An unstable economy has brought about reassessment of priorities and drastic budget cuts for many companies. But two companies that have fallen on hard times in recent months plan to honor their commitments to multi-year, multi-million-dollar stadium naming-rights deals signed during more prosperous times.

	Despite filing for bankruptcy in April, PSINet will continue to honor its commitment to a 20-year, $105.5 million stadium naming-rights deal for the Baltimore Ravens' home.

The New England Patriots' new stadium will be called CMGI Field when it debuts next year, a spokesperson for the Internet development company promises. Never mind that it has weathered a rash of bad news with a fourth-quarter net loss of more than $1 billion, the imminent departure of its European division president, and the recent exit of the chief executive officer of one of its subsidiaries.

And, not to be overlooked, its investors watched as CMGI stocks tumbled from a high-water mark of $163.50 in January 2000 to its historic low of 60 cents this week. The stock has since bounced back to close at $1.70 a share on Thursday.

"Shareholders have been largely supportive of the deal and the larger branding potential it will offer to CMGI and our affiliated companies," spokesperson Deidre Moore told ESPN.com last week. "Our annual spending commitment is only $7.6 million (for the first 10 years) -- a mere fraction of the annual marketing budgets of most of our Internet and technology peers."

Even a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing in April hasn't stopped PSINet from continuing to make good on its 20-year, $105.5 million naming-rights deal with the Baltimore Ravens, which began in 1998.

"CMGI and PSINet have become household names because of their naming-rights sponsorships," said Dean Bonham, chairman of the Bonham Group, a naming-rights consulting firm. "If they're out of that, their identity in the eyes of many is gone as well. So there's a psychological resistance because if they end their association it's an admission that the end is either near or it's here."

Bonham said losing a naming-rights deal hurts more than just the company. It also hurt the team, as it did with the St. Louis Rams when TWA filed bankruptcy this past February. Previously, the Miami Dolphins took a public-relations hit when Fruit of the Loom's affiliate Pro Player filed bankruptcy in February 2000.

"If a naming-rights deal (dissolves), there's much more apathy and less enthusiasm for the whole concept and I think it also trickles down to ticket sales, sponsorships and even ratings," Bonham said.

To date, no company has backed out of its commitment before a naming-rights deal actually took effect.

	Michael Jordan once made opponents see red, but will he have apparel companies happily singing the blues?

Fashion statement
Collegiate team apparel sales are predicated on many factors, including alumni base, a team's winning percentage and the school's logo. Often overlooked, though, is the customer's desire to match their shoes and caps.

Michael Jordan helped popularize the colors red and black with Nike's Air Jordan basketball shoes when he was with the Chicago Bulls during the 1980s and '90s. And college apparel from Cincinnati, St. John's and Wisconsin remain hot items on store shelves because of it.

"Certain retailers are carrying school (apparel) not so much based on athletic success, but how well they match with the popular shoes out in the stores," said Scott Bouyack, senior director of apparel marketing for Collegiate Licensing Group, which controls the marks of most Division I colleges and universities.

But now that Jordan is a member of the Washington Wizards, whose prominent team color is blue, Bouyack said he expects college apparel from BYU and Kentucky could make a move toward the top of the sales list.

Bobblehead factor
After the first full year of bobbleheads as a baseball promotional staple, statistical trends became apparent, according to loyal reader David Hallstrom: