TBS's coverage of the Goodwill Games on Wednesday,
"which was highlighted by the split-screen coverage of an
emotional Jackie Joyner-Kersee and her husband, Bobby, after
her heptathlon win, and the record-setting U.S. 4 x 400
relay team anchored by Michael Johnson, received the highest
cable rating" of the Games so far, according to Steve Zipay
of NEWSDAY. The evening generated a 1.8 rating, raising the
four-night average to 1.7, 42% higher than the first four
days of the '94 Games held in Russia (NEWSDAY, 7/24).
GOODWILL GESTURE? In Newark, Pat Borzi writes that
while TV ratings may be up, that does not mean that "people
in this area have embraced the Goodwill Games and are buying
up all the tickets -- or even using the free tickets to the
events." Borzi notes that Goodwill organizers have given
away some tickets, with each of the Games' 5,500 volunteers
receiving four free tickets to the events for which they
volunteered. So far, attendance for track and field has been
the best "by far." Three of the four nights drew more than
9,000 at the 12,000-seat Mitchel Athletic Complex.
Synchronized swimming and water polo have been the "least
popular" (STAR-LEDGER, 7/24). In N.Y., Lenn Robbins writes
that the "most disappointing turnout" for the U.S. men's
basketball team at MSG was Tuesday night's game against
Brazil, played in front of 6,894 (N.Y. POST, 7/24).
WOMEN'S SOCCER KICKS OFF BIG YEAR: In Philadelphia,
John Smallwood reports that tomorrow's match against Denmark
at the Goodwill Games "kicks off what will be the most
important year in the history of women's soccer." A
ceremony was held yesterday to launch the '99 Women's World
Cup in the U.S., and since tickets went on sale May 1, more
than 120,000 have been sold for the tournament which begins
next June. The event is "well on its way to achieving its
goal of becoming the world's largest women's team sporting
event ever" (PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS, 7/24).
