AS EXPECTED, NBA INKS PACT WITH TSN TO AIR GAMES IN CANADA

          Canadian sports network TSN and the NBA signed a three-
     year deal yesterday to air 26 regular-season games and a
     minimum of 12 playoff games, beginning next season.  Four
     Raptors and four Grizzlies games will be included in TSN's
     regular-season lineup.  Most of the games will run regularly
     on Friday nights.  The network also will carry a regular
     half-hour pre-game show and an original half-hour weekly NBA
     magazine show and air other special programs (NBA).  In
     Toronto, Neil Campbell notes that the "extra television
     exposure will provide a much-needed boost for the NBA, which
     has clearly failed to make a wide impact in Canada since the
     Raptors and Grizzlies began play two years ago.  Both teams
     have proved to be reasonably appealing within their home
     cities.  But in other parts of the country, particularly in
     Western Canada, interest has been negligible."  Campbell
     adds that while most of the games TSN carries will be picked
     up from TNT, the Raptors and Grizzlies games will be TSN
     productions (Toronto GLOBE & MAIL, 5/15).