RAPTORS HOPE MOVE TO AIR CANADA HAS THEM OFF ENDANGERED LIST

          The Raptors, who this season had the second worst
     record in the NBA, "took a battering at the box office as
     well as on the court," according to Doug Smith of the
     TORONTO STAR.  The team's average attendance of 16,469 this
     year was down almost 1,800 from last year's 18,267 average,
     a decease of "nearly" 10%.  It was the second-straight year
     of declining attendance for the Raptors, who averaged a
     crowd of 23,179 during their inaugural '95-'96 campaign. 
     Team officials said that they were "not too alarmed" by the
     dropoff, "given the team's sorry performance" and the "ill-
     suited" SkyDome.  While the team is not obligated to release
     financial numbers, President Richard Peddie said that the
     team "hits [its] plan" in budgetary matters.  Smith adds
     that team execs expect next season's move to the new Air
     Canada Centre will "help stop the slide" and "an improved
     product on the court will also help" (TORONTO STAR, 4/21).