PICKLED: Pittsburgh-based Public Label Brands, which
produced Flutie Flakes, is launching "Adam Deadmarsh Pickle
Pucks," named after Avalanche D Adam Deadmarsh. The product
will be introduced in Denver in the first week of June,
"assuming the Avalanche will be on their way" to the Stanley
Cup Finals. PLB Owner Ty Ballou: "We had planned this
before the playoffs, but we are going into overdrive now.
Adam is playing unbelievably, and we want to get our product
out there as quick as we can" (USA TODAY, 5/20).
BRITISH FOOTBALL: Giorgio Armani is designing suits for
Newcastle United to wear when they arrive at Wembley Stadium
for the English Football Association Cup against Manchester
United on Saturday (BLOOMBERG, 5/18)....In Dallas, Steve
Davis reports that Sega inked a $19M sponsorship deal with
the Premier League's Arsenal (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 5/20).
IN THE X-TREME: ESPN has sold out its X Games
sponsorships for the fifth consecutive year, as PlayStation
and Walt Disney's "Tarzan" have joined eight previously
announced Associate Sponsors and six Gold Sponsors. Curad
Extreme Lengths has signed as the official first aid sponsor
of this year's event to be held in S.F. June 25-July 3
(ESPN)....The GAS Entertainment Co. has been retained to
create, coordinate and produce the music components for the
upcoming Gravity Games slated for September. GAS will
produce and promote a two-day concert festival and will
oversee its Webcast (Gravity Games)....The Gorge Games, a
three-year-old summer festival in OR, has been canceled this
year due to "lack of a major sponsor" (OREGONIAN, 5/19).
TALKIN' BASEBALL: MLB is "planning a cause-related push
for veterans" on July 4 to help fund the "yet-unbuilt" World
War II Memorial. Veterans will throw out first pitches at
MLB games that day, which will also feature "nostalgic looks
at how 'Baseball Went to War'" (Terry Lefton, BRANDWEEK,
5/17)....Snapple has been named the "Official Iced Tea" of
the Yankees (Snapple)....Ultimate Sports Entertainment has
secured a one-year licensing deal with options with MLBPA to
market a series of comic books featuring MLBers turning into
superheroes. Four titles are set for release (USE)