A's Co-Owner Steve Schott talked with S.F. CHRONICLE
columnist Glenn Dickey about the recent reports of a split with
co-Owner Ken Hoffman and speculation the team would move to
Sacramento.  Schott:  "We bought this team because we were asked
to do it to keep it in Oakland.  If I'd known it would be like
this, I'm not sure I'd have done it."  Schott said they would
continue to try and "make it work at the Coliseum," but added if
they had to look at relocation, Sacramento in not an option
because "there just isn't the population there."   Schott:  "The
Bay Area has the population and the corporations that you need
for economic support."  Scott is getting more involved in the
business side of the team and traveled with the team on the last
road to get ideas to stimulate attendance (S.F. CHRONICLE, 6/3).
     49ERS MONEY MAN:  The 49ers recent hiring of William Duffy
as the team's CFO & VP of Business Ops is a "significant move"
for an organization that "prides itself for running a tight and
successful ship."  Duffy replaces Keith Simons, who will become
Dir of Stadium Development. Duffy previously worked for the NFL's
Management Council and is "dubbed a cap master" (Timothy Smith,
N.Y. TIMES, 6/2).

     A $40M lien on Paul Brown's estate and ownership of the
Bengals are "at stake" when Mike Brown goes to court against the
IRS in Chicago.  The IRS believes the stock option of team VP
John Sawyer and Brown in '83 "was a sham that was used to pass
ownership to Brown's sons to avoid estate taxes."  If Brown is
forced to repay the government, he might have to sell the team
(Mult., 6/3)....ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS business writer Don Knox
speculates on the future stock prospects of Ascent Entertainment,
noting while the  Avalanche are hot, Ascent plans to spend a lot
of cash over the next few years 'upgrading" Spectravision,
building the Pepsi Center and on a Harrison Ford movie (ROCKY
MOUNTAIN NEWS, 6/2)...Yankees Owner George Steinbrenner denied a
N.Y. TIMES report that team doctors knew about David Cone's
medical condition before he returned to pitch on May 2.
According to the TIMES, Cone was at "significant risk" and could
have lost his right arm had his aneurysm burst (NEWSDAY,
6/3)....The Vikings have sold 38,000 season tickets for '96-97.
They sold 45,000 last year (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE,
6/2)....Oilers Owner Bud Adams is interested in backing an MLS
team for Nashville, and MLS Exec VP Randy Bernstein said the
league "certainly would look at Nashville two, three years down
the road" (TENNESSEAN, 5/31)....The IHL Spiders, who filed for
Chapter 11 in San Francisco, have held preliminary talks to move
to Nashville for '96-97.  An announcement could come this week
(TENNESSEAN, 5/31).

     An unnamed source said that NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue
told the city of Houston that the best way to get another team
would be to build a new stadium to attract a small market
franchise, according to John McClain of the HOUSTON CHRONICLE.
McClain writes, "This is the first time anyone involved in the
talks has admitted that expansion might be out of the question."
Sources tell McClain there are several local bidders besides
Padres Owner John Moores who want a franchise, and that a couple
of the parties are looking around the league for potential fits.
There "are rumblings the Saints can be had for the right price"
along with the Cardinals and the Bucs (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 6/2).

     The Clippers are reportedly in "serious negotiations" with
Ogden Entertainment Services to move the team to The Arrowhead
Pond in Anaheim, according to Baker & Hernandez of the L.A.
TIMES.  It is believed the Clippers are negotiating to hire Ogden
to "smooth the move to the Pond and to assist in the operation of
the franchise."  The Clippers' lease at the L.A. Sports Arena
includes a clause allowing them to leave at the end of each
season (L.A. TIMES, 6/2).  The Anaheim City Council will meet
Tuesday to discuss proposals to lure the team to the area.  They
include tax incentives and handing over money which would have
been used to retire arena debt.  According to The Pond lease
agreement, the city must contribute $1.5M a year for five years
"toward the building's mortgage beginning this summer if no NBA
team is found and certain financial hurdles are not met."
Arrival of the Clippers or any other team would "take the city
off the hook for that money.  However, the city could end up
handing it over under the proposals the council will consider"
(Barbara Kingsley, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, 6/2).
     NORFOLK GETS BOOST:  Norfolk VA's Economic Development
Department said the city's chances of obtaining an NBA team
received a boost from top NBA officials who feel the city has a
"good chance."  NBA Deputy Commissioner Russ Granik said, while
the NBA has made no commitment, Norfolk "is the kind of market
that could support and NBA team on the model of a Charlotte, an
Orlando, or a Portland."  The league said a final proposal would
need an ownership group that could pay more than $125M and a
commitment for a 20,000-seat arena.  Hampton Roads, VA, is the
largest metropolitan area in the U.S. without a major sports
franchise (Norolfk VIRGINIAN-PILOT, 6/2).  The city will turn
over the campaign for a team to the Hampton Roads Partnership, a
coalition of 53 business and civic leaders (WASHINGTON POST,
6/3).

     The Edmonton Oilers successful met the season-ticket sales
requirement imposed by the NHL to qualify for a league subsidy
when Real Canadian Superstores put the team over the 13,000
minimum, according to the Toronto GLOBE & MAIL.  The team now
qualifies for a $7M NHL assistance package for small-market
teams, seen as imperative toward keeping the team in Edmonton.
The grocery chain bought 1,000 tickets costing in excess of
C$800,000 and put the season-ticket sales at 13,482 for '96-97.
That, combined with the sale of rinkboard ads and the purchase of
95% of the club's luxury boxes, meets the NHL's conditions.  A
spokesperson for Superstores said the deal, signed on Thursday,
was a commitment to purchase at least 1,000 tickets and a pledge
to buy "even more if the team was more than 1,000 short of its
goal."  The tickets will be resold to shoppers.  Local Businesses
that purchased plans will be included in a special directory
prepared for distribution to all Edmonton households.  The team
also unveiled new colors, replacing the orange trim with copper
and featuring a much a darker blue (Brian Laghi, Toronto GLOBE &
MAIL, 6/1).