The auto racing industry has formed "A Coalition for
Entertainment in Sports Sponsorship" to research efforts by
government agencies and other groups that are in support of
outlawing cigarette companies from auto racing, according to Ira
Teinowitz and Jeff Jensen in AD AGE.  While the Justice
Department has yet to address auto racing, officials from the
sport are staying abreast of the issue.  NASCAR Media Coordinator
Kevin Triplett:  "Any time this topic comes up, we obviously take
great interest because of our affiliation with a tobacco company"
(ADVERTISING AGE, 6/12 issue).

     Churchill Downs has become a "test market" for tracks
nationwide by using the marketing device of ticket advertising to
attract corporate sponsors, according to Ameet Sachdev of the
LEXINGTON HERALD.  Tickets in the last month "have carried
coupons" for $.03 off a gallon of gas at SuperAmerica or a
discount pizza at Papa John's.  Churchill Downs Dir of Marketing
Larry Sinclair:  "When I walk around the track, I've noticed
people hanging onto tickets."  The track offered the ticket ads
as part of a weekly sponsorship package, where for "five days of
racing each week, a company's logo will appear in Churchill's
ads, in the track program, on a 25-foot sign over the tote board
and on the shirts won by track gate attendants."  The sponsorship
costs $40,000.  Response Advertising Systems in suburban Chicago
approached the track with the idea last year, and Divisional
Manager Joe Scurto said "the tickets have the highest impact at
the track of any medium available because they go right into
people's hands" (LEXINGTON HERALD, 6/13).

     Hakeem Olajuwon will "pitch Uncle Ben's rice under a
promotional deal with Mars, Inc."  Ralph Greene, Exec VP of
Barakaat Holdings, Ltd., Olajuwon's investment company, said the
deal was for three years and will be in the "high six-figures."
It will also include endorsements of "other unspecified Mars food
products."  Olajuwon said in a statement that "this relationship
marks a major milestone in my career, because having grown up
eating Uncle Ben's rice in Nigeria, I now get the chance to work
with this outstanding company" (AP/MINNEAPOLIS STAR TRIBUNE,
6/14).

     NBA Properties has announced that Sports Specialties was
awarded the exclusive license to manufacture and market the
official cap of the '95 NBA Draft, held in Toronto, June 28.
Each player drafted will be outfitted with a lid when greeting
Commissioner David Stern (NBA)....Nintendo of America announced
they will not attend January's Winter Consumer Electronics Show
in Las Vegas, and instead participate in the Interactive Digital
Software Association in L.A. in May.  Nintendo is "generally one
of the larger exhibitors at the Las Vegas show" (AD AGE ONLINE,
6/14).... McCann-Erickson forecaster Bob Coen believes U.S. ad
spending will rise 7.9% to $161.86B in '95.  Looking ahead to '96
he said the Atlanta Games and the Presidential election would
contribute to an 8% gain to close to $175B (AD AGE ONLINE,
6/14)....Holiday Inn today opens a World Wide Web site that links
users directly to their reservations system (AD AGE ONLINE,
6/14)....Little Caesars goes national soon with its push into the
home delivery business (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 6/14)....MLB is
trying to help businesses owned by minorities and women "get in
on" All-Star Game merchandising.  Qualifying businesses can
compete to sell official merchandise without going through the
"time-consuming application process."  MLBP Licensing Supervisor
Diedra Varona:  "It's just basically to open up our doors to
these vendors, give them the opportunity to work for baseball"
(FORT WORTH STAR TELEGRAM, 6/14).... Kareem Abdul-Jabbar kicked
off the '95 Bank of America Jammin' Hoops Camp program while
announcing the program's expansion into six western states.  Each
camp has instruction from current and former NBA players
encouraging students to stay in school, and off drugs (Bank of
America).

     Despite the work stoppages in two sports, sales of sports
logo clothing increased 1% to $2.57B in '94, up from $2.55B the
previous year, according to a report from the National Sporting
Goods Association.  The boost was due to a 19% growth in consumer
purchases of logo clothing for "other sports" and a 4% increase
in the purchase of "school logo" clothing.  This gain helped
offset the more than 5% decline in sales of logo clothing from
MLB, NBA, NFL, and NHL.  Tom Doyle, Dir of Information and
Research at NSGA, expects "modest growth" in '95, but believes it
"may take another year for the market to regain the momentum of
two years ago."  The four majors saw declines in every category
in '94, while jackets, t-shirts and hats in the "school" category
showed the largest increases.  "Other" sport logos include
celebrities and pro logos other than MLB, NBA, NHL, and NFL.
"School" includes high school and college (NSGA).
          FOOTWEAR FAILS TO MOVE FORWARD:  NSGA also reports that
     a decline in average prices for almost all athletic and
     sport footwear kept retail sales unchanged from '93, at
     $7.8B.  The largest increases were in sports sandals
     (+106%), hiking shoes (47%), and cross training shoes
     (+25%).  "Walking shoes" saw sales decline 5% (NSGA).
          NEVER LEAVE HOME WITHOUT NASCAR:  NASCAR Properties
     will be featured at the NSGA World Sports Expo '95, to be
     held July 16-18 in Chicago, where patrons will be able to
     see some of the newest NASCAR licensed products, and ask
     questions to NASCAR licensees (NSGA).