NBA: Nestle "extends" its NBA partnership with an
upcoming promo featuring Pistons F Grant Hill to "help boost
awareness" of the NBA City restaurant in Orlando. The
promo, set to run late this month through June, will feature
Hill on POP displays, posters and tear cards in about 700
stores. As part of the promo, a consumer sweeps offers a
family trip to Universal Studios and NBA City (BRANDWEEK,
3/23)....Kings Dir of Merchandising Bruce Richards, on the
strong sales of the team's merchandise, much of it due to
the success of rookie G Jason Williams: "We're getting calls
every day from fans across the country who want to buy Kings
merchandise. We've never had that before" (SAC. BEE, 3/22).
HOCKEY: NGS Americam of St. Clair Shores, MI, won the
Staples "Take Your Office to Steve's Office" promo. Red
Wings C Steve Yzerman visited the NGS office yesterday
(Staples)....The ECHL LA IceGators are "again at the top of
the league in attendance," as they average "about" 9,800 a
game. IceGators GM Jady Regard said that the team has
"brought in more than" $1M in ad revenue. Apollo Services
President Jeff Reddoch, on the $18,000 the company spent on
dasherboard ads this season: "There is not much for us to
gain from that. But I do want to support the IceGators, and
you want your people to be proud" (TALLAH. DEMOCRAT, 3/22).
OTHER NOTES: Western Union has retained N.Y.-based
Strategic Sports Group (SSG) to develop and implement a
series of national grassroots soccer programs for the
company. SSG will design and manage the program in five
markets across the U.S. in '99. In addition, SSG has inked
a contract extension with Block Drug Company. SSG has
worked with Block's BC brand analgesic powder since '97
(SSG)....Andre Agassi has signed a three-year endorsement
extension with Head (Ft. Lauderdale SUN-SENTINEL, 3/21).
