SOCCER: In Toronto, Norman Da Costa wrote that ticket
sales for this year's Women's World Cup have "hit
unprecedented heights," as 215,000 tickets have been
purchased and 25,000 have been sold for the final that will
be played at the Rose Bowl on July 10 (TORONTO STAR, 2/11).
In related news, the '99 FIFA Women's World Cup Organizing
Committee launched its official Web site at www.WWC99.com.
The site was designed and developed by EDS in its role as
"Official Information Technology Services Provider" for the
Women's World Cup (FIFA)....The U.S. women's soccer team
will play China in a doubleheader after the MetroStars-
Mutiny game at Giants Stadium on April 25 (AP, 2/12).
OTHER NOTES: The inaugural Winter Gravity Games from
NBC Sports and EMAP Petersen will take place February 3-6,
2000, and air on NBC in mid-February. The event is
receiving bids from several resorts to host (Gravity
Games)....The AP reported that officials of Peterburgsky
Stadium in Russia, which is hosting the ATP's St. Petersburg
Open this week, were "scrambling to keep the building heated
on Thursday. ... The stadium became another casualty of
Russia's financial troubles when the local electricity
provider cut off power right before the tournament because
of unpaid energy bills" (AP, 2/11).
