DO NBA RATINGS INCREASE W/WHITE ATHLETES' PLAYING TIME?

          A 23-page academic investigation led by MN-based
     Carleton College's economics department concludes that "the
     more and longer white players are on the court during an NBA
     game, the higher" the TV ratings are in NBA cities,
     according to Jay Weiner of the Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE. 
     The study, by Associate Professor Mark Kanazawa and Chicago-
     based economist, and Carleton alum, Jonas Funk, reviewed
     Nielsen TV ratings, analyzing 259 local NBA games.  The
     economists concluded that every additional 10 minutes of
     playing time by a white player increases a team's local
     ratings by, on average, .4 points, or by about 5,800 homes
     in the Twin Cities market.  But T-Wolves officials dismissed
     the study, and Exec Dir of Communications Charley Frank
     pointed to the fact that the T-Wolves' game against the
     Jazz, "perhaps the NBA's whitest team," drew only a 2.9
     rating, one of the lowest of the year (STAR TRIBUNE, 4/19).