Chicago-based Burns Sports and IMS have negotiated an
endorsement deal for Sammy Sosa with Big K-Mart. Sosa shot
a national TV spot for the company in AZ, which was handled
by agency Campbell Mithun Esty (Burns Sports)....In Chicago,
Fred Mitchell examined the impact of Cubs P Kerry Wood's
season-ending elbow injury on his marketability. Wood has
an endorsement deal with Wilson Sporting Goods. Mitchell:
"We will find out soon whether Wood's commercial appeal will
become as auspicious as his first year of pitching in the
big leagues" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 3/17).
AIR WALK: NBAP reached an agreement with Upper Deck
allowing the trading card company, along with Topps and
Fleer/SkyBox, to use Michael Jordan in the remainder of
their '98-99 basketball trading card sets. The deal was
reached before the March 24, 70-day, NBA-imposed deadline
after Jordan's retirement (SPORTS COLLECTORS DIGEST, 3/18).
NOTES: Roy Jones Jr. is "looking to hook up" with a
soft-drink company, as well as a casual clothing
manufacturer (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 3/18)....GM named Berlin,
Cameron & Partners, N.Y., for an "assignment tied to its"
U.S. Olympic teams sponsorship (AD AGE, 3/15 issue)....Dr
Pepper/Seven Up renewed Sunkist's sponsorship as the
official soft drink of the AVP (Dr Pepper). ...Yahoo! has
become the co-title sponsor of mountain bike racing program
Team Ritchey for the '99 mountain biking season through the
2000 Sydney Olympics (Team Ritchey).
