The plan to streamline the ATP Tour in the year 2000
     (see THE DAILY, 11/25) was examined by John Barrett of the
     FINANCIAL TIMES who wrote that while it "may not have gone
     far enough," it would still "represent a big advance."  
     Barrett: "Persuading the players that change is needed if
     tennis is to survive in the ever more competitive field of
     sport has not been easy."  But the Men's Player Council "has
     now approved the master plan."  It has "also been grudgingly
     accepted by tournament directors, many of whom see a bleak
     future for all but the lucky seven that are in the 'super'
     series."  While the ATP Tour would like a "much closer
     collaboration" with the WTA Tour, the women's board has yet
     to approve of any such plan.  Barrett: "The main reason is
     that the women are terrified of being swamped by the men. 
     They are reluctant to face the commercial reality that their
     version of the sport does not attract as much support from
     sponsors and the media" (FINANCIAL TIMES, 12/6). 
          VIRGINIA SLIMS CUTS BACK: In Miami, Meri-Jo Borzilleri
     cited sources who said that Virginia Slims Legends tour
     officials are "discussing reducing the tour from its present
     calendar of six sites to four, and moving to minor-market
     cities."  Philip Morris USA PR Manager Mary Doherty said she
     couldn't "confirm anything," but added Virginia Slims will
     sponsor a tour in '98 (MIAMI HERALD, 12/6).

          Application for a first-division women's pro league "is
     being dropped by the National Soccer Alliance [NSA] after
     withdrawal of its primary investor," Discover Channel CEO 
     John Hendricks, according to Jerry Langdon of USA TODAY.  The
     NSA "hoped" to start in '98 then seek sanctioning for 2000. 
     But Langdon reports that the NSA was "opposed by many within
     U.S. Soccer because they feared it would detract" from the
     '99 Women's World Cup.  NSA Exec Jen Rottenberg: "It's
     unfortunate but we don't have the financial support to keep
     an organization going" (USA TODAY, 12/8).

          Maple Leafs President Ken Dryden has "triggered
     something of an informal campaign" to have league execs "at
     least study the concept of ejecting fighters from games in
     the future," according to Marty York of the Toronto GLOBE &
     MAIL.  Sources tell York that Dryden will have "two strong
     and prominent allies" in Flyers GM Bob Clarke and Bobby Orr,
     who are "about to make their anti-fighting feelings known"
     (Toronto GLOBE & MAIL, 12/7).  But Dryden told the TORONTO
     STAR that the fighting issue "is dead for now.  The league
     isn't ready for it yet.  The real next showdown debate (on
     fighting) is probably a couple of years away" (TORONTO STAR,
     12/7).  In Chicago, Hawks GM Bob Pulford on Dryden's remarks
     that fighting doesn't belong in the NHL: "That's the most
     ridiculous statement I've ever heard" (SUN-TIMES, 12/8).
          NOTES: The Maple Leafs "estimated" that they will save
     $150,000-$200,000 in travel costs by playing Western
     Conference teams once instead of up to five times (Ft.
     Lauderdale SUN-SENTINEL, 12/7)....VP Al Gore attended the
     Capitals first game at MCI Center on Friday (WASHINGTON POST,
     12/6)....The NHL "is strongly considering" holding its 2000
     All-Star Game at MCI Center, but said that a site has not yet
     been selected (WASHINGTON POST, 12/7).

          The NBA played its first regular-season game in Mexico
     on Saturday night as a sold-out crowd of 20,635 watched the
     Mavericks-Rockets at the Palacio de los Deportes (DALLAS
     MORNING NEWS, 12/7).  In Ft. Worth, Richie Whitt wrote that
     the "official Mavericks' impression" of Mexico City was that
     it was a "nice place to visit, but they wouldn't want to play
     here."  Mavs President Terdema Ussery doubted the NBA will
     ever base a team in Mexico: "The league may get mad at me for
     saying it, but I just don't think it can happen. 
     Geographically, it may make sense, but I think getting 15
     players to live here seven months a year would be a real
     challenge" (FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 12/7).  
          MEXICAN CALI NEWS: In Dallas, David Moore wrote that
     Mexico's "staggering population and growing interest in
     basketball make it a prime target for expansion after the
     turn of the century."  NBA games are seen on TV Azteca, as
     the league has a $3M deal with the station.  Games averaged a
     6 rating/11 share during the '96-97 regular-season and a
     16.1/24 during last year's Finals.  But MLS Commissioner Doug
     Logan, the former CEO of a group that operated the Sports
     Palace in Mexico City in the early 90's and helped secure a
     CBA team to play in Mexico in '94-95 said, "I think that any
     move by the NBA into Mexico in the short term would be
     precipitous."  Logan noted that problems of possible
     expansion into Mexico include the "wild fluctuations" of
     currency, lack of an arena, the average ticket price and the
     "reluctance of fans to purchase season tickets."  Logan said
     the NBA would have to set the price of a Mexican franchise
     between $90M-100M and "believes the NBA owners would have to
     agree to an unprecedented arrangement where the owners of the
     Mexican franchise would be allowed to keep the TV revenue for
     the entire country" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 12/6).

          Wizards Owner Abe Pollin "became the first" NBA owner to
     say that he would consider signing Latrell Sprewell,
     according to Ric Bucher of the WASHINGTON POST.  Pollin: "I
     would never close the door on someone forever" (WASHINGTON
     POST, 12/6).  But CBA Commissioner Steve Patterson said his
     league would not approve of Sprewell playing in the CBA: "It
     reinforces all the wrong stereotypes" (N.Y. POST, 12/6). 
          EDITORIALS: A sampling of editorial comments on the
     Sprewell incident: In St. Pete, under the header, "No
     Tolerance For Thugs," the TIMES said NBA Commissioner David
     Stern "was right on the money" with his suspension:
     "Unbelievably, Sprewell has his defenders" (ST. PETERSBURG
     TIMES, 12/6).  In San Diego, under the header, "Fitting
     Punishment," the UNION-TRIBUNE said the Warriors and the NBA
     "are to be applauded for giving Sprewell the tough, but
     appropriate, punishment he deserves" (UNION-TRIBUNE, 12/6). 
     In L.A., under the header, "Sports Stars Aren't Immune," the
     TIMES stated the NBA punished Sprewell "correctly": "No
     ordinary working stiff could keep his job after assaulting
     his boss.  Why should someone who plays sports for a living
     be different?" (L.A. TIMES, 12/5).  In Boston, the GLOBE said
     the league took "a rare stand for sanity in big-money
     sports."  It added that Sprewell's agent, the NBPA and
     "various opportunistic pols, who have come to his defense
     merely illustrate how deeply professional sports have been
     corrupted by big money" (BOSTON GLOBE, 12/6).  In San Jose,
     the MERCURY NEWS wrote the Warriors showed a "good example 
     by drawing a clear line against conduct they consider
     inappropriate for an employee" (MERCURY NEWS, 12/7).

          Latrell Sprewell's contract termination by the Warriors
     and his one-year suspension by the NBA dominated much of the
     weekend media.  It was the subject of both NBC's "Meet The
     Press" and ABC's "This Week" on Sunday.  Sprewell's agent,
     Arn Tellem, was the lead guest on ABC's "This Week," along
     with John Feinstein and Walt Frazier.  ABC's Sam Donaldson
     said that NBA Commissioner David Stern and "many owners"
     declined the invitation to appear on the show.  Tellem, asked
     if race had anything to do with the outcome of the incident:
     "I think when you look at it -- I don't think the issue of
     race can be ignored. ... I think it must be looked into." 
     Tellem said that while he has spoken with Johnnie Cochran,
     Cochran has yet to be hired to advise the Sprewell camp. 
     Tellem: "[T]he NBA has a serious fairness problem.  The
     penalty imposed on Latrell is outrageous in my opinion, and
     it exceeds all bounds of any precedent ever in the history of
     sports.  And they did this ... ignoring his due process
     rights."  Tellem, asked by George Will if the NBA had a
     "separate agenda" with the suspension: "[W]ith the league it
     is clear that we are heading into a summer where there could
     be a reopening of the labor agreement by the commissioner,
     and there is no doubt in my mind that they are trying to
     assert all power everywhere to show their strength before
     they go into the labor negotiations" (ABC, 12/7).
          HUNTER TALKS: On "Meet the Press," NBPA Exec Dir Billy
     Hunter spoke to NBC's Tim Russert.  Asked if this was a race
     issue, Hunter said, "I don't think that's the issue at all.
     ... [Y]ou've got a league that's predominately black, and
     you've got an administration that's predominately white.  So
     I think if there are individuals who wish to read the race
     card or race issue into it, they can do that.  But I haven't
     found any evidence of that."  Hunter, on the suspension:
     "[T]here's a public outcry, at least a concern of the public,
     that things are sort of getting out of control, and I think
     the league had to demonstrate that, one, they are in control. 
     But more importantly, I think that the league is posturing,
     because there's a strong possibility that the current [CBA]
     is going to be blown up."  Asked if he was concerned about
     his players' behavior, Hunter said, "Well, I'm concerned
     about the behavior of my players, but I think that the acts
     of a few are reflective of the same kinds of things that we
     see in society."  Russert also questioned Hunter on the
     NBPA's position on the league's drug policy (NBC, 12/7).
          ONE-ON-ONE: Hunter, on Stern: "He tends in many
     instances to play to the public.  I think that he was driven
     to take the action that he has taken, simply because of the
     response of the media" ("This Week in the NBA," CNN, 12/7).
          OP-ED: NBPA VP Charles Smith wrote an op-ed in Sunday's
     N.Y. DAILY NEWS under the header, "Standing Up For Latrell." 
     He argued that the Sprewell matter could have been better
     dealt with had the Warriors resolved the issue themselves,
     "but once the league got involved, the stakes were raised,
     the PR machine was cranked up and the muscles were flexed." 
     Smith noted the public now looks at Sprewell as "a thug," and
     added, "Maybe he doesn't have the corporate look, and maybe
     the NBA would have him shave and cut his braids, but a thug?
     ... The league has even used Latrell in marketing things
     toward children and communities.  If he's such a bad guy, why
     would they do that?" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 12/8).