EXTREME AND HIP SPORTS STARTING TO LURE SPONSORS

     New "rad" sports such as rockclimbing and mountain biking
are turning into "moneymaking ventures, replete with big chunks
of sponsors' cash," according to Stefan Fatsis in this morning's
WALL STREET JOURNAL.  Fatsis details several alternative sports
and their sponsors, writing that they "represent an inexpensive
way to stand out and reach a highly targeted audience" not
interested in traditional sports, such as football, baseball, and
golf.  Tom Hagel, ESPN's VP of Business Development, said the
"concentration of young men is unbelievable" in mountain biking
and in-line skating.  Fastis reports that the attraction of
alternative sports "is all about to get bigger" with ESPN's
Extreme Games, for which ESPN has sold out its six top
sponsorships for about $1M apiece (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 5/12).