HOW LOW CAN THEY GO: BLUE JAYS IN BUDGET LIMBO FOR '99

          Blue Jays Owner Interbrew "has yet to set" the team's
     '99 budget "because it wants to renegotiate a lease with its
     SkyDome partners," putting the club "in budget limbo at a
     critical time in the off-season," according to Geoff Baker
     of the TORONTO STAR.  The team doesn't expect a budget to be
     set until next month, a delay "that could impact its desire
     to improve through trades or to sign free-agent players." 
     Interbrew, which owns 49% of the SkyDome, "wants a higher
     take on money generated by the stadium to offset huge losses
     by the Jays."  According to sources, the team lost US$30M in
     '97 and have said that they will lose US$40M this year. But
     despite Interbrew's efforts, Baker reports that SkyDome
     partners Penfund, the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce and
     Controlled Media Communications "are said to be unwilling to
     give in to Interbrew's demands" (TORONTO STAR, 10/27).