FRANCHISE NOTES

     ESPN's Chris Mortensen reported that new CBS college
football analyst Terry Donahue is said to be Cardinals Owner Bill
Bidwill's "first choice" to replace Buddy Ryan. Mortensen
reported the hiring of Terry Donohue "makes even more sense"
given that NFL owners are speculating that "Bidwill will sell
part of the team to L.A. investors for an eventual move to Los
Angeles" ("NFL Prime Monday Special," ESPN, 1/27)....In Boston,
Kevin Paul Dupont notes one reason for all the personnel changes
in Ottawa is a season-ticket base of "only" 9,200.  The "lack of
demand" also caused management to "rethink its price structure on
some of the high-end tickets," cutting C$85 seats to C$75 and
C$80 seats to C$67.50 (BOSTON GLOBE, 1/28)....Devil Rays Owner
Vince Naimoli said they have expressed an interest in hosting the
'99 All-Star Game, but can't make a "formal bid until they are
assigned to the AL."  Milwaukee, KC and Boston are also
interested (Marc Topkin, ST. PETERSBURG TIMES, 1/28).