FRANCHISE NOTES

     The Texas Rangers' fast start is boosting TV ratings and
ticket sales.  On Monday and Tuesday, the team sold 45 season
tickets, 70 mini-plans and 11,500 individual tickets.  The team's
ratings for the first week were a 6.7 and 13 share, up from a
4.8/9 at the same time last year (DALLAS MORNING NEWS,
4/11)....In San Antonio, officials at Freeman Coliseum deny they
are trying to get out of its contract with the CHL Iguanas to
make way for an IHL team (SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS,
4/11)....Hartford columnist Tom Condon on the effort to keep the
Whalers:  "It wouldn't be fair to give the team to Nashville
fans, who think the blue line is a song by Merle Haggard"
(HARTFORD COURANT, 4/11)....Ticket sales for the Nuggets have
dropped 8% from last season and the team's TV ratings have
dropped to a three-year low.  The Nuggets have averaged a 5.2
rating in 22 games this season  on KWGN, compared to a 6.6 last
season and a 5.5 in '93.  (Colorado Springs GAZETTE TELEGRAPH,
4/10).