Visa and credit card "powerhouse" MBNA have reached an
"agreement in principle" with MLB to launch a national affinity
credit card program, according to Terry Lefton of BRANDWEEK.
Lefton notes the four-year, "media-heavy deal," has a reported
value of $50M. The "wave of credit card/sports associations"
reflects the "heightened competition" in the $700B U.S. general-
purpose credit card market. NFL Properties Senior Dir of
Corporate Sponsorships Gary Jacobus: "I've never seen a category
explode the way this one has, from a pretty neglected category to
something that has produced some of the biggest rights contracts
for each of the major leagues." Lefton adds the one point
"holding up final signoffs" on the deal is whether MBNA will get
the right to issue debit cards, "a growing sub-category for card-
issuing banks." The deal is not expected to be completed in time
to give Visa any World Series exposure beyond its previously
purchased TV spots. The deal was brokered by SMTI, Greenwich, CT
(BRANDWEEK, 10/21 issue).
MLB LICENSEES ROOT FOR YANKEES? MLB licensees and their
retailers are "pulling" for the Yankees to win the World Series
as a "cure-all for a merchandise category that has yet to return
to pre-strike levels," according to Terry Lefton in BRANDWEEK.
Steve Armus, MLBP Licensing Dir of Adult Wearables, is "hopeful"
the Yankees could "match or surpass" last year's Indians' sales,
which accounted for 35% of all MLB licensed apparel sales.
Armus: "For years, people have said that if the Yankees win it
would make our jobs easy and we'll see if they're right"
(BRANDWEEK, 10/21 issue). Baker & Greising write in BUSINESS
WEEK: "A long players' strike had fans steaming. A newfangled
playoff scheme generated distrust. Baseball was down. Then it
got lucky: The much loved, much reviled New York Yankees, the
biggest media draw in the country, grabbed a spot in the World
Series" (BUSINESS WEEK, 10/28 issue).
