BRANDWEEK's Terry Lefton reports that the NFL ended a
three-year drought when it signed National Car Rental as its
"official car rental company" late last week (See THE DAILY,
7/23). Sources "peg the deal worth around $3 million." In
other news, Lefton reports that Nike, The Sports Authority
and the NFL "are teaming for a youth football promotion
designed to push Nike product and encourage participation in
NFL flag football programs, sponsored by Nike." In early
August, 1.5 million HHs with kids will be mailed a Nike
catalog with an NFL Flag sign-up sheet (BRANDWEEK, 7/26).
SAIL PRICE: The SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL's Langdon
Brockinton reports that ESPN has signed America's Cup
sponsorship deals with Lincoln Financial and Tyco. Ad
execs estimate the packages, which include ad time during
the race, ads in Yachting and Sail magazines, a presence on
ESPN.com and airfare and tickets to the race, are priced at
"close to" $1.7M each. ESPN, which is looking to sell eight
such deals, sold a package to Tyco and a package and a half
to Lincoln (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 7/26 issue).
ON TRACK: NC-based Mt. Olive Pickle is sponsoring the
Dill Whittymore-driven Chevy in the ARCA racing series. Mt.
Olive spokesperson Lynn Williams: "Racing and pickle
demographics work well together" (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 7/26).
...Grainger Industrial Supply is the title sponsor of the
NASCAR Winston West Series event held at Portland (OR)
Speedway, to be named the "Grainger Industrial Supply 200
presented by TCI Digital Cable." It marks Grainger's first
deal in the "fast-growing" Winston West Series circuit, a
"training ground for new talent" (OREGONIAN, 7/26).
