The way teams pick their medical care providers is re-
visited by "Scorecard" in the current SPORTS ILLUSTRATED.  The
issue was first examined by ABC's Armen Keteyian on the November
1st "Nightline."  Because of the "intense publicity that comes
with the job, doctors and hospitals are willing to pay handsomely
to become a team's 'official health-care provider.'"  After
examining the deals struck by the NFL's newest teams, the Jaguars
and Panthers, with their health care providers, SI notes, "The
ultimate victim of priorities so skewed that medical care is put
up for bid are the men who play America's most violent game."
Arthur Caplan, Dir of UPenn's Center for Bioethics: "I'd like to
suggest an unbreakable rule that requires every professional
league to issue a Miranda-style warning to every player informing
him that he not only has the right but the obligation to get his
own personal physician" (SPORTS ILLUSTRATED, 5/8 issue).

     Students at Bowie State Univ. are reportedly upset at the
fact that the Bullets pay only $9,000 annually for the use of a
gym there as a practice facility and is not open for use when the
team is not using it.  The maintenance cost to the school is
$21,500 and nearly $140,000 in public funds have been spent on
repairs.  Students argue that the team pay more for the use of
the facility.  Other schools that have pro teams as practice
tenants have much better deals.  The Knicks practice at SUNY-
Purchase, where they pay $100,000 a year and made a one-time $1M
capital improvements investment (David Montgomery, WASHINGTON
POST, 5/3).

     In a letter to the editor released to THE SPORTS BUSINESS
DAILY, Celtics CFO Joseph DiLorenzo accused FINANCIAL WORLD of
including "numerous errors of fact" and  drawing the "erroneous
conclusion" that the Boston Celtics Master Limited Partnership
has been a poor investment for its 93,000 public unitholders.  In
its May 9 issue, FINANCIAL WORLD examined the Celtics stock
concluding, among other things, that the recent sale of Boston TV
station WFXT to Fox was a good deal for the general partners, but
a bad one for the numerous limited partners.  DiLorenzo writes,
"Nothing could be further from the truth.  In fact, when the
Celtics repurchased the TV station in 1993, the principal
partners effectively reduced their own stake in the extremely
profitable TV station from 83 percent to 60 percent, before Fox's
option to purchase presented itself, which benefited all
unitholders of the Boston Celtics Limited Partnership.  The
article also insinuated exclusive profits from an affiliated
television sale that never took place and incorrectly stated both
the price of the Initial Public Offering and per unit
administrative costs associated with the master limited
partnership."  DiLorenzo concluded by stating that ownership,
chaired by Paul Gaston since '92, "has raised the net asset value
of the company and has increased cash flows dramatically.  As an
organization, the Celtics take as much pride in delivering for
our investors as we do in delivering for our fans" (Celtics).

     The IRS approved a complicated plan established by the late
Royals Owner Ewing Kauffman that would allow for the team to be
owned by local Kansas City charities, according to this morning's
K.C. STAR.  The team will have six years to find a buyer that
promises to keep the team in K.C., before opening up bidding to
an outside entity.  The charitable group that will own the team
is the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation and Affiliated
Trusts -- a collection of smaller groups managing 400 charitable
funds and 11 affiliated trusts with combined assets of $170.6M.
Although the foundation is to own the team, the Royals will be
directed by a five-member group led by current Royals Chair/ Wal
Mart CEO David Glass.  Royals President Michael Herman also will
be on that board.  The Kauffman plan still needs to be approved
by MLB owners (Charles Crumpley, K.C. STAR, 5/3).      HOW IT
WORKS:  The Foundation must raise $50M in donations from the
community at large, with the interest (perhaps as much as
$3M/year) directed towards some of the losses the team regularly
incurs.  Any additional losses would be paid from a different
reserve fund of $37.5M that Kauffman donated before he died.  The
six-year search for a new owner could begin as soon as June, when
the team is expected to be officially turned over to the
Foundation.  When a buyer emerges, the $50M would "flow back to
the community foundation."  A large share of any funds beyond the
$50M purchase price also would flow into "special donor accounts
at the community foundation, and that money also would be given
to various charities."  Among the donors to the $50M fund:  $5M
each from Kauffman and his late wife, Muriel;  $1m from the
Kansas City Star Co. and a foundation tied to its parent, Cap
Cities/ABC (KANSAS CITY STAR, 5/3).
     THE FINANCIAL SHAPE:  Kauffman came up with the plan to buy
time for the city in the hope that MLB's new economics would help
the small markets.  Last year the team lost a reported $25M, but
Herman said with cost-cutting measures they hope to break even in
a couple of years.  Kauffman had said "several times that no one
would want to buy a baseball team that consistently loses
millions of dollars and had little prospect of making money
because it was in a small city."  Glass has expressed interest in
buying the team but was unavailable for comment (KANSAS CITY
STAR, 5/3).

     "The fate of struggling franchises in Winnipeg and Quebec
City remains in doubt today after the federal government signaled
it's not prepared to sign a blank cheque to keep teams from
moving to the United States," according to Mark Kennedy & Ken
Warren in today's OTTAWA CITIZEN.  Human Resources Minister Lloyd
Axworthy and Finance Minister Paul Martin met with NHL
Commissioner Gary Bettman, Jets Owner Barry Shenkarow and
Nordiques Owner Marcel Aubut.  Axworthy emerged from the meeting
citing a "hard dose of reality" (OTTAWA CITIZEN, 5/3).  The
meeting provided "no magical solution" for the Jets and
Nordiques, according to the Toronto GLOBE & MAIL.  "There is no
standing federal offer to save pro franchises for the sake of
pride in the national game" (Toronto GLOBE & MAIL, 5/3).
     ANTI-AMERICANISM:  ESPN's Al Morganti noted that Winnipeg
fans booed the U.S. National Anthem last night, saying that they
view the Jets' situation as "a Canada-U.S. thing rather than a
small market-large market thing."  Asked what can be done for the
smaller markets, Morganti cited the necessity for some form of
revenue sharing.  But he added, "Thus far, the owners haven't put
their heads together to get this done, and I think at some point
Gary Bettman's going to have to bang those heads together or just
give up everything on the small markets" ("National Hockey
Night," ESPN, 5/2).  In a speech before the annual Canadian Press
meeting in Toronto, Bettman acknowledged the NHL will be a
"scapegoat" if the Jets and Nords move, but he defended the need
for team "stability."  Bettman:  "This is not an attempt to take
the game away from Canada, but to make the game as strong as
possible."  Bettman was hopeful Canadian losses would end with
the two teams (Toronto GLOBE & MAIL, 5/3).  Jets GM John Paddock,
asked about the small-market/large-market issue during last
night's game:  "If we can't remain competitive, we shouldn't be
here" ("National Hockey Night," ESPN, 5/2).       THE WORD FROM
QUEBEC:  In Montreal, columnist Don MacPherson writes, "Here in
Quebec, with a possible referendum looming, it's considered only
a question of time until the Parizeau government announces that
it will spend public funds to help the Nordiques wipe out their
debt, build a bigger arena with luxury boxes, or both."  But
MacPherson considers any assistance for the Expos "a waste of
public funds" (MONTREAL GAZETTE, 5/3).  The Expos drew 46,515 for
their home opener last night (GLOBE & MAIL, 5/3).

     Baltimore's new AHL club is expected to announce its
ownership group, NHL affiliation and ticket prices at a May 15
news conference.  Sources indicate the group may include minority
Orioles owner Pam Shriver.  Baltimore AHL owner Bob Teck said he
is not sure if they will be ready to reveal their name, logo and
colors.  Suggestions for team names include:  Beavers, Bulldogs,
Bobcats, Badgers and Blades (Sandra McKee, Baltimore SUN, 5/3).

     The Jets may have played their last game in Winnipeg last
night, a 2-1 loss to the L.A. Kings.  According to sources cited
in this morning's WINNIPEG FREE PRESS, the team could be headed
to Minnesota "as early as today under a deal brokered by NHL
Commissioner Gary Bettman."  The reported deal would be for $75M
and is said to have been negotiated over the weekend by Bettman
and Dana Warg, who manages Minneapolis' Target Center.  The MN
group "has apparently been told to get its financing ready by
today and that they could be selling season tickets in
Minneapolis by early tomorrow."  Bettman would neither confirm
nor deny that he has had contact with possible investors.
Bettman:  "People call me on a regular basis wanting to buy an
NHL team" (Douglas & Taylor, WINNIPEG FREE PRESS, 5/3).
     DON'T START THOSE MOVING VANS YET:  The Manitoba
Entertainment Complex (MEC), "refused to say die last night as
they worked to cobble together a last-minute deal to keep the
franchise in Winnipeg and build a new arena."  Jets Owner Barry
Shenkarow had extended his May 1 midnight deadline for MEC, which
had turned to the federal government for financial support.  MEC
is said to have attracted a new C$10M investor, but they "did not
get what they wanted" from federal Human Resources Minister Lloyd
Axworthy.  In addition, last night, Shenkarow said that MEC's
option to buy 64% of the team for C$32M had expired and that the
price is now doubled -- a development which MEC members disputed
(Douglas & Taylor, WINNIPEG FREE PRESS, 5/3).  Axworthy said that
MEC has applied for federal funds under a federal-provincial
infrastructure plan, but that any deal depends on the existence
of an "acceptable business plan."  The Toronto GLOBE & MAIL
reports that an emergency meeting of the Winnipeg City Council
will take place today to examine a new MEC plan.  An MEC source
said the group may be able to produce an extra C$18M to rescue
their bid for the team (Christie/Delacourt/Roberts, Toronto GLOBE
& MAIL, 5/3).
     FROM LAST NIGHT'S GAME:  Shenkarow held a press conference
between the 2nd and 3rd periods of last night's game, which was
carried by ESPN.  ESPN's Bill Clement:   "I think we can describe
it best as a non-press conference." Clement, on Shenkarow's
assertion that for the team to survive, it would need to have a
new rink built, play rent free and receive all concession
revenue: "Is that going to happen?  Unh-unh."  In a subsequent
interview, Jets GM John Paddock said of the situation:  "There
could be a chance, but it doesn't look good" ("National Hockey
Night," 5/2).
     BETTMAN READY TO PULL THE TRIGGER:  Bettman, on the Jets:
"If this team is pre-ordained to move, then I think we should get
it over with and not, at taxpayer expense, build a white
elephant" (Mary Ormsby, TORONTO STAR, 5/3).  Bettman, from ESPN:
"The problem we're having in Winnipeg is that nobody wants to
stand behind the franchise.  It's almost as if they want to make
a charitable contribution to the opera, and if it doesn't work,
have it go out of business.  Well, you can't do that with a
professional sports franchise" ("National Hockey Night," ESPN,
5/2).
     PLAIN SPEAKING:  Columnist John Dafoe notes that no MEC
member was willing to assume enough risk to convince the NHL that
the team would be secure.  Dafoe writes, "The message from that
is very simple.  If the private investors were not sufficiently
convinced of the soundness of the arena and Jets deal to invest
their own money in it, there was no way on earth that governments
should make their taxpayers take that risk" (WINNIPEG FREE PRESS,
5/3).
     OFF TO MINNESOTA?  While Shenkarow denied having received
any formal offers for the team, one NHL source said "Barry's
ready to open his mail now" -- suggesting that there have been
inquiries.  According to this morning's Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE,
the Nederlander family from New York -- brothers Harry, James and
Robert, all partners in the Yankees and Broadway investors --
have joined the leading MN-based group, led by health care
entrepeneur Richard Burke.  A representative of the Nederalanders
is expected in Winnipeg today.  The Metropolitan Sports
Facilities Commission met yesterday to discuss possible public
funding, but MSFC Chair Harvey Savelkoul said any such talk is
"premature."  However, the Target Center's Warg called for some
"creative" public financing.  Warg:  "We could be playing 41
games and playoffs next season" (Jay Weiner, Minneapolis STAR
TRIBUNE, 5/3).
     IT WON'T BE ATLANTA:  Both Turner Sports President Harvey
Schiller and Braves/Hawks President Stan Kasten said it is highly
unlikely that Ted Turner would bring an NHL team to Atlanta
before a new arena is built.  Schiller said there have been no
talks between Turner and the Jets -- or any other NHL team.
Recent reports have had Turner offering $65M for the Jets.
Kasten:  "Our first priority is the arena.  Anything else would
be putting the cart before the horse" (Tim Tucker, ATLANTA
CONSTITUTION, 5/3).