NFL on-field licensee Puma N.A. "finds itself in the
enviable position" of outfitting both of this year's Super
Bowl teams, according to Greg Gatlin of the BOSTON HERALD.
Puma, which is in the first year of a deal to supply
uniforms to 13 NFL franchises that are "not historically the
league's premier teams," makes its on-field Super Bowl debut
Sunday. Puma N.A. President Jay Piccola said that he "can't
put a dollar figure on the lift the company expects" from
the exposure (BOSTON HERALD, 1/27). But one report states
that Puma "estimates it will get" $16M worth of exposure
during the game. This year "marks the first time in three
years" that Nike is not outfitting at least one of the Super
Bowl teams, but Nike Manager of U.S. Communications Scott
Reames "pointed out" that Rams QB Kurt Warner, RB Marshall
Faulk and WR Isaac Bruce, as well as Titans QB Steve McNair,
will be wearing Nike shoes (OREGONIAN, 1/26). McNair and
Rams WR Torry Holt are designated as headwear exemptions by
Nike for this season, meaning that they can wear Nike/Sports
Specialties headwear on the sidelines, despite Puma having
on-field rights to both teams (THE DAILY).
THE FASHION POLICE: In Atlanta, Renee DeGross reports
that the NFL estimates that national retailers should "rake
in at least" $100M on sales of Super Bowl-licensed
merchandise. The league has obtained a Superior Court order
allowing it to "seize all counterfeit" Super Bowl and NFL
merchandise that it finds in Atlanta through Monday (ATLANTA
CONSTITUTION, 1/27)....USA TODAY's Jill Lieber profiles the
NFL's Super Bowl Minority Business Development Program, the
"first for professional sports." About 130 "local minority
and female business owners" were awarded "contracts
connected with" Sunday's event (USA TODAY, 1/27).
A PUBLIC CLUB? In N.Y., Richard Wilner writes that the
"success" of the QB Club "has some talking about an IPO down
the road," and QB Club President Bernie Kosar "doesn't
dismiss the possibility." Several sports business execs say
that the QB Club's "assets have grown" 20% in each of the
last three years, and Wilner adds that it's "becoming clear"
that it is "one of the hottest and most sought-after sports
personality and content firms out there" (N.Y. POST, 1/27).
