MLS NEWS & NOTES: LEAGUE "CONCERN" ARISES OVER ATTENDANCE

          MLS Commissioner Doug Logan pointed to four "success
     stories" and two areas of "deep concern" in looking at this
     season's MLS attendance, according to Jerry Langdon of USA
     TODAY.  MLS has seen overall attendance drop 16.3% this year
     from 17,416 to 14,573.  Logan is pleased with fan support in
     New England, Washington, DC, and Colorado, while adding the
     Tampa Bay Mutiny, who are down 3.4%, has "done well to
     basically hold its base."  Logan did "show concern" over the
     Dallas Burn, down 38.4%, and the KC Wizards, down 31.5%. 
     Logan: "We're going to analyze these two situations. ...
     [W]e should be drawing more" (USA TODAY, 9/17).  Logan added
     that "more weekday games are anticipated" next year.  The
     league had 88% of its games on weekends this year.  In other
     news, Langdon reports that a TV deal has been reached "in
     principle" with ABC, ESPN and ESPN2 on a contract for next
     year, "but no details have been released" (USA TODAY, 9/17).
          IN FLORIDA: The Broward School Board has "approved a
     tentative lease agreement" at Ft. Lauderdale's Lockhart
     Stadium for the MLS Fusion.  The team is also "continuing"
     talks with the city of Miami (MIAMI HERALD, 9/17).