Fila has signed Colts QB Jim Harbaugh to a multiyear
deal as the company's first NFL endorser. Harbaugh will
endorse Fila football cleats, turf-training and cross-
training footwear as well as sportswear (Fila)....MI-based
Fastlane Footwear is profiled in the DETROIT NEWS. Fastlane
makes footwear and apparel licensed by the NHRA, NASCAR, IRL
and colleges, and is "expected" to increase sales from $2.8M
in '96 to $20M in '98. Fastlane Chair John Lefere: "We use
motorsports as the sex appeal for the company" (DETROIT
NEWS, 7/17)....One on Sports, the footwear and apparel
company owned by the Packers' Reggie White, opened its first
franchise in the Southeast last week in Atlanta (ATLANTA
BUSINESS CHRONICLE, 7/14 issue)....KFC is promoting its
first cold chicken menu item, the Chicken Twister sandwich,
by forming a "Team Twister" group of NASCAR drivers. The
team will race Winston Cup, Busch and Craftsman Truck Series
races during the Brickyard 400 weekend at IMS July 31-August
2 (KFC)....Chicago-based HA-LO Sports & Entertainment has
been signed by Continental Express Airlines to provide event
marketing consultation (HA-LO)....Men's clothing designer
Joseph Abboud Co. has signed on as a sponsor of the "New
York's Top 100 Sports Moments Gala," scheduled for September
11 at MSG (ISI). ...MA-based Brine, which serves as the
official soccer ball for 11 collegiate conferences, has
signed a one-year deal as title sponsor of the Atlantic 10
Men's and Women's soccer championships (A-10)....Woolworth
Corp. is "expected" to announce that it will close its more
than 400 Woolworth stores, but according to "people familiar
with Woolworth's plans," the company will convert 25% of the
stores to other formats, including Foot Locker and Champs
sporting goods stores (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 7/17).
