NEW ARENA MAY NOT KEEP SPURS ABOVE WATER

     The Spurs say even a city-financed stadium may not be enough
to "keep its financial nose above water," reports Charlotte-Anne
Lucas of the San Antonio EXPRESS-NEWS.  With a small corporate
community, a small population base and few affluent households,
the Spurs may have to tap all those resources to offset
"dramatically escalating player salaries."  A report by Stafford
Sports Ventures concluded the Spurs must sell 50 luxury boxes at
an average of $75,000 each and 2,000 club seats for $75 per game
or $3,075 a season in a new arena in order to stay financially
afloat.  Though playoff revenue, which reached $4.5M last season,
will help pay off the Spurs' anticipated $3.5M in losses in '96,
President & CEO Jack Diller feels by '98, playoff money will be
unable to offset losses, and the Spurs' "ability to borrow money
will run out" (San Antonio EXPRESS-NEWS, 3/17).