FRANCHISE NOTES

          Red Wings holdout Sergei Fedorov signed an offer sheet
     with the Hurricanes, and the NEWS & OBSERVER's Steve Politi
     writes that for a team "that's already going to lose more
     than" $25M this year, "the deal," six years, $38M, "is mind-
     boggling."  Politi: "It's a bold -- and very expensive --
     move by a struggling team that's attempting to generate
     excitement in a new market" (NEWS & OBSERVER, 2/19)....In
     Nashville, country music stars Tim McGraw and Faith Hill
     will co-host Hockey Tonk Jam March 4 for the NHL expansion
     Predators, the "next push" by the team to meet NHL season-
     ticket and suite requirements.  The Predators will invite
     more than 2,000 corporations that have yet to buy season
     tickets (BANNER, 2/18)....49ers co-Owner Edward DeBartolo
     Jr.'s legal troubles are examined in a front-page feature in
     the WALL STREET JOURNAL.  With DeBartolo facing a possible
     indictment over a LA gaming license, lawyers for the
     government "won't say whether they are willing to enter into
     settlement talks, which might open a way for Mr. DeBartolo
     to return to his beloved 49ers" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 2/19).