SMALL SOCCER RETAILERS STRUGGLE IN MEGASTORE MARKET

     While soccer is "booming" among kids, many soccer stores are
"struggling just to compete," according to the WALL STREET
JOURNAL.  The fact that more than 18 million people play soccer
in America, and nearly three million people age 18 or younger are
on teams or in organizations, has encouraged entrepreneurs to
open between 600 and 1,000 soccer specialty stores.  But this has
also encouraged catalog retailers and sporting goods "megastores"
to target soccer "more aggressively than ever."  Roger Ricklefs
writes the "megastore phenomenon" has hurt small specialty
stores, but soccer stores, in particular, are noticing a
"dramatic change" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 8/13).
     SOCCER'S MICHAEL JORDAN?  AC Milan's George Weah, the '95
FIFA World Player of the Year, has retained Chicago-based Edge
Sports International, Inc. to handle all commercial endorsements,
p.r. and global promotions (ESI).