ESPN SAYS NO TO KILBORN'S PLAN TO SPONSOR HUMANITARIAN BOWL

          Officials from CBS' "The Late, Late Show With Craig
     Kilborn" were interested in acquiring title sponsorship
     rights to the Humanitarian Bowl and "pitched the idea" to
     bowl officials last February, according to Larry Stewart of
     the L.A. TIMES.  They thought that the deal would help
     "promote the show," and Humanitarian Bowl President Steve
     Schmader "liked the idea."  The initial talks centered on a
     three-year deal for "nearly" $1M.  But ESPN, which televises
     the game on ESPN2, "nixed the idea."  Schmader: "Going in,
     we knew that could be a problem.  ESPN has been great to us
     and we wouldn't do anything to jeopardize that
     relationship."  CBS VP/Late Night TV Mitch Semel: "We were
     hoping someone would have a sense of humor and not see it as
     direct competition."  An ESPN spokesperson said that the
     network has the contractual right to approve all title
     sponsors and that ESPN does not "approve of title sponsors
     who are competitors" (L.A. TIMES, 9/24).