BETTMAN "VERY CONCERNED" ABOUT WINNIPEG SITUATION

     NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said he is "getting very
concerned" about the situation in Winnipeg, where the Spirit of
Manitoba has yet to finalize their deal for the Jets, according
to the WINNIPEG FREE PRESS.  Scott Taylor reports the league's
concern is based on the small amount of money the new owners will
have to operate the team in '95-'96 (C$2M) and that Spirit only
has enough funding to cover the club's losses for two years.
Bettman: "The only information I get is in the newspapers and
almost every time I read something, the numbers change" (WINNIPEG
FREE PRESS, 7/9).  Bettman is due to meet with Spirit officials
within the next few days (Hal Sigurdson, WINNIPEG FREE PRESS,
7/8).
     A BIG HELP:  "Even though Manitoba taxpayers are supposed to
have no role in the purchase," the Manitoba Government funded
half of Spirit's C$10M deposit for the team.  The province is due
to be repaid with interest by August 15 (Paul Samyn, WINNIPEG
FREE PRESS, 7/8).