SOURCES HAVE VENUS CLOSE TO "HISTORIC" $40M DEAL WITH REEBOK

          Reebok "has reached a historic five-year, nearly" $40M
     endorsement deal with Venus Williams, according to sources
     of Daniel Kaplan of the SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, who writes
     that the deal is the "most lucrative single deal ever for a
     female athlete."  Though a final contract has "yet to be
     signed," industry sources told Kaplan that the terms have
     been agreed to by Williams and Reebok, and that as part of
     the deal, Williams will "promote" all of Reebok's lines,
     "not just tennis sneakers and apparel."  Averaging almost
     $8M a year, the deal would be "all but guaranteed, based on
     a minimal level of performance."  Sources said that Reebok
     plans an "expensive" ad campaign promoting the endorsement
     that will add "tens of millions of dollars" to their
     commitment (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 11/27 issue).