SO YOU WANT TO OWN A SPORTS TEAM? WELL, HERE'S THE SKINNY

          In BUSINESS WEEK's "Personal Business" section, Dennis     Berman examines the procuring of pro sports teams, and     writes, "all told, nearly 60 smaller leagues operate in     traditional sports such as baseball and hockey, and in     growing niches including bicycling and roller hockey."      While "few teams clear an annual profit ... that doesn't     mean ownership is always a financial dead end."  Teams in a     "popular league" will usually appreciate in value, even if     they're not "profitable."  BUSINESS WEEK lists the average     price and operating cost of franchises in the CBA, National     Lacrosse League (NLL), Professional Bicycle League (PBL) and     the Roller Hockey League (RHL) (BUSINESS WEEK, 9/22).      
  
     
       
LEAGUE         AVG. NEW TEAM PRICE AVG. ANNUAL OPERATING COST
    
  
  
     
CBA
    
       
$1M
    
    
       
$1.7M
    
  
  
     
NLL
    
       
$250,000         
    
    
       
$700,000         
    
  
  
     
PBL
    
       
$50,000         
    
    
       
$100,000         
    
  
  
     
RHI
    
       
$500,000         
    
    
       
$700,000