The NBA has signed the Federal National Mortgage
Association (Fannie Mae) to a three-year sponsorship deal
"aimed at delivering its offering of low-cost mortgages
through NBA media and sponsorship vehicles," according to
Terry Lefton of BRANDWEEK. The package includes media on
Turner Broadcasting's NBA games and NBC's "NBA Inside
Stuff." Fannie Mae signed its first NBA team deals in '93-
94 and now has relationships with 12 teams. Through those
deals, NBA players and team execs helped to rebuild homes.
The league deal will be introduced this week in Cleveland,
where Cavs players will build a garage. Lefton writes that
the deal gives Fannie Mae "wide access to an audience
squarely in its demo and gives the NBA further entree into
financial services" (BRANDWEEK, 6/16 issue).
IT'S IN THE JEANS: VF Corp.'s Lee subsidiary will take
its $10M WNBA sponsorship "into top retail accounts with an
integrated promotional strategy in each of the eight WNBA
team markets via in-store activities and at-arena events,"
according to Becky Ebenkamp of BRANDWEEK. Among retailers
signed for the "Get Into the Game -- Get Into Lee" promo are
Macy's in N.Y., Robinsons-May in L.A., Foley's in Houston
and Dillard's in Cleveland and Phoenix. Arena events
include a "game patrol" looking for fans wearing Lee
product, with winners receiving prizes. The promo will be
supported by Lee/retailer co-op newspaper ads and in-store
signage. Ebenkamp notes that Lee "will overlay its
sponsorship with about" 150 spots during the WNBA's TV
schedule on NBC, Lifetime and ESPN (BRANDWEEK, 6/16 issue).
