MLB: Starbucks formally announced its partnership with
Mark McGwire which will benefit children's literacy programs
(See THE DAILY, 2/9). The company will donate $5,000 for
each McGwire HR to a program in the city where the game is
played. Starbucks guarantees that donations will total at
least $250,000 and that each city in which McGwire plays
will receive at least $5,000. McGwire "approached" the
company at the end of last year "to explore the possibility
of a partnership" (SEATTLE TIMES, 2/18). "ET" also reported
on the Starbucks/McGwire deal ("ET," 2/18). In Seattle,
Constance Sommer writes that McGwire is "practically
addicted to Starbuck's coffee. The guy's been drinking it
for 10 years" and persuaded the Cardinals to serve it "in
the clubhouse" (SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER, 2/19)....Amtrak,
an official MLB sponsor, will start using Yogi Berra in a
30-second TV ad as part of a $4M ad campaign in 25 cities,
which launches in March (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 2/18).
DON'T ASK JERRY JONES TO VISIT: The Surf City, CA, City
Council declared Coca-Cola the city's official beverage, a
first in the U.S. Coca-Cola receives signage rights
throughout the city and exclusive rights to sell
nonalcoholic drinks on all city property for $300,000 a year
in cash and about $300,000 a year in in-kind community
programs (ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, 2/18)....Coca-Cola will
market bottled water, Dasani, which is "expected" to be on
the market by the beginning of the summer (USA TODAY, 2/19).
PERFECT DEMOGRAPHICS FOR YOU? A study released by
Colorado Ski Country USA revealed that "more than" half of
the skiers in CO last season had incomes of $75,000 or more,
while "nearly" 20% had incomes above $200,000. Also,
destination skiers spent an average of $189 a day, while CO
skiers spent an average of $49 a day. The report was
compiled by CO-based RRC Associates (DENVER POST, 2/19).
A NEW SPONSOR IN CHARLOTTE? SMI is "making plans to
compensate for the expected loss" of VisionAire as the title
sponsor of the May 1 IRL race at Lowe's Motor Speedway in
NC. SMI President Humpy Wheeler said SMI has not been
notified officially by VisionAire about withdrawing its
sponsorship, but said, "I'd hate to see them pull out, but
I'm not worried about it from the standpoint of being able
to race. We can make up for it" (NEWS & OBSERVER, 2/19).
