Rawlings Sporting Goods led the nation in insider stock
purchases last month after insiders bought $5M of stock in
January, according to BLOOMBERG NEWS. GA-based Bull Run
Corp. -- whose President Robert Prather is a member of the
Rawlings board -- "did most of the buying," purchasing "more
than" 400,000 shares. Bull Run, which organizes amateur
sports contests and fan festivals, previously had 387,500
shares of Rawlings (BLOOMBERG/POST-DISPATCH, 2/21).
RAWLINGS SETS FOR BATTLE: In St. Louis, Al Stamborski
examined Rawlings' new competition in the sports equipment
business from Nike and asked, "Could the Swoosh swoop down
and snatch Rawlings?" While Rawlings execs talk about
"beating Nike to the punch on new products," the company
"can't compete in advertising and promotions." Rawlings
spends $11M in that category, and no Rawlings endorser
"makes more than five figures." But Rawlings has signed
with Host Communications for help in the "premiums business.
It also will beat the drums for Rawlings through its
contacts with coaches' organizations and through the amateur
sports contests, such as Hoop It Up" (POST-DISPATCH, 2/22).
