MARKETPLACE ROUND-UP

          AGENCY NEWS: CT-based Phoenix Home Life Mutual
     Insurance Co. has retained Cronin & Co., Hartford, to
     develop and execute a regional publicity campaign to promote
     the Phoenix/ATP Tour World Doubles Championships (Cronin &
     Co.)....AD AGE reports that the NY-based Nat'l Thoroughbred
     Racing Association will hear presentations from BBDO South,
     Atlanta; D'Arcy Masius Benton & Bowles, L.A.; Merkley Newman
     Harty, N.Y.; and the Richards Group, Dallas, for a $15M
     awareness campaign....In other agency news, FootLocker has
     "contacted" agencies about its $25M account "and is setting
     up meetings."  The retailer was to split the business, "but
     has now decided" to name one firm (AD AGE, 9/15).
          SPONSORSHIPS: The A-10 and Asics Tiger have signed a
     one-year deal for Asics Tiger to be title sponsor of the A-
     10's men's and women's cross country championships (A-
     10)....Franklin Sports has signed a two-year deal as a
     Silver-Level Official Sponsor and Supplier for USA Hockey's
     grassroots, national and int'l programs (USA Hockey).
          MERCHANDISE: Foxboro Stadium's Pro Shop sold 400 "Can
     the Tuna" t-shirts at $14.95 during the first ten days they
     were available (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 9/14)....ABL Reign GM Jim
     Weyermann, on the team's merchandise partnership with the
     Sonics' Full House Sports and Entertainment: "This gives us
     an instant statewide distribution network.  Last year, we
     didn't even have the capital to invest in the inventory to
     put on the shelves" (SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER, 9/12).