News Corp. and Yahoo! have "inked a marketing and media
deal estimated" at about $20M, which will launch on Super
Bowl Sunday with an "extensive" sponsorship of Fox's pregame
coverage. Yahoo! is making its first national broadcast buy
for about $15M via Fox Broadcasting, FX, Fox Sports Net and
Fox News (BRANDWEEK, 1/25 issue)....A-B has "amassed a
bounty of sports memorabilia" as part of its summer promo
tied to ESPN's "SportsCentury" program (BRANDWEEK, 1/25
issue)....NBC's Gravity Games "is preparing to announce"
that Toyota will become the exclusive automotive sponsor of
the event (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 1/25)....Columbia
Sportswear will continue to be the sole apparel supplier for
the cast and crew of MTV's "Road Rules" (Columbia).
...Octagon has taken a "substantial minority shareholding"
in Brazil-based Koch Tavares, which promotes a variety of
sports, including tennis, golf, track and field, beach
volleyball and beach soccer. The new company will be named
Octagon Koch Tavares and will "continue to operate under
existing management" (AD AGE, 1/25)....FL Int'l Univ.'s
Athletic Department signed a three-year deal making FL-based
Game Plan Inc. the department's agency of record. Game
Plan, which will focus on men's and women's basketball,
baseball and soccer will be responsible for sponsorship
sales, ad creation and placement and assist with in-game
entertainment and promotional programs (Game Plan).
