MLB: Walt Disney Chair Michael Eisner and Edison CEO
     John Bryson jointly announced the naming of Edison
     International Field of Anaheim yesterday (Edison).  The deal
     represents a 20-year, $2.5M total sponsorship package
     (Barbara Kingsley, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, 9/16). 
          NHL: The Kiel Center plans to sell naming rights to the
     arena.  Clark Enterprises Chair Jerry Ritter hopes to have
     the new name "in place" by the start of the '98-99 hockey
     season (ST. LOUIS BUSINESS JOURNAL, 9/15 issue). ...KC-based
     Heinlein + Schrock Architecture has been selected to design
     Nationwide Arena - the new NHL arena for downtown Columbus,
     OH.  The 18,500-seat, $120M arena is set to open in August
     2000 (Heinlein + Schrock Architecture).
          NFL: In AZ, the East Valley Partnership is interested
     in a natural-grass playing surface that can be moved in and
     out of the building on a rail system for its proposed
     retractable roof multipurpose facility (ARIZONA REPUBLIC,
     9/13)....The Redskins agreed to "modify" their elaborate
     color-coded parking plan at Jack Kent Cooke Stadium after
     state and local officials said that delays in sorting
     permit-holders held up traffic before Sunday's inaugural
     game.  In all, 6,200 people rode shuttle buses from Metro
     stations to the stadium (Pan & Fehr, WASHINGTON POST, 9/16).
          NBA: Mavericks execs said they are "on schedule" to
     place an arena development proposal before city council
     members "within a month," but they still won't say which
     city council will be receiving their arena plan (David
     Markiewicz, FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 9/15).

          There is "a battle being waged" between Dolphins Owner
     Wayne Huizenga and the NFL over a 220-foot rotating ad sign
     directly behind one set of goal posts at Pro Player Stadium,
     according to Mike Freeman of the N.Y. TIMES.  Freeman: "It
     is not on the level of Jerry Jones and the NFL, because
     Huizenga cooperates with the league more than Jones.  But
     the result is the same: Huizenga does what he wants and the
     league isn't happy about it."  An NFL spokesperson said that
     the league has written to Huizenga, "citing its unhappiness
     with the placement of the advertising."  The NFL reportedly
     also told the team "that no advertisements can be placed at
     field level."  The situation is being "closely watched by
     many in the league," and fact, "many observers expect" the
     league to soon fine the Dolphins (N.Y. TIMES, 9/14).  
          AMBUSHED: In Toronto, William Houston reported that TSN
     execs are "upset" over the CFL Hamilton Tiger-Cats selling a
     sign advertisement to a sports TV "rival."  The ad in
     Hamilton's Ivor Wynne Stadium promotes the cable service
     Headline Sports, and is "visible" on TV broadcasts.  TSN,
     which carries 40 CFL games, wants the ad removed, but
     Houston wrote the Tiger-Cats "[need] the money."  The matter
     is before the league.  The ad space is "rumored" to have
     been sold for C$12,000 (Toronto GLOBE & MAIL, 9/13).

          RI officials met with Patriots Owner Robert Kraft in
     Boston yesterday "to try to work out a deal that would lure
     the team across state lines," according to Tina Cassidy of
     the BOSTON GLOBE.  Another meeting is scheduled for
     Wednesday.  While sources say "that both sides are feeling
     positive about the negotiations," Patriots VP/
     Communications Don Lowery dismissed reports that Kraft has
     already agreed to move (BOSTON GLOBE, 9/16).  In Providence,
     Christopher Rowland reports that PSLs would be used to raise
     $43.5M of the stadium financing.  Of the 68,000 seats, about
     58,000 would be subject to PSLs, "with the majority costing
     $750 or less" (PROVIDENCE JOURNAL BULLETIN, 9/16). 

          No new talks have been scheduled between the Raiders
     and Oakland and Alameda County officials to work out
     differences over Umax Data Systems' naming-rights agreement,
     putting the deal "in danger of falling apart," according to
     Renee Koury of the SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS.  As the NFL season
     continues, "it could reduce" Umax's "incentive" to buy
     naming rights.  Seven home games remain, with the next one
     scheduled for September 28 (SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, 9/15).