SPORTS REVIEW Do the Masters Matter? Portland hosts the biggest multisport competition in the world, though you may not notice. BY CHRISTINA MELANDER melander@wweek.com   1998 Nike World Masters Games Aug. 12-22 Admission is free. See www.worldmasters.org or call 294-1482 for event times, venues and results. Celebration City--the interactive sports arena complete with a track, a rock wall, virtual-reality windsurfing and "pop-a-shot" basketball--opens today at the Oregon Convention Center. It remains open through Aug. 22 and is free to the public.   Last weekend the largest multisport competition in the world began its two-week stint in Portland. Does anyone care? Believe it or not, the Nike World Masters Games are bigger than the Olympics; the '96 Atlanta games drew approximately 10,000 competitors, and about 12,000 are here for the Masters. But the Masters don't have the cachet of the Olympics--or even of the Ironman triathlon, for that matter. This may be the largest-scale athletic event ever held in Oregon, but most Portlanders will not be spurred to attend the 25-sport extravaganza, and they probably wouldn't have noticed that anything unusual was going on if not for Nike's persistent promotion and the influx of badge-wearing visitors around town. If you're unfamiliar with the Masters, which run through Saturday, Aug. 22, here's a primer: What are the World Masters Games? They began in Toronto, Canada, in 1985 and became an international, quadrennial occasion for amateur athletes age 30 and over. The idea is to unite people from all places to celebrate competitive sport; the only qualifications to play are age and the ability to pay the registration fee. Unlike the Olympic Games, countries don't shell out for these folks; athletes represent themselves only. The International Masters Games Association (IMGA) governs the contest, and sport categories depend on the prevailing sports culture of the host country--lawn bowling and full-bore shooting in Australia, bowling and golf in the United States, etc. Why is Nike involved? This is the first time the Masters Games has had a title sponsor; it's usually paid for by the host country. Sagging interest and registration forced game administrators to borrow $1.3 million from corporate sponsors in January. Nike gave $750,000. Why Portland? The Portland Sports Authority (POSA), a private, not-for-profit corporation, was formed in 1993 to recruit events, as it has done with the Masters. So, are the Masters a failure? Financially, it's probably not what anyone at Nike, IMGA or POSA envisioned. The 1994 Masters Games in Brisbane, Australia, attracted nearly 23,000 athletes. This year's organizers were shooting for 25,000 participants; fewer than 12,000 registered. In a February story in The Business Journal, Masters general manager Doug Single said registration as low as 19,000 would be the worst-case scenario. Competitors and their companions certainly bring tourism dollars to town, but they won't generate the $50 million administrators were banking on. Is it worth checking out? The $200 registration fee may have turned off pick-up players and casual jocks, but many of the events can prove amusing for spectators. Take the men's over-50 Burevestnik Russia vs. Portland Old Boars rugby match on Aug. 8. The game was played at the impressive Tualatin Hills Parks and Recreation facility, which boasts crisp pitches, clean pools, immaculate tennis courts, brightly painted basketball courts and, for this occasion, a beer garden. Watching the over-the-hill Ruskies and Roses clenched in a scrum was entertaining in itself, but the real comedy took place in the stands. Ruggers from other teams yelled at the refs and players ("Nyet, nyet Soviet!" was a particularly catchy chant) and ogled female passersby ("Hey guys, the game's over here!"). Over at the Hoop on the same day, women of varying tongues spoke one unifying language on the basketball court: that of elbow jabs and frontal shoves. For the most part the games were incredibly low-scoring: The British Columbia Diehards defeated Latvia 47-37. One exception: The over-30 Oregon team walloped another 103-41. These women wore expressions of impenetrable concentration as if they'd once been Olympians, though it's more likely that they were remembering fierce high-school championships. What's good about the Masters? Basically, this is an amazing chance for athletes to compete against like-aged players in a sport they love. What events should I attend? Women's rugby and football, men's rugby, fencing, tennis, table tennis, softball, basketball and volleyball will be the most fun for spectators. These events are held in Portland, Beaverton or Vancouver. Call for locations and schedules. What does the future hold? The 2002 World Masters Games return to the more charmed setting of Australia, this time in Melbourne. Inexplicably, they will be open to competitors of all ages.   originally published August 12, 1998