The Women's World Cup "is already a hit at the gate,"
with more than 300,000 tickets sold for the event, and total
attendance for 17 U.S. dates "could top 500,000." WWC '99
President & CEO Marla Messing, on women's sports: "Not only
are we still trying to find our audience, we're trying to
determine if one exists. ... At this point for women's
sports, the biggest thing is seeing people in the stands.
... The WNBA is delivering that" (WALL ST. JOURNAL, 4/16).
EVENT NOTES: In N.Y., Yacht Club Commodore George
Isdale said that it's time to "evaluate" how the America's
Cup is conducted and to "make changes," as currently, the
defender selects the race venue, TV rights and "many of the
important" sponsorships. Isdale: "It's akin to Jerry Jones
running the NFL and the Dallas Cowboys" (USA TODAY, 4/16).
The Volvo Ocean Race -- formerly the Whitbread Round the
World Race -- will make Miami one of two U.S. stops in 2002,
"bringing a three-week festival and thousands of visitors to
the area." McDermott, Will & Emery Senior Partner Jim
McDonald "estimates" the race will generate $30M for the
South FL economy (MIAMI HERALD, 4/16).....The Toyota Grand
Prix, set to run this month, generates an "estimated" $38M
into the Long Beach (CA) economy. The three-day event could
attract "as many as 200,000 people" (L.A. TIMES,
4/15)....The U.S. Olympic Trials in freestyle wrestling will
be held at Conseco Fieldhouse in 2004 (STAR-NEWS, 4/14).
