Amid a "political show of force," legislators,
     corporate and union leaders and the mayors of both
     Minneapolis and St. Paul "unveiled a plan" to transfer Twins
     ownership from Carl Pohlad to a nonprofit foundation,
     according to Jay Weiner of the Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE. 
     The plan is "tied to" building a new ballpark using Twins
     and Vikings players' income taxes, user fees, and new state
     lottery games.  The "two-pronged proposal" will be
     introduced as a bill when a special session reconvenes next
     week.  As part of the donation plan, Pohlad would give to
     the foundation the $37M in equity he's had since his '84
     purchase of team, and would also transfer to the foundation
     the $86M in "debt and interest costs" he has incurred.  The
     foundation would sell the team "within three to five years
     to citizens via a stock offering or to a local investment
     group" and at that point Pohlad's debt "will be paid off to
     his creditors."  Any sale profits over and above the debt
     "will go to the foundation, not Pohlad," and should the team
     sell for "less than" $86M, Pohlad would have to "reimburse
     the foundation."  Pohlad would "continue" to manage the team
     and would "cover the team's losses" in the Metrodome during
     the four years it would take to build the new park; losses
     during that time period won't be paid back through the
     foundation (STAR TRIBUNE, 11/7).  The deal also calls for an
     "irrevocable" 30-year lease (PIONEER PRESS, 11/7).
          HOW IT PLAYED:  Reaction to the new proposal in the
     Twin Cities was mixed, with "neither solid stadium
     supporters nor the hardened naysayers ... confident" about
     the outcome of next week's special session (Jim Ragsdale,
     ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS, 11/7).  A PIONEER PRESS editorial:
     "It might be the sweetest deal ever from a team owner. ...
     Pohlad clearly has gone above and beyond what is expected of
     an owner in this situation" (ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS, 11/7). 

          NBA: In Atlanta, 41,122 tickets were sold as of
     yesterday afternoon for tonight's Bulls-Hawks game at the
     Georgia Dome, making it the largest crowd ever for a
     basketball game in Georgia (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 11/7).
     ...Amid reports that Chargers Owner Alex Spanos is
     interested in buying the NBA Kings, Kings Owner Jim Thomas
     told the SACRAMENTO BEE's Mark Kriedler that he has "no
     intention of selling the Kings now" (SACRAMENTO BEE, 11/6). 
          MLB: In Baltimore, an editorial on Orioles Owner Peter
     Angelos, following the resignation of Manager Davey Johnson:
     "Peter Angelos is a man whose Horatio Alger story deserves
     to be the foundation of a legacy as rich and warm and grand
     as Baltimore.  He is a man being dragged to earth by his
     cold, petty distractions" (Baltimore SUN, 11/7)....The MLB
     Giants' plan to raise ticket prices for all lower-level
     seats at 3Com Park next season was "unanimously approved" by
     the city's Parks and Rec Commission yesterday.  Prices for
     lower box MVP seats will increase from $21 to $24, while
     lower box seats will increase from $16 to $18.  Also, lower
     reserved goes from $13.50 to $15, senior lower reserved
     seats rise $1 and bleacher seats rise $0.50 (S.F. CHRONICLE,
     11/7)....The Astros said ticket prices will remain the same
     for 65% of their seats in '98, increasing only for Diamond
     Level, Star Deck, Field Level and Loge Level seats (Carlton
     Thompson, HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 11/7)....The MLB Cardinals
     unveiled an "eye-catching" new practice jersey, a new dugout
     jacket, and a new "Sunday Cap." In St. Louis, Dan O'Neill:
     "The red in the redbirds will be a little deeper shade ...
     the lines will be heavier" (ST. LOUIS POST DISPATCH, 11/5).
          GENERAL: In DC, Thomas Heath examines NFL teams'
     earnings potential at the gate due to new facilities,
     focusing on the Redskins.  Redskins President John Kent
     Cooke: "We are now in a new era" (WASHINGTON POST, 11/7).

          Edmonton city developer Robert Proznik announced
     yesterday that he was "no longer in the running" for the NHL
     Oilers, according to Jac MacDonald of the EDMONTON JOURNAL. 
     Proznik said that he was withdrawing his former offer for
     the team and endorsing efforts by the other Edmonton buying
     group (EDMONTON JOURNAL, 11/7).  In Edmonton, columnist Cam
     Cole, on the Oilers' unsettled ownership situation: "It is
     time for the National Hockey League to come out of the
     woodwork and speak plainly.  Past time, actually, but better
     late than never" (EDMONTON JOURNAL, 11/7).

          The name of the new Columbus NHL expansion team will
     likely be the Blue Jackets, according to Wright & Merz of
     the COLUMBUS DISPATCH.  A source told the DISPATCH that the
     team is "95 percent sure" of the name and that the primary
     team color "will be blue."  The logo will feature an insect
     with a hat on and the hat "could be a Union Army hat."  The
     source: "It's an insect with an attitude.  That's the best
     way I can say it" (COLUMBUS DISPATCH, 11/7)

          Eleven days after winning the World Series, Wayne
     Huizenga is "unloading" the Marlins to a group headed by
     team President Don Smiley, according to Larry Lebowitz of
     the Fort Lauderdale SUN-SENTINEL.  Huizenga and Smiley said
     on Thursday that they are trying to close a deal in the next
     30 days.  They "refused to name a price, but Smiley is
     thought to be raising" $160M -- $150M to buy the team and
     another $10M for working capital.  Once Smiley closes the
     deal with Huizenga and receives MLB approval, "his next step
     will be trying to win a new stadium financing package and
     tax breaks from local and state legislators."  Smiley: "If
     not, we have to make the next decision.  We should know
     where we are by mid-1998 [when the state Legislature meets]"
     (SUN-SENTINEL, 11/7).  In Miami, Barry Jackson reports that
     the Marlins will cut their $49M payroll, "likely" to the
     $20-25M range.  Smiley said he is about two-thirds of the
     way toward meeting Huizenga's asking price, but his bid
     "does not appear at risk."  Huizenga said that Smiley will
     be given 30 days to secure additional funding, and if it
     helps close the deal, he said he will retain a minority
     interest.  Smiley will also have other options, including
     borrowing from Huizenga or a bank, or promising deferred
     payments in a year or two.  Huizenga: "I'm going to do
     anything to make this work" (MIAMI HERALD, 11/7).
          STADIUM PLAN: If the Marlins don't have a commitment
     for a new ballpark by mid-'98, Smiley said that they would
     "start looking at other options" including selling or moving
     the team (Lebowitz & Lynch, SUN-SENTINEL, 11/7).

          Orca Bay Sports & Entertainment, the parent company to
     the Canucks, has told former Canucks Majority Owner Arthur
     Griffiths to "clear his office" at GM Place and "cut his
     ties" with the team, according to David Shoalts of the
     Toronto GLOBE & MAIL.  Although Griffith is "still listed"
     as the team's Vice Chair and alternate Governor of the
     Canucks, sources told Shoalts that the team told Griffiths
     to be "out of the building by next week."  Kevin Bass,
     VP/Communications & Community Investment for Orca Bay,
     "denied" that Griffiths was told to leave, saying that his
     departure was a "possibility."  Griffith would "neither
     confirm nor deny" the story, but he "made it clear" that the
     "only thing left in his relationship" with Orca Bay is the
     three years left on a consulting contract and that he's "not
     being consulted for anything" (GLOBE & MAIL, 11/7).