WHOA, NELLIGAN! BIG EAST INKS FIRST-EVER SPORTS REP FIRM

          The Big East Conference has agreed to an exclusive
     multi-year deal for NJ-based Nelligan Sports Marketing to
     handle its sponsorship sales program, marking the first time
     that the conference has used an outside firm to represent
     its sponsorship opportunities.  The program offers fully
     integrated sponsorship packages that include use of Big East
     marks, media, grass roots initiatives, scholarship/award
     opportunities, on-site exposure, Internet opportunities and
     merchandising.  Category exclusive sponsorships will be
     priced in the low to mid six-figure range and will be three
     to five years in length (Big East).  The SPORTSBUSINESS
     JOURNAL's Andy Bernstein writes that the program "could net
     more than" $3M a year for the Big East, but the conference
     says that the "primary goal is raising [its] profile"
     (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 9/27 issue).