CITY BEING CHARGED FOR CHARGERS' EMPTY SEATS

          The city of San Diego "is losing more money than it
     banked on" due to an agreement with the Chargers to
     "guarantee" that an average of 60,000 tickets will be sold
     for every home game, according to Braun & Millican of the
     SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE.  After two seasons under the
     "controversial" deal, which was struck between city
     officials and Chargers Owner Alex Spanos, the city
     "projects" it will have issued $3.85M in rent credits to the
     Chargers -- $2.55M from this year and $1.3M from last year. 
     These figures, which take into account the city's costs when
     it buys tickets for free distribution, put the city's losses
     "considerably ahead of the pace" originally predicted in
     '96.  The city will buy 16,000 tickets for Sunday's game vs.
     the Eagles, it's largest amount yet (UNION-TRIBUNE, 10/13).