WILL BLAZERS PURCHASE HURT IHL BLADES' CHANCES TO MOVE?

          The CHL's OK City Blazers were sold by Horn Chen and
     Brad Lund to local "billionaire" Robert Funk, according to
     Howard Richman of the K.C. STAR, who noted that the team is
     "now fully owned by local interests."  The deal means that
     the IHL K.C. Blades' effort to move to OK City "just might
     have gotten a little bit tougher," as proposals from the IHL
     and the Blazers "on why each thinks it best suits the
     future" of OK City are due to City Manager Glenn Deck today. 
     It is "presumed" that the Blades will move to the city, if
     the IHL "gets the nod when the city council votes after the
     holidays on who makes the best proposal."  But Funk "hopes
     his ownership will make the Blazers' stance more solid in
     the eyes" of the city council (K.C. STAR, 12/14).  In OK,
     Bill Kramer reported that the Blazers' purchase price was
     "not revealed, though estimates are the team is worth
     roughly" $10M.  CHL Commissioner Thom Berry said that losing
     the Blazers "would cripple the league" (OKLAHOMAN, 12/14).