The Sports Authority CEO Marty Hanaka, on the NBA's
return: "I think people are very apathetic about basketball.
It could even have a longer rebound period than baseball."
He said that NBA-related merchandise makes up about 10-12%
of The Sports Authority's sales (SUN-SENTINEL, 1/12).
CALLAWAY SLICES SOME OF ENDORSERS: The SPORTSBUSINESS
JOURNAL's Liz Mullen reports that Callaway Golf has "cut the
number of professional golfers who endorse its clubs by more
than" 40% as part of an $18M reduction of the company's
advertising and promotion budget. Jim Furyk and Patty
Sheehan are among the 33 of 79 golfers Callaway has dropped
as endorsers (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 1/11 issue).
OTHER NOTES: Agent Bruce Levy, on the Univ. of TN's
Chamique Holdsclaw: "Corporate America is chomping at the
bit. They are desperate to get hold of Chamique. There is
a feeling that she is going to rewrite the history of
women's sport and companies are anxious to be involved with
that" (LONDON TIMES, 1/10)....The USTA aired a "Get In The
Game" promo spot during the Jags-Jets Divisional Playoff
game on CBS. With the game earning a 20.9 Nielsen overnight
rating, the USTA said if "just" 2.3% of the viewers "Get In
The Game," it would "realize its goal of bringing 800,000
new players" to the tennis before the year 2002 (USTA).
