KY-based Host Communications and the Midwestern
Collegiate Conference (MCC) are finalizing a multi-year
corporate marketing agreement where Host will oversee all
marketing-related activities for the MCC (MCC). The
SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL's Jennifer Lee places the deal at
four years (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 6/26 issue). Meanwhile,
Host CEO Jim Host talked to the LEXINGTON HERALD-LEADER
about his company dropping out of talks with CBS Sports on
marketing rights to the NCAA men's basketball tournament.
Host, on the package: "It would have taken our costs up on
an annualized basis by 2 1/2 times. It is marginally
profitable to begin with" (LEXINGTON HERALD-LEADER, 6/27).
ROLLING IN THE DOUGH: BRANDWEEK's Terry Lefton reports
that Pillsbury has inked U.S. Women's soccer team members
Carla Overbeck and Joy Fawcett for a retail recipe promo
"set to run across multiple brands" during the Summer
Olympics. Lefton: "Playing off the fact that both women are
moms and soccer players, recipe cards are expected to be
included in grocery aisle displays" (BRANDWEEK, 6/26 issue).
ADIDAS' NEW DEAL: The SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL's Daniel
Kaplan reports that adidas signed 18-year-old U.S. tennis
player Levar Harper-Griffith to an endorsement deal.
Harper-Griffith, one of the few African-Americans on the ATP
Tour, is ranked 900th, so adidas "has little guaranteed
money and will principally compensate him if he performs
well." The deal was handled by SFX Sports' Ken Meyerson and
Colin Smeeton as well as adidas' Sophie Goldschmidt and Ulf
Dahlstrom (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 6/26 issue).
BE LIKE MIKE: Michael Johnson stars in a $10M campaign
breaking this week from Samsung's telecom division. A 30-
second spot via AG Worldwide, N.Y., features Johnson "in
what looks like a 200-meter Olympic race." But shots reveal
the "field is actually a giant version of Samsung's SCH-8500
wireless telephone handset" (BRANDWEEK, 6/26 issue).
RACING DEAL: Spanish and Portuguese-language Internet
sports portal SportsYa! will sponsor the Hispanic-owned and
driven race car team HRT. Jaime Guerrero will drive the
SportsYa! 600 Chevrolet Monte Carlo (SportsYa!).
