FRANCHISE NOTES

     Dallas businessman John Spano, who has tentatively agreed to
buy a majority interest in the Islanders from John Pickett, says
"Financing is not an issue" in the deal.  Spano said he has
"commitments" from two unnamed lenders, adding that South African
businessmen Douglas and G.J. DeJager, with whom he has been
involved in other deals, are not a part of the Islanders purchase
(Toronto GLOBE & MAIL, 10/19)....NHL Kings President Tim Leiweke,
on the problems he has encountered in selling the club since the
departure of Wayne Gretzky:  "Everything we did as an
organization was about Gretzky, not about the NHL or hockey.  The
minute Gretzky walked out the door, we looked around and realized
w never sold the sport" (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 10/20).