FRANCHISE NOTES

          Devil Rays Exec VP/Marketing Mike Veeck, on singer
     Jimmy Buffett's interest in joining the Devil Rays ownership
     group: "It's 100% up to him.  It would be fun and bring a
     nice element to the group" (TAMPA TRIBUNE, 1/22)....The A's
     are "aiming to boost attendance with a youthful, exciting
     and 'cool' image" through a series of TV commercials themed
     "Generation A's," created by newly hired agency Foote, Cone
     & Belding (OAKLAND TRIBUNE, 1/23)....In DC, Thomas Boswell
     wrote that after the Redskins were sold "fair and square" to
     Isles co-Owner Howard Milstein and MD business exec Daniel
     Snyder, the NFL "is delaying" the process.  Boswell: "The
     Redskins are being held hostage by what appears to be frat-
     house shenanigans among owners who don't want John Cooke
     kicked out of their lodge" (WASHINGTON POST, 1/23).