The SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL's Langdon Brockinton cites
industry sources as saying that NBC "has cut a 2000 Olympics
ad agreement with Ameritrade that is valued at nearly" $14M.
NBC declined comment but confirmed it has sold "more than"
$800M worth of 2000 Summer Games ad time. Sources said that
NBC has about $90M of inventory left to sell to reach its
sales target (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 6/12 issue).
NOTES: In CO, Paula Parrish wrote that an "unexpected
closed-door" four-hour session of the USOC's 20-member exec
committee on Saturday resulted in USOC CEO Norm Blake
receiving "unanimous endorsement" of his "strategic
reorganization plan." Two issues "speculated to be the
cause of the prolonged, closed-door session," including
"what role the executive committee should play in approving
the plan." Parrish: "Under the new constitution and bylaws
that in February imbued his position with unprecedented
power to implement change, Blake apparently does not need
the executive committee's approval -- but its endorsement
brings another Olympic faction on board in support of his
reorganization efforts." Athletes "want more voice in the
process of the plan's development," and it is "unknown" how
Blake will address this issue (CO Springs GAZETTE, 6/11).
GREEN WITH ENVY: In a WASHINGTON POST Cover Story, Amy
Shipley profiled HSInternational, a "training-coaching-
management group" that is "home to a half-dozen of the
fastest humans in the world and another dozen rising stars,"
including Maurice Greene. Shipley: "Sometimes envied,
sometimes despised, always conspicuous, HSI has in the last
five years succeeded the Santa Monica Track Club ... as the
center of the sprinting universe" (WASHINGTON POST, 6/11).
