BET President Robert Johnson said yesterday that he has no
interest in becoming a part owner of the Bullets "unless he knows
he'll have the option in the future to buy a controlling
interest."  Bullets/Caps owner Abe Pollin recently told
associates that he would consider offers from potential partners.
Johnson has been "jockeying to become part" of an downtown arena
deal by offering to guarantee repayment of city bonds if Pollin
would let him buy a share of the Bullets now, with an option for
more of the team later (Howard Schneider, WASHINGTON POST,
11/22).

     The Braves will send out season-ticket renewals next week,
and for the first time since 1990 the cost for a Braves game will
not go up.  Prices will remain $20 for dugout level, $18 for club
level, $15 for field level, $12 for lower pavilion, $10 for upper
level and $5 for upper pavilion (I.J. Rosenberg, ATLANTA
CONSTITUTION, 11/22).  The Orioles, Rockies and Yankees have
raised their prices.

     Eagles Owner Jeffrey Lurie is trying to lure Bill  Cosby
into becoming a minority partner.  Lurie: "I casually mentioned
it to him.  He seemed interested."  Last week, Lurie invited
Cosby to sit in the owner's box at Veterans Stadium and before
the Browns game, Lurie introduced Cosby to some of the players.
Lurie "apparently sees Cosby as the perfect marketing and
promotion fit for his football team."  Cosby, a Temple grad, is
an "entertainment giant who has impeccable ties to Philadelphia's
minority community."  Since he bought the team for $185M, Lurie
has been looking for up to 10 investors to put up between $5-10M
each.  He has approached many potential investors but is "looking
for the right mix" (Paolontonio et al., PHILA. INQUIRER, 11/21).

     Norton Herrick, who is heading Orlando's MLB expansion
efforts, wants to buy the Bucs and keep them in Tampa.  During
his quest for an MLB franchise, Herrick has "bad-mouthed" the
Tampa Bay area.  But now, Herrick, a Boca Raton developer, is
teaming with Chicago real estate investor Bruce Frey to make a
prospective bid for the Bucs.  Herrick told the PALM BEACH POST
Monday that he had joined Frey and South FL real estate investor
Murray Goodman in a bid for the team.  Frey and two other
investors made a reported $135M offer for the Dolphins but lost
out to Blockbuster's Wayne Huizenga.  Herrick: "In Tampa, I see
some cross-marketing possibilities.  I am trying to follow in my
friend Mr. Huizenga's footsteps."  Herrick envisions a high-speed
train to take baseball fans from Tampa-St. Pete to Orlando to see
baseball and vice-versa for football (Testerman & Topkin, ST.
PETERSBURG TIMES, 11/22).
     OWNERS SPEAK OUT:  On Monday, Bucs trustees Steve Story and
Jack Donlan and Bucs GM Rich McKay were in L.A. to meet with Rams
officials.  Meanwhile, In Tampa, Pay Yasinkas notes that in order
for a new owner to relocate the Bucs, 23 of 30 owners would have
to approve the move -- and many owners are supportive of staying
in Tampa.  Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones: "I know that Tampa is one
of the premier places -- and let me emphasize premier places --
in the country for an NFL franchise."  Broncos Owner Pat Bowlen:
"You have to show cause to move a team.  At this stage, I don't
think there's any cause."  Steelers President Dan Rooney, a
member of the league's expansion committee in '74 when Tampa was
selected:  "It turned out to be everything we hoped it would
develop into and more" (TAMPA TRIBUNE, 11/22).

     The NBA's decision that the Raptors "Basketball 101" season-
ticket plan would not count against their season ticket minimum
is the "latest evidence the NBA's arrival in Toronto is no sure
thing." In the "quiet corners of the league head office, those
putting the pieces together must be getting concerned," writes
Stephen Brunt in the Toronto GLOBE & MAIL.  The team "figured
that selling season tickets would be the least of their
concerns," but when sales slowed, the "team was forced to rent
additional office space to house telemarketers to hustle tickets
-- obviously something they didn't originally anticipate having
to do."  David Stern "has been unequivocal: deadlines are
deadlines, minimums are minimums.  The NBA is cutting the new
franchises in for a share of TV and properties revenues.  And for
that the league wants something solid in return.  That is the
real Basketball 101" (Toronto GLOBE & MAIL, 11/22).  Columnist
Craig Daniels praises the idea behind "Basketball 101": "The team
has been publicly hammered for selling expensive tickets, and now
has been pummeled for selling cheap tickets, too" (TORONTO SUN,
11/22).
     HOCKEY AT FAULT?  NBA spokesperson Jan Hubbard believes the
NHL lockout may be working against Toronto & Vancouver:  "People
are so turned off to sports right now that it might hurt them.
They are selling an unknown product and for people to fork out
that amount of money can be difficult" (Angelo Bruscas, SEATTLE
POST-INTELLIGENCER, 11/21).

     With the NBA deadline today, "little progress has been made
in resolving issues crippling Whit Hudson's planned purchase of
managing control of the Miami Heat.  And barring a last-minute
settlement -- which is unlikely because of the complexity of the
disputes and lack of communication between the involved parties -
- the NBA should soon rule it won't discuss Hudson's ownership
application until after the season ends in June."  Hudson, who
agreed last August to purchase 41.5% of the team from partners
Lewis Schaffel and Billy Cunningham for $60M, said his attorneys
have not met with reps of Heat majority owner Ted Arison or those
of limited partners Raanan Katz and Julio Iglesias since last
Friday.  If the NBA delays the sale, Hudson said he would
consider legal action against the Arison family.  Iglesias'
attorney Shepard King was optimistic a settlement could be
reached within a few weeks.  Katz said the deal "was done without
my knowledge or consent" and that his "beef" is with Schaffel and
Cunningham (Alex Marvez, MIAMI HERALD, 11/22).