Fila formally announced yesterday that it has secured
exclusive rights to become a sponsor of the ATP Tour's Super
9 series. The agreement, first reported in Monday's issue
of the SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, will include Fila providing
apparel to ATP Tour tournament and on-court officials. In
Baltimore, Lorraine Mirabella writes that Fila will also
receive brand exposure through courtside signage, program
ads and ATP Tour TV commercials. Another component of the
deal is to "develop Fila products and accessories, co-
branded with a new ATP logo" (Baltimore SUN, 6/29). In
Europe, Harverson & Garrahan put the total value of the
three-year deal at $12M (FINANCIAL TIMES, 6/29).
NEW DEAL MAKES SENSE: Fila CEO Michele Scannavini noted
that the company is getting more involved in event and grass
roots sponsorships rather than player endorsements: "Today
it's about more than paying millions of dollars to
individual athletes. We like to be associated with
something broader than a single player. In terms of value
for money, this is the best strategy" (FINANCIAL TIMES,
6/29). Fila Senior VP/Advertising & Sports Marketing Howe
Burch, on a return to the company's "sports roots" in
tennis: "We have a small piece of the overall business, and,
frankly, we think tennis is our birthright and we should
have a bigger piece." NMG co-CEO Peter Kaplan said it
"makes sense" for Fila to "go back to their strength and
build their tennis business" (Baltimore SUN, 6/29).
