NUMBERS FUZZY, BUT SYDNEY GAMES MAY BE PRICIEST TIX YET

          The cost of tickets to the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games
     "could be the highest ever for a summer Olympics," according
     to AROUND THE RINGS.  The cost will depend on "how many
     tickets are actually put up for sale -- and how much SOCOG
     realistically expects to make from ticket sales," but an
     analysis of numbers from a '98 SOCOG media guide shows that
     ticket prices could average $54.  But since SOCOG's
     estimated number of tickets it will sell has risen in the
     past few months, the average could end up being A$57, which
     would be "about equal" to Atlanta's price in '96 (ATR,3/12).
          BREAKING EVEN: Although expenses for the Nagano Games
     "far exceeded initial estimates," officials say they "appear
     to have generated enough revenue to offset the costs,"
     according to an AP report.  Nagano government spokesperson
     Hidehiko Arai said operating expenses are "expected to
     reach" $843.4M, but that costs will be "offset by strong
     ticket sales and higher-than-expected revenue from
     sponsorship contracts" (AP/BOSTON GLOBE, 3/18).