Through 15 home dates, the MLB Rangers have drawn
516,140 fans, an average of 34,409, which is up 12% from
last year. The Rangers believe they are on pace to draw a
record three million fans (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 5/12)....The
Raiders are in a dispute with L.A.'s El Segundo Unified
School District, which controlled the team's former practice
facility, over who should pay the cost to "put the school
back into shape." The L.A. TIMES' Alan Abrahamson: "Thus
far, negotiations between the team and the school district
have proven thoroughly unproductive. While both sides
profess a desire to strike a deal and avoid the nasty legal
fight that's brewing, it's unclear whether that can be
avoided" (L.A. TIMES, 5/11)....The Panthers released their
season-ticket prices for the '97-98 season, with the largest
increase being $4. Lower-bowl seats went from $48-52;
Panther Club seats went from $78-80; Mezzanine seats were
raised from $30-31; and the side balcony, goal zone and
Panther Pack stayed at $24, $20 and $12 (Ft. Lauderdale SUN-
SENTINEL, 5/11)....Former NBA exec Carl Scheer, whose
Charlotte-based Scheer Sports enterprises has finalized
plans to build a 16,000-seat arena in Greenville, NC, hopes
to schedule preseason games involving the Hawks in '98
(ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 5/13)....In Boston, May & Holley
write in today's GLOBE: "A week before they fired several
full-time employees, the Celtics fired their interns"
(BOSTON GLOBE, 5/14)....In Chicago, a source close to the
Bulls told Melissa Isaacson that the Magic have extended
Bulls Coach Phil Jackson a five-year, $30M offer, and is
"pressuring" him for a decision (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 5/14).
