Casey Martin has not, "contrary to rumors," signed
     endorsement deals with any companies to promote their
     product on his golf cart, according to Mark Soltau of CBS
     SportsLine.  Martin's attorney, William Wiswall: "We've
     decided to let that issue go.  I'm sure there's some
     manufacturers that would be interested.  That option might
     be open later on."  Wiswall said that the cart will be ad-
     free through the Nike Shreveport Open, April 9-12, and that
     the he and the PGA are "close to finalizing" a deal "about
     the restrictions of riding a cart" (CBS SportsLine, 3/9). 
     Martin's agent, Chris Murray, said no deal would be made
     with a cart company "for at least another two months" (Jayne
     Custred, HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 3/8).  After finishing the
     Greater Austin Open yesterday, Martin is scheduled to play
     today at a fund-raiser for his alma mater, Stanford Univ.,
     followed by a trip to N.Y. tomorrow through Thursday.  While
     in N.Y., Martin will have a press conference to officially
     announce his endorsement deal with Hartford Life Insurance
     and attend the ESPN Magazine launch party (N.Y. POST, 3/9).
          UNPRECEDENTED EXPOSURE: Martin's performance at the
     Nike Tour's Greater Austin Open was covered during the
     weekend by all the major news outlets, with TV coverage from
     ESPN, CNN/SI, Fox Sports News and print coverage from most
     of the major market newspapers.  The Nike Tour was profiled
     by Mark Cannizzaro in Sunday's N.Y. POST under the header
     "Fairway To Heaven" with the sub-header "On Nike Tour,
     'minor-leaguers' dream of stardom" (N.Y. POST, 3/8).

          The "rising costs for everything from running
     tournaments to outfitting teams has high school
     administrators and coaches turning to corporate America for
     an assist," according to Josh Egerman of the CONNECTICUT
     POST.  The CT Interscholastic Athletic Conference (CIAC),
     which had no sponsors in '92, now has 19 companies on board,
     with an endowment fund of $700,000.  Bob Ford, CIAC's Dir of
     Development: "It's not that they're necessarily looking to
     help a needy organization.  They're looking for visibility." 
     Ford can pitch to companies 250,000 students in grades seven
     through 12 -- and their parents -- that companies can reach
     by sponsoring CIAC events, including state tournaments and
     student-athlete banquets.  Egerman added that sneaker deals
     are also "becoming more noticeable in the high schools" as
     the deals give shoe companies "exposure to the most
     impressionable sector of the buying public -- teen-agers"
     (Josh Egerman, CONNECTICUT POST, 3/6).

          In honor of what was potentially his last game at MSG,
     Michael Jordan wore his original Air Jordans during the
     Bulls-Knicks game Sunday on NBC.  The shoes were visible
     throughout the telecast and received mention before tipoff
     and in the first, second and fourth quarters as well as at
     halftime.  In the first quarter, after a Jordan jumper,
     NBC's Isiah Thomas said, "It must be the shoes."   In the
     second-quarter, NBC's Ahmad Rashad reported that the
     original Air Jordans were size 12 1/2, but Jordan now is a
     13 1/2.  Jordan had a pair of the '97-98 Air Jordans (shown
     on camera) in case he needed them.  In the fourth quarter,
     NBC showed a close-up of the old Air Jordans being worn by
     Michael.  Jordan, after the game: "My feet are killing me,
     but it was fun, though.  It was fun" ("NBA on NBC," 3/8).  
          MORE FUN: The N.Y. DAILY NEWS' back page features the
     old Air Jordans under the header, "Really Big Shoe -- Jordan
     rips Knicks in rookie sneakers .. for old time's sake." 
     Mike Lupica, on the original Nike Air Jordans: "They will
     probably put them back on the market tomorrow.  He has not
     just been the greatest player of all time.  He has also been
     the greatest marketing agent" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 3/9).  Bulls
     G Steve Kerr: "I was betting guys he'd take them off at some
     point.  Then he hit his first four shots."  More Kerr: "I
     thought, 'Is he nuts?'  Did you see those things?  They
     looked like pieces of cardboard put together.  It's amazing
     how far the shoe industry has come" (NEWSDAY, 3/9).    
          BULLS' BIG BEEF: The "Beef Wennington" sandwich at
     Chicago-area McDonald's has made Bulls C Bill Wennington the
     team's "burger king," according to Elliott Harris of the
     CHICAGO SUN-TIMES.  The sandwich is a 1/4 lb. hamburger with
     cheese, bacon, pickles, onions, mustard and BBQ sauce.
     Wennington: "I thought about adding tomato and lettuce to it
     but opted against it. ... I just think the burger was good
     as it was.  Marketing-wise, a lot of people don't like
     tomatoes.  I do like tomatoes, but I felt it would take away
     from the flavor of the barbecue sauce" (SUN-TIMES, 3/8).

          Flip Wilson's "Reverend LeRoy" character is being
     "reincarnated" for a Fox Sports Stanley Cup spot directed by
     Spike Lee (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 3/8).  An trailer for Lee's "He
     Got Game" aired during the Bulls-Knicks game on NBC Sunday. 
     The film opens May 1 (THE DAILY)....MLBers John Smoltz, John
     Olerud and Alex Fernandez are part of a commercial campaign
     for the Boys and Girls Clubs of America, MLB's national
     charity (MLB)....The NHL Wild, in conjunction with First USA
     bank, are offering a Minnesota Wild MasterCard affinity
     card.  The partnership with First USA is the first for the
     franchise (Wild).  Also in St. Paul, Charley Walters wrote
     that General Mills "is considering putting" the Wild's
     uniform unveiling on a Wheaties box (PIONEER PRESS, 3/8). 
          

          Bill Gates is featured in a Callaway Golf spot which
     debuted Sunday on CBS during the Doral-Ryder Open and on "60
     Minutes."  In the spot, Gates is standing behind a desk with
     a Big Bertha: "I started to play golf about five years ago. 
     It was humbling.  I really like it, but it's so frustrating. 
     My dad and my sisters have played for a long time, so I
     asked them for some advice.  They said to take some lessons
     and get a Big Bertha.  I think I'm getting better."  The
     screen fades to black, showing the Callaway Golf logo in
     white and the tagline, "How Golf Should Feel."  Gates then
     is shown again, saying, "I love a big idea" (THE DAILY). 
          BEHIND THE SCENES: CNBC's Mike Hegedus examined the
     image makeover of Gates, including his new Callaway spot.
     "skeptics might think there's a plan" behind the makeover. 
     Image consultant Clive Chajet: "I would strongly recommend
     against him making Callaway commercials for golf clubs." 
     Hegedus said that Chajet "can't figure out ... why [Gates]
     is doing the Callaway spot.  Gates did a Coke commercial
     that came up empty a few years back.  Gates the pitch man
     doesn't seem to work" ("Market Wrap," 3/6).  On "Business
     Center," Hegedus added that Celine Dion will be Callaway's
     next celebrity endorser, and that each endorser is offered
     5,000 shares of Callaway stock as payment (CNBC, 2/6).
                    

          The Lakers' Kobe Bryant is profiled in the current
     issues of BUSINESS WEEK and NEWSWEEK.  Under the header, "Is
     Kobe Bryant The Air Apparent?," BUSINESS WEEK's Grover,
     Hyman & Scotti write that '97-98 "hasn't been the smoothest
     [NBA] season in memory," and the question "on everyone's
     mind" is who will succeed Michael Jordan.  NBA CMO Rick
     Welts, on the post-Jordan era: "The game will continue to be
     driven by individual personalities and stars."  Grover,
     Hyman & Scotti write that Bryant is "the complete package.
     ... This superstar-in-the-making still lives with his mom,
     dad, and two sisters.  In a league in which green-haired
     attention hogs have been known to headbutt refs, Bryant is a
     gentleman who says he 'never thought' of getting tattoos and
     doesn't drink or take drugs because 'my parents told me it
     wouldn't be good for my health.'  Can this kid be real?" 
     Bryant's endorsement deals with adidas, Spalding and Sprite
     "could" hit an estimated $5M and a deal with McDonald's "has
     been in negotiations for months."  Rick Burton, Dir of the
     Warsaw Sports Marketing Center at the Univ. of OR, said that
     Bryant is "one of the few guys who could get within shouting
     distance" of the $40M in marketing deals that Jordan earns.
     In regards to image, Bryant said that he doesn't want "to
     overextend myself.  People can become bored with you." 
     Bryant's former agent, Rick Bradley of William Morris, says
     the "game plan" for Bryant from the beginning was to "go
     slow so that his game can develop."  Bryant's agent is Arn
     Tellem, while most of the deals regarding Kobe "are approved
     by his father," Joe Bryant (BUSINESS WEEK, 3/16 issue).
          JELLYBEAN SHOULD BE PROUD: NEWSWEEK profiles Bryant
     under the header "Air Apparent," and Samuels & Starr write
     "the rush to find an Air apparent is on.  For now, all roads
     lead to Kobe ... the flashiest and, in many ways, the
     savviest of the new breed of NBA stars."  Samuels & Starr:
     "With a taste for urban style, Bryant is hip-hop meets
     'Father Knows Best.'  He is unfailingly polite, signing
     autographs and answering questions, and dutiful in his civic
     and charity obligations" (NEWSWEEK, 3/16 issue).