Anheuser-Busch has signed a $120M ad pact with ABC's
     "Monday Night Football" that runs through 2001, "kicking off
     what's expected to be a season of record spending levels"
     for NFL broadcasts, according to Arndorfer & Jensen of AD
     AGE.  A-B "got a break from ABC for committing early to a
     long-term deal."  As part of the new pact, which replaces a
     deal due to expire in '99, A-B will pay $1.75M for a total
     of five units per game, or $350,000 per spot, during the
     first two years of the deal.  In the final two years, A-B
     will pay $2M for five units per game, or $400,000 per spot. 
     The company also plans to spend "about" $10M to advertise on
     preseason and postseason games on ABC (AD AGE, 3/2 issue).
          SPRINTING TO A DEAL? In other NFL sponsor news, "thorny
     negotiations loom" for the league and Sprint "as they enter
     the final year of a $24 million-a-year pact."  Last season,
     "as part of a broader deal," Sprint placed its logo on the
     headsets of NFL coaches, "generating visibility worth tens
     of millions of dollars."  NFL owners, "seeing the visibility
     as an added bonanza for Sprint, decided they want more" for
     the package.  Although negotiations haven't started,
     "executives close to Sprint" say the company "is balking" at
     "what is believed to be about" a $10-15M increase.  AD AGE's
     Arndorfer & Jensen write that the NFL "would consider
     selling the headsets separately, if it can't get the price
     it wants for telecommunications."  According to The Sponsors
     Reports, Sprint received 3:33 of air time from the headsets
     during the Super Bowl, valued at $9.23M (AD AGE, 3/2 issue). 
     

          PepsiCo's All Sport brand signed on as the first
     presenting sponsor of The Cartoon Network's Smash Tennis
     youth initiative.  The "high six-figure" deal includes All
     Sport's first media buy on the net, along with sampling
     rights, event signage and tractor trailer signage carrying
     the equipment on the 18-city tour (BRANDWEEK, 3/2 issue).
          NOTES: BRANDWEEK's Terry Lefton reports that Service
     Merchandise has signed Chris Evert and her mother as
     "spokesmoms" for its Mother's Day promo.  Both will appear
     on the cover and inside "glossy" inserts in 22 million
     newspapers, along with 7 million in-store flyers....Sports
     Illustrated has extended its worldwide TOP Olympic
     sponsorship for eight years through the 2006 Athens Games. 
     SI has been a TOP sponsor since '80....Reebok signed Hawks G
     Steve Smith for three years "at about" $1M.  Smith, repped
     by Dallas-based The Marketing Arm, is "also cutting spots"
     for BellSouth (Terry Lefton, BRANDWEEK, 3/2 issue).

          Shell Oil Co. has become the official gasoline of the
     LPGA.  Shell will also be an exclusive advertiser for the
     '98 Mercury LPGA Series on ESPN and ESPN2.  As part of the
     deal, Shell will have the option to extend the terms of the
     agreement for another two years and will be able to use the
     LPGA logo in its advertising and marketing efforts (Shell).
          

          NAMES: adidas, as part of its "aggressive marketing
     strategy in the Indian market," has signed South Asia's
     leading cricketer, Sachin Tendulkar, to a six-year contract. 
     The company also signed India's Mahesh Bhupathi and Leander
     Paes, the world's No. 3 men's doubles tennis team to an
     endorsement deal (AD AGE, 3/3)....Cardinals QB Jake Plummer
     hired NJ-based Integrated Sports Int'l to handle his
     marketing and business endeavors (ISI)....Jets WR Wayne
     Chrebet has signed with Sports Specialties to endorse its
     line of NFL Pro Line headgear for the '98-'99 season (Sports
     Specialties)....Amanda Coetzer will switch from Prince's
     Thunder 750 racket to the new ThunderLite Longbody (Prince).
          NOTES: Conde Nast Sports for Women said its April issue
     will close with 117 ad pages, making it the largest issue
     since the magazine's launch in October of '97.  The issue
     will feature 12 new advertisers: Citizen Watch, Claritin,
     Clorox, Gerber Blades, GNC, Marin, Monistat, Re-Nu Multi-
     Plus, REI, Rollerblades, Salomon and Shimano (Conde Nast).
     ...ADWEEK's "Magazine Review" reports that a 4-color full-
     page ad in ESPN Magazine runs for $21,700 (ADWEEK, 3/2).
     ...Talks "are underway" between NASCAR and Anheuser-Busch
     concerning the NASCAR Busch Grand National Series to get A-B
     "more involved," with a possible name change to the series. 
     The move "is reportedly to give the series a brand sponsor
     with a much larger advertising budget" (NSSN, 2/25 issue).
  

          The manufacturing of new sneaker models at Nike is
     examined by Bill Richards of the WALL STREET JOURNAL under
     the header, "Tripped Up By Too Many Shoes, Nike Regroups."
     After "years of convincing buyers they need such sneaker
     innovations as air bags and see-through heels," Nike's head
     of sneaker research, Mario Lafortune, "concedes it is
     getting harder to come up with innovations that people can
     easily see."  Richards writes that Nike now "has a new game
     plan.  Instead of endless innovations, it is revving up its
     marketing machine to new heights."  Under its "Alpha,"
     program, Nike will market its most expensive apparel,
     sporting goods and sneaker products as one unit, "under the
     same 'halo.'"  One ad may feature a model wearing a Nike
     watch, Nike sunglasses, a Nike Jacket and Nike sneakers. 
     Nike will also use certain "Alpha Athletes" -- Tiger Woods,
     for example -- wearing Nike "from head to toe."  The "Alpha
     approach" will begin at the end of the year.  The "onset of
     the Alpha program coincides with a backlash against an
     endless stream of new Nike models with little to distinguish
     them from one another" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 3/3).
          LOSING ITS GRIP? In Dallas, Richard Alm writes under
     the header, "Nike Feels Pinch In Its Pocketbook."  Alm: "All
     the sudden, Nike no longer looks like an unstoppable cash
     machine. ... Nike remains formidable and profitable, so it's
     not going away.  Without a doubt, the company will continue
     to be a potent force in sports marketing.  Any retreat,
     though, will send ripples through sports -- just because
     Nike is so big" (Richard Alm, DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 3/3).

          U.S. District Judge Alicemarie Stotler ruled yesterday
     against Callaway Golf Co., saying that "there was no
     consumer confusion created" by Spalding's ad campaign for
     its new Top-Flite balls, according to Ron Sirak of the AP. 
     Callaway filed suit asking for a court order "stopping
     Spalding from using Callaway's trademarks and images on its
     packaging."  Spalding's promo material claims that its Top-
     Flite Ball/Club System C ball is designed for "maximum
     performance when used with" Callaway's Great Big Bertha
     drivers.  John Hoagland, Managing Dir of Spalding's Golf
     Ball Division, said Judge Stotler "complimented Spalding on
     innovative marketing."  Spalding plans to ship the balls
     next week.  Sirak writes that Callaway "is not out of legal
     options" and is likely to "continue with its effort to stop"
     the Top-Flite ball.  Callaway VP/Advertising & PR Larry
     Dorman: "The court has left the door open for us to come
     back with evidence of consumer confusion or evidence that
     the product does not do what it says" (AP/DET. NEWS, 3/3). 
     For news on Callaway Golf's earnings report, see (#20).

          The WNBA's '98 promotional campaign, "Join In," will be
     formally introduced this Sunday during the Bulls-Knicks game
     on NBC.  The 30-second spot features WNBA players Ruthie
     Bolton-Holifield, Cynthia Cooper and Nikki McCray singing
     together, asking fans to "join in" the upcoming WNBA season. 
     The campaign will be supported through print, TV and radio
     ads and courtside signage.  Beginning Sunday, "Join In" ads
     will appear during all '98 NBA regular season and playoff
     games on NBC, TBS and TNT and on other national NBA
     programming.  Spots also will run on ESPN, ESPN2, MTV,
     Classic Sports Net, FSN, DBS and during NBA games on ESPN
     Radio.  Each NBA team will utilize the WNBA ad campaign in-
     arena and on team TV/radio broadcasts.  In the ten WNBA
     markets, the campaign will include a local tag.  Also
     featured in the campaign are Rebecca Lobo and Sheryl
     Swoopes.  The campaign was developed by NBA Entertainment,
     in conjunction with Berlin Cameron & Partners, NY (WNBA).
          "PIED PIPER THEME": AD AGE's Jeff Jensen reports that
     the NBA "is following last year's successful strategy of
     dedicating its marketing and media resources during the
     second half of the current season to promote its sister
     league."  The first spot with Bolton-Holifield, Cooper and
     McCray "in street clothes at a playground inviting young men
     and women to jump on the WNBA bandwagon" has them singing "a
     catchy gospel-inspired anthem."  WNBA President Val Ackerman
     calls it a "pied piper theme": "Last year, there was an
     incredible connection between players and fans.  We wanted
     to play on that theme: Join in, be part of what's happening
     at our arenas and on television."  The NBA wouldn't disclose
     the "value of the media" campaign (AD AGE, 3/2 issue).