MCCOMBS LANDS VIKINGS: $205M BID TOPS TAYLOR'S $180M OFFER

          The Vikings' executive board, in a unanimous vote,
     chose San Antonio business exec Red McCombs' $205M offer to
     buy the team over three other bids on Thursday, according to
     Souhan & Banks of the Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE.  Vikings
     owners "chose McCombs' offer over one that two owners said
     came in at $208 million."  T-Wolves Owner Glen Taylor's bid
     was for $180M; "another unidentified investor bid less than
     Taylor."  Neither Las Vegas resident Shruti Misra nor a
     Midwestern group represented by sports entrepreneur Randy
     Vataha made a bid (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 7/3). Taylor:
     "I put in a bid that I was satisfied with and I think that
     he either wanted it more or felt that he could pay more, and
     I don't have a problem with that" (STAR TRIBUNE, 7/3).
          DETAILS: Souhan & Banks wrote that McCombs "agreed to
     language in the sales agreement that indicates he will keep
     the Vikings" in MN.  To move the team to San Antonio, he
     would have to break a Metrodome lease that runs through
     2012, and would incur a penalty of $29M "and incite
     litigation."  McCombs: "We're going to do what we can to
     make the team successful in Minnesota.  I will continue in
     every effort to see that San Antonio gets a team.  But that
     has nothing to do with the Minnesota Vikings."  McCombs paid
     $205M for the Vikings' stock, and will assume about $40M
     worth of debt and liabilities, making the total price of his
     bid $245M.  The Vikings plan to submit the sale for approval
     at the NFL's league's meetings on July 28 in Dallas (STAR
     TRIBUNE, 7/3).  The Vikings' debt "is expected to be
     substantially reduced in early September, when NFL teams
     receive their share of network TV money."  Team officials
     estimate that McCombs' actual debt by September will be $12-
     14M (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 7/4).
          NOTES: McCombs will travel to MN today to meet the
     Vikings' board and address the media (ST. PAUL PIONEER
     PRESS, 7/3)....In St. Paul, Charley Walters reported that
     McCombs Enterprises President Gary Woods "will oversee
     operation of the Vikings."  Woods said that no staff changes
     are immediately planned (PIONEER PRESS, 7/3)....The STAR
     TRIBUNE's Hartman wrote to "look for" Vikings CEO Roger
     Headrick "to wind up with an executive position in the NFL." 
     Headrick previously headed NFLP (STAR TRIBUNE, 7/3).