Fleer Trading Card Co. "hopes to create a buzz by
shredding the uniforms" of Yankee "greats" and "affixing"
the "swatches" to its latest line of cards, according to
Michael O'Keeffe of the N.Y. DAILY NEWS. Fleer spokesperson
Clay Luraschi said the company purchased jerseys worn by
Mickey Mantle and Thurman Munson "for more than six
figures." Trading cards with the Yankees swatches, which
are included in Fleer's "Greats of the Game" series, will be
in "one of every 48 packs sold" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 3/22).
...Phillies OF Rob Ducey said it is "disappointing" not to
be featured on a Topps card. Ducey: "I might not be a
superstar. But on any given day, I can go out on that field
and beat a guy who's making $10[M]. Why can't I have a
card? ... I'm worthy enough to wear a big-league uniform but
not worthy enough to have a card -- in their minds." Topps
spokesperson Marty Appel said that the company "stopped
printing cards of every" MLB player "about five years ago."
Appel: "It's consumer-driven. The consumer wants the big
stars and the hot rookies" (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 3/22).
TENNIS: The SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL's Daniel Kaplan
reports that tennis player Nicolas Kiefer has signed a $1.2M
annual, multiyear endorsement contract with adidas, the
"first major deal" for Kiefer since he signed with SFX
Sports Group earlier this year. Kiefer has endorsed Nike,
which "wanted to keep him," for the past four years, but
Kiefer's SFX agent Ken Meyerson said that adidas "simply
came in with a higher offer." Kaplan also reports that
Venus and Serena Williams will appear in a TV ad campaign in
Japan for the Coca-Cola produced energy drink Aquarius, as
part of the "first deal IMG brought to the sisters since
they signed" with the agency last fall. The sisters are
"thought to have received a substantial six-figure fee for
their participation" (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 3/20 issue).
PRE-GAME IS MILLER TIME: Pacers G Reggie Miller "has
been unable to do" his normal "routine" of shooting in the
team's practice gym before home games on "six occasions"
this season, as the gym has been "reserved for a corporate
sponsor." Miller: "What's the use of having a practice gym
if you can't use it?" But Pacers GM David Kahn said that
"use of the practice gym was included" in contracts with
some of the team's partners (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 3/22).
GRATEFUL ED: CNNfn's Stacey Wilkins profiled mountain
climber Ed Viesturs, who is "showing his sponsors how
grateful he really is by hitting the road to promote
companies who support his expeditions." Viesturs said costs
for expeditions, which he calls the "Grateful Ed Tour," are
between $20,000-$65,000 ("Business Unusual," 3/21).
