Promotional plans of telecom company Alltel, who has
naming rights to Jacksonville Stadium, were examined by Earl
Daniels in the FLORIDA TIMES-UNION. In the preseason, each
time the Jaguars scored points, a randomly selected season
ticket holder won free telecom service, and "each time the
public address announcer blares out the section, row and
seat of the winner, the company receives publicity." The
September 7 Giants-Jags game will be "Alltel Day," where it
will hand out applications for fans to switch their long
distance service. For every point the team scores in the
regular season/playoffs, Alltel will give customers a free
minute, which will be given out in February '98. All fans
attending "Alltel Day" will receive free 10-minute pre-paid
long distance calling cards (FL TIMES-UNION, 8/17).
MAKING HIS MARK: Bruce Speegle, the marketing agent
for Jags QB Mark Brunell, who will be sidelined by injury
for the first half of the regular season, said that "there
are no injury clauses embedded in any of the contracts with
local companies that Brunell endorses." Speegle: "The
performance of a player is just one aspect of why he is
attractive in commercials. It's a way a player lives his
life." First Union National Bank recently inked a three-
year deal with Brunell to be an official spokesperson.
First Union spokesperson Ken Darby: "We were with Brunell
before being with Brunell was cool" (TIMES-UNION, 8/17).
