NAMES & FACES: FSN's Keith Olbermann, on last night's
promotion offering fans shorter than 5'5" Cavs G Earl
Boykins admission to the Hornets-Cavs game for $5.50: "It
was probably safe from protest because the idea was, they'd
get a lot of kids in at severe discounts. ... Considering
Cleveland's all-time best-known sports promotion was the
1974 Indians' Ten Cent Beer Night, which was followed hard
upon by No Extra Charge Riot Night, this is a marked
improvement" ("National Sports Report," FSN, 4/18)....Plaza
Motors in St. Louis has "traded out" a 2001 Infiniti SUV to
Rams QB Kurt Warner in exchange for Warner's appearance in
ads (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 4/19)....Fila USA President &
CEO Jon Epstein, on his company recently signing Jennifer
Capriati to an endorsement deal: "A lot of people have asked
me why I was willing to take a chance on Jennifer,
especially when no one else would. But I believe in her.
There's something about a champion that's unique; you just
don't lose that. Sure, she has made mistakes. So what?
Everyone does. But now she's trying to fulfill a dream. We
want to be part of that" (TENNIS, 5/00)....James Brown
appeared with TNT's Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith and Peter
Vecsey during halftime of the Raptors-Heat game to promote
Turner's new "Godfather of the NBA Playoffs" TV spots.
Brown worked with Vince Carter, Allen Iverson and Shaquille
O'Neal for the promos, and he said working with them "wore
me out, man, but they're beautiful people" (TNT, 4/18).
RACIN': Adelphia Communications signed a one-year
sponsorship deal with Pikes Peak (CO) Int'l Hill Climb.
Hill Climb CEO Mike Clark said the contract was a "six-
figure boost in cash and promotions" and that part of the
additional income would be used to increase prize money (CO
Springs GAZETTE, 4/19). In Denver, Mike Chambers cites
sources as saying that the event was in "jeopardy of losing
many of its stars because of declining purses," and that
"could have ruined its relationship with ESPN," which
televises the race in 56 countries (DENVER POST, 4/19).
