When Acting MLB Commissioner Bud Selig "waves his magic wand
today, tomorrow or Wednesday," he will "cast the future of the
game -- short- and long-term -- into a sea of doubt" (Joel
Sherman, N.Y. POST, 9/12).  "Baseball has had seven previous work
stoppages but never has known the kind of chaos that will ensue
if it enters the off-season" without an agreement (Phil Rogers,
DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 9/10).
     POINT OF NO RETURN:  Weekend reports in the CHICAGO TRIBUNE
had Selig set to make the "formal announcement" today that he was
calling off the rest of the season, the playoffs and the World
Series (Jerome Holtzman, CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 9/10).  But MLB denies
that any decision has been made (USA TODAY, 9/12).  Bob Costas
said, while the strike "may not be fatal" to the game, there is
already "long-term damage":  "I don't think that baseball will
ever be, in our lifetimes, what it once was" ("Meet the Press,"
NBC, 9/11).
     CENTER OF THE STORM:  ESPN's Peter Gammons:  "The [MLBPA]
now believes that Bud is far more powerful than they ever
thought. ... Now the question is, is Bud going to be the hero and
just close this down and resume the season or is he going to let
it go?" ("SportsCenter", 9/10).  In Dallas, Phil Rogers writes,
"Here he sits, for all intents and purposes willing to become the
Man Who Killed the World Series" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 9/11).
Selig:  "A lot of people have been taking shots at baseball and
me ... but they haven't seen the numbers, they don't understand
the problems" ("SportsCenter", 9/11).  NBC made a point of
showing Selig in attendance at the Green Bay-Miami game in
Milwaukee.  Selig was interviewed briefly during the 3rd Quarter:
"I hope there will be talks tomorrow, but there is nothing
planned" (NBC, 9/11).
     ON THE SAME PAGE?  Orioles owner Peter Angelos said he was
not in the loop on the decision to reject the players offer,
despite Selig's claims that all owners were apprised of the
players' position.  Orioles Vice Chair Joe Foss said he talked to
two other teams who were not contacted either (Peter Schmuck,
Baltimore SUN, 9/10).
     NOT TOO TORN UP:  Smith Barney media analyst John Reidy
called the strike a mere "distraction" for ABC and NBC:  "You are
much better off to be doing your regular season programming.
Sure, baseball gets some great ratings, but it doesn't build a
schedule" ("Nightly Business Report," PBS, 9/9).  In Boston, Jack
Craig concurs:  "The entertainment divisions of the networks will
take over the time periods, allowing them to keep all the revenue
in what is currently a booming advertising market" (BOSTON GLOBE,
9/11).

     One owner, speaking on the condition of anonymity:  "I guess
I was naive, but it wasn't until the last few days that I began
to suspect strongly that this really is an effort to break the
union."  A different owner from a different league:  "One of the
scariest things is old hard-line owners think they're smelling
blood.  It's bizarre.  It's been so long since ownership stayed
intact and stood up, this is an unusual position for them to be
in at this stage of a strike.  When you think about it
unraveling, there's a group thinking that we have them where we
want them" (Claire Smith, N.Y. TIMES, 9/11).
     BLUNT TALK:  On the "Sports Reporters," Mike Lupica:  "They
were out to bust his union. This was not a good faith
negotiating.  I believe it and I mean it when I compare Selig to
the Black Sox.  This is the greatest scandal in baseball since
1919" (ESPN, 9/11).
     WHAT'S IT WORTH?  Bill Madden writes, "As empty-headed as
the owners have shown themselves to be over the years, it is hard
to believe they could be so bull-headed as to destroy their own
businesses in hopes of bringing the union to its knees" (N.Y.
DAILY NEWS, 9/11).  Peter Gammons notes all sides, even some
MLBPA officials, admit it will be hard to keep some players from
crossing picket lines next spring, estimates are that franchise
and player worth will be devalued 50%:  "That means if Tom Werner
and Jackie Autry want to burn at the stake rather than sell their
teams for the $85 million and $150 million they're asking, they'd
be chucking $40 million and $75 million, respectively, just to
see Fehr on his knees" (BOSTON GLOBE, 9/11).

     In Philadelphia, Dave Caldwell reports on the latest re-
alignment plan submitted by Steelers president Dan Rooney (PHILA.
INQUIRER, 9/11).  Teams in CAPS change divisions.  The Seahawks
and Buccaneers would change conferences.
NFC EAST  NFC CENT  NFC WEST      AFC EAST   AFC CENT   AFC WEST
Eagles    Bears     CARDINALS     Colts      BILLS      Broncos
FALCONS   Lions     Rams          Dolphins   Panthers   OILERS
Cowboys   Packers   VIKINGS       Patriots   Bengals    Chiefs
Giants    Jaguars   49ers         Jets       Browns     Raiders
Redskins  SAINTS    SEAHAWKS      BUCS       Steelers   Chargers
     WILL IT HAPPEN?  Caldwell notes that the league has come up
with a $65M revenue pool to compensate those teams that stand to
lose money due to realignment.  The league will study more plans
at a meeting scheduled for September 28-29.  If at least 21
owners can agree on two or three plans, realignment could be
approved at the NFL fall meeting in Chicago, November 1-2
(PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 9/11).  In Chicago, Richard Rothschild
notes, the Cowboys "moved to the East when they needed help in
making a name for themselves.  Now that the NFL can use some
assistance with realignment, football's most publicized franchise
should graciously move to its rightful place in the West"
(CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 9/11).
     WHAT WOULD FOX THINK OF TAMPA IN THE AFC?  Tampa's WTVT-TV,
Channel 13, was one of the 12 CBS affiliates purchased by Fox and
New World Communications in May, 1994.

     Many NHL beat writers focused on the labor situation, in
particular at the players' anger that their training camp
expenses are not being covered by the teams.
     LOS ANGELES:  King defenseman Marty McSorley said that the
NHL "created the specter of a training-camp lockout to mask its
real intention -- to stage a lockout before the season begins and
players draw their first paychecks."  Helene Elliott notes that
no formal talks are scheduled, although NHL Commissioner Gary
Bettman and NHLPA Exec Dir Bob Goodenow "talk often, as do the
groups' respective lawyers" (L.A. TIMES, 9/11).
     DALLAS: Dan Noxon, noting that there are no collective
bargaining sessions scheduled:  "This is ridiculous, particularly
in light of the league's pending agreement with Fox" (DALLAS
MORNING NEWS, 9/11).
     PHILADELPHIA:  Gary Miles notes that veterans "are extending
helping hands to teammates who need a little financial boost"
(PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 9/11).
     NEW YORK:  Rangers' Mike Hudson on Bettman's "approach" to
the situation: "We're not happy about it.  It's almost like a
dictatorship now.  He's not going to force us into a settlement"
Joe LaPointe notes that "there has been little talk among the
hockey players of selective wildcat strikes."  Hockey players, as
a group, "are far less confrontational than their baseball
brethren" (N.Y. TIMES, 9/11).
     BUFFALO:  Sabres owner Seymour Knox said he expects the two
sides to "avert a lockout" before the October 1 deadline and
"resume normal and friendly relations."  Knox said hockey is
nothing like baseball (PHILA. INQUIRER, 9/11).
     BOSTON: Kevin Paul DuPont notes, "Believe it when the
players say they're prepared for a lockout.  Their union has
issued all 26 player representatives a credit card with a $50,000
limit -- enough to buy one-way tickets home for everyone on or
about Oct. 1" (BOSTON GLOBE, 9/11).

     The NHL Board of Governors is expected to ratify today a
$155M, five-year TV deal with Fox, marking the first time the
league will have regular season, playoff, and Stanley Cup finals
games broadcast on a regular basis since the '74-'75 season.  A
joint NHL/Fox news conference in New York is scheduled for
tomorrow (mult., 9/10-12).  Smith Barney media analyst Bill
Meyers told THE SPORTS BUSINESS DAILY this morning:  "The NHL
hasn't had a significant presence on broadcast television.  So,
this is as important for the league as it is for Fox" (DAILY
sources, 9/12).
     HERE'S HOW IT WORKS:  Final details have not been made
public, but Fox, which reaches 90M homes, will reportedly kick-
off its hockey schedule with the January 21 All-Star Game; air at
least 12 games of the week on Sunday afternoons through April 9;
cover a playoff game weekly; and air a number of Stanley Cup
Finals games in prime time.  Coverage may be regionalized (mult.,
9/10-12). "Fox will also...be guaranteed exclusive national
rights to a Stanley Cup Game 7, should one be played" (Phil
Mushnick, N.Y. POST, 9/12).
     REVENUE SHARING:  The deal "reportedly assures $31M annually
to the NHL under a unique financing plan in which the league will
sell and keep advertising revenue until it reaches its guarantee.
If it falls short, Fox would make up the difference.  If it
exceeds the total, the league and Fox will share that revenue"
(Jack Craig, BOSTON GLOBE, 9/10).
     THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS:  18-34 year olds are the name of
the game and "Fox also has pledged an extensive promotional
campaign for a sport whose demographic of younger viewers also
fits nicely with the network's audience" (Leonard Shapiro,
WASHINGTON POST, 9/10).
     SUDS AND DUDS:  Anheuser-Busch and Nike are major backers,
according to Stars President Jim Lites:  "They were already in
and said if you do network television, we will make this level of
commitment.  [Commissioner Gary Bettman] was then able to go into
the networks with those commitments and make it happen" (Barry
Horn, DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 9/10).
     FOX HUNT:  The NHL deal "is further evidence that Murdoch is
determined to be a player in the bidding war for every major
sports franchise" (Jim Benson, VARIETY, 9/9). "As it did in
December when it won the rights to broadcast NFL games for four
seasons, Fox again outbid CBS," which made a final offer of
$150M.  NBC and ABC did not bid at all, and Fox Chair Rupert
Murdoch "personally negotiated the NHL deal" (Barry Horn, DALLAS
MORNING NEWS, 9/10).  Smith Barney's Bill Meyers, in an interview
this morning:  "It adds the 'S' to Fox Sports" (DAILY sources,
9/12).
     ESPN REAX:  The NHL has reportedly extended its deal with
ESPN for two years and will allow the cable network to "televise
late-round playoff games in home markets" (Rudy Martzke, USA
TODAY, 9/12).  In a statement released Friday, ESPN -- which has
completed two years of its five-year, $80M cable deal with the
NHL -- expressed approval of the Fox contract:  "We have been
saying all along we have been working closely with the NHL in its
continuous efforts to obtain a broadcast network agreement in
return for certain contract modifications, including greater
exclusivity.  We agree that greater broadcast network exposure
will benefit all involved" (Barry Horn, DALLAS MORNING NEWS,
9/10).
     LIGHTNING GOVERNOR DAVID LEFEVRE:  "If the product goes well
and picks up more viewers than expected, the package could
increase even further" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 9/10).
     CAPITALS PRESIDENT DICK PATRICK:  "This adds to our exposure
and gives the perception in this country that hockey is becoming
a national sport as opposed to a regional one as it has been in
the past.  If we're hard to find on TV, we're not major league,
and that's more important than the finances of the deal"
(WASHINGTON POST, 9/10).
     TIMING IS EVERYTHING:  The Fox deal comes amid reports of a
threatened work stoppage, so "the question now becomes whether
revenue from the Fox deal would be enough to help avert a player
walkout" (Jim Benson, VARIETY, 9/9).
     HELSINKI ACCORD:  According to a source of THE SPORTS
BUSINESS DAILY, an agreement reached in Finland over the weekend
between the NHL and the International Ice Hockey Federation
provides a framework for NHL players to go to the Olympics, as
well as a possible joint NHL/IIHF Pan-European "Super-League"
(DAILY sources, 9/12).

     Weekend talk again turned to the idea of the players
creating their own league.  Braves player rep Tom Glavine:  "It's
been talked about, absolutely.  Some might think it's far-
fetched, but it is not.  Hopefully, we won't get to that point"
(Mike Fish, ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 9/12).  While former MLBPA
general counsel Richard Moss, who tried  unsuccessfully to start
a rival league in '89, sees "another window of opportunity
approaching" (Murray Chass, N.Y. TIMES, 9/11) -- others are
doubtful.  Peter Schmuck writes, "The logistics of starting a new
league would be so daunting that it seems unlikely that it would
be considered seriously" (Baltimore SUN, 9/11).
     WILL THEY HOLD?  In Chicago, Jerome Holtzman writes, "Many
[players] are eager to return to the field, even with a salary
cap.  Eventually, they will surrender.  And the longer they hold
out, the more they will lose" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 9/11).  John
Helyar writes the MLBPA is "potentially the far bigger loser" if
the season shuts down (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 9/12).  On ESPN's
"Sports Reporters," Bill Conlin predicted that the owners will
open the camps next year and "Barry Bonds and a lot of other
players making $2 million a year will come into camp.  If the
union is not broken, it is bankrupt" (ESPN, 9/11).

     With the latest round of talks between MLB owners and
players yielding no settlement, the MLBPA and its Washington
representatives will turn their attention to Congressional action
on baseball's antitrust exemption.  As early as today, Sen.
Howard Metzenbaum, the Antitrust Subcommittee Chair and a
longtime foe of baseball's special status, will re-introduce
legislation to have the exemption lifted.
     Metzenbaum has pushed twice before to change the game's
status, most recently in June '94 when his bill was defeated in
the Senate Judiciary Committee by a 10-7 vote.  Now, Metzenbaum
is back for one "last stand" before he retires.  He has scaled
back his previous legislation and found an influential co-sponsor
in Utah Republican Orrin Hatch.  The Metzenbaum/Hatch bill lifts
the ban for the duration of the strike and would allow players to
sue if the owners unilaterally impose a salary cap during the
off-season.
     But even with a new co-sponsor and a change in tactics, the
bill faces an uphill fight in a Senate  largely fearful of taking
a stand on this controversial issue.
     According to an exclusive straw poll of the U.S. Senate by
THE SPORTS BUSINESS DAILY, only 34 Senators were willing to take
even an anonymous stand on lifting the ban (all 100 Senate
offices were contacted over the Labor Day recess).  Among those
that responded, there was little consensus or any indication of
party-line uniformity:  20 favored revoking baseball's antitrust
exemption (12 Republican, 8 Democrat) and 14 opposed (6
Republican, 8 Democrat).
     While the numbers signal a considerable undecided vote up
for grabs by either side, there are discouraging signs for pro-
union forces.  Many of the "non-answers" came from traditionally
pro-labor senators torn between trust-busting and protecting
minor league interests in their home states.
     The Metzenbaum/Hatch bill could be taken up any time after
the Senate resumes business today, either as a free standing
piece of legislation or as an amendment to an existing bill.
That would force each senator to vote on the measure.  One high-
level Metzenbaum staffer said:  "I can't imagine any Senator
willing to block a bill that would bring baseball back on the
field.  If they want to do that, let them do it publicly on the
Senate floor.  We are confident that if we have an up and down
vote, with a promise from the players to play, that we will get
the majority of votes."
     Baseball's owners, however, are ready for a legislative
fight and confident of victory.  MLB Dir. of Government Relations
Gene Callahan:  "We will be prepared."  According to one staffer
on the Senate's Judiciary Committee:  "The baseball owners have
an unruly amount of power up here.  All they need is 24 hours to
beat this bill."  Another Judiciary Committee staffer predicts
Metzenbaum will "get hammered on the floor -- maybe 20 votes
maximum":  "It won't even end the strike, it will just bring
about more court action."
     MLB's financial support of the minor leagues is a powerful
stick for the owners.  In fact, many senators reluctant to take a
position cited fear of losing their minor league teams.  As
Callahan explains it, lifting the ban "would destroy Class A ball
and would wipe out the Carolina League."  Without players
beholden to their team for six years, the majors "are not going
to spend that kind of money on player development," said
Callahan, who puts the subsidy from MLB to the minor leagues at
$211M.
     John Fithian, an attorney with Patton, Boggs & Blow and
Washington counsel to the MLBPA, acknowledges the force behind
MLB's payment to the minors, noting that before the subsidy
agreement, the minors favored lifting the ban.  Despite the long
odds, Fithian said the MLBPA intends to press on:  "Eventually
this legislation will get passed.  Maybe not now, but the ground
work we are setting is important. ... If we don't get the
antitrust exemption lifted, another strike will happen again down
the road."

     In Chicago, Bernie Lincicome writes, "Well, tennis got what
it wanted, Andre Agassi."  USTA president Bumpy Frazier
announcing the champion of the U.S. Open: "Ladies and gentlemen,
the most popular tennis player in the entire world, Andre
Agassi."  Michael Stich, on the comment: "What a stupid thing to
say."  Lincicome: "Yes it was, but forgive tennis for getting
beside itself over Agassi finally filling another crack in his
potential, not to mention a huge hole in its appeal" (CHICAGO
TRIBUNE, 9/12).
     STATE OF THE GAME:  CBS's Mary Carillo: "The best thing that
could have happened to tennis was Andre Agassi winning the U.S.
Open."  CBS's Tim Ryan, referring to Sally Jenkins' 5/94 "Is
Tennis Dying?" piece in SPORTS ILLUSTRATED:  "There is a lot of
action in tennis in reaction to that piece" (CBS, 9/11).  Cliff
Drysdale, Bud Collins, Tracy Austin, and Tony Trabert appeared on
PBS' "Charlie Rose" to discuss the state of the game ("Charlie
Rose," 9/9).  Agassi appeared this morning on both CBS' and ABC's
news programs.
     TENDING HOUSE:  The Women's Tennis Council, "currently in
the midst of fending off a takeover threat" by IMG, took an
"internal step forward in strengthening its own position" by
naming Anne Person Worcester as the first CEO of the WTA Tour
(N.Y. TIMES, 9/10).  The Tennis Industry Association (TIA)
approved a plan at the U.S. Open to invest $15M over the next
three years in an effort to "revitalize the sport and attract new
players" (DAILY sources, 9/12).  Phillip Morris USA plans to
organize and promote a women's legends tour that will feature
Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova, among others.  The tour will
play in six unannounced cities and hold a final championship
event in early December at Delray Beach, FL (PHILADELPHIA DAILY
NEWS, 9/9).
     IMAGE MAY NOT BE EVERYTHING:  CBS cut to a shot of Brooke
Shields using a Minolta to take a picture of her beau, Agassi, a
Canon pitchman.