The Internet as a commercial medium is "both broad and
narrow at the same time -- capable of reaching millions of
people, but also able to target an audience more precisely than
any other," writes Warren Wilson in the SEATTLE POST-
INTELLIGENCER.  Wilson, who notes that U.S. companies may hit the
$1B mark in Web advertising by 2000, reports that a WebTrack
Information Services survey estimates advertisers spent $12.4M on
the Web in the fourth quarter of '95, with more than 175 sites
seeking advertisers and more than 250 active advertisers.
Netscape, Lycos, InfoSeek, Yahoo, Pathfinder and ESPNET
SportsZone are the top Web ad sources.       SPORTSZONE UNIQUE:
Among those large internet advertising publishers, SportsZone "is
notable in a couple of respects," writes Wilson.  ESPN's internet
site charges rates "higher than most" because it is "is one of
few top publishers that are 'content driven,'" keeping users
involved in the page longer.  Rich LeFurgy, Advertising Dir at
Starwave, producer of SportsZone, notes the average ESPNET
browser stays 13 minutes.  LeFurgy:  "Our users are more involved
in the content. ...We think our impressions are more valuable."
Starwave charges $100,000 for a three-month "sponsorship" on
SportsZone, compared with $30,000 on Time Warner's Pathfinder or
$60,000 on Yahoo or Lycos.  As for traffic, Starwave reports
930,000 visits per week on the SportsZone site, with an estimated
95% of the visitors male.  LeFurgy:  "That's just unheard of in
traditional media."
     WHO'S DOING THE ADVERTISING?  The WebTrack survey reports
that 2/3 of those advertising on the Internet are computer
companies, service or telecommunications companies. But Wilson
writes, "More and more firms ... are signing up."  ESPNET
features ads from companies such as Pizza Hut, Levi Strauss and
AT&T (SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER, 1/3).

     IEG reports that "some 77% of marketing sponsorships stemmed
from an organization (such as a sports or non-profit group)"
approaching a corporation (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 1/4)....The
Dallas agency of Levenson & Hill will handle advertising,
marketing and P.R. for the MLS Dallas Burn (N.Y. TIMES,
1/4)....Adidas ran a full-page ad in this morning's USA TODAY
congratulating Nebraska on its National Championship with the
simple message: "Repeat" (USA TODAY, 1/4)....Three Rivers Stadium
has inked a deal with Entry Media to add Turnstile AdSleeves
advertising (Entry Media)....Grolier Publishing Co. and Sports
Media Inc. will team to produce a 40-volume set of biographies of
star professional athletes from football, basketball, hockey,
baseball and other sports, including Steve Young, Hakeem Olajuwon
and Mo Vaughn (Sports Media)....Beverage companies are expected
to report earnings increases between 5-15% for the fourth quarter
(WALL STREET JOURNAL, 1/4)....Meanwhile, PepsiCo disputes a
report by Coca-Cola Co. that it sold a billion more cases in the
U.S. in '95 than PepsiCo -- the first time the gap has been so
large.  Coca-Cola had a 86 million case lead in '94 (ATLANTA
CONSTITUTION, 1/4).... Wendy's has purchased Canadian donut chain
Tim Hortons, a major hockey advertiser, for $450M.  Wendy's plans
to increase the number of Tim Hortons from 1,170 to more than
5,800 (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 1/4)...."ET's" Mary Hart profiled Chris
Elliott's live Tostitos commercial aired during halftime from the
Fiesta Bowl.  The commercial cost $500,000 to make and is
believed to be the first live ad of its kind.  Hart:  "The
football game was a runaway by the second quarter, as we all now
know.  So, the only suspense at last night's Tostitos Fiesta Bowl
was whether Chris Elliott would be able to bring off a live TV
commercial at halftime" (ET, 1/3)...."NBR's" Paul Kangas noted
Sports Authority stock dropped 7.4% (1 1/2 shares) yesterday.  A
company spokesperson had no comment ("Nightly Business Report,"
PBS, 1/3)....David Letterman, on the commercialization of the
Fiesta Bowl:  "At one point the guy in the booth said No. 96 is
down with a Tostitos groin pull" ("Late Show," CBS, 1/3).

     Nike and the PGA Tour have extended the sponsorship
agreement for the Nike Tour through the year 2000.  The Nike Tour
was founded in '90, with Nike becoming a title sponsor in '92.
Nike Tour alumni produced seven wins on the PGA Tour during the
'94 season and six in '95 (PGA Tour).

     The Bucs will keep their Florida Orange based jerseys for
the '96 season, team President Rich McKay told this morning's ST.
PETERSBURG TIMES.  McKay said NFL Properties has done some market
surveys in the Tampa area to help come up with a new uniform
design, but that the uncertainty of the team's stadium situation
has moved a uniform change down on the club's agenda.  McKay: "I
don't necessarily see any resolution, at least for a little
while" (ST. PETERSBURG TIMES, 1/4).  Bucs players had planned to
"make a fashion statement" during their final home game by
wearing orange pants and orange tops, but were foiled when LB
Hardy Nickerson told management ("SportsCenter," ESPN, 1/2).
     PACKERS AND STEELERS HOT:  NFL Dir of Corporate
Communications Chris Widmaier said NFL Properties reports the
"two markets selling the most merchandise since the end of the
regular season" are playoff teams Pittsburgh and Green Bay (Bob
Wolfley, MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL, 1/4).

     A CO-based marketing company has filed suit against the
Rockies claiming the team stole their idea for a dinosaur team
mascot.  This morning's Colorado Springs GAZETTE-TELEGRAPH
reports that Akmad of Aurora, CO, claims they pitched the idea
for a dinosaur mascot to be launched Opening Day from a giant egg
in the fall of '93, only to be rebuffed by the team.  The club
then debuted "Dinger," its dinosaur mascot, in a similar egg-
breaking ceremony on Opening Day '94.  When Akmad complained,
they were informed that "the Rockies investigated the matter and
determined that the Rockies' mascot was created in New York by an
independent subcontractor" in association with MLB Properties.
The firm claims to have copyrighted the "Colorado Rockiesaurus" -
- the name they gave to their dinosaur -- in February '94, and
that the team violated that copyright (AP/Colorado Springs
GAZETTE-TELEGRAPH, 1/4).