OUI, MONSIEUR: NBC INKS EXTENSION TO STADE AT ROLAND GARROS

          NBC has reached a new multi-year deal to continue its
     coverage of the French Open tennis championships.  The new
     contract takes effect this May, when NBC will carry 17 hours
     of coverage over two weekends (NBC Sports).  NBC has covered
     the French Open since '83 (THE DAILY).
          WHEN WITH ROME: Fox Sports Net will premiere "The Last
     Word," a nightly half-hour sports debate program featuring
     Jim Rome and Wallace Matthews, on January 5.  The show will
     air Monday-Saturday at 12:00 midnight, and will be repeated
     at 6:00pm the following day, Monday-Friday (FSN)....Fox
     Sports announced it will broadcast three installments of
     skiing's "Sprints, Bumps & Jumps Championships" beginning
     December 21 from Steamboat Springs, CO.  Ensuing broadcasts
     will be February 7 and March 28.  The event combines
     elements of mogul and aerial freestyle skiing (Fox Sports).
          THE GREAT OUTDOORS: The Outdoor Life Network will
     feature exclusive coverage of the U.S. Olympic Team Trials
     in Skiing, Speed Skating, Bobsled, Biathlon and Curling as
     well as the U.S. Ski Team Gold Cup this January.  The three-
     week coverage, which will run from January 3-25, will
     consist of 13 hours from the Trial events, and eight hours
     from the U.S. Ski Team Cup....In other news, Outdoor Life
     will also carry the '98 UCI World Mountain Bike
     Championships, set to take place September 19-21 at Mont-
     Sainte-Anne, Quebec.  The network will offer 16.5 hours of
     coverage over the three day event (Outdoor Life Network).