The SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL's Daniel Kaplan reports that
tennis players James and Thomas Blake have signed deals to
play and endorse Dunlop rackets. The deal marks the Blake
brothers' "second major" endorsement deal, after their
"lucrative pact" with Nike last year. While terms of the
Dunlop deal were not disclosed, "it is believed" to involve
"significant fees" (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 2/14
issue)....EA Sports has signed Mets C Mike Piazza as a
spokesperson for its Triple Play 2001 video game and will
use Piazza's image on all game packaging and merchandising
(EA Sports)....BRANDWEEK's Terry Lefton reports that CT-
based Millsport "hopes to bring back" the NFL's Fastest Man
competition and "says it has a commitment" from CBS to
televise the event in August. But a "few hurdles ...
remain, namely the absence of a title sponsor willing to
fork over" $300,000, as well as the "general unwillingness
among teams" to let their players participate in made-for-TV
events (BRANDWEEK, 2/14 issue)....Snapple has renewed its
title sponsorship of The Snapple Superstars to be held in
Montego Bay in April and televised on ABC in May. Snapple
receives in-program spots and features, animated graphics,
bumpers, billboards, ads in SI and promo spots on ABC
leading up to the broadcast (Snapple)....The SPORTSBUSINESS
JOURNAL's Andy Bernstein reports that the U.S. Pro
Volleyball League signed a $3M, four-year sponsorship deal
with "little-known insurance firm" Royal Neighbors of
America Fraternal Insurance Co. In the "all-cash deal,"
Royal Neighbors, will title sponsor the Millennium Cup, a
three-city tournament featuring the U.S. vs. int'l teams
(SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 2/14)....The Dodgers selected
WongDoody as their "general marketing agency" for its
"estimated" $1M account for the 2000 season. WongDoody is
the team's "first agency in five years" (ADWEEK, 2/15).
