Costas and NBC Reach New Deal

Bob Costas said Wednesday he has decided to stay at NBC--at a greatly reduced workload--and the network today will announce an agreement on a new four-year contract reportedly worth more than $1 million a year.

As part of the deal, Costas will continue as the host of the 2004 Summer Olympics and 2006 Winter Games. He will also be available for a variety of other roles, such as serving as the host of NBC specials or filling in on such shows as “Today.”

“It was a combination of loyalty and that NBC still has the Olympics as a centerpiece,” Costas said of the decision to remain with his longtime employer.

Costas earlier signed a three-year deal with HBO, reportedly worth about $2 million a year. It calls for him to not only continue doing his “On the Record” show but also serve as host of “Inside the NFL” and be involved in the pay-cable network’s boxing coverage and other projects.

“My increased responsibility at HBO made this a nice fit,” Costas said.

Costas had considered an offer to work in sports and news at ABC, but his HBO workload apparently made the NBC offer more attractive.

Larry Stewart

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Tennis

Fourth-seeded Serena Williams beat Rita Grande of Italy, 6-0, 6-3, to advance to the third round of the Italian Open at Rome.

In another second-round match, defending champion Jelena Dokic beat Anna Smashnova, 6-3, 3-6, 6-1.

Third-seeded Kim Clijsters traded breaks with Elena Likhovtseva at the outset and advanced with a 6-3, 6-2 victory.

In other matches, fifth-seeded Justine Henin, coming off a victory at the German Open, beat Francesca Schiavone, 7-6 (5), 6-2; seventh-seeded Amelie Mauresmo defeated Nathalie Dechy, 6-1, 7-5; Mary Pierce beat 13th-seeded Patty Schnyder, 6-3, 1-6, 6-2 and 16th-seeded Tatiana Panova advanced when Henrieta Nagyova retired because of a thigh injury while trailing, 6-0, 5-2.

Silvia Farina Elia, Italy’s top player, beat Barbara Schett, 6-2, 6-4.

Second-seeded Gustavo Kuerten saved five set points in the second set and beat Andrei Pavel, 6-3, 7-6 (5), to advance to the third round of the $2.8-million Hamburg Masters Series at Hamburg, Germany.

Top-seeded Lleyton Hewitt advanced with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Bjorn Phau.

In other matches, Andy Roddick, seeded 13th, defeated Rainer Schuettler, 6-4, 6-4; Adrian Voinea upset fifth-seeded Tim Henman, 7-6 (5), 2-6, 6-4, and Tommy Robredo beat 10th-seeded Sebastien Grosjean, 7-5, 7-5.

Pro Football

San Francisco’s 3Com Park, home of the NFL’s 49ers, has been renamed San Francisco Stadium at Candlestick Point, the team said.

The city’s Recreation and Park Department, which owns the stadium, decided on the name after being unable to find a sponsor to replace Santa Clara-based 3Com, the fourth-biggest computer-networking company. The company’s contract, which was signed in 1995 and has twice been renewed, expired Jan. 31.

The 32-year-old stadium was called Candlestick Park before the 49ers purchased the naming rights in 1995 and sold them to 3Com, making it one of the first U.S. stadiums to bear a corporate name.

Pittsburgh Steeler receiver Plaxico Burress and his brother were charged after a fight with police at Virginia Beach, Va.

Plaxico Burress was charged with public intoxication, a misdemeanor, after the fight early Saturday. Carlos Martinez Burress, of Virginia Beach, was charged with assault and battery of a police officer, a felony. He was freed on bail.

Chicago Bear defensive end Bryan Robinson broke both wrists in a fall at his home last weekend, but the team said he’ll be ready for the beginning of training camp.

Boxing

Oscar De La Hoya, during an interview in New York, said he’s tired of Mike Tyson giving the sport a bad name.

“He’s a circus act and he’s killing boxing,” De La Hoya said. “He’s disgusting. It’s sad and depressing. There are so many good boxers and he ruins it for everyone.... I don’t think he’s acting anymore. I think he’s seriously sick.”

Miscellany

James Lee Davis was sentenced to 30 years in prison for selling 15 phony Masters badges for $24,000.

Although a calf injury kept world record holder Maurice Greene out of the 100-meter dash, Bernard Williams led a top-three sweep by Americans at the Qatar Grand Prix at Doha, Qatar.

J.C. Mathis, a 6-foot-8 junior, has received permission from Coach Pete Gillen to leave the Virginia basketball team.... The Southeastern Conference denied a South Carolina basketball recruit’s appeal to transfer from a community college. Tim Pickett had been ineligible to enroll at South Carolina this fall under an SEC rule regarding junior college transfers.

Passings

Samuel Thaw Walton Jr., the starting right tackle for the New York Jets in the 1969 Super Bowl, was found dead in a vacant apartment in Memphis, Tenn. He was 59.