NOTHING TO SNEEZE AT: Schering-Plough's Claritin brand
has been designated as the "Official Allergy Medication" for
MLB (MLB). AD AGE's David Goetzl reports that Claritin has
bought ad time for a 45-second baseball-themed ad "touting
Claritin's role as an official sponsor" of MLB. The TV push
"is expected to run" through the MLB playoffs and World
Series. The ad includes MLB marks and a scene shot at Shea
Stadium (AD AGE, 8/23 issue).
THE $20M MISTAKE? Progressive President Peter Lewis,
whose company spent $20M to title sponsor the halftime show
during Super Bowl XXXIII, said the decision to do so "was an
act of hubris and egomania in which I was very much
involved." Lewis, on the move: "It was a total bomb, a
disaster, but I learned a lot. When you spend $20 million
for nothing, you learn a lot" (PLAIN DEALER, 8/25).
MORE NOTES: ESPN's Larry Beil reported that Chargers QB
Ryan Leaf was "fined" $10,000 by the NFL for wearing the
"wrong shirt on the sidelines" during Saturday's preseason
game against the Dolphins. Leaf "chose Nike instead of the
league-mandated adidas. Leaf says he didn't know it was the
wrong shirt." Chargers GM Bobby Beathard: "He was absolutely
lying if he said he didn't know about it" ("SportsCenter,"
ESPN, 8/25)....In Baltimore, Jerry Bembry writes that the
Univ. of MD SID's Chuck Walsh has "spoken with [Grizzlies G
Steve] Francis and suspects" Francis' Friday press
conference "is to announce a shoe-deal" (Baltimore SUN,
8/26)....Chinese women's nat'l soccer team F Sun Wen has
signed with Globalsports Management Group (GMG).
