Over 200,000 spectators and athletes attended the
inaugural Gravity Games in Providence, RI, which concluded
September 12. NBC Sports will air taped coverage of the
event over five consecutive Sundays beginning October 3
(Advantage Int'l). A Providence JOURNAL editorial notes the
"publicity bonanza" for the event "doesn't really start
until next month," when NBC airs the Games. RI Sports
Council Dir John Moussea said that he expects the Games'
impact "to approach the $25 million estimated when the event
was announced last year" (Providence JOURNAL, 9/24).
PGA SHOW: In L.A., Jerry Crowe wrote on next week's '99
PGA Int'l Golf Show in Las Vegas and stated that "several of
the industry's big guns" are "starting to question whether
the golf-equipment industry really needs two major trade
shows each year." Orlando's PGA Merchandise Show, which
attracted a record 1,406 exhibitors and more than 50,000
people last year, is considered "the king of golf shows,"
and its "tremendous success" seems to have "put the squeeze
on the Las Vegas show, which draws about 800 exhibitors."
But Reed Exhibition, which holds the rights to both shows,
said that 60% of the Las Vegas show attendees "do not attend
the Orlando show" (L.A. TIMES, 9/23).
SI'S BIG NIGHT: Yankees SS Derek Jeter, model Heidi
Klum and members of the N.Y.-area Boys & Girls Club took
part in a photo op Wednesday promoting the December 2
"Sports Illustrated's 20th Century Sports Awards." The SI
Awards Show will make a contribution to sports and literacy
programs at Boys & Girls clubs nationwide after the event,
which airs on CBS live beginning at 9:00pm ET (SI).
