A "leading civil rights activist has dropped efforts to
     help" the Red Sox negotiate a settlement with a former
     employee who says he was the target of racial harassment
     from co-workers, "accusing the team of failing to deal in
     good faith," according to Adrian Walker of the BOSTON GLOBE. 
     Rev. Charles Stith, President of the Organization for a New
     Equality, said that he was asked by attorneys for the former
     employee, Thomas Sneed, to try to mediate the dispute.  But
     Stith said that he was "rebuffed" by the Red Sox when he
     approached team CEO John Harrington about settling.
     According to Stith, he and Harrington discussed the case for
     about a week "before Harrington told him he would rather go
     to court than settle" (Adrian Walker, BOSTON GLOBE, 1/31).

          ATTENDANCE: The ABL Colorado Xplosion set a franchise
     attendance record Sunday by playing before 13,489 at
     McNichols Sports Arena (DENVER POST, 2/2)....The ABL Lasers
     set a team record when 12,396 attended Friday's game against
     the Glory at the San Jose Arena (S.F. EXAMINER, 1/31)....A
     record 19,804 attended the new Oakland Coliseum Arena Friday
     for the Bulls-Warriors (S.F. EXAMINER, 1/31)....The Bruins
     played before their first sellout of the season Saturday
     against the Rangers at FleetCenter (JOURNAL-BULLETIN, 2/1). 
     

          Six members of the L.A. City Council on Friday "joined
     in a motion calling for a legal review to ensure that"
     Council member Nate Holden's "quixotic quest" to bring the
     Raiders back to L.A. doesn't provoke a lawsuit against the
     city, according to Beth Shuster of the L.A. TIMES.  Holden:
     "Six councilmen are not going to shut me up.  The people
     have the right to know the truth."  Holden argues that
     Raiders Owner Al Davis "is close to settling a lawsuit with
     the NFL, which will grant him rights to any pro football
     franchise in the Los Angeles media market."  But NFL Dir of
     Communications Greg Aiello said, "The idea that a settlement
     was imminent was not the opinion of our attorneys.  I don't
     believe there's been any change in that" (L.A. TIMES, 1/31).

          The Pirates expect to decide within a month whether to
     go ahead with a public offering, according to Tom Barnes of
     the PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE.  Pirates Owner Kevin McClatchy:
     "Right now, I think the timing is pretty good."  The team is
     working with different investment firms to analyze potential
     interest in a stock offering.  McClatchy said that the
     proposed stock would "fluctuate in value, increasing or
     decreasing if the total value of the team changed." 
     McClatchy: "If the team ever was sold, (stockholders) would
     gain in the appreciation."  Shareholders wouldn't have
     voting control of the team (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 1/30).
          

          The NHL Predators have targeted some 400 businesses "in
     their third-period surge to sell the 12,000 season tickets
     needed by March 31 to become a full" NHL franchise,
     according to Jim Molpus of the NASHVILLE BANNER.  The team
     plans to sell roughly two-thirds of the 12,000 season
     tickets needed -- 8,000 -- to businesses "as a marketing and
     benefit tool."  The remaining 4,000 will be made up of
     individual ticket buyers, "and Predators sources say they
     are at or very near that goal already."  Roughly 4,000-4,500
     season tickets need to be sold over the next two months,
     "the vast majority" to Nashville's business community.  A
     brochure distributed by the team to area businesses includes
     phrases such as, "It's Time to STICK UP for Nashville."  The
     brochure stresses the team's need for corporate support, and
     reminds businesses that if the deadline is not met "the
     franchise could be pulled" (NASHVILLE BANNER, 1/30).  

          A "three-way scrap over who should pocket" the NHL
     Oilers' "slice of NHL expansion pie has become the main
     stumbling block in hammering out a sale," a "key" source
     tells Bernard Pilon of the EDMONTON SUN.  Existing Oilers
     Owner Peter Pocklington feels the $12.3M expansion payout is
     his "because he voted to let the league expand."  But
     Alberta Treasury Branches, which is now effectively running
     the team, feels it should get the money.  And potential
     local Oilers buyers want the money "because they'll be
     running things once cheques are issued."  NHL Commissioner
     Gary Bettman offered to split the payout between the groups,
     but no agreement has been reached (EDMONTON SUN, 2/2).