ARENA FOOTBALL LEAGUE: WAS DRUCKER FORCED OUT?

     In Tampa, Carter Gaddis reports Arena Football League
sources say the Board of Directors "was unhappy" with
Commissioner Jim Drucker's leadership "and forced him out."
Drucker will get an expansion team.  In other AFL news:  The
league is expected to open its Hall of Fame in Des Moines, IA,
home of AFL Founder Jim Foster; the Memphis Pharaohs will move to
Portland, OR, for '97; the St. Louis Stampede are said to be
looking at Miami, and Connecticut and Charlotte are reportedly
are eyeing New York (TAMPA TRIBUNE, 8/27).  A group led by Target
Center head Dana Warg has 90 days to make an offer to the
Minnesota Fighting Pike, at an asking price of $700,000.  Tom
Scallen lost $400,000 leasing the Pike this year (Minneapolis
STAR TRIBUNE, 8/27).