NFL'S NO DOUBLEHEADER RULE CRITICIZED

     In Los Angeles, Larry Stewart writes, "It has to be said
once more:  The NFL's no-doubleheader rule is stupid, antiquated,
asinine and unfair -- particularly to people living in two-team
markets such as Los Angeles and New York."  Because of the rule,
Fox cannot show the Dallas-San Francisco game in L.A. because the
Rams-Raiders game is a sellout.  "What's behind the no-
doubleheader rule?  The NFL's original thinking was that a
television doubleheader could hurt attendance at the local game.
... Nobody with the NFL will say it, but maybe the rule has been
kept, despite public outcry, because the league knew it was
getting into the pay-per-view business.  That began this season
with the Sunday Ticket packages for satellite dish owners" (L.A.
TIMES, 11/11).  In Miami, another city that will have the Dallas-
San Francisco game blacked-out, Barry Jackson suggest the old
rule "needs amending" (MIAMI HERALD, 11/11).
     OTHER NFL MEDIA NOTES:  NBC's AFC games (11.8 rating) lead
the NFC (11.5), now on Fox, at the 10-week mark for the first
time since 1975.  But for the 4th consecutive week, Fox's ratings
are up (Rudy Martzke, USA TODAY, 11/11).