Nike plans to be on the Internet next year with a World
Wide Web site that it "hopes will evolve into a digital
entertainment network" by the year 2000, according to Jeff
Jensen of ADVERTISING AGE. Nike is conducting a review
involving up to ten agencies, including Organic Online and
Red Sky Interactive, which worked on the site Nike created
for the '96 Summer Olympics. It appears Nike is looking to
the Web as a "shortcut" to a TV network. Liz Dolan, Nike
VP/Global Marketing Communications: "We plan to treat our
Web site as if it were a TV network. We want to be online
with sports entertainment and original programming." Nike
Chair Phil Knight: "The opportunities on the Internet are
available to almost everybody, but no one's doing a great
job. In theory, our plans are great. It's another question
as to whether we can succeed (AD AGE, 12/16).
ONLINE NEWS & NOTES: FORBES profiles Starwave's
Geoffrey Reiss, who launched ESPNET SportsZone, NFL.com,
NBA.com and NASCAR Online. Possibly sites coming up for
Reiss could include Formula One racing or soccer (FORBES,
12/30 issue)....NBC Sports and Golf Digest have created the
First Annual Golf.com Awards. The awards will honor golf's
best players and feats of '96, and will be determined
exclusively by a vote of golf fans on golf.com (NBC Sports).
