RI Gov. Lincoln Almond said he would like to complete a
     stadium deal with the Patriots this week, but said, "we
     still have a way to go," according to Karen Lee Ziner of the
     Providence JOURNAL-BULLETIN.  Reacting to reports on Boston
     news stations yesterday that the team plans to announce a
     stadium deal with the state of RI "this week,"  Almond said
     "we're still verifying things ... It takes a lot of
     diligence on both sides to finalize figures." Providence
     Mayor Vincent Cianci "reiterated" that there were a number
     of issues remaining (JOURNAL-BULLETIN, 9/15).  In Boston,
     Will McDonough reported the Patriots "appear to be a lock"
     to move to RI, with the state finalizing its offer "within
     the next month."  McDonough added there is "no sweetener" in
     the deal for Patriots Owner Robert Kraft, as the state will
     give him the land for the stadium, help with the roadways
     necessary, contribute "some money" to the construction of
     the new stadium, and "perhaps" set aside a piece of land at
     the site that the team can develop (BOSTON GLOBE, 9/13). 

          About 2,000 of the 15,000 premium club seats at the
     Redskins' new Jack Kent Cooke Stadium were "still not sold"
     for yesterday's inaugural game, according to Thomas Heath of
     the WASHINGTON POST.  The seats, priced at $99-199 per game,
     are for sale under five, seven, or ten-year leases.  Home
     games "will continue to be" on TV despite the unsold seats,
     since club seats do not count under the NFL blackout policy. 
     Redskins' Dir. of PR Mike McCall said the seats "will be
     sold by the end of the season" (WASHINGTON POST, 9/15).
          REVIEWS ARE IN: In DC, Frank Ahrens reviews the new
     facility, writing the "most important test of any football
     stadium is how well, and comfortably, it lets the fans watch
     the game.  Here, Cooke Stadium shines"(WASHINGTON POST,
     9/15).  But in Baltimore, Vito Stellino called it, "Giants
     Stadium with more premium seats.  It has a dated, obsolete
     look with no special touches" (Baltimore SUN, 9/14).
          PRIVATE VS. PUBLIC: In Baltimore, Jon Morgan wrote on
     stadium financing, adding while it's "too soon to declare a
     trend," private financing has "sneaked" into several stadium
     deals.  NFL Senior VP/League & Dev. Roger Goodell said that
     while all-private financing is "possible ... it's very
     difficult to structure a stadium deal that does not have a
     public component to it" (Baltimore SUN, 9/14).

          CA-based Edison Int'l has agreed to a 20-year deal "for
     about" $2.5M per year "to become the title sponsor" of
     Anaheim Stadium, according Barbara Kingsley of the ORANGE
     COUNTY REGISTER.  The deal with the utility company is
     scheduled to be announced today.  Edison, which is currently
     an Angels TV sponsor and a radio sponsor of the MLS Galaxy,
     will receive "signage in the stadium and other broadcast
     advertising" (ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, 9/13).  In L.A., Greg
     Hernandez wrote Disney will earn "about" $1.4M annually in
     the 20-year deal.  Anaheim Stadium will now be referred to
     as "Edison Field," and a logo of a baseball diamond with
     Edison's own logo inside will be featured at the end of each
     row of seats, on tickets and throughout the stadium.  Edison
     will also receive "prime" ad space and will have use of a
     $165,000 luxury suite (L.A. TIMES, 9/14).  

          MLB: The Reds said they would consider renovating
     Cinergy Field "in the unlikely event they can't strike a
     deal with Hamilton County for a new ballpark."  Reds
     Managing Exec John Allen said "he fully expects to agree on
     a deal for a new ballpark," but added "if, for whatever
     reason, the deal couldn't work...yes, we would consider a
     renovation" (Geoff Hobson, CINCINNATI ENQUIRER, 9/13).
          NAMING RIGHTS: AT&T is among the companies "that
     expressed interest" in acquiring naming rights to the
     Panthers' Sunrise arena (Barry Jackson, MIAMI HERALD, 9/14).