Industry sources say that NFL teams so far "have had to
settle for much less than most of their marketing executives
originally thought" the soft-drink and quick-service
restaurant (QSR) categories were worth, according to Andy
Bernstein of the SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL. Teams were hopeful
of receiving more from both categories than they would have
under former league-wide deals, in which NFLP packaged a 30-
team deal for around $15-18M annually, with each team
receiving about $350,000. Bernstein reports that Coca-Cola
and its bottlers have paid out "little more" than $1.6M to
NFL teams this season, with 10 teams "paid sums of less than
six figures." For the season, Coca-Cola will wind up
spending "about" $10M less than the company spent on its
all-inclusive deal last season. PepsiCo, meanwhile, has
inked deals "with only two new teams," the Bills and the
Packers. Bernstein adds that the QSR category has seen less
activity, with 10 teams reporting sponsorship deals with
McDonald's and "virtually no new activity from other
national fast-food chains" (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 9/14).
FOX FIGHTS FOR SPONSOR SPOTS: BRANDWEEK's Terry Lefton
reports that Fox "has not yet signed" its eight-year, $4.4B
NFL deal, as it continues to challenge the "elimination of
in-game commercial enhancements." One marketing exec at a
rival league: "They (Fox) are the king of enhancements, so
this isn't really surprising, that they are unwilling to
give that up. How much they'll fight will be interesting.
It's a battle everyone in TV sports and with a property to
sell will be watching carefully." NFL VP/Communications
Greg Aiello: "Our position is clear. We won't allow in-game
enhancements of any kind" (BRANDWEEK, 9/14 issue).
