CHA-CHING! THE RICH GET RICHER IN NBA PLAYOFFS

     The economic perks of the NBA playoffs are examined in the
ORLANDO SENTINEL.  Gene Yasuda reports, as opposed to the regular
season where the NBA takes 6% of net gate receipts and the home
team keeps 94%, during the playoffs, the league keeps 45% and the
home team 55%.  With its share, the NBA pays the cost of
overseeing the playoffs and forms a "bonus" pool to reward team
accomplishments during the year.  For example, last year's $7M
bonus pool sent $224,000 to the team with the best record and
$196,000 to the team with the best record in each conference.
Teams that made it through the first round of the playoffs a year
ago were awarded $101,500, while conference finalists earned
$199,500.  The playoffs also boost merchandising.  Magic Media
Relations Dir Alex Martins:  "We're already selling Atlantic
Division Champions T-shirts and we'll be selling specific t-
shirts for each round of the playoffs" (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 4/25).