The WTA Tour announced that its newly-named CEO, Ric
     Clarson, has reversed his decision to take the post and will
     remain as VP/Tournament Business Affairs of the PGA Tour. 
     Clarson had accepted the position on December 19 and was set
     to begin a four-year term on January 15 (WTA Tour).  In a
     statement, Clarson said his "heightened awareness of certain
     issues within the organization has made me rethink my
     commitment and reconsider my acceptance of this position"
     (THE DAILY).  WTA Tour Search Committee Board Member Bob
     Arrix said that Clarson "was aware of the challenges and
     opportunities of the job prior to accepting the position." 
     Arrix went on to add that the Tour is hoping to have a CEO
     announcement by the end of the week (WTA Tour).
          THEN AGAIN, MAYBE I WON'T: In N.Y., Robin Finn called
     the news "an embarrassing setback for women's professional
     tennis."  While Clarson did not make his reasons public,
     "there were indications" that they "had to do with his
     reluctance to uproot his family from Florida, as well as a
     reluctance to assume control of a sport that will be without
     a sponsor at the end of 1998, is limited by its $10 million
     operating budget and is beleaguered by a rift" within its
     Players Association (Robin Finn, N.Y. TIMES, 1/7).  In FL,
     Laurie Casaday reports that Clarson's decision "was based"
     on the unsettled Board dispute, which he had the
     "understanding ... would be amicably resolved."  Clarson
     said he "presented a proposal that would settle" the
     conflict, but "it was rejected" (FLORIDA TIMES-UNION, 1/7). 
          TWO PLAYERS? In CONDE NAST SPORTS FOR WOMEN, Andrea
     Leand reports that "potential suitors" for title sponsorship
     of the WTA Tour, "include two multinational electronics
     companies" (CONDE NAST SPORTS FOR WOMEN, 1/98 issue).

          MLB's search for a commissioner "came into question"
     after Acting Commissioner Bud Selig "decided to cancel the
     regular quarterly meetings of owners scheduled for next week
     in Phoenix," according to Tom Haudricourt of the MILWAUKEE
     JOURNAL SENTINEL.  Committee meetings will take place as
     originally scheduled, but the joint session will be called
     off, "mainly because there are no pressing items on the
     agenda."  Haudricourt: "Despite that development, Selig
     insisted that the search for a new commissioner remained a
     priority."  Rockies Chair Jerry McMorris, head of the
     commissioner search committee, had "originally hoped to
     present candidates for the commissionership" to the owners'
     ruling Exec Council next week but "acknowledged that the
     process was behind schedule" (JOURNAL SENTINEL, 1/7).   In
     DC, Mark Maske reports that "the likelihood the Phoenix
     meeting will be canceled signals that the owners are still
     not prepared to move on the commissioner front."  Maske adds
     that "many" MLB officials mention NL President Len Coleman
     as a "top internal candidate" (WASHINGTON POST, 1/7).
          VOTE ON DODGERS DELAYED: Selig told USA TODAY's Bodley
     & Antonen that no decision had been made on cancelling the
     meetings and that the "alternative is to cancel the joint
     meetings and hold committee meetings."  Selig said a meeting
     of the Exec Council will be held regardless of any decision
     (USA TODAY, 1/7).  In L.A., Mike Digiovanna adds that the
     move delays News Corp.'s proposed purchase of the Dodgers.
     The Exec Council "will meet, as will the ownership
     committee, and there's a strong possibility the latter will
     make a recommendation" on the sale.  A "high-ranking" MLB
     official said the ownership committee "will have a long
     conversation about the Dodger sale ... and I don't expect it
     to fall through" (Mike Digiovanna, L.A. TIMES, 1/7).
          BEESTON'S BURDEN: MLB COO Paul Beeston is interviewed
     in BASEBALL AMERICA's "PowerBrokers" issue.  Beeston, asked
     to assess his new position: "Right now, and I'm not
     embarrassed to say it, it's a much bigger job than I thought
     it was going to be, and it's more of a complicated job than
     I thought it was going to be" (BASEBALL AMERICA, 1/19).     

          The NFL announced that paid attendance for the '97
     regular season was the second-highest total in NFL history. 
     Fans purchased 14,966,294 tickets to the NFL's 240 regular-
     season games in '97, representing paid attendance at 90%
     capacity.  This total was topped only by the 15,043,562 paid
     attendance record set in '95.  The league increased paid
     attendance 353,877 from last season.  The average regular-
     season attendance in '97 was 62,360, compared to 60,885 in
     '96, an increase of nearly 1,500 per game (NFL).  For final
     AFC regular-season attendance, see (#29).
          LABOR GAINS? On CNBC's "The Edge," Barbara Monaco 
     reported on the NFL's effort to extend its CBA with the
     NFLPA, and the impact that may have on its new TV deals:
     "The strategy for guaranteed labor peace is one that some
     analysts say could bring the NFL an extra $60 million
     increase in its TV contracts."  SportsCorp.'s Marc Ganis:
     "[They're talking about] not just doing a four-year [TV]
     deal, but also adding two three-year options, potentially
     making it a ten-year deal.  That raises the stakes for the
     networks to get in now."  Pilson Communications' Neal
     Pilson: "To project seven years out creates some
     extraordinary financial risks, and I don't know if the
     networks are prepared to do that" ("The Edge," 1/6).

               TOP FIVE NFL REGULAR-SEASON ATTENDANCES
          
          YEAR           ATTENDANCE     GAMES     AVERAGE
          1995           15,043,562     240       62,682
          1997           14,966,294     240       62,360
          1996           14,612,417     240       60,885    
          1994           14,030,435     224       62,636
          1993           13,966,843     224       62,352