In Business This Week

A SLAM-DUNK CONTRACT FOR THE NBA

The National Basketball Assn., the first big sports league to share revenues with its players, now is trying revenue-sharing of a different sort. NBC announced on Apr. 28 that it's paying some $750 million to renew its four-year deal with the NBA. That's 25% more than it paid to snag the NBA in 1989. NBC is so sure it will turn a profit--even with the fat contract--that it also has agreed to share half of its game ad revenues with the NBA once the network reaches an agreed-upon profit level.EDITED BY THANE PETERSON