Lee takes bids for courtside date

NEW YORK: Spike Lee is auctioning off a courtside seat next to him at the New York Knicks' Oct. 30 opener at Madison Square Garden, where Michael Jordan will return to basketball as a member of the Washington Wizards after three years of retirement.

The auction, through the NBA and Yahoo, will benefit the UFA Widows and Childrens Fund, which the Fire Department of New York established to support the families of those most affected by the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

Bidding began Tuesday and ends on Oct. 23. Lee, the filmmaker who's a fixture at Knicks games, told New York Daily News columnist Mitchell Fink that the ticket usually costs US$1,500, but he expects it will go for about 10 times that amount.

Lee said the winning bidder "will sit with me, go into both locker rooms after the game, see Michael and get autographs. This is going to be a historic night in basketball. We want to see those big-spending sports fans write those big checks." -- AP