Gulf Tension Extends to Pro Sports : Conflict countdown: Executives will monitor situation closely. The Super Bowl might be postponed, but only as a last resort.

American professional sports leagues are keeping a wary eye on events in the Persian Gulf, where armed conflict might mean added security measures at events and a possible postponement of the Super Bowl.

The United Nations’ deadline for Iraq to withdraw its forces from Kuwait is 9 p.m. PST. Until any shooting starts, though, the stance of most pro sports leagues is to keep a close eye on the situation.

“It’s premature, that’s all we’re saying,” said Brian McIntyre, vice president for public relations of the NBA. “Sure, we have been in contact with the FBI and other agencies and we have discussed a number of things.”

According to the NFL, postponement of the Super Bowl, scheduled for Jan. 27 in Tampa, Fla., would happen only as a last resort.

“The NFL is planning to complete the remaining postseason games as scheduled,” said league spokesman Greg Aiello, reading from a prepared statement. “If events during the next three weeks lead us to evaluate our plans, we will make an announcement to that effect at that time.”

Conference championship games are scheduled this weekend in Buffalo, where the Raiders will play the Bills for the AFC title, and in San Francisco, where the 49ers will play the New York Giants in the NFC title game. The Super Bowl and the Pro Bowl all-star game also fall in the three-week period mentioned in the NFL’s statement.

However, Advertising Age reported Monday that the NFL would consider postponing the Super Bowl if war breaks out in the Persian Gulf. The magazine reported that Super Bowl television sponsors have weighed contingency plans in case of war. Advertisers will pay ABC-TV close to $800,000 for 30-second commercial spots during the Super Bowl.

Aiello, though, reaffirmed the NFL stance.

“We’re moving ahead as if the games are going to be played,” he said. “We’ll let you know.”

With franchises in Canada as well as the United States, any action taken by the NHL affecting its games would involve both governments, according to NHL President John Ziegler. He left open what actions might be taken, but indicated that the games would go on.

“We’ll take our lead from the President of the United States and the prime minister of Canada,” Ziegler said. “Whatever measures they recommend, we’d certainly take them into consideration. But I must point out that in World War II, it was a policy that entertainment and professional sports continue.”

The PGA Tour has golf tournaments scheduled through February, including events in Honolulu, Phoenix, Pebble Beach, Indian Wells, San Diego and at Riviera Country Club.

Said Sid Wilson, director of public relations: “At this time, we have no plans to do anything to our tournament schedule. However, we are going into the next six events with an eye toward security.”

Professional tennis is a global sport and both the Women’s Tennis Assn. and the Assn. of Tennis Professionals are considering the impact that an armed conflict in the Persian Gulf could have on their sport on other continents. Davis Cup, an international men’s competition, is scheduled for Feb. 1-3, when the defending champion U.S. team is to play in Mexico City.

The first ATP tour event that could be affected is scheduled for Milan, Italy, the next week, but communications director Jay Beck said the men’s tennis organization does not have any contingency plans in the event of conflict in the Gulf region.

“It’s speculative,” Beck said. “It depends on what type of conflict, how long it is, if it happens at all. It’s tough to speculate. If we had a tournament in the war zone, that would be different. Well, we’ve got one in Tel Aviv, but that’s not until Oct. 7. By then, I’m assuming that either the thing will be over with or the world will be a different place.”

Gerry Smith, executive director of the WTA, said it is his group’s goal to complete the women’s tournament schedule as planned. There are minor women’s tournaments in Austria, Norway, New Zealand and Martinique through February, as well as tournaments in Chicago, Denver, Oklahoma City and Palm Springs.

“First and foremost, we are always concerned about the safety of our players,” Smith said. “We’ll just follow the situation as close as we can. I think the thing we’d be most concerned about is terrorist attacks. We fly so much. If it looks like there are reasons to, we’ll make some adjustments.”

Smith said the Women’s International Pro Tennis Council, the governing body of the women’s game, will meet formally at WTA headquarters in St. Petersburg, Fla., next month, but that an informal meeting is planned for next week in Melbourne at the Australian Open.

“I expect the safety situation to be on the agenda,” he said.

In the interim, Smith said that the WTA remains in contact with the promoters who run the tournaments as well as with the International Tennis Federation, which governs the four Grand Slam events--the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and the U.S. Open.