BRANDWEEK's Terry Lefton reports that IT and telecom
company Marconi has signed a "four-year deal to sponsor the
new Pennsylvania Classic PGA Tour, which will alternate
between" Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. Marconi will be the
title sponsor in Pittsburgh and presenting sponsor in
Philadelphia. The deal includes media on ESPN (BRANDWEEK,
1/17 issue). PA-based SEI Investments will be the title
sponsor of the Philadelphia stop (see THE DAILY, 1/7).
LPGA: Hawaiian Village Chocolate has been named the
official chocolate for the LPGA's 50th anniversary
(LPGA)....In Miami, Rana Cash reported that Office Depot's
three-year title sponsorship with Executive Sports Int'l for
the LPGA event at Ibis Golf & Country Club in West Palm
Beach, FL, "concluded with this year's tournament." But
Tournament Dir Tom Clark said that "they are negotiating a
two-year option" with Office Depot (MIAMI HERALD, 1/17).
HATS IN HAIKU? In Pittsburgh, Dejan Kovacevic reported
that Japanese ad agency Dentsu will "market new merchandise
aimed specifically at" the two Predators-Penguins games in
Japan to open the 2000-01 NHL season. One item will be
baseball caps with the Japanese words for Predators and
Penguins on the front and the teams' logos on the back. The
hats will hit U.S. stores in November (POST-GAZETTE, 1/16).
