The MLB Giants have inked a new multimillion dollar
     marketing agreement with Chevron Corp. where fans may be
     able to purchase tickets while they buy gas at a Chevron
     station, according to Douglas Robson of the SAN FRANCISCO
     BUSINESS JOURNAL.  Part of the 10-year deal, "estimated" at
     $15-20M, could include selling Giants tickets at service
     stations and convenience store outlets through ATMs or an
     electronic ordering system.  Chevron Manager of Retail
     Advertising/Sales Promotions Jim Gordon said that while
     details "have yet to be ironed out," Chevron could start
     selling tickets at stations "as early as next season if
     technology permits it."  The deal, which provides Chevron
     with signage rights and other trademark promotional
     privileges at the team's new downtown ballpark, "ties in
     with the Giants efforts to build a larger base of ticket
     outlets" in the area (S.F. BUSINESS JOURNAL, 12/1 issue).
          CYBER SALES: Giants Senior VP/Business Operations Pat
     Gallagher said that the team's new program to sell tickets
     via the Internet has "become very successful" since its
     introduction in '96.  Gallagher added that ticket sales over
     the net "increased five-fold," from about 20,000 in '96 to
     100,000 this year (S.F. BUSINESS JOURNAL, 12/1 issue). 

          Coca-Cola Co. has renewed its sponsorship for the next
     two Rugby World Cup tournaments in '99 and 2003.  As part of
     the sponsorship deal, PowerAde will serve as the "official
     sports drink of the Rugby World Cup."  Terms were not
     disclosed.  The '99 World Cup will be held in Wales.  Coca-
     Cola has been a sponsor of the Rugby World Cup since '95. 
     The deal includes sponsorship rights for the Rugby World Cup
     Sevens to be held in 2001, with 11 Unions currently bidding
     for the right to host the event (Coca-Cola).

          Forbes Sports Editor Peter Spiegel and IMG VP Jeff
     Schwartz, the agent for Pete Sampras and Martina Hingis,
     were guests on CNBC's "Bull Session" to discuss athlete
     endorsements and the Forbes 40 highest-paid athletes list. 
     Schwartz, on packaging an athlete: "You want to do something
     ... that's comfortable with the athlete himself or herself. 
     You can't try to force something on an athlete that doesn't
     fit into their personality. ... They might be a little bit
     more reserved or they might have a big personality, a lot of
     charisma, and you try to look for endorsements and media and
     PR that would fit that."  Schwartz, on the importance of a
     good image to endorsers: "If you see this year's list, a lot
     of the guys on it seem to be, quote, the nice guys, the good
     guys, and I think as we go forward we're going to see a lot
     more of that."  Spiegel, on who's getting the endorsements:
     "Overwhelmingly, it's going to people like Pete Sampras, Cal
     Ripken, Steve Young, with these nice-guy athletes who
     endorsers want and advertisers want to be associated with. 
     A guy like Dennis Rodman will make a lot of money for a
     year, for two years, but if you look at along his career,
     it's not going to stay up" ("Bull Session," CNBC, 12/4).
          AND THE WOMEN? IMG's Schwartz, on the absence of women
     on the Forbes Top 40 list: "I think that in the next couple
     years you're going to see some women on the list.  Whether
     its Martina Hingis or Anika Sorenstam or Michelle McGann or
     some of the basketball players, you're going to start seeing
     some of the women on the list, because as you see, a lot of
     marketers, a lot of companies, are starting now to direct
     their campaigns and their money towards women" (CNBC, 12/3).

          LET IT RIP: Former ATP Tour Dir of Communications/
     Americas Kevin O'Keefe has formed CA-based Riprock, Inc.
     which creates sports alliances with the entertainment
     industry.  One of Riprock's first projects, with E! TV, will
     be a one-hour travel special which incudes a tennis event in
     South Africa featuring Andre Agassi, Boris Becker, MaliVai
     Washington and Amanda Coetzer (THE DAILY). 
          NOTES: MSG is launching its first-ever memorabilia
     line, The Madison Square Garden Collection, which will offer
     items tied to specific teams and events.  The collection
     line is the "latest effort from the Garden's new business
     development unit, created about a year ago to find ways to
     market the venue's brand names to the public" (CRAIN'S N.Y.
     BUSINESS, 12/1 issue)....CA-based UPI Marketing & Pinnacle
     Trading Card Co. will meltdown a race car hood today from
     Jeff Gordon's Car #24, to create an alloy for the minting of
     limited edition collectible coins.  The coins will be
     featured as part of the '98 Pinnacle "Mint Collection
     Racing" trading card series (UPI)....Greg Norman earned
     "about" $3.5M on the $100M in sales Reebok did this year on
     The Greg Norman Collection.  Greg Norman's Down Under Grills
     will open in Myrtle Beach, SC and Orlando, FL next year
     (FORBES, 12/15 issue)....Dante Washington of the MLS Burn
     has chosen SportsNet Marketing & Management, Inc. for
     exclusive representation (SportsNet).

          Nike officially opened a new apparel distribution
     center in Memphis, TN.  The upgraded facility includes
     expanded warehouse and office space, an employee
     communications center, store and gym.  Nike now employs
     1,700 people in TN (Nike).  In Memphis, Dewanna Lofton
     reported that the $21.5M expansion added "about" 400 new
     jobs during the past two years.  A soccer and softball
     field, along with a jogging track are planned.  By the time
     Nike completes its next distribution warehouse in September
     '98, it will have "more than doubled the size of its apparel
     distribution operations in Memphis," growing from 627,600
     sq-feet to 1,285,600 sq-feet (COMMERCIAL APPEAL, 12/3).