PA-based Global Sports and CA-based Broadband Sports
have formed a multi-year partnership, whereby Global Sports
becomes the exclusive e-commerce sporting goods provider for
all of Broadband's properties, including its AthletesDirect
network (Broadband Sports). The SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL's
Noah Liberman writes that the Global Sports deal is part of
a number of agreements announced last week by Broadband,
including a renewal of its content deal with AOL (See THE
DAILY, 4/4). The three-year deal "significantly increased"
Broadband's "content-and-marketing role" with AOL, and "puts
Broadband in the company of SportsLine as an anchor tenant"
for AOL. Sources "familiar with AOL's deals" said that the
agreement "should at least double the traffic Broadband's
own properties receive as AOL users follow links to those
properties." While AOL Dir of Sports Marketing Jim Brady
would not disclose terms, Liberman reports that filings show
AOL paid Broadband $3.5M per year "for content in the
previous, smaller deal." Additionally, Broadband is "likely
to be paying a significant fee in return to AOL." Brady
said that the deal "does not diminish" SportsLine's role on
AOL, "nor does it conflict with evolving plans for
CNNSI.com" (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 4/10 issue).
DIRECT HITS: AthletesDirect has launched the official
Web site of Martina Hingis, www.martinahingis.com, as well
as for NASCAR driver Ward Burton, www.wardburton.com
(AthletesDirect). BRANDWEEK's Terry Lefton reports that
retired Lions RB Barry Sanders is "still enough of a
marketable property" that AthletesDirect "inked him to a
three-year deal for cash and options" (BRANDWEEK, 4/10).
