FRANCHISE NOTES

          MLB: In St. Paul, Charley Walters reports that Twins
     Owner Carl Pohlad has told a "prominent" Twins player that a
     move to Charlotte "appears likely" (PIONEER PRESS, 7/10).
     ...In S.F., C.W. Nevius, on the A's: "In the next six
     months, expect to see a serious evaluation of the option of
     a move to a new ballpark in the San Jose/Santa Clara area. 
     The Giants swear the A's can't move the team to the South
     Bay, but if someone down in Silicon Valley wants to step up,
     the A's are convinced they can win that battle, either in
     the courts or in [MLB'S] inner circle" (S.F. EXAMINER, 7/9).
          HOCKEY: Penguins co-Owner Roger Marino said that
     progress was made during Wednesday's meeting with NHL
     Commissioner Gary Bettman toward "cutting an owner out of"
     the team's equation.  But Marino believes that he and co-
     Owner Howard Baldwin "can work together if we can't resolve
     this" (TRIBUNE-REVIEW, 7/9)....The completion of Alfred
     Williams' $117M deal to buy the Lightning and its Ice Palace
     lease is "expected today" (ST. PETERSBURG TIMES, 7/10).
          NOTES: In St. Paul, Charley Walters reports that former
     Vikings owners "[h]oping to buy back" into the team under
     new Owner Red McCombs are Jim Binger, Jim Jundt, Phil Maas,
     Betty MacMillan and Wheelock Whitney (PIONEER PRESS, 7/10).
     Suns GM Bryan Colangelo is joining several players in their
     "call" for a new charter plane from America West, citing
     "safety concerns raised by flight attendants and mechanics"
     that led the FAA to place America West on "troubled air
     carrier status" (AZ REPUBLIC, 7/10)...The new Nashville ABL
     team will be called the Noise.  The team unveiled its name
     and logo at a ceremony marking the official launch of its
     season ticket sales campaign (Nashville Noise).