NIKE: AUSTRALIAN FOR PHONY? COMPANY PUTS PLANTS AT OPEN

          Employing "phony fans" at the Australian Open is Nike's
     "latest marketing trick," according to a report on CBS
     SportsLine.  Nike has hired "groups of young students" to
     wear the outfits that players like Andre Agassi, Lleyton
     Hewitt and Mary Pierce are wearing at the tournament.  The
     group of "phony fans" have "positioned" themselves in the
     official players' seats at center court "so they can be
     easily spotted" by TV cameras.  Pierce: "It's an idea of
     Nike to get some publicity and encourage me, it doesn't
     bother me at all."  But Tournament Dir Paul McNamee has
     "disapproved" of Nike's technique: "I love to see fans
     dressing up and supporting the game, but I don't like it
     when it's contrived.  Nike is an official sponsor of the
     Australian Open, but as far as the tournament is concerned,
     we are in no way involved with orchestrating player
     support."  Nike spokesperson Megan Ryan called the strategy
     "light-hearted fun.  It's part of our objective to add color
     and atmosphere to the Aussie Open" (CBS SportsLine, 1/25).