The Marquee Group's Marquee/ProServ TV will produce
live coverage of Monday's 103rd Boston Marathon for ESPN2,
as well as the int'l feed (Marquee Group). For many Boston-
area companies, the Marathon is an "opportunity to hand out
free samples, cultivate new customers and put on a new
public face," according to Bill Burke of the BOSTON HERALD,
who wrote that as the event has "grown over the years, so
has its potential financial cache." MA-based Reebok
Marketing Manager Ryan Erickson, on the race, which attracts
over one million spectators a year: "This is one of the most
important events of the year from a running perspective.
Just in terms of tradition alone it's in class by itself."
adidas has "sponsor status," but Reebok will "conduct a
variety of events around" the race (BOSTON HERALD, 4/14).
ON THE WEB: In Boston, Larry Tye reported that the
Marathon's Web site (bostonmarathon.org) "will provide
almost instantaneous updates on how each" of the 12,700
runners is doing every 3.1 miles of the 26.2-mile run.
Since the '96 event, organizers have handed out computer
chips for each runner to tie to his or her sneakers, which
allows tracking the runners to occur (BOSTON GLOBE, 4/12).
