Alberta Treasury Branches (ATB) "is looking for bids
     higher than the two already proposed by local groups" to buy
     the NHL Oilers, a source told Jac MacDonald of the EDMONTON
     JOURNAL.  The two bids from local business groups are both
     believed to be for about US$70M and would pay for not only
     the Oilers but also Coliseum Management Inc., which operates
     the Edmonton Coliseum.  MacDonald's source said that Midland
     Walwyn, the company handling the sale for Oilers Owner Peter
     Pocklington, and ATB "are expecting to receive offers from
     outside buyers soon."  When that happens, the source added,
     "the local bids are expected to be increased."  Pocklington
     declined to discuss the progress of sales talks yesterday,
     but confirmed he is no longer drawing any management fees as
     part of his team ownership (EDMONTON JOURNAL, 10/7).

          Browns fans have bought at least 45,000 season tickets
     in anticipation of the team's return in '99, according to
     David Adams of the AKRON BEACON JOURNAL.  That is higher
     than the 39,100 sold in '95, the team's final year in
     Cleveland (AKRON BEACON JOURNAL, 10/7).
     

          MLB Acting Commissioner Bud Selig said that he is
     "confident" MLB owners "will follow his lead and allow the
     Twins to move" to NC, according to Jay Weiner of the
     Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE.  The Twins signed a letter of
     intent last Friday to sell the team to NC businessman Don
     Beaver and his NC Major League Baseball (NCMLB) group. 
     Meeting with MN Gov. Arne Carlson and a delegation of MN
     state officials in Milwaukee, Selig said, "I certainly hope
     the Twins stay in Minnesota.  But for anybody to think that,
     in this day and age, you can consign an owner to either
     uncompetitiveness or bankruptcy is sheer folly."  Carlson:
     "There are only two options: to build a stadium or not to
     build a stadium" (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 10/7).  NCMLB
     spokesperson Eddie Bradford, on Monday's developments in
     Milwaukee: "This is not a done deal, but it does indicate
     that the owners of major league baseball take North Carolina
     seriously as a potential market" (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 10/7).

          How the Marlins fare in the NLCS against the Braves
     "might affect team President Don Smiley's ability to buy the
     club from Wayne Huizenga," according to Barry Jackson of the
     MIAMI HERALD.  Smiley is in the process of distributing
     circulars to 15 "or so people who have expressed interest in
     joining his investment group."  Jackson reports that while
     "several potential investors say they have not decided,"
     including Amancio Suarez, who owns Miami-based Cosmo
     Communications and has a minority interest in the Heat, "a
     long playoff run might persuade potential investors to
     commit."  Jackson adds that "those with knowledge of the
     situation say it's unlikely but not out of the question"
     that a trip to the World Series could "prompt Huizenga to
     change his mind about selling" (MIAMI HERALD, 10/7).  
          HIT AND RUN: In Chicago, Paul Sullivan, on Huizenga's
     $89M, offseason investment in the Marlins: "In the minds of
     many of Huizenga's fellow owners, he is pulling off the
     biggest hit-and-run in baseball history, raising the ante
     for other owners by overpaying players madly in his
     obsessive pursuit of a championship and then folding his
     cards. ... Huizenga helped escalate everyone's future
     payroll while knowing all along he couldn't create enough
     revenue to prevent the Marlins from losing millions. ... But
     its aftereffects may be felt by other teams for years to
     come" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 10/7).

          Canadian real estate exec Jack Singer, who stands to
     become the largest shareholder of the Blue Jays, feels that
     he and his partners have only "a 50-50 chance -- at best" of
     being approved by MLB, according to Marty York of the
     Toronto GLOBE & MAIL.  Singer, who would invest about C$70M
     in the Murray Frum-led group, said he's heard the "official
     word on this one way or the other" may come "right after the
     World Series. ... We've been trying to put the deal together
     for more than a year, and I find it a little surprising that
     it has taken this long.  Something just doesn't feel
     completely right."  Meanwhile, York writes that its "quite
     possible" MLB "has been checking on Michael Shapiro," the CA
     businessman "who has been most responsible for putting the
     consortium together."  York notes speculation that MLB execs
     "are reacting negatively to Shapiro's involvement" because
     he once sued MLB when a deal he had put together for Singer
     to buy the Royals fell through (Toronto GLOBE & MAIL, 10/7).