LEAGUE MARKETING NOTES: BRANDWEEK's Terry Lefton
reports that MLB "will take the wraps off" a "spring
training-timed fest," called a "Month of the Americas," to
"celebrate ties that bind" MLB to Latin America. Two Red
Sox-Astros exhibition games in the Dominican Republic March
12 and 13 "could match" fellow Dominican Ps Pedro Martinez
and Jose Lima. Lefton notes that the Braves-Devil Rays will
play in Venezuela and that the Angels-D'Backs will play in
Mexico (BRANDWEEK, 11/8 issue)....Newly named NHRA President
Tom Compton, on speculation that RJ Reynolds will choose
NASCAR over the NHRA for its auto racing sponsorship to
comply with last year's tobacco settlement: "We're working
extremely close with (RJR) on this whole subject. No matter
how this shakes out, if and when Winston does go away from
NHRA drag racing, we think we have an incredible opportunity
out there to associate with a mainstream sponsor from
corporate America" (SAN GABRIEL VALLEY TRIBUNE, 11/9).
NOTES: Golfsmith has cancelled production of the Lynx
forged irons that were to be played by the late Payne
Stewart in 2000 (Golfsmith)....Wayne Gretzky has teamed with
Alberta energy company TransAlta to promote the agency's new
environmental program, Planet Project Challenge (CALGARY
SUN, 11/10)....adidas has launched its first "concept" store
in Thailand. The "'concept' approach has proved successful
in 39 previously-established stores throughout" the Asia-
Pacific region. The outlets cost about $1M to establish
(BANGKOK POST, 11/8)....St. Louis-based Waylon Ad has inked
the MAX Broadcasting Network as a new client and has created
a print and radio campaign, titled "Crush," which positions
its Maxfootball.com "as a force" among football Web sites.
Four separate print ads will run in USA Today and the
SportsBusiness Journal this month, while radio spots will
run nationally (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 11/8).