ESPN Internet Group (EIG) reached a multi-year
agreement to continue to co-produce NASCAR Online. In the
past two months, EIG has renewed its partnerships with each
of its league partners -- NASCAR, the NFL and the NBA (EIG).
NETWORK NEWS: Having merged their online operations,
Times Mirror and InterZine Productions will launch a network
of more than 20 sports sites by year-end to compete against
ESPN SportsZone and CBS SportsLine, according to Anya
Sacharow of ADWEEK. The new company, called Times Mirror
Interzines, has already sold ad space to companies including
BMW and Datek Online in network-wide buys. Web users will
find the network at www.tminterzines.com by the fourth-
quarter of '98. Advertisers will be offered one buying
opportunity across all the sites. BMW bought ads on the
yachting, motor sports and golf sites, while Datek bought
space on the golf and motor sports sites. Advertisers on
The Sporting News site include Ford, which is sponsoring the
"Best Sports Cities" feature, Honda, which sponsors the
site's Little League World Series coverage, and Visa, which
will sponsor TSN's NFL coverage (ADWEEK, 7/13 issue).
