FRANCHISE NOTES

          New Isles Owner Steven Gluckstern was on the concourse
     during the Isles-Avalanche game Saturday exchanging
     Islanders items with the Fisherman logo for a free T-shirt. 
     More than 1,295 Islanders fans exchanged items (Jim Benton,
     ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS, 3/8)....The Stars have increased their
     season-ticket base from 6,500 in '95-'96, to 11,000 this
     season (STAR-TELEGRAM, 3/7)....NBC's Jim Gray interviewed
     Magic Johnson during the Pistons-Lakers game Sunday. 
     Johnson, asked why he is selling his stake in the Lakers:
     "Because I am managing athletes" ("NBA on NBC," 3/8).
     ...49ers co-Owner Eddie DeBartolo's brother-in-law, John
     York II, disputed a S.F. Chronicle report that Eddie
     DeBartolo "was trying to buy his sister's share of the
     team."  York: "The facts are not right" (Mult., 3/8).