<PAGE>


                               POWER OF ATTORNEY
                               -----------------


     KNOWN ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned hereby constitutes
and appoints each of Thomas E. Kohut, Glenn P. Dickes, James Valkenaar and
Joram C. Salig or any of them, each acting alone, his true and lawful
attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution, for him and in
his name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, in connection with the
MERIDIAN SPORTS INCORPORATED (the "Corporation") Annual Report on Form 10-K
for the year ended December 31, 1997 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
as amended, including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, to
sign the Form 10-K in the name and on behalf of the Corporation or on behalf of
the undersigned as a director or officer of the Corporation, and any amendments
to the Form 10-K and any instrument, contract, document or other writing, of
or in connection with the Form 10-K or amendments thereto, and to file the
same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith,
including this power of attorney, with the Securities and Exchange Commission
and any applicable securities exchange or securities self-regulatory body,
granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, each acting alone, full power
and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and
necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and
purposes as he might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming
all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, each acting alone, or his
substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue
hereof.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has signed these presents this 31st
day of January 1998.


                                        /s/ Martin D. Payson
                                        -------------------------------
                                        MARTIN D. PAYSON

<PAGE>



                               POWER OF ATTORNEY
                               -----------------


     KNOWN ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned hereby constitutes
and appoints each of Thomas E. Kohut, Glenn P. Dickes, James Valkenaar and
Joram C. Salig or any of them, each acting alone, his true and lawful
attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution, for him and in
his name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, in connection with the
MERIDIAN SPORTS INCORPORATED (the "Corporation") Annual Report on Form 10-K
for the year ended December 31, 1997 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
as amended, including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, to
sign the Form 10-K in the name and on behalf of the Corporation or on behalf of
the undersigned as a director or officer of the Corporation, and any amendments
to the Form 10-K and any instrument, contract, document or other writing, of
or in connection with the Form 10-K or amendments thereto, and to file the
same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith,
including this power of attorney, with the Securities and Exchange Commission
and any applicable securities exchange or securities self-regulatory body,
granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, each acting alone, full power
and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and
necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and
purposes as he might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming
all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, each acting alone, or his
substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue
hereof.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has signed these presents this 31st
day of January 1998.


                                        /s/ Ronald O. Perelman
                                        -------------------------------
                                        RONALD O. PERELMAN


<PAGE>



                               POWER OF ATTORNEY
                               -----------------


     KNOWN ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned hereby constitutes
and appoints each of Thomas E. Kohut, Glenn P. Dickes, James Valkenaar and
Joram C. Salig or any of them, each acting alone, his true and lawful
attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution, for him and in
his name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, in connection with the
MERIDIAN SPORTS INCORPORATED (the "Corporation") Annual Report on Form 10-K
for the year ended December 31, 1997 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
as amended, including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, to
sign the Form 10-K in the name and on behalf of the Corporation or on behalf of
the undersigned as a director or officer of the Corporation, and any amendments
to the Form 10-K and any instrument, contract, document or other writing, of
or in connection with the Form 10-K or amendments thereto, and to file the
same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith,
including this power of attorney, with the Securities and Exchange Commission
and any applicable securities exchange or securities self-regulatory body,
granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, each acting alone, full power
and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and
necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and
purposes as he might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming
all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, each acting alone, or his
substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue
hereof.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has signed these presents this 31st
day of January 1998.


                                        /s/ Irwin Engelman
                                        -------------------------------
                                        IRWIN ENGELMAN


<PAGE>



                               POWER OF ATTORNEY
                               -----------------


     KNOWN ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned hereby constitutes
and appoints each of Thomas E. Kohut, Glenn P. Dickes, James Valkenaar and
Joram C. Salig or any of them, each acting alone, his true and lawful
attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution, for him and in
his name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, in connection with the
MERIDIAN SPORTS INCORPORATED (the "Corporation") Annual Report on Form 10-K
for the year ended December 31, 1997 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
as amended, including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, to
sign the Form 10-K in the name and on behalf of the Corporation or on behalf of
the undersigned as a director or officer of the Corporation, and any amendments
to the Form 10-K and any instrument, contract, document or other writing, of
or in connection with the Form 10-K or amendments thereto, and to file the
same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith,
including this power of attorney, with the Securities and Exchange Commission
and any applicable securities exchange or securities self-regulatory body,
granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, each acting alone, full power
and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and
necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and
purposes as he might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming
all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, each acting alone, or his
substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue
hereof.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has signed these presents this 20th
day of January 1998.


                                        /s/ J. Eric Hanson
                                        -------------------------------
                                        J. ERIC HANSON
<PAGE>



                               POWER OF ATTORNEY
                               -----------------


     KNOWN ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned hereby constitutes
and appoints each of Thomas E. Kohut, Glenn P. Dickes, James Valkenaar and
Joram C. Salig or any of them, each acting alone, his true and lawful
attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution, for him and in
his name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, in connection with the
MERIDIAN SPORTS INCORPORATED (the "Corporation") Annual Report on Form 10-K
for the year ended December 31, 1997 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
as amended, including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, to
sign the Form 10-K in the name and on behalf of the Corporation or on behalf of
the undersigned as a director or officer of the Corporation, and any amendments
to the Form 10-K and any instrument, contract, document or other writing, of
or in connection with the Form 10-K or amendments thereto, and to file the
same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith,
including this power of attorney, with the Securities and Exchange Commission
and any applicable securities exchange or securities self-regulatory body,
granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, each acting alone, full power
and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and
necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and
purposes as he might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming
all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, each acting alone, or his
substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue
hereof.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has signed these presents this 31st
day of January 1998.


                                        /s/ Jerry W. Levin
                                        -------------------------------
                                        JERRY W. LEVIN
<PAGE>



                               POWER OF ATTORNEY
                               -----------------


     KNOWN ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned hereby constitutes
and appoints each of Thomas E. Kohut, Glenn P. Dickes, James Valkenaar and
Joram C. Salig or any of them, each acting alone, his true and lawful
attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution, for him and in
his name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, in connection with the
MERIDIAN SPORTS INCORPORATED (the "Corporation") Annual Report on Form 10-K
for the year ended December 31, 1997 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
as amended, including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, to
sign the Form 10-K in the name and on behalf of the Corporation or on behalf of
the undersigned as a director or officer of the Corporation, and any amendments
to the Form 10-K and any instrument, contract, document or other writing, of
or in connection with the Form 10-K or amendments thereto, and to file the
same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith,
including this power of attorney, with the Securities and Exchange Commission
and any applicable securities exchange or securities self-regulatory body,
granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, each acting alone, full power
and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and
necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and
purposes as he might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming
all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, each acting alone, or his
substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue
hereof.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has signed these presents this 27th
day of January 1998.


                                        /s/ John P. Murray, Jr.
                                        -------------------------------
                                        JOHN P. MURRAY, JR.
<PAGE>



                               POWER OF ATTORNEY
                               -----------------


     KNOWN ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned hereby constitutes
and appoints each of Thomas E. Kohut, Glenn P. Dickes, James Valkenaar and
Joram C. Salig or any of them, each acting alone, his true and lawful
attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution, for him and in
his name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, in connection with the
MERIDIAN SPORTS INCORPORATED (the "Corporation") Annual Report on Form 10-K
for the year ended December 31, 1997 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
as amended, including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, to
sign the Form 10-K in the name and on behalf of the Corporation or on behalf of
the undersigned as a director or officer of the Corporation, and any amendments
to the Form 10-K and any instrument, contract, document or other writing, of
or in connection with the Form 10-K or amendments thereto, and to file the
same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith,
including this power of attorney, with the Securities and Exchange Commission
and any applicable securities exchange or securities self-regulatory body,
granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, each acting alone, full power
and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and
necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and
purposes as he might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming
all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, each acting alone, or his
substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue
hereof.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has signed these presents this 31st
day of January 1998.


                                        /s/ Bruce Slovin
                                        -------------------------------
                                        BRUCE SLOVIN