MIAMI WNBA TEAM FEELS PRESSURE OF LEAGUE'S SALES DEADLINE

          The Heat's "Don't Drop the Ball" campaign is nearing an
     end, and Miami "remains in danger of losing the handle" on
     its WNBA expansion franchise, according to Juan Rodriguez of
     the MIAMI HERALD.  On Thursday, the team will announce its
     latest season-ticket sales number, which is "expected to be
     just over the 3,500 mark."  The league mandates that the
     team sell 5,500 tickets by October 15.  The team's Senior
     Dir of Operations Kim Stone said, "It's the timeline that's
     troubling, not the fact that we don't think there's support. 
     We feel real good about the direction we're headed. ... Our
     concern is we have to get to 5,500 by Oct. 15."  To help
     "spark sales," the team has purchased ad time on local radio
     stations and on cable networks such as MTV, Lifetime and
     Nickelodeon.  Stone has also "employed the public speaking
     services" of Heat President/coach Pat Riley.  While the team
     has not named a coach, its "key selling point is the price"
     of the ticket packages (MIAMI HERALD, 9/22).