DID DC AND DETROIT PASS THAT STRICT WNBA TICKET TEST?

          Washington Sports & Entertainment has sold 5,268 WNBA
     season tickets, which tops the league-imposed ticket goal of
     3,000 in order to qualify for a team.  The NBA Board of
     Governors meeting next week will officially decide whether
     to award Washington and Detroit with WNBA expansion
     franchises for the '98 season (WSE).  In DC, Amy Shipley
     reports that Washington Sports has also "secured the
     requisite" local TV and radio deals, with Home Team Sports
     and WRC-AM, respectively.  They have also "committed
     $250,000 to promotional activities" (WASHINGTON POST, 11/7).
          MOTOWN LOVES ITS HOOPS: In Detroit, Vartan Kupelian
     writes that the Pistons will announce that they have sold
     the required 3,000 season tickets.  Pistons President Tom
     Wilson said that the TV and radio deals "are not complete
     but progress is being made" (DETROIT NEWS, 11/7).