With the NFL regular season starting September 1, new league
telecom sponsor Sprint is readying a "cross-portfolio" slate of
ads featuring members of NFL Properties Quarterback Club and
Coaches Club, according to Terry Lefton of BRANDWEEK. Sprint's
business-to-business unit will use Bills coach Marv Levy, while
local telephone service units plan to use Levy, Steelers coach
Bill Cowher, the Colts Jim Harbaugh, and the Dolphins Dan Marino.
Marino has already been shot for Sprint print ads, and according
to Sprint's Mike Goff, "There's no one overall spokesman, but you
will probably see Marino more than anyone else. ... We like his
overall visibility and continuity with one team." Sprint will
use NFL stadiums as sampling sites for its pre-paid phone card
and a new line of NFL logoed pagers sold via an 800-number, with
some later retail distribution. Pagers will also be packaged
with a sports update service. Ad support is likely in NFL's Game
Day and Sports Illustrated. Sprint plans to eventually build a
league-wide "intranet" for teams to share salary cap info, and to
exchange game footage via high speed lines (BRANDWEEK, 8/19
issue).
