ADAM SILVER was named President & COO of NBA
     Entertainment (NBAE).  Silver, who joined the NBA in '92 as
     Special Assistant to the Commissioner, had most recently
     served as Senior VP/NBAE (NBAE).  Silver has "plans to
     further build upon the work" at NBAE: "First we want [to]
     create additional programming, which includes a kids'
     program that is perhaps animated, as well as create a late-
     night program that is either shown on HBO or sold in
     syndication" (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 12/2).  Also at NBAE,
     GREGG WINIK has assumed the responsibilities as Exec
     Producer.  He is now VP/Programming & Broadcasting and Exec
     Producer for that division (NBA Entertainment).  

          ESPN promoted JAMES BROWN from Dir, Affiliate Sales,
     Western Region to VP/Affiliate Sales & Marketing (BRANDWEEK,
     12/1)....JORGE PLASENCIA, the Marlins's Dir of Hispanic
     Marketing, will leave to become Dir of Marketing for Estefan
     Enterprises.  RUSS BRANDON has left as Assistant Dir of
     Marketing Partnerships to become Exec Marketing Dir for the
     Bills (SUN-SENTINEL, 12/2)....DEAN REINKE was named Dir,
     Corporate Sponsorship for Strike Ten Marketing.  Reinke was
     President of FL-based Sports Marketing Group (Strike Ten).

          DON TRANSETH, VP/Sports Marketing for EA Sports, will
     be speaking at the Univ. of OR's Warsaw Sports Marketing
     Center today (THE DAILY)....JOHN SPANO "backed out of a plea
     bargain" with three states on fraud charges, a decision that
     leaves him facing up to 30 years in prison (N.Y. POST, 12/2)
     ....JAY LENO, on the Eagles' get-tough policy: "There were
     20 arrests the first week, they had five arrests yesterday. 
     And a related story, yesterday 11 Indianapolis Colts players
     were arrested for loitering while out on the field" (NBC,
     12/1)....JEFF GORDON was on "GMA" today.  Gordon, on his
     popularity: "It's tough to live up to these things, you
     know.  People magazine ... I certainly don't know how they
     considered me as one of the 50 most beautiful.  It's pretty
     embarrassing around the garage area" (ABC, 12/2).

          FORBES magazine released its annual list of the top 40
     athletes by income in '97.  SALARY includes compensation,
     prize money/winnings and earned incentives and bonuses. 
     ENDORSE includes licensing money and appearance/exhibition
     fees.  Not included is income from side businesses and
     equity partnerships.  '96 is last year's rank.  Figures
     below are in millions (FORBES, 12/15 issue).


  
 
    
 
      
NO.
    
    
 
      
NAME
    
    
 
      
SPORT
    
    
 
      
'96
    
    
 
      
SALARY
    
    
 
      
ENDORSE
    
    
 
      
TOTAL
    
  
  
 
    
 
      
1)
    
    
Michael 
      Jordan
    
Basketball
    
 
      
2
    
    
 
      
$31.30 
        
    
    
 
      
$47.00 
        
    
    
 
      
$78.30 
        
    
  
  
 
    
 
      
2)
    
    
Evander 
      Holyfield
    
Boxing
    
 
      
6
    
    
 
      
53
    
    
 
      
1.3
    
    
 
      
54.3
    
  
  
 
    
 
      
3)
    
    
Oscar De 
      La Hoya
    
Boxing
    
 
      
17
    
    
 
      
37
    
    
 
      
1
    
    
 
      
38
    
  
  
 
    
 
      
4)
    
    
Michael 
      Schumacher
    
Auto Racing
    
 
      
3
    
    
 
      
25
    
    
 
      
10
    
    
 
      
35
    
  
  
 
    
 
      
5)
    
    
Mike Tyson
    
Boxing
    
 
      
1
    
    
 
      
27
    
    
 
      
0
    
    
 
      
27
    
  
  
 
    
 
      
6)
    
    
Tiger Woods
    
Golf
    
 
      
26
    
    
 
      
2.1
    
    
 
      
24
    
    
 
      
26.1
    
  
  
 
    
 
      
7)
    
    
Shaquille 
      O'Neal
    
Basketball
    
 
      
4
    
    
 
      
12.9
    
    
 
      
12.5
    
    
 
      
25.4
    
  
  
 
    
 
      
8)
    
    
Dale 
      Earnhardt
    
Auto 
      Racing
    
 
      
20
    
    
 
      
3.6
    
    
 
      
15.5
    
    
 
      
19.1
    
  
  
 
    
 
      
9)
    
    
Joe Sakic
    
Hockey
    
 
      
–
    
    
 
      
17.8
    
    
 
      
0.1
    
    
 
      
17.9
    
  
  
 
    
 
      
10)
    
    
Grant Hill
    
Basketball
    
 
      
18
    
    
 
      
5
    
    
 
      
12
    
    
 
      
17
    
  
  
 
    
 
      
11)
    
    
Greg Norman
    
Golf
    
 
      
39
    
    
 
      
3.2
    
    
 
      
13
    
    
 
      
16.2
    
  
  
 
    
 
      
12)
    
    
Arnold 
      Palmer
    
Golf
    
 
      
8
    
    
 
      
0.1
    
    
 
      
16
    
    
 
      
16.1
    
  
  
 
    
 
      
13)
    
    
Horace 
      Grant
    
Basketball
    
 
      
–
    
    
 
      
14.5
    
    
 
      
0.4
    
    
 
      
14.9
    
  
  
 
    
 
      
14)
    
    
George 
      Foreman
    
Boxing
    
 
      
36
    
    
 
      
10.2
    
    
 
      
4.5
    
    
 
      
14.7
    
  
  
 
    
 
      
15)
    
    
Pete Sampras
    
Tennis
    
 
      
16
    
    
 
      
6.5
    
    
 
      
8
    
    
 
      
14.5
    
  
  
 
    
 
      
16)
    
    
Andre Agassi
    
Tennis
    
 
      
7
    
    
 
      
0.1
    
    
 
      
14
    
    
 
      
14.1
    
  
  
 
    
 
      
17)
    
    
Cal Ripken 
      Jr.
    
Baseball
    
 
      
11
    
    
 
      
6.7
    
    
 
      
6.5
    
    
 
      
13.2
    
  
  
 
    
 
      
17)
    
    
David Robinson
    
Basketball
    
 
      
21
    
    
 
      
11.2
    
    
 
      
2
    
    
 
      
13.2
    
  
  
 
    
 
      
19)
    
    
Ken Griffey 
      Jr.
    
Baseball
    
 
      
19
    
    
 
      
8.8
    
    
 
      
4.2
    
    
 
      
13
    
  
  
 
    
 
      
19)
    
    
Alonzo 
      Mourning
    
Basketball
    
 
      
–
    
    
 
      
9.5
    
    
 
      
3.5
    
    
 
      
13
    
  
  
 
    
 
      
21)
    
    
Michael 
      Chang
    
Tennis
    
 
      
24
    
    
 
      
2.5
    
    
 
      
9.5
    
    
 
      
12
    
  
  
 
    
 
      
21)
    
    
Naseem 
      Hamed
    
Boxing
    
 
      
–
    
    
 
      
9.5
    
    
 
      
2.5
    
    
 
      
12
    
  
  
 
    
 
      
23)
    
    
Juwan Howard
    
Basketball
    
 
      
–
    
    
 
      
10
    
    
 
      
1.2
    
    
 
      
11.2
    
  
  
 
    
 
      
23)
    
    
Gary Payton
    
Basketball
    
 
      
–
    
    
 
      
9
    
    
 
      
2.2
    
    
 
      
11.2
    
  
  
 
    
 
      
25)
    
    
Greg Maddux
    
Baseball
    
 
      
–
    
    
 
      
10.2
    
    
 
      
0.8
    
    
 
      
11
    
  
  
 
    
 
      
25)
    
    
Hakeem 
      Olajuwon
    
Basketball
    
 
      
22
    
    
 
      
9.5
    
    
 
      
1.5
    
    
 
      
11
    
  
  
 
    
 
      
25)
    
    
Dennis 
      Rodman
    
Basketball
    
 
      
9
    
    
 
      
5
    
    
 
      
6
    
    
 
      
11
    
  
  
 
    
 
      
28)
    
    
Wayne Gretzky
    
Hockey
    
 
      
14
    
    
 
      
5.9
    
    
 
      
5
    
    
 
      
10.9
    
  
  
 
    
 
      
29)
    
    
Mike Piazza
    
Baseball
    
 
      
–
    
    
 
      
7
    
    
 
      
3.6
    
    
 
      
10.6
    
  
  
 
    
 
      
30)
    
    
Reggie 
      Miller
    
Basketball
    
 
      
–
    
    
 
      
9.2
    
    
 
      
1.2
    
    
 
      
10.4
    
  
  
 
    
 
      
30)
    
    
Albert 
      Belle
    
Baseball
    
 
      
–
    
    
 
      
10
    
    
 
      
0.4
    
    
 
      
10.4
    
  
  
 
    
 
      
32)
    
    
Jeff Gordon
    
Auto Racing
    
 
      
–
    
    
 
      
3.8
    
    
 
      
6.5
    
    
 
      
10.3
    
  
  
 
    
 
      
33)
    
    
Barry Sanders
    
Football
    
 
      
–
    
    
 
      
8.4
    
    
 
      
1.8
    
    
 
      
10.2
    
  
  
 
    
 
      
34)
    
    
Chris Gratton
    
Hockey
    
 
      
–
    
    
 
      
10
    
    
 
      
0.1
    
    
 
      
10.1
    
  
  
 
    
 
      
35)
    
    
Lennox 
      Lewis
    
Boxing
    
 
      
–
    
    
 
      
9.5
    
    
 
      
0.2
    
    
 
      
9.7
    
  
  
 
    
 
      
36)
    
    
Michael 
      Moorer
    
Boxing
    
 
      
–
    
    
 
      
9.6
    
    
 
      
0
    
    
 
      
9.6
    
  
  
 
    
 
      
37)
    
    
Sammy Sosa
    
Baseball
    
 
      
–
    
    
 
      
9.3
    
    
 
      
0.2
    
    
 
      
9.5
    
  
  
 
    
 
      
38)
    
    
Jack Nicklaus
    
Golf
    
 
      
33
    
    
 
      
0.3
    
    
 
      
9
    
    
 
      
9.3
    
  
  
 
    
 
      
38)
    
    
Frank Thomas
    
Baseball
    
 
      
30
    
    
 
      
7.2
    
    
 
      
2.1
    
    
 
      
9.3
    
  
  
 
    
 
      
40)
    
    
Brett Favre
    
Football
    
 
      
–
    
    
 
      
5.6
    
    
 
      
3.6
    
    
 
      
9.2
    
  


          BUT IS IT ACCURATE? CNBC's Garrett Glaser examined the
     "big business of list making" in magazines and the accuracy
     of such lists.  Noting Forbes' 40 highest-paid athletes list
     Glaser said, "But can you trust the research?  Some say the
     press rarely gets it all right."  Forbes Sports Editor Peter
     Spiegel said he has talked with agents, business managers,
     industry insiders and other journalists in compiling the
     list.  Spiegel: "We've been doing this ... for seven years,
     and we've developed a good basis to know."  Spiegel: "It's
     not rocket science.  I mean, most of these deals are pretty
     easy to get" ("Business Center," CNBC, 12/1).