DRILLING FOR DOLLARS: OILERS LOOK FOR STRONG RENEWAL NUMBERS

          The NHL Oilers "must sell 13,000 season tickets by May
     31 to qualify" for $2.5M from the NHL's currency
     equalization fund, according to Bill Mah of the EDMONTON
     JOURNAL.  This is the "third straight year the team has
     tried for the money" designed to help small-market Canadian
     teams.  Last year, fans bought 424 tickets on the final day
     to pass the 13,000 mark.  The Oilers currently have 13,300
     ticket holders, and are asking them to deposit $100 per seat
     and $250 for new accounts before the deadline.  Mah writes
     that while renewal rates "have been high," averaging more
     than 90% over the past three years, "a loss of 10 percent
     would hurt the team" (EDMONTON JOURNAL, 4/17).