Reports out of FL have NHL Panthers RW PAVEL BURE and
ANNA KOURNIKOVA "living three floors apart" in a Miami
condominium (Mult., 12/21). In Toronto, David Shoalts
writes that Bure was "spotted" last week at a concert in
Toronto with Kournikova. Bure, on the rumors: "I don't
discuss my private life" (Toronto GLOBE & MAIL, 12/21).
NAMES: The SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL's Daniel Kaplan
reports that RAY BENTON "plans to leave" the Worldwide
Senior Tennis Circuit next week and sources said he is
expected to sell his 25% stake in the organization to a
sports marketing company. Sources add that the 25% stake is
worth "roughly" $1M. Benton co-founded the circuit with
JIMMY CONNORS in '93 (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 12/20 issue).
...The PHILADELPHIA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL 2000 organizing
committee yesterday held a luncheon in Philadelphia which
raised $30,000 for the 2000 Women's Final Four, to be held
March 31-April 2 at the First Union Center. Philadelphia
Women's Basketball 2000 Exec Dir CATHY ANDRUZZI said that
$1.4M is needed to host the event and that her group is
"halfway there" (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 12/21). ...According
to an NCAA report released yesterday, women's soccer was the
"fastest-growing" collegiate sport in '97-98, as 724 teams
were playing at U.S. colleges, 30 more than the previous
season. Overall student participation in women's sports
"rose" 3.5% in '97-98 (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 12/21). On "CBS
Evening News," Lesley Stahl examined the progress made in
the women's movement during the 20th Century and referenced
the U.S. women's soccer team. Stahl: "Sold-out stadiums
with fans screaming for a bunch of female soccer players.
What a way to end a century that began when women couldn't
even vote" (CBS, 12/20)...."ET" played a cut from OSCAR DE
LA HOYA's upcoming album during the show's closing credits
last night (ET, 12/20)....During last night's Packers-
Vikings "MNF" game, ABC's Lesley Visser interviewed MN Gov.
JESSE VENTURA on the sidelines. Ventura was wearing a
Vikings jersey with his own number, 98, which he said was
given to him by the team. Visser: "Would you get Al
[Michaels] and Boomer [Esiason] to wear a boa?" Ventura: "I
think Boomer ought to get a haircut like me" (ABC,
12/20)...."THE HURRICANE" was nominated for three Golden
Globe awards -- Best Actor (DENZEL WASHINGTON), Best
Director (NORMAN JEWISON) and Best Picture (THE DAILY).
