AGENCY NEWS: MVP.com has retained Leagas Delaney as its
lead agency for its $50M account and is "putting the final
touches" on its launch campaign (BRANDWEEK, 1/24)....The
Tampa Bay Super Bowl Host Committee has selected SFX Sports
Group to assist in the creation and marketing of corporate
partnerships for Super Bowl XXXV (SFX)....The Ackerley
Group's Full House Sports & Entertainment has entered into a
deal "to provide sponsorships, sales, marketing and booking
of major events" at the Tacoma Dome (SEATTLE P-I, 1/24).
BASEBALL: The A's shot a "new light-hearted ad
campaign" via Foote, Cone & Belding last week. The spots,
themed "They Can Play," put various players in the "awkward
position of having to sing 'Scarborough Fair' and 'Take Me
Out to the Ballgame' in most horrific fashion, dance as
crudely as possible and do a nightclub act of jokes
guaranteed to bomb" (S.F. EXAMINER, 1/23)....BRANDWEEK's
Terry Lefton reports that Gulf Oil "will continue to use"
MLB as a "marketing platform," but will "rely" this year on
a "network of team deals, rather than the national MLB
package" it used last season. About 1,500 Gulf stations
will "leverage the property via" deals with the Red Sox,
Mets, Phillies and Pirates (BRANDWEEK, 1/24 issue).
