Reebok Int'l has announced the Football Association of
Argentina (AFA) has named the company official and exclusive
supplier of apparel, including uniforms and training gear,
performance footwear and balls. The sponsorship starts January
'99 and runs through 2007 (Reebok). Muller Sports Group, the
marketing arm for AFA, said the multimillion-dollar deal is the
largest single apparel deal ever for a national athletic team
(Muller Sports Group)....Advertising on basic cable in '95
totaled a record $3.7B, up 19.3% from '94, according to the New
York-based Cabletelevision Advertising Bureau (N.Y. TIMES,
4/10).... Bently Group President Pat Bently is the subject of AD
AGE's "On a Roll" feature. The racing marketing expert recently
published "Brand Fans: What Sponsors Really Want" (AD AGE,
4/8).... Citibank, Chase Manhattan, Mastercard and Visa plan to
announce a joint venture today to offer electronic cash via a
plastic card (N.Y. TIMES, 4/10)....THE SPORTING NEWS notes the
NCAA's contract to bring the Final Four back to Indianapolis was
signed with the Hoosier Dome, which has since become the RCA
Dome. NCAA Exec Dir Cedric Dempsey said the facility probably
will be referred to as the Hoosier Dome (TSN, 4/8
issue)....Sports Authority CEO Jack Smith is profiled in FORBES.
On his business heroes -- Toys 'R' Us Founder Charles Lazarus and
Home Depot Founder Bernard Marcus: "You just watch me. I'm going
to be the father of a business, just like they are" (FORBES,
4/22).
