Jets GM John Paddock said "it's 99.9 percent sure" that the
team will move to Minnesota next season (Minneapolis STAR-
TRIBUNE, 9/12). Meanwhile, MN businessman Richard Burke is
reportedly trying to close a deal with the city of Winnipeg to
let the city off the hook for a larger percentage of the team's
losses. In exchange, Burke would get some games this season at
the Target Center. Sid Hartman reports that Burke also wants
MN's Legislature to give him the $1.8M in state income taxes his
players would pay annually until he receives $20M toward the
team's $65M purchase price (Minneapolis STAR-TRIBUNE,
9/12)....The IHL Spiders, preparing for their inaugural season in
San Francisco, are hoping to draw from the North Bay -- just 40
miles from San Jose and the Sharks. The Spiders have 2,200
season tickets sold and need 6,000 a night at the Cow Palace to
break even (S.F. CHRONICLE, 9/12)....In Colorado, several hundred
fans waited in line Saturday for the first opportunity to buy
Avalanche individual game tickets. The team has sold out its
opener against Detroit and games against the Rangers and Penguins
(DENVER POST, 9/10)....The CFL Memphis Mad Dogs drew "only" 4,312
at Sunday's game at the Liberty Bowl -- the smallest crowd of the
CFL season. Mike Ganter of the TORONTO SUN: "The easy
explanation is the CFL has made a major mistake in going up
against the NFL on its own turf" (TORONTO SUN, 9/12).
