BIG TEN TOURNAMENT SHOULD TRANSLATE TO BIG BUCKS FOR SCHOOLS

          The financial impact of this weekend's inaugural Big
     Ten conference basketball tournament, which begins today at
     the United Center, was examined by Greg Couch of the CHICAGO
     SUN-TIMES.  Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany: "We generally
     expect between a quarter-million and a half-million dollars
     net per institution (in profits from the tournament).  And
     we'll probably be in the high end of that range."  The Big
     Ten "would not break down the figures, but an official from
     another major conference said its main sponsor puts up
     $500,000 a year."  Kemper Funds is the Big Ten tournament's
     primary sponsor; United Airlines and Gatorade are secondary
     sponsors.  Ticket sales alone from the tournament, "which is
     all but sold out," will bring in $4M, or $363,000 for each
     of its 11 schools.  And Delany's numbers "don't include the
     boost in product the Big Ten can sell to TV networks as part
     of a season package, or the bump in revenues to each school
     from the additional exposure" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 3/4).