Coca-Cola and Sprint will serve as co-title sponsors
of Super Bowl XXXIII's NFL Experience, which will feature a
20-acre interactive theme park at Pro Player Stadium. The
event, which will be held January 22-24 and 28-31, is
expected to draw more than 150,000 fans (NFL).
KA-CHING FOR KATASH? Israeli basketball player Oded
Katash has a "verbal commitment" from the Knicks that he
will be signed after the NBA lockout and his agent, Dave
Fleisher, floated the "possibility that thousands of young
New York Jewish kids might soon be wearing" Katash's jersey.
Fleisher, on Katash's marketability: "New York is one of the
best markets, anyway, and then you add to that the number of
Israeli or Jewish-owned businesses. There are tremendous
possibilities if he does well" (N.Y. OBSERVER, 12/14).
OTHER NOTES: In Cincinnati, Bob Queenan wrote that the
NBA lockout is "having an effect at shopping malls this
holiday season, and auto racing seems to be the beneficiary.
NBA fan wear and paraphernalia are in danger of slipping
into fourth place in popularity, behind NASCAR" (CINCINNATI
POST, 12/10)....MLB and the MLBPA are offering 3,000 Glory
Beanie Babies and '98 All-Star Game limited edition
commemorative cards for $199.80. Proceeds will be used to
support MLB charities (MLB)....Lucent Technologies has
become the global innovation partner of the ATP Tour.
ProServ/The Marquee Group handled the deal (ATP).
