HOW DO CITIES MEASURE UP AS MAJOR LEAGUE?

     Whether a city is capable of supporting an MLB team is
examined by Ty Ahmad-Taylor in the Sunday N.Y. TIMES.  Money and
fans are "just two factors in deciding where teams play," as the
piece notes that some cities have been awarded teams after
threatening legal action against the league's antitrust
exemption.  Economists say an MLB team can make it in a
metropolitan area with: 1) a population over one million; 2) a
high percentage of men between 18 and 54; 3) per capita income
above the national average; 4) high population growth; and, 5) a
high proportion of businesses with more than 500 employees --
likely to buy luxury suites.  55 metropolitan areas with at least
one million in population were measured against the four
necessities of supporting a team:  27 areas were classified as
definitely able to support an MLB team; nine were listed as
"possibly" able; 19 not able (N.Y. TIMES, 4/2).  Cities in caps
do not have an MLB team or expansion franchise.
     DEFINITELY CAN SUPPORT A TEAM: L.A./Long Beach; New York;
Chicago; Philadelphia; WASHINGTON; Detroit; Houston; Atlanta;
Boston; DALLAS (separate from Fort Worth); Twin Cities; Orange
County; Baltimore; Phoenix/Mesa; Seattle/ Bellevue; Oakland;
PORTLAND, OR; Kansas City; San Francisco; SAN JOSE; Ft.
Worth/Arlington; INDIANAPOLIS; COLUMBUS; CHARLOTTE; HARTFORD;
MIDDLESEX, NJ; LAS VEGAS.
     COULD POSSIBLY SUPPORT A TEAM:  San Diego; NEWARK; Denver;
Cincinnati; SACRAMENTO; ORLANDO; BERGEN CO., NJ;
GREENSBORO/WINSTON-SALEM; ROCHESTER.
     CAN NOT SUPPORT A TEAM:  RIVERSIDE/SAN BERNANDINO;
NASSAU/SUFFOLK; St. Louis; Pittsburgh; Cleveland; Tampa Bay;
Miami; NORFOLK/NEWPORT NEWS; Milwaukee; SAN ANTONIO; FT.
LAUDERDALE; NEW ORLEANS; BUFFALO; SALT LAKE CITY; PROVIDENCE;
MEMPHIS; NASHVILLE; MONMOUTH, NJ; OKLAHOMA CITY (N.Y. TIMES,
4/2).