IL-based Allstate has signed on as the Official
Insurance Company of U.S. Soccer and the men's and women's
national teams through December 2000. The deal, negotiated
by Starcom Sports Marketing, includes marketing rights and
media for all U.S. soccer games this year, as well as on-
field signage and in-game broadcast features. To leverage
the partnership, Allstate will use 30- and 60-second TV
spots via Leo Burnett featuring the women's team that will
debut during ESPN's broadcast of the Iran-U.S. men's match
on Sunday at the Rose Bowl. Allstate also signed deals with
U.S. players Brian McBride and Briana Scurry for appearances
in game markets. Starcom VP & Dir of Sports Marketing Wally
Hayward said Allstate "wanted to build on [the] momentum" it
gained with its '99 Women's World Cup sponsorship, in which
the company received over 410 million impressions in the
press and over $11.8M in media value (Allstate).
UP AND COMERS: USA TODAY's Peter Brewington reports
that "in a coming-out party for a new wave of teenage soccer
talent," the U.S. women's soccer team defeated host
Australia 3-1 to win the four-team Australia Cup. The team,
substituting for the Women's World Cup team, which is
currently in a contract dispute with U.S. Soccer, started
six players aged 20 or younger (USA TODAY, 1/14).
BEER MARKET: The AP reports that while "some Iranian
groups object to a brewery's sponsorship, beer ads will
remain on the field" at the Rose Bowl during Sunday's game
against the U.S. The U.S. Soccer Federation said, "We have
tremendous respect for Muslim tradition, and understand that
abstinence is an Islamic tradition. However, because the
game is being played in the U.S., ... Budweiser will remain
one of the several event sponsors (AP, 1/14).
