USA Swimming's BOD voted 15-6 to lift the ban on full
bodysuits for the Olympic Trials, to be held next month in
Indianapolis (USA Swimming). The AP reports that in making
the move, USA Swimming "bow[ed] to pressure from swimsuit
manufacturers," as the "board's reversal came just one day
before an arbitration hearing was scheduled" in CA on a
grievance from TYR Sport (see THE DAILY, 7/12) (AP, 7/18).
FOOTBALL AND FOTOBALL: In Jacksonville, Michael DiRocco
reports that players on the af2 Tomcats are endorsing
products as "part of a marketing campaign that has been
surprisingly easy for" team officials. OL Albert Simpson
has a deal with Burger King, and QB Jeff McCrone has one
with Bono's Real Pit Bar-B-Q. Both companies are "major
sponsors" of the team, but the players are "not paid cash
for the ads" (FL TIMES-UNION, 7/19)....CA-based Fotoball USA
has become the exclusive supplier of game balls for the U.S.
Professional Softball League. Fotoball USA will also market
a line of souvenir balls under the deal (Fotoball USA).
