Players Inc, the licensing and marketing arm of the
NFLPA, is sponsoring NASCAR Busch Grand National North
driver Bryan Wall to support brand awareness, particularly
for the new Players Inc Authentic Pro Gear clothing line.
Players Inc is also in the midst of completing plans for an
involvement in the '98 Winston Cup Series (Players Inc).
BANK-ED TURNS: IL-based Racing Champions Corp., which
completed an IPO of 5.75 million shares on June 12, reported
second-quarter net income of $2.6M, or $0.27 a share. Sales
rose 27% to $22.9M from $18M for the same period in '96.
Six-month profits for the maker of race car models totaled
$2.9M, or $0.33 a share, as sales rose 26% to $38.1M from
$30.3M. On a pro forma basis, Second-quarter profits rose
50%, to $3.6M, or $0.27 a share, from $2.4M, or $0.18 a
share in the '96 period (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 7/29).
IT'S A BRICK-HOUSE: Indianapolis Motor Speedway opens
its second "Brickyard Authentics" retail store today at
Indianapolis Int'l Airport. Last November, IMS opened the
first store in downtown Indianapolis (IMS).