BIG-MARKET TEAMS RENEW THEIR RADIO DEALS: METS, BEARS

     The Mets and WFAN-AM have agreed to a two-year extension of
their partnership.  The deal that expires this year paid the Mets
$28M over five years or $5.6M per year.  But since baseball and
the Mets are not "as hot as they once were," Phil Mushnick
reports that the new contract is for "considerably less money per
season" (N.Y. POST, 8/25).  In Chicago, the Bears decided to
renew with WGN-AM for three more years with the price as high as
$6M per year, making the Bears "easily the top NFL team in radio
revenue."  Infinity Broadcasting and Evergreen Media were
reportedly also in the bidding.  The Bears' current three-year
WGN deal is for $4.5M per year (Steve Nidetz, CHICAGO TRIBUNE,
8/25).