NH-based sports apparel company Pro Player has placed
its new company logo on the scoreboards and 65 signs
throughout Pro Player Stadium for Sunday's game, according
to Cindy Krischer Goodman, who examines the exposure that
the brand will receive via its naming rights deal. Pro
Player apparel will also be worn by 20,000 Super Bowl hosts
and stadium workers while in Miami (MIAMI HERALD, 1/29).
STIMULUS PACKAGE: In CA, Todd Harmonson examined the
economic impact of the Super Bowl on South FL. Greater
Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau President William
Talbert: "Sure, it costs us to host a Super Bowl, but the
return we get on our investment is enormous. People all
over the world are seeing Miami at its best. ... If I've got
a choice between having a Super Bowl and not having a Super
Bowl, I'll take one" (ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, 1/28).
THE GAME INSIDE THE GAME: The WALL STREET JOURNAL
profiles "office pool mania" and writes that a "record" $1B-
plus is riding on the Super Bowl in office pools (WALL
STREET JOURNAL, 1/29). In Las Vegas, Royce Feour reports
that the "more than" $77.3M that will be wagered in NV on
the game will set a "state record." Betting officials
estimate that for every $1 bet legally, $50 more will be
beat illegally in the U.S., bringing the total bet on the
game to more than $4B (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 1/29).
GAME NOTES: In Miami, Robert Nolin writes that the
Super Bowl "may be the largest gathering of cell phones on
the planet" and NFL telecom sponsor Sprint "is ready," as it
has set up two portable cell phone towers outside the
stadium. Sprint Personal Communication Services VP Ernie
Grenet: "I do expect a definite spike in our traffic" (MIAMI
HERALD, 1/29)....The four-day 989 Sports '99 NFL Players
Party, which covers over 200,000 square feet of sand on
South Beach and features 400 current and former NFL players,
will be open to the public today. Players Inc Exec VP Pat
Allen: "Our mission is to get the helmets off the players.
It gives fans a chance to meet and greet the players" (MIAMI
HERALD, 1/29)....The NFL will sponsor the Susan G. Komen
Breast Cancer Foundation Race for the Cure (USA TODAY,
1/29). ...Dolphins QB Dan Marino was selected as the
Sprint/NFL "Man of the Year" for '98 (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION,
1/29). ...SC-based Top Box signed a five-year deal to place
multi-media business entertainment systems in all 200 luxury
suites in Pro Player Stadium. The technology will be
installed "in time" for the Super Bowl (TECHWEB, 1/26).
MILK MEN: John Elway and Chris Chandler are featured in
a full-page "Got Milk" ad in USA TODAY (THE DAILY).
