The Raptors, in response to poor ticket sales behind the
basket, "announced that license fees will be optional for behind-
the-hoops seating."  Raptors Dir of Communications Tom
Mayenknecht: "We were looking at having tumbleweeds spinning
behind the baskets."  Mayenknecht said fans who have already
bought their fee on seats behind the baskets will have the choice
to upgrade their seats, or make their license optional.  Some
team officials believe fans don't understand that following
basketball from behind the hoop is not the same as trying to
follow the puck from behind the net in hockey (Jim Byers, TORONTO
STAR, 11/8).
     WE NEED YOU: The Raptors and the Grizzlies will unveil ad
campaigns for their push to meet the NBA's 12,500 season-ticket
quota. The Raptors first phase begins Friday with the slogan,
"You're Gonna Love This Game."  The Grizzlies, who remain
"stalled" at 8,000 season tickets, will start their "Drive for
5," aimed at selling 5,000 more tickets (Craig Daniels, TORONTO
SUN, 11/8).
     THE COMMISH UNDER FIRE: The TORONTO SUN's Jim Hunt comments
on Commissioner David Stern and the NBA's season-ticket minimum
for the expansion teams. "Poor David Stern must think we are a
bunch of dummies up here in the Great White North. ... Give us a
break, David. How do you explain the fact the L.A. Clippers have
only 4,000 season-ticket holders? Even the Lakers don't have
12,500."  Hunt writes if he were running the Raptors, he'd "start
playing hardball with Stern. I'd insist he guarantee there be no
work stoppage for the '95-96 season.  If there is, I'd want my
(franchise fee) money back" (TORONTO SUN, 11/8).

     In Winnipeg, Hal Sigurdson writes that despite the Manitoba
Entertainment Complex (MEC) meeting its goal of "selling at least
40 luxury suites," the future of the Jets in Winnipeg is based on
a salary cap and a revenue sharing formula. "Chances of that
happening remain remote. ... Since construction of a new arena
can't be delayed beyond the start of next summer, the team will
have to be sold.  No one will buy into a game before the rules
are established no matter how many luxury seats or club seats the
MEC sells. ... If the Jets leave, enthusiasm to build a new arena
will die.  That's the real shame."  Sigurdson urges the MEC to
bring in a "well-run IHL franchise," as "it would be easier to
finance an arena on a user-pay basis without the Jets than with
them" (WINNIPEG FREE-PRESS, 11/8).

     The Ancira family is putting their CISL San Diego Sockers up
for sale.  The club has "never prospered despite winning 10
indoor soccer championships while playing in three different
leagues" (Hank Wesch, San Diego UNION TRIBUNE, 11/6)....The
annual Winnipeg Jets Wives Carnival, scheduled for Feb. 25 has
been cancelled due to the delay in the start of the hockey
season.  Rena Shenkarow, President of Winnipeg Jets Goals For
Kids Foundation: "Everyone feels bad about it and many children
charities are going to be affected."  Shenkarow said charities
will "experience about a $200,000 shortfall in funds from the
foundation" (Marvin McDonald, WINNIPEG SUN, 11/8 ).

     St. Louis' pursuit of the Rams continued to pick up steam as
Rams President John Shaw said, "We're pursuing the situation with
St. Louis to the fullest extent right now to see where it will
eventually lead us" (Michele Himmelberg & Andre Mouchard, ORANGE
COUNTY REGISTER, 11/8).  Rams spokesperson Heidi Sinclair also
said St. Louis has the edge in the race for the team:  "They are
working hard with St. Louis to see if they can get somewhere with
them and they look like the front-runner right now.  They are
spending most of their time with St. Louis" (Jon Morgan,
Baltimore SUN, 11/8).  This week, Shaw will meet with officials
from St. Louis and Baltimore, while yesterday, Rams accountants
discussed a proposal with Save the Rams, the Anaheim group trying
to keep the team.  Shaw said he is not working as closely with
the Anaheim group, and they are disappointed he has not given
them a serious counterproposal (Himmelberg & Mouchard, ORANGE
COUNTY REGISTER, 11/8).
     WORKING THE PHONES:  Shaw called two St. Louis fans who had
written to him in support of the team's move to the city.  Jim
Rindler, a 45-year-old advertising executive, spoke with Shaw on
Monday.  In their conversation, Shaw told Rindler that he was
"positively inclined" toward St. Louis, that he would visit the
city soon, and that the team will make their decision within a
month (Jim Thomas, ST. LOUIS POST DISPATCH, 11/8).

     A spokesperson for the Raiders declined to comment on
reports that Orioles Owner Peter Angelos had made a bid for the
team.  ESPN's Gary Miller said Angelos is in a "wait-and see-
mode" on an NFL move to Baltimore, but that his offer to Raiders
Owner Al Davis "reportedly mirrors his offer to the Rams"
("SportsCenter," ESPN, 11/7).  CNBC's Sue Herera said Davis is
waiting to see if he has an NFL "monopoly" in L.A. before making
a decision on whether to sell his team ("Sports Business Minute,"
11/7).  In Baltimore, Ken Rosenthal writes that Angelos' offer to
buy the Raiders is "classic grandstanding," adding that Angelos'
"chances of stealing the Rams appear to be fading, so he's trying
to create the illusion that he has other options" (Baltimore SUN,
11/8).  Today, the OAKLAND TRIBUNE's John Hickey speculates on
"what if" the Raiders didn't leave Oakland in 1982.  Hickey: "If
the Raiders remained, it is likely that one of the Coliseum's
other tenants -- either the Warriors or the A's -- would have had
to leave" (11/8).

     The NAACP may be close to reaching an agreement with Cowboys
Owner Jerry Jones over charges the team lacks minorities in the
front office and among stadium vendors. The group had threatened
a Thanksgiving Day boycott of Texas Stadium and was prepared to
picket on November 24.  NAACP's Southwest Region Director Shannon
Reeves said he was "very pleased" with the discussions, adding:
"The boycott is on hold until we finalize the agreement with the
Cowboys."  The two sides met for three hours yesterday based on
complaints by the NAACP that no black and few Hispanic vendors
are now doing business with Texas Stadium Corporation, and that
most of the Cowboys front office personnel is white (Vito
Stellino, Baltimore SUN, 11/8).