The Arena Football League announced they will transfer
"complete business operations" from Chicago to an office in
Florida.  AFL Commissioner James Drucker said relocation of the
league HQs will bring an estimated $5M a year in economic
benefits to the state.  A decision has not been made as to where
they will be located, but Drucker did say it would be within the
metro areas of Tampa, Orlando or Miami.  The AFL has three
franchises in Florida and Drucker said "the league's desire to
expand to South America was also influential in the decision to
leave Chicago."  In addition, the announcement of the new San
Jose franchise is expected soon (Roger Mills, ST. PETERSBURG
TIMES, 11/1).

     Red Sox CEO John Harrington, last night said he would
support retiring Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell as the
next MLB Commissioner.  Mitchell, who met with BOSTON HERALD
editors yesterday, said he has talked with many owners, including
Harrington, about the job and would consider it if offered (Joe
Giulotti, BOSTON HERALD, 11/1).
     METS THREATS:  Less than a week after Met players Bobby
Bonilla and John Franco made "threatening comments about the fate
other players faced if they became strike breakers next spring,"
MLB's labor relations committee filed an unfair labor practice
charge against the two.  MLBPA General Counsel Gene Orza said
Bonilla and Franco should not have made the comments: "I
understand the frustration which leads them to say such things,
if they said it, but it remains the wrong thing to have said"
(Murray Chass, N.Y. TIMES, 11/1).

     The CFL is discussing ways to make the league a more "viable
product in the U.S."  Among the possibilities: changing the name
of the league, "Americanizing" the rules, and having Canadian and
American divisions with more geographic rivalries.  Jim Speros,
managing partner of Baltimore's CFL team said the CFL "as we know
it is over. It's got to be an international league between two
countries."  Speros wants the league to rival the NFL, but
admitted, "we don't have any identity.  We're not maximizing our
potential."  The league is struggling in the U.S., where two of
four expansion teams must relocate before next season, and the
"crisis is equally evident north of the border," where teams in
Hamilton and Ottawa face financial trouble.  Commissioner Larry
Smith said the league must do "some pruning."  Smith: "There may
be a small consolidation process.  Consolidation could mean less
Canadian, more American cities."  The CFL's marketing committee
will explore options on a name change, as Speros believes the
league's name must "reflect the American partner."  The changes
are an attempt to make the CFL a more attractive product for U.S.
television, as "the success of American expansion ultimately
rests with a U.S. television contract," even if it means
extending the season into December.  Speros: "If we blow this
opportunity, somebody else will take advantage of it" (Ken
Murray, Baltimore SUN, 11/1).

     NBPA Exec Dir Charles Grantham believes the prospect of
int'l expansion is a main reason behind the labor conflicts.
Grantham, citing the desire for fixed labor costs:  "With five
billion potential customers outside the U.S., that is profit if
(owners) can get their costs down. ... The mode of business
operation (in the NBA) in not recessionary minded, but
expansionary minded" (L.A. DAILY NEWS, 10/31).

     "Another Monday, another secret meeting, another report of
no progress," reports Murray Chass in this morning's N.Y. TIMES.
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, NHLPA Exec Dir Bob Goodenow and
officials from both sides met yesterday for about five hours at
an undisclosed location in Washington.  "League officials were
left with nothing to do but cancel more games.  They are expected
to do that today and perhaps tomorrow" (N.Y. TIMES, 11/1).  "The
lack of movement serves as a fitting backdrop for the next round
of cancellations" (Len Hochberg, WASHINGTON POST, 11/1).  NHL
spokesperson Andy McGowan "said the two sides have agreed to meet
again this week, although no time or location was specified"
(Nancy Marrapese, BOSTON GLOBE, 11/1).  With the NHLPA set to
hold an informational meeting for its membership tomorrow in
Toronto, "yesterday seemed the perfect opportunity for the NHL to
offer the union a proposal to consider in timely fashion" (Mark
Everson, N.Y. POST, 11/1).
     KEENAN WANTS IN:  Blues Coach/GM Mike Keenan suggests that
some GMs join the talks. Keenan:  "It's my belief that given the
stalemate and atmosphere of distrust between the parties, it's
time to step back, reload and perhaps get back to the table with
a different group.  It's possible now that the negotiators are
fatigued.  Or maybe they lack the imagination to move forward.
... [But] Gary told me that he preferred to leave matters with
himself and the league negotiating committee" (Larry Brooks, N.Y.
POST, 11/1).
     THE STAKES:  In L.A., Helene Elliott outlines the dangers
the league faces:  "The hard-core fans will return, but the
casual fans, the ones the NHL needs to broaden its scope, are
disillusioned and unlikely to return. ... It's painful to say,
but maybe hockey's critics have been right all along.  Maybe it
is a minor sport.  Bettman has a major problem if he thinks
killing the season is the way to make the game grow" (L.A. TIMES,
11/1).
     OTHER NEWS & NOTES:  Doug Gilmour has decided to play in
Switzerland (CP/OTTAWA CITIZEN, 11/1).  In Toronto, William
Houston asks how long players such as Gilmour (with "few peak
money-making years ahead of him) can afford to stay out.  "Owners
are counting that he, and others in similar circumstances,
cannot" (Toronto GLOBE & MAIL, 11/1).  Oilers President & GM Glen
Sather was critical of the players' exhibitions:  "Let's solve
the problem instead of working on this big PR deal" (HARTFORD
COURANT, 11/1).
     CLARIFICATION:  Yesterday's SPORTS BUSINESS DAILY summary of
a piece by Len Hochberg of the WASHINGTON POST on the dispute
over the NHL's financial data should have noted that Goodenow's
statement ("To be candid, we are skeptical of the quality of
information you might provide") was not in direct response to the
league.  Rather, it preceded the league's offer to start the
season if the union would agree to an independent audit of the
financial records.

     MLB's expansion committee will hear presentations today from
civic leaders from three potential franchise sites, Phoenix,
Tampa-St. Petersburg and Northern VA, to determine whether to add
at least two more teams -- and, if so, where they should be
located.  The committee's first decision will be to decide
whether baseball should expand at all, and if the expected
benefits could overcome the damage of the labor dispute (Mark
Maske, WASHINGTON POST, 11/1).  Expansion and its job-creation
possibilities could be used by the owners as a bargaining chip in
labor talks.  Expansion would also bring in millions in franchise
fees, possibly more than $150M for each entry, as well as placate
members of Congress threatening to revoke baseball's antitrust
exemption (Thom Loverro, WASHINGTON TIMES, 11/1).  Expansion
committee chair John Harrington said he believes the owners would
support expansion, but Orioles Owner Peter Angelos remains
staunchly opposed: "I believe the possible expansion sites should
be reserved for the relocation of franchises that could not be
expected to draw a sufficient number of fans even with modern
ballparks."  The committee plans to decide in December or January
whether to recommend further expansion.  Harrington said that the
entire ownership body will make a final decision in February or
March (WASHINGTON POST, 11/1).
     FRONTRUNNERS?  Tampa Bay and Phoenix are widely considered
the "leading candidates by many in and around baseball."  St.
Petersburg civic leader Jack Critchfield said his major concern
was whether the committee will decide to expand.  But Phoenix
leader/NBA Suns President Jerry Colangelo is confident an
expansion team would be awarded because MLB "needs the positives
a new franchise will bring" (Marc Topkin, ST. PETERSBURG TIMES,
11/1).  Joe Hendersen writes, "Most everyone west of Orlando
believes Tampa Bay will get" a franchise (TAMPA TRIBUNE, 11/1).
     WHEN IN DOUBT, RELOCATE:  Although Northern VA attorney Bart
Fisher said he was "pumped up about our chances" of landing an
expansion team, he said they will also explore buying an existing
franchise: "We will be looking at Oakland after December 6, when
the local auction deadline expires.  We will be looking at other
small-market teams that may become available as well.  We are
still very interested in relocation" (WASHINGTON TIMES, 11/1).

     Today in New York, agent Richard Moss and his partners will
unveil plans for the new United Baseball League, a "partnership"
between management and players.  Sources say league organizers
believe 1996 is the "most feasible start-up date, but they
probably will give things a try in '95."  Most MLB owners dismiss
talk of a new players' league as a "negotiating threat."
According to a prospectus, the United League would start with 10-
12 teams in six countries.  MLBPA General Counsel Gene Orza:
"It's obviously something we have to explore.  Our immediate
objective is to try to get a collectove baragining agreement ...
[but it is] could gain prominence if we get into November or
December and there's no settlement" (Mark Maske, WASHINGTON POST,
11/1).  In Vancouver, Mike Beamish, who notes that Gary Davidson
of the WFL & WHA is one of the "principal figures" behind the
United League, reports that top Vancouver business leaders have
been contacted.  Warren Buckley, chair of the B.C. Pavilion
Corp.:  "Dick Moss feels Vancouver would be a natural jumping off
point" (VANCOUVER SUN, 11/1).  Hal Bodley writes, "The moment
owners and players reach an agreement, the United Baseball League
will be kaput.  Until then, it's something to talk about" (USA
TODAY, 11/1).
     THE PARTNERSHIP:  The new league will form a "true
partnership" between clubs and players, with the players
receiving 35% of each team's pretax profits and a 10% equity
share in all teams collectively.  Also, the league will offer
cities 15% pretax profit and equity share in the teams in return
for construction of a "fan friendly" stadium or the use of an
existing "first-rate facility."  Cities, in lieu of rent, would
receive 50% of luxury-suite revenue and 1/3 parking revenue
(Murray Chass, N.Y. TIMES, 11/1).
     THE FOUNDERS:  Besides the four principal founders -- Moss,
former U.S. Rep. Bob Mrazek, U.S. Rep. John Bryant and Smith
College economist Andrew Zimbalist -- the management company
includes Curt Flood, former U.S. Rep. Tom McMillen, banker Alan
Altschuler, former House Majority Whip Bill Gray (now Chair of
the United Negro College Fund), lobbyist Robert Keefe and Eric
Vinson, VP of the U.S. Trust Company (Murray Chass, N.Y. TIMES,
11/1).