BASKETBALL: The Teamsters distributed "informational
leaflets highlighting the plight" of 70 locked-out workers
of Nestle USA's Northern CA distribution facility outside of
the Pacers-Knicks Game Six Friday and plan to continue
distributing the leaflets in N.Y. and San Antonio during the
NBA Finals. Nestle is an official NBA sponsor (OAKLAND
TRIBUNE, 6/12)....Shock G Jennifer Azzi, on her endorsement
potential: "People are under the false impression that
there's all this endorsement money out there. From what I
see, women still have a long way to go for that. If there
are things that happen, that's cool. But I'm not playing to
get endorsed" (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 6/13)....In Boston,
Howard Manly contrasted the marketing appeal of Knicks G
Latrell Sprewell and Spurs C David Robinson. Manly:
"Robinson and his other clean-cut brother, Grant Hill, are
cast in lame 'Mayberry RFD' commercials that appeal to a
considerably older demographic. Shaving cream and candy
bars are one thing, but the real freight in sports is sports
gear, and rarely do the straight and narrow hawk the latest
and greatest sneakers" (BOSTON GLOBE, 6/13).
IT'S ALL IN THE CARDS: In DC, Andrew Beyer wrote that
Visa's Triple Crown sponsorship "has given [horse racing]
more visibility and credibility. And the industry's own
efforts to obtain more media exposure are beginning to pay
off, too." But NTRA Commissioner Tim Smith said that there
is a "lot of building yet to be done." Smith: "We need to
explain to viewers how other races relate to the Triple
Crown." Beyer also wrote that horse racing has the
"potential to attract a whole new generation of customers
through the computer" (WASHINGTON POST, 6/12).
NOTES: OH-based Executive Sports Int'l has become the
exclusive sales, licensing, marketing and co-management
agent for the Int'l Snowboard Federation's 2000 World
Snowboard Championships to be held in Telluride, CO, January
8-15 (ESI)....Braves P John Smoltz, on reaction to the
recent Nike spot featuring teammates Tom Glavine and Greg
Maddux: "That's all you hear when you're at the plate:
'Chicks dig the long ball'" (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 6/12).
