The marketing of the Hurricanes was examined by Chip
Alexander of the Raleigh NEWS & OBSERVER. The team has
spent $750,000 on print, TV and radio advertising and
recently spent $150,000 for a video presentation to local
businesses. The team also has signed 23 corporate partners
for the upcoming season. Official team sponsors include Rex
Healthcare, A-B, Office Depot, Carolina Ford Dealers, Long
Transportation, Howard, Perry & Walston Realtors and Austin
Quality Foods. In Greensboro, 24 suites have been leased.
(NEWS & OBSERVER, 9/28). The NEWS & OBSERVER featured the
Hurricanes in a Sunday pull-out (NEWS & OBSERVER, 9/28).
NASHVILLE: In Nashville, 12,452 were present for the
first day of season-ticket sales for the city's NHL
expansion franchise (AP, 9/27). The Nashville team unveiled
its logo last week, a profile of the saber-toothed tiger
"which in prehistoric times was native to the region"
(Nashville Hockey Club). In Houston, John McClain: "The
unofficial slogan that team officials constantly use is
'We're Nashville's team,' a shot at the [NFL] Oilers, who
are not supposed to play in Nashville until their new
stadium is ready in 1999" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 9/27).
CANADA'S TEAM: Molson Cos. is profiled in BUSINESS
WEEK. The Canadiens and the new $190M Molson Centre brought
in profits of $12M last year on revenues of $102M for owner
Molson Cos. Molson "argues that the team provides a
marketing focus for beer" (BUSINESS WEEK, 10/6 issue).
