ELECTRONIC MEDIA's Diane Mermigas, on the ad market for
the NFL's TV partners: "Some analysts predict a worst-case
scenario of flat sports ad rates that would make Fox's past
annual NFL losses of up to $110 million look like a picnic"
(EM, 6/15 issue)....The Portland OREGONIAN's Richard Read
continued his examination from Vietnam of the Asian economic
crisis and its impact on employment at Nike-contracted
factories. The report's sub-head: "Falling Orders, Sliding
Currencies Tempt Subcontractors For Nike To Cut Corners As
Their Profit Margins Shrink" (OREGONIAN, 6/15)....IL-based
One-on-One Sports hired PR firm Ruder Finn (BRANDWEEK, 6/15
issue)....NJ-based racquetball manufacturer Ektelon signed
an exclusive sponsorship contract with Tony Jelso, currently
ranked No. 11 in the world's racquetball rankings (Ektelon).
BAILEY NOTICED? In Toronto, Steve Buffery wrote that
the controversial Donovan Bailey is "not the popular,
respected, or even beloved" athlete of two years ago, and
that his "public persona is waning." Since the '96
Olympics, Bailey has lost "four of five major sponsors" and
Air Canada "even took his image off the 767 jet that once
bore his name." Bailey's agent, Mark Block, on the
endorsements: "Every one of those deals (other than adidas,
which is still on board) was done for a pre-Olympic or
Olympic marketing push. Donovan's doing well on that front.
In fact, we get calls all the time" (TORONTO SUN, 6/14).
