FOOTBALL

GIANTS REACH AGREEMENT ON NEW STADIUM

The New York Giants reached an agreement with the state of New Jersey last night that will allow the NFL team to build a new $750 million stadium in the Meadowlands.

A source close to the negotiations told the Associated Press that the deal was for 40 years, but included several options that could extend it to 98 years. It also called for the Giants to receive 75 acres of Meadowlands property – the current stadium site is 28 acres – and gives the team all money earned through the sale of naming rights.

Earlier yesterday, Giants chief operating officer John Mara said if a deal could be struck quickly there was a slight chance the new stadium could be ready for the 2008 season.

NFL ANNOUNCES 2005 SCHEDULE

The 2005 NFL schedule, announced yesterday, will contain a rare full slate of Saturday afternoon games on Christmas Eve, the first full Saturday since 1995. The season will end with a full schedule on New Year’s Day, a Sunday.

The four highlight games of the first weekend were announced last month. They include the season opener, Oakland at New England on Thursday, September 8, part of the new policy to have the Super Bowl champions open the season on a Thursday night. The other games are Indianapolis at Baltimore on Sunday night, September 11; Dallas at San Diego as the doubleheader game Sunday; and NFC champion Philadelphia at Atlanta the next night. On October 2, San Francisco and Arizona will play the first regular-season game outside the United States, meeting in a night game in Mexico City. The Cardinals will be the home team.

SOCCER

BERLUSCONI MULLS PENALTIES FOR STADIUM VIOLENCE

Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi said yesterday that “drastic measures” may be needed to stem the rise of violence at Italian soccer stadiums, a day after a fan hit a goalkeeper with a flare in a European Champions League quarterfinal.

Soccer’s European governing body said it will decide Friday on what punishment to impose on Internazionale of Milan. AC Milan goalkeeper Dida was hit on a shoulder Tuesday night, and the referee abandoned the game after Inter fans threw more flares onto the field at San Siro stadium. Last weekend, scores of fans were arrested and 89 police officers injured in fighting at stadiums across the country. Berlusconi is also the owner of AC Milan, which was leading 1-0 in the game and 3-0 in the home-and-home, total goals series.

Liverpool and Juventus played to a 0-0 tie in Turin yesterday in another Champions League quarterfinal marred by fan violence. The English team advanced to the semifinals with a 2-1 total-goals victory in the home-and-home series. After the game, Liverpool supporters were escorted by police to Turin’s Caselle airport for an immediate return home.

PSV Eindhoven won the night’s other quarterfinal, beating Lyon 4-2 on penalty kicks following a 1-1 tie. The teams also played a 1-1 tie in France last week, leaving the aggregate score tied in the home-and-home series.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

TAR HEELS’ MCCANTS HEADING TO NBA

North Carolina junior Rashad McCants said yesterday he will enter the NBA draft, after helping the Tar Heels win the national championship this season. McCants, the team’s second-leading scorer, said he was in the process of hiring an agent, a move that would prevent him from returning for his senior season.

– Associated Press