In Birmingham, Ted Pratt reported that Just For Feet
CEO Helen Rockey said Friday that the athletic shoe chain
"is in talks with other companies about a possible buyout."
Pratt listed possible suitors as The Sports Authority,
Venator Group and Footstar (BIRMINGHAM NEWS, 12/18)...CA-
based American Sporting Goods, maker of Avia shoes, is
paying "about" $11M to buy the Ryka, Yukon and Apex shoe
brands from PA-based Global Sports Inc. Ryka President Mary
Taylor will stay with the brand (OREGONIAN, 12/18).
NIKE: On "Business Center," CNBC's Ron Insana featured
Nike Chair & CEO Phil Knight in "Who's Making Money"
segment. After announcing "better than expected earnings"
on Thursday, Nike stock "skyrocketed" on Friday, closing up
6 3/4, at 52 7/16. Knight earned a total of $646M on the
company's one-day gain (CNBC, 12/17). During its most
recent two quarters, Nike said that it has sold $3.5M of
goods over the Internet and company execs expect Web sales
of $4.5-6.5M for the rest of the FY. In FY '99, Nike sold
$1M worth of goods online (Portland OREGONIAN, 12/17).
