Store echo within a variable?

[Sean S]

Hi

could anyone tell me how I would store a echo statement within a variable? I tried the following but it didn't work

PHP Code:

        $sql = $DB_site->query("SELECT * FROM links, sponsor ORDER BY id DESC");
        while($row = mysql_fetch_assoc($sql)) {
            $sponsors = echo "
            <table align=center border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=5><tr><td class="alt1">
            ".($row['link'])."  ,  ".($row['sponsor'])."<br />
            </td>
            </tr>
            </table>
            ";
            $i++;
} 


do I have to use something else instead of echo and if I do, would the while loop still work? thanks in advance