In Tampa, Smith & Richardson report that the AFL Storm
are moving to Oklahoma City "barring a last-minute snag."
But NHL Lightning President Ron Campbell said that Palace
Sports & Entertainment, which owns the Ice Palace, applied
for an expansion team last week "in the event the Storm
move" (TAMPA TRIBUNE, 8/17)....BSkyB "will reportedly"
purchase a 9.9% interest in the Leeds United soccer club
this week "in what could be the first of several such
deals." The stake "is thought to be worth about" $12M. If
the deal goes through, BSkyB would have to decrease its
ownership stake of Manchester United, as it's prohibited
from having more than a 9.9% stake in another team (DAILY
VARIETY, 8/17)....In San Jose, Jody Meacham wrote that last
week's trade of Clash F Jeff Baicher, the team's second-
leading scorer, to the Revolution "raises conflict-of-
interest issues regarding teams operated by the same
investors trading with each other." Both teams are operated
by MA-based Kraft Sports Group. Meacham: "Could this be a
deal to help New England, the Kraft franchise with the best
chance at the playoffs?" (SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS,
8/15)....Univ. of Houston men's basketball coach Clyde
Drexler tells the AUSTRALIAN that he may be interested in
team ownership. Drexler: "I want to have a vested interest
in a team that I believe in. A team like the Rockets or the
Blazers would be awesome" (THE AUSTRALIAN, 8/17)....The NPSL
Board of Dirs approved the sale of the Detroit Rockers to a
group led by Robert VanHellemont, President & CEO of
VariLease Corp., a nat'l high-technology equipment leasing
company based in MI (NPSL). No decision has been "made on a
home" for the Rockers, but NPSL Commissioner Steve Paxos
said that Joe Louis Arena and the Palace of Auburn Hills
were "under consideration" (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 8/17).
