Ericsson Mobile Phone's title sponsorship of the former
Lipton Championships in Key Biscayne, FL, is examined by
Susan Miller Degnan of the MIAMI HERALD, who writes that the
"name [of the event] has changed, but not much else. ... The
feel is still upscale, cosmopolitan. Lipton iced tea is
still sold here." The "only thing obviously different this
year is that cell phones -- not iced tea -- are must-haves
among the masses." Ericsson PR Dir for the Americas
Rosemary Ravinal said the company "didn't want to make
sweeping changes for an overwhelmingly successful event."
Ravinal also said, "Name recognition has been more affirming
than we expected. We're seeing a lot of Ericsson mentions
with virtually no slips" (MIAMI HERALD, 3/23). The
SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL's Daniel Kaplan writes that
Ericsson's effort around the event is its "most expensive
and ambitious sports endeavor to date," as the company
"likely sank at least another" $6M into on-site promos in
addition to the $6M annual sponsorship fee. Ericsson has
established "a technology expo," where phones will be
available, video screens will televise the action and a "TV
studio and sound stage will host reporting desks for sports
networks such as ESPN" (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 3/20 issue).
USTA'S DAY TO PLAY: In Nashville, Jim Wyatt reports
that USA Tennis Month -- part of the third annual USTA Plan
for Growth effort to "increase tennis participation across"
the U.S. -- will begin in the city May 1 with "festivities
planned to kickoff the month-long event." Alexandra
Stevenson and Patrick McEnroe will be "among those on hand"
for the event. Special events are also planned in N.Y.,
Indianapolis and Portland, as well as in 139 other U.S.
cities. In "just two years, the initiative has attracted
more than" 463,000 Americans to tennis, "significantly above
the two-year goal of 260,000" (Nashville TENNESSEAN, 3/23).
