FRANCHISE NOTES

     After an initial ticket surge created by Magic Johnson's
return to the Lakers, there has been no rush to buy tickets
further into the season.  Bob Steiner, a spokesperson for Lakers
Owner Jerry Buss, said the same thing happened when Johnson
returned as coach in '94 (L.A. BUSINESS JOURNAL, 2/5
issue)....The Sabres announce ticket prices for seats in the new
Marine Midland Arena today.  Buffalo's BUSINESS FIRST reports top
club seating will go for $59 per seat, about $9 more per seat
than gold levels at the Aud.  Lower seats, equivalent to current
Red or lower Blue seats at the Aud, will go for $40 per game
while visitor's end lower bowl seats will go for $32 per seat.
In the upper level, seats will start at $24 and drop to $10
(BUSINESS FIRST, 2/15)....The Winnipeg Blue Bombers have told the
CFL they are in for the '96 season, but only if they can solve
financial woes through the sale of 20,000 season tickets.  Their
business plan is called "Third and Long" (Toronto GLOBE & MAIL,
2/15).