The sum of the sale of David Falk's FAME to SFX on
     Monday could exceed $150M in cash and stock, according to
     Richard Sandomir of the N.Y. TIMES.  SFX is paying $82.9M in
     cash, one million shares of stock (worth $38.75M at
     yesterday's close) and $15M over five years in "incentive
     payments" if FAME's cash flow hits certain levels.  Other
     incentives could push the total over $150M.  Advantage Int'l
     Chair Lee Fentress: "Now it'll be interesting to see who
     retires first, David or Michael [Jordan]."  Sandomir reports
     that Falk will bring his "connections" to companies like
     Nike, Warner Bros. and WorldCom to SFX.  Falk: "We can offer
     our young superstars like Keith Van Horn and Antoine Walker
     a way to build businesses without going outside to do it,
     and it gives us a way to buy companies that we didn't have
     before."  Agent Leigh Steinberg said SFX's acquisition of
     FAME "highlights the synergy between Big Entertainment and
     Big Sports, to the extent that sports have become content
     and programming in a much larger world."  Sandomir notes
     SFX's "next step" could be the acquisition of The Marquee
     Group (TMG), and writes that Falk "comes into SFX with
     stronger assets than anyone" at TMG, adding that Falk "could
     supplant" TMG President Bob Gutkowski "as the dominant
     executive under the SFX sports banner."  Falk could also
     wind up "supervising" ProServ and his former boss Donald
     Dell.  TMG acquired ProServ last year (N.Y. TIMES, 5/6).

          Reebok Chair & CEO Paul Fireman told shareholders at
     the company's annual meeting yesterday that Reebok "has been
     less than I would hope for as far as sales and profits," and
     that "everything can be improved, including myself,"
     according to Gregg Krupa of the BOSTON GLOBE.  Fireman: "I
     believe that what we are experiencing today is a large bump
     in the road and not the death of an industry.  We have now
     got, in my opinion, the best product line in the industry,
     and it has been heralded by most retailers as such."  Krupa
     writes that a recent report on the "top-of-the-line" Reebok
     DMX 6 showed it outselling Nike's Air Triax by about three
     to one.  Fireman said that Reebok's plan is to take
     "advantage of new strides in shoe technology and expanding
     markets" for its Rockport and Ralph Lauren footwear and the
     Greg Norman Collection of sportswear.  Net sales of Rockport
     increased by $64.9M in '97, to $512.5M, including a 46%
     increase internationally.  Meanwhile, Fireman said the
     Norman line is now one of "the top four brands in men's
     sportswear," and sales have increased by 35% in each quarter
     since the line was introduced in '92 (BOSTON GLOBE, 5/6).
          LITTLE PROTEST: The GLOBE's Krupa reports that "some
     stock analysts had suggested before the meeting that Fireman
     would face substantial criticism from some shareholders." 
     When the meeting started, Reebok Investment Senior
     VP/General Counsel Barry Nagler announced the normal format
     had been changed.  Nagler: "In response to shareholders,
     there will be more structure to the annual meeting to allow
     for questions and comments."  But when it came time for
     shareholders to speak, only one "seized the opportunity." 
     Gary Larsen of NJ asked Fireman to rate his own performance. 
     Krupa: "So much for dissent" (BOSTON GLOBE, 5/6). 
          

          AGED BREW AD IRKS PARENTS: In Boston, David Arnold
     reports that a Boston Lager Beer ad on the outfield wall of
     a Little League park in Newton, MA, "has some parents crying
     foul."  The 4-by-8-foot ad reads, "Our beer is carefully
     aged before drinking.  You should be, too."  Terry Sacks,
     the league president who approved the sign, said he
     considered it a PSA (BOSTON GLOBE, 5/6)....In Chicago,
     Patrick McGavin writes on the new Puma TV spots, which use
     six high school basketball players, under the header, "King
     Star's Commercial Raises Exploitation Issue."  McGavin
     writes that for some, "the concept of young athletes as
     commodities is quite troubling" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 5/6).
          MAS MACHO POR NOMAR? In Boston, Larry Whiteside writes
     that the Red Sox "have not hesitated to incorporate" SS
     Nomar Garciaparra into "their considerable marketing
     efforts."  Garciaparra: "If people enjoy looking at me and
     want to come out and see some games because I'm playing,
     that's great. ... As for the marketing, whatever.  If it
     happens, it happens" (BOSTON GLOBE, 5/6)....Larry Walker has
     signed an endorsement deal with Acclaim Sports for its All-
     Star Baseball '99 (Acclaim)....The WNBA's Lisa Leslie signed
     a partnership agreement with Planet Hollywood to represent
     the Official All-Star Cafe.  Leslie will make appearances,
     and be involved in ad campaigns/promos for the restaurants
     (THE DAILY)....The UK arm of Hitachi Seiki will use Jackie
     Stewart's name in advertising its tools, in exchange for
     providing a full-time consultancy service to Stewart's Grand
     Prix Racing (FINANCIAL TIMES, 5/5)....Pequot Tribe Chief
     Marketing Officer Byron Quann has "denied the Pequots would
     turn profits" off their $1.51M sponsorship of USA Boxing
     amateur bouts at Foxwoods Resort Casino.  Pequot Senior
     VP/Marketing Bob DeSalvio, on a future relationship with any
     of the boxers: "Our business interest here is to provide our
     customers with first-rate entertainment.  Obviously, if some
     of these fighters prove to be as successful as Ali or
     Leonard, we'll have satisfaction in knowing we were there to
     help" (JOURNAL-BULLETIN,  5/5)....USA TODAY's Michael
     Hiestand profiles Hiedi Howkins, an MIT graduate who will
     climb K2 next month.  Howkins, who will be sponsored by
     PowerBar, is still looking for backing for the additional
     "bare bones" $26,000 budget for the four-person climb (USA
     TODAY, 5/6)....CNBC's Don Dahler profiled Spike Lee's ad
     agency, Spike DDB and reported that the agency "is still
     struggling to lose the urban-only label."  Lee, on the first
     group of Spike DDB ads: "We developed a sports niche.  I'm
     glad this happened.  [People] can see us outside of just
     'Spike Lee can only speak to the African-American consumer.' 
     We think it's much broader than that" (CNBC, 5/5).

          Four key Nike managers "have left or announced their
     plans to leave," according to Jeff Manning of the Portland
     OREGONIAN.  Nike VP Sports Marketing Rudy Chapa, the most
     senior of the outgoing execs, "has told senior managers at
     Nike that he plans to leave."  Nike Sports Entertainment
     President Ian Campbell "has told his staff that he's
     departing."  Campbell is said the be planning to return to
     his native Australia, "perhaps to open a sports events
     management firm."  Tom Fox, who serves under Chapa as Dir of
     U.S. Sports Marketing is also leaving.  Former Nike Dir of
     Golf Marketing Rob Tallman left in early April.  Manning:
     "Hard times have prompted much soul searching on Nike's
     campus."  Nike CEO Phil Knight recently told employees, at
     "an emotional all-staff meeting in April," that he was "re-
     dedicating himself to restoring Nike's once-formidable
     momentum."  Knight, at the meeting said, "I just have two
     words.  I'm sorry" (Portland OREGONIAN, 5/5).
          THE SHOW THAT ENDS: Nike has "pulled out" of The Super
     Show in Atlanta "for at least one year," according to TENNIS
     WEEK.  Nike Dir of Communications Lee Weinstein said that it
     "just didn't make business sense.  It was a huge cost and we
     felt our resources could be better applied to regional
     retailers."  Sketchers will take over Nike's 54,000-square-
     foot space at the convention (TENNIS WEEK, 5/7 issue).