INSIDE MEDIA NEWS & NOTES: NBC GOLF SWINGING INTO SEASON

          NBC has sold out "virtually all" commercial time for
     the U.S. Open four months beforehand, according to Langdon
     Brockinton in INSIDE MEDIA.  Advertisers include Xerox,
     United Air Lines, Nike, MasterCard and "several companies"
     in the financial services field.  "Many" 30-second spots on
     Saturday's coverage went for $110-115,000 apiece, while some
     of the Sunday units went for "about" $135,000-150,000.  
          EASY RYDER: NBC has also signed a Ryder Cup sponsorship
     deal with Ping that gives the golf club manufacturer a
     presence on the network's broadcasts of the '99 and 2001
     Cups. As the exclusive golf club advertiser, Ping has
     secured half the ad time allotted to the golf equipment
     category on those broadcasts. NBC "is close" to finalizing a
     deal with Coopers & Lybrand for the '99 and 2001 Ryder Cups. 
          GLOBAL GAME: The PGA Tour will help create three new
     internationally based events for '99, but it has "yet to be
     determined" how or when the TV rights negotiations for those
     tournaments will be handled (INSIDE MEDIA, 2/13).