MARKETPLACE ROUND-UP

          For the price of one Canadian loonie a year, Ben
     Johnson has offered to become the anti-drugs spokesperson
     for the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sports.  Johnson's
     agent, Morris Chrobotek: "I recommend them to use this man
     immediately.  He can make it serious because he looks
     serious."  Victor Lachance, CEO of the Centre, "welcomed
     Johnson's enthusiasm, but is concerned about the mixed
     message."  Lachance: "The idea makes sense.  But does it
     happen?  I don't know" (OTTAWA CITIZEN, 9/24)....Bills QB
     Doug Flutie will soon be on the cover of a cereal box with
     his own line of breakfast food -- Flutie Flakes.  Tamara
     Hamp, Marketing Manager at PLB Sports, a division of PA-
     based PublicLabel Brand, which signed Flutie to the deal,
     said, "We're a small company and we're growing and we're
     really trying to achieve.  That's where we saw the
     connection with Doug.  He sort of fits our company line." 
     Flutie: "A lot of people can relate to me because I'm an
     average sized guy playing a big man's game. I think I have a
     name that's been out there quite a while and an image that
     hasn't been tarnished" (Buffalo BUSINESS FIRST, 9/21).
          OTHER DEALS: Reds P Pete Harnisch signed an agreement
     with SmithKline Beecham to provide a series of PSAs for the
     company.  The deal, negotiated by Woolf Associates, will
     involve announcements advocating mental health and on-line
     information on depression (Woolf)....Aetna U.S. Healthcare
     signed on as the presenting sponsor of Skaters' Tribute To
     Broadway, a one-night only performance at the First Union
     Center in Philadelphia on October 6.  The event will air on
     ESPN on October 12 from 8:00pm-10:00pm ET (Aetna). 
          RUBIN-ESQUE: In his "On The Edge" segment, CNBC's Mike
     Hegedus profiled Global Sports, makers of athletic shoes
     Ryka and Yukon, and its 26-year-old CEO Michael Rubin. 
     Gruntal Analyst Michael Conn called Global "the No. 1
     performing public footwear company out of 30 public footwear
     companies today" and sees "its growth continuing for 3-5
     years of at least 20% annually in both sales and earnings." 
     In addition to Global, analysts say Vans and K-Swiss are
     other "niche" brands worth watching ("The Edge," 9/23).