FRANCHISE NOTES

     Minorities make up 38.9% of the Diamondbacks' workforce,
almost double the average for MLB teams.  Of 65 employees, 7.8%
are black and 31.1% are hispanic (MESA TRIBUNE, 6/21).
....Impending contract talks between Michael Jordan and the Bulls
are profiled in NEWSWEEK's Rhodes & Reibstein, who write, "Keep
Jordan in the organization beyond his playing days.  Raise ticket
prices and ad fees to help pay for his fat contract" (NEWSWEEK,
7/1 issue)....In New York, Phil Mushnick examines the escalating
cost of tickets at Madison Square Garden.  Rent on a 12-seat box,
"one of the cheaper models" last season at $198,000, will now be
leased on a three-year basis, beginning at $275,000 and finishing
at $315,000 (N.Y. POST, 6/23)....IHL Peoria Rivermen Owner Bruce
Saurs "doubts he will find another owner" and is prepared to let
the franchise "go dormant."  His plan to sell to Greg Toole
unraveled Thursday as Toole's plans to move the team to San
Antonio fell apart when a CHL team won a lease battle (SAN
ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS, 6/22).