Both the Angels and Rangers announced formulas for lowering
their ticket prices if replacement players are used.  The Rangers
have decided to base the price of their tickets on the size of
their player payroll until the strike is settled, which would cut
ticket prices in half.  The Rangers also introduced a complicated
formula that would discount ticket prices should any union
players join the team during the strike and player payroll
exceeds $4M for the season.  Rangers President Tom Schieffer:
"The idea is to pass on any salary savings to the fans in the
form of ticket prices" (Sullivan, FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 1/5).
Angels President Rich Brown said his club is working on a formula
that would give rebates to season-ticket holders for the games
that are played with non-major leaguers.  The reduced ticket
price will be calculated using several factors:  the number of
replacements on the roster, the club's payroll costs and the
price fans are willing to pay (ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, 1/5).
     MORE TICKET NEWS:  The Orioles announced that they have had
a 90% season-ticket renewal rate and club officials predict that
the rate could hit 96% by the end of the month, equaling the
renewal rate of the past three years (Mark Hyman, Baltimore SUN,
1/5).
     OTHER ANGELS NEWS:  Brown plans to meet with Anaheim
officials next week to renew discussions on a new stadium.
Negotiations were halted when the Orange County bond crisis
occurred.  But Anaheim City Manager Jim Ruth said he is now
confident Anaheim will have the financial stability to proceed
with a new stadium (ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, 1/5).

     "It has come to this.  The people who bring you the
supermarket tabloids like the NATIONAL ENQUIRER and THE STAR want
to buy" the Buccaneers.  Yesterday, team trustee Steve Story met
with Peter Callahan and Michael Boylan, the Chair and Vice-Chair
of the Enquirer/Star Group, Inc. one of the country's largest
publishing groups.  The two are interested in buying the team and
keeping them in Tampa.  The new group surfaced just two business
days before the trust is to decide whether to accept a reported
$160M offer from local investors Tommy Shannon and Outback
Steakhouse execs Chris Sullivan and Bob Basham.  Story stressed
that Callahan and Boylan did not appear on behalf of
Enquirer/Star Group, "but are interested in making an individual
investment."  Story: "Our session was a preliminary one.  If they
have an interest in pursuing this matter, they will contact us
again" (Stroud & Testerman, ST. PETERSBURG TIMES, 1/5).
     PENCIL MAGNATE NOT READY TO INK A DEAL:  Orlando pencil
"baron" Gino Pala said yesterday he believes the three-man trust
overseeing the sale will reject every offer and hold on to the
team.  Pala:  "They've got a number in mind that they intend to
get, and if it comes in one cent less, they can sit on it.  I
don't think the trustees can get hurt by keeping control of the
team."  MA-based developer Socrates Babacas is believed to have
the financing in place to make a $185M offer for the team as
early as today.  Florida citrus "heavyweights" Earl Crittenden
and Gene Langley reportedly are partners in Babacas' effort to
buy the team.  Babacas said he is willing to put a $5M deposit in
escrow to guarantee he will not move the team (Pugliese &
Kaufman, TAMPA TRIBUNE, 1/5).

     This morning's Baltimore SUN reports that Orioles Owner
Peter Angelos is "close to tendering an official bid" for the
Buccaneers, "something that could happen in the next few days"
(Jon Morgan, Baltimore SUN, 1/5).  But an "informal" survey of
several NFL owners by the Baltimore SUN's Vito Stellino found
mixed sentiment about a possible Bucs move to Baltimore.  The
Cowboys' Jerry Jones: "I'm very interested in getting people such
as Mr. Angelos involved in the NFL. ... If you are willing to put
$200M on the line, some of the things [cross-ownership] have to
be altered ... If we are going to have these kinds of people
involved in our future, we have to accommodate the ownership
situation."  Jones did note one problem with a move: "If it
basically has a negative impact by the partners we presently
have, that's the issue, i.e. Washington."  One unidentified NFC
owner: "If the commissioner walks into the room and says to us
that we can sell to Angelos or go to court, that's the definition
of a no-brainer, isn't it?"  Bengals Owner Mike Brown: "I've
believed for a long time that Baltimore should have an NFL
franchise. ... I would not stand in the way."  But Brown added he
did have a problem with cross-ownership.  The Giants' Wellington
Mara admitted he didn't know much about Angelos:  "But one thing
we don't need in our league is a new member who wants to come in
and change all our rules and not abide by them" (Vito Stellino,
Baltimore SUN, 1/5).

     Ottawa Rough Riders owner Bruce Firestone granted his first
interview since December 29 when "he announced that the team he
has owned for less than a year is once again for sale."
Firestone sounded "bitter" about his business loss: "The sports
identity has become a business identity.  It's not about the
games anymore.  All you read about is the money.  I just hate it.
That's why I'm getting out."  CFL Commissioner Larry Smith said
the team will be moved if it did not meet league-imposed targets
of 15,000 season ticket sales and $1M in corporate sponsorship by
January 31.  Firestone, who lost between $1.2M and $1.4M in 10
months of operation said "without hitting those targets, there is
no opportunity for success.  Even then it is not a guarantee, but
at least there is an opportunity" (TORONTO STAR, 1/5).

     The Clippers' strong attendance for the three regular season
games they have played at The Pond in Anaheim has increased
speculation that a move to Anaheim may be in the team's future.
The team is the NBA's worst draw, averaging just over 8,000 fans
a game at the Sports Arena in L.A., but they are averaging 17,624
for games at The Pond.  The team recently signed a lease
extension at The Sports Arena, the second oldest facility in the
NBA, but it "includes a clause enabling them to leave at the end
of each season."  A spokesperson for Clippers Owner Donald
Sterling said the team will remain in L.A.  Andy Roeser, Clipper
Exec VP:  "The owner is very, very firm on it.  He's an L.A. guy
and he's absolutely committed to improving in Los Angeles."
Roeser said the team will either stay at a renovated Sports
Arena, or move to a new state-of-the-art venue in L.A..
"Although attendance might increase initially, moving to Anaheim
might not be a sound financial move," since Disney's Mighty
Ducks, the Pond's primary attraction, control the sale of luxury
and club seats and arena advertising revenue at the facility.  It
is unlikely that Disney would be "willing to give up advertising
and ticket revenue to lure the Clippers to The Pond" (Chris
Baker, L.A. TIMES, 1/5).

     The Raptors' in-house TV broadcasting deal in which they
will "sell their own ads, design the look of the broadcast, and
hire the best host, announcers, producers, and director" is
examined by Neil Campbell in this morning's Toronto GLOBE & MAIL.
The deal will require much work, and there is no guarantee the
return in ad sales will match expectations, "but the benefits of
controlling every aspect of a broadcast are considerable," and
that is why it bringing TV in-house is becoming a trend for teams
and leagues.  Raptors President John Bitove:  "Let's say we're
doing a game and we're going to a commercial break.  We will be
able to say to a director before we go 'There's a cue picture of
a kid with a Coke cup. And Coke is our sponsor.  Pick up that
shot.'"  Bitove added:  "Let's say a game goes into overtime and
Ford and AST got their commercial but Sega's really upset because
they didn't get a commercial.  So we can decide on our own,
'Okay, let's give Sega an extra commercial in this game to keep
them happy.'"  Bitove said as advertisers get more
"sophisticated" in their buying, they want additional benefits.
With so many sponsors doing different advertising, Bitove said it
becomes so "cluttered" that there is doubt whether the sponsors
are leaving an impression on the fan.  He added:  "The reality is
that if you took the sum of all those parts sold them to one car
company they'll pay a lot more of a premium for the exclusivity."
The Raptors are "clearly setting the pace in the broadcast arena"
over the Grizzlies, and Bitove believes revenue will only
increase.  Bitove, stressing the young male viewer of the NBA:
"Corporate-wise, this thing is huge and it's because basketball
delivers the demographic that is hardest to reach ... It's the
age group where they're young and you can influence them on a
brand and you've got them for life" (Neil Campbell, Toronto GLOBE
& MAIL, 1/5).
     GRIZZLIES GET EXTENSION:  The NBA granted the Grizzlies a
two-month extension to sign a local TV and radio deal.  The
league had originally set a deadline of December 31, but the team
requested and was granted an extension (Gary Kingston, VANCOUVER
SUN, 1/5).