ESPN announced the following appointments: GEORGE
BODENHEIMER to Senior VP of Sales and Marketing from Senior VP of
Affiliate Sales and Marketing. L. PATRICK MELLON has been named
Senior VP of Affiliate Sales and Marketing from VP of Programming
TeleCable Corp (ELECTRONIC MEDIA, 7/3). ....A list of investors
in the Diamondbacks was released Friday. Among them: Singer
GLEN CAMPBELL and actors BILLY CRYSTAL and LOUIS GOSSETT JR.
(WASHINGTON POST, 7/2).... MAGIC JOHNSON welcomed moviegoers in
L.A. to a 12-screen theater Friday that bears his name. Johnson
described his new business venture as "better than basketball"
(AP/MIAMI HERALD, 7/2). In addition, the Lakers are reportedyl
open to a Johnson return to the NBA. Johnson: "We have to see
what happens" (Mult., 7/5)....Both TIGER WOODS and his father
EARL are reportedly upset over recent inquiries by the NCAA into
activities by the family. Earlier this year, the NCAA asked
Stanford to explain why Tiger was using a new set of irons and a
different brand of balls at the Masters in April. The NCAA also
had questions about two golf publications which had published
Tiger's Masters diaries (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 7/4)....The U.S.
Patent and Trademark Office has ruled that STEVE "AIR" MCNAIR can
keep the rights to his nickname (AP/S.F. EXAMINER, 7/1).... JOE
DUMARS is going into the venture-capital business with two
investment bankers. The Global Rights Fund will raise money for
to "invest in companies that have underdeveloped assets in the
areas of copyrights, brand-name or sports and entertainment
likenesses" (CRAIN'S DETROIT BUSINESS, 7/2 issue)....The Giants'
MATT WILLIAMS announced Friday that he plans to purchase $15,000
worth of tickets to the team's home games and distribute them to
youngsters who participate in the Junior Giants program (S.F.
EXAMINER, 7/1)....DAN AYKROYD, DANIEL STERN, and DAMON WAYANS
will star in "Celtic Pride," a sports comedy about two die-hard
Celtic fans who kidnap the star player off a rival team (DAILY
VARIETY, 7/3)....Ground was broken recently on the ROBERT KRAFT
Family Center for Jewish Student Life at Columbia University in
New York. Kraft owns the Patriots (NFL)....As hosts of NBC's
coverage of the Special Olympics, GRANT HILL and KATHY IRELAND
were profiled on EXTRA. Hill: "It's very inspiring, seeing
people who are somewhat handicapped going out and giving it their
all" ("EXTRA," 7/4)....Financial World Asst Managing Editor
MICHAEL OZANIAN, on the trend toward franchise movement: "One of
the reasons we are having this now is because in some of the
sports, national TV revenue is flattening out, so teams are going
here for an alternative means of revenue growth" ("Sports View,"
CNBC, 7/3).
