Three-day attendance for the Davis Cup in Washington,
     DC, was 22,982 as all three sessions were sell-outs (USTA).
     ...In Toronto, Alan Adams reported that as the NHL sets to
     start its season, the league has 213 players making over
     $1M.  The Avs' Joe Sakic tops the list with a $17M salary,
     which includes his $15M signing bonus (TORONTO STAR, 9/20). 

          MLB final attendance for '97 "will show an increase of
     approximately" 5.6%, according to USA TODAY's Hal Bodley. 
     Acting Commissioner Bud Selig: "We're going to have the
     second-biggest year in our history."  In other news, Bodley
     notes that a possible compensation figure for teams involved
     in realignment could hit $10M.  But Bodley adds that while
     MLB's realignment committee thought "compensation might be
     the answer" during its recent owners meetings in Atlanta,
     the "concept lost momentum" (USA TODAY, 9/23).
          BRAVES EYE 2002: The Braves are preparing a bid for the
     2002 All-Star Game (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 9/23).

          NFL TV Committee Chair Pat Bowlen told USA TODAY's
     Gordon Forbes that the league will not see a 100% increase
     in its next TV contract.  Bowlen: "In my mind, that is
     unachievable.  Fox paid $400 million a year the last time
     around, and I can't imagine Fox paying $800 million this
     time."  Bowlen added that, in regards to the length of
     season and game schedule, the league will likely "stick with
     its present format."  He also expects a new TV deal by late
     December, possibly earlier (USA TODAY, 9/23).
          TO-DO LIST: In Miami, Greg Cote offered suggestions to
     "improve the NFL."  Among them: "Fight the corporate-cold,
     No Fun League rap by encouraging, not restraining, free-
     spiritedness;" "Tighten and enforce the salary cap so it
     isn't the joke it has become;" End the 72-hour blackout rule
     for more games on local TV; and start "Monday Night
     Football" at 8:00pm ET, not 9:00pm ET (MIAMI HERALD, 9/21).