NOKIA MAKING PUSH TO ACQUIRE NAMING RIGHTS AT DALLAS ARENA?

          Finnish telecom company Nokia "is making a serious bid"
     to purchase the naming rights to Dallas' new arena,
     according to Andy Bernstein of the SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL. 
     Naming rights to the new arena and The Ballpark at Arlington
     "went on the market late last year," with each carrying an
     asking price of $4-5M per year for a 25- or 30-year deal. 
     Southwest Sports Group COO Michael Cramer, the holding
     company of the Stars and Rangers controlled by Tom Hicks,
     said that there are "several bidders," in addition to Nokia,
     for the rights.  Bernstein writes that the current naming-
     rights deal doesn't include any media inventory, nor have
     negotiations "reached the point where arena signage and
     other add-ons have even been considered."  Nokia officials
     declined to comment (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 2/15 issue).