiums.

A Minnesota Public Radio-St. Paul Pioneer Press poll found a majority of Minnesotans think coming up with taxpayer-backed stadium plans for the Twins, the Viking and the Gophers should not be a legislative priority.

A new poll shows little support for public involvement in building stadiums for the Vikings, Twins, and Gophers. These are the official poll results and methodology.

Gov. Pawlenty's stadium screening committee met again Thursday. They are expected to provide a report to the governor on Monday, advising him on site and finance options for new Twins and Vikings stadiums.

Gov. Tim Pawlenty's Stadium Screening Committee has approved a final set of recommendations for building new facilities for the Minnesota Twins and Vikings. The panel is recommending a mix of new or increased local taxes to be supplemented with dollars from the teams and fans. The committee will prepare a final draft to present to the governor on Monday. Minnesota Public Radio's Michael Khoo discusses the issue on MPR's All Things Considered.

Officials at the University of Minnesota's athletic department say they're looking into reports that Gopher football players took a group of high school recruits to bars and a strip club. One heavily recruited offensive lineman changed his mind after his recruiting visit and decided this week to attend another school. Some say this incident is an example of aggressive recruiting tactics that are a part of big time college athletics.