Nike's Team Sports division, its "reorganized licensed
product unit" (see THE DAILY, 11/24/98), will "roll out a
new sub-brand under the SPL label and has picked up key
locker-room licenses from the NFL and NCAA and inked a new
six-year licensing deal with the NHL," according to Andy
Bernstein of the SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL. Nike "now plans to
phase out" its Sports Specialties headwear subsidiary and
"replace it with" SPL, a "full-blown headwear and apparel
brand that will focus on fashion-oriented and 'hot-market'
products." The SPL brand will debut this January when it
supplies NFC and AFC championship locker-room T-shirts and
hats. Nike also gained licensing rights for its SPL brand
to the NCAA men's and women's basketball championships and
"expanded" its NBA licensing deal to include SPL. Bernstein
adds that SPL will have a "broader distribution profile than
the Nike brand," including Sears, Roebuck & Co., Montgomery
Ward and QVC (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 11/15 issue).
HELP ON THE WAY: BRANDWEEK's Dawson & McCarthy report
Nike is "expected" to name a CMO this week and a "leading
candidate" for the post is former Kinko's CMO Ellen Turner
(BRANDWEEK, 11/15). CNBC's Maria Bartiromo reported to
"keep an eye on athletic apparel companies such as Nike."
Nike will make a presentation to investors at Morgan Stanley
Dean Witter's sporting goods conference. Morgan Stanley
industry analyst Josephine Esquivel reiterated a "strong buy
rating" on Nike "despite a softness in the market, [as] new
creative product and a reduction of square-footage at stores
are all positives for Nike stocks" (CNBC, 11/15).
