MLB sponsor MasterCard is "turning the Subway Series
into a backdrop for a TV spot," and QSR Subway "has plans to
sell submarine sandwiches off of it," according to USA
TODAY's Bruce Horovitz. MasterCard filmed a spot at a
subway stop in Midtown Manhattan yesterday. The ad features
a father (Yankees fan) and son (Mets fan) going to the World
Series, with the tag, "First real disagreement with your 11-
year-old: priceless." MasterCard Senior VP/Marketing Larry
Flanagan said that the spot will air "at least twice" during
each World Series game. Meanwhile, the Subway sandwich
chain "plans to sell" $12.99 Subway Series T-shirts
featuring Mets C Mike Piazza and Yankees SS Derek Jeter at
N.Y. and NJ area stores. Additionally, some Subway stores
across the U.S. will offer 2-for-1 specials for customers
wearing Yankees or Mets hats (USA TODAY, 10/20). BRANDWEEK's
Terry Lefton reports that MasterCard hopes to air the new ad
during Tuesday's Game Three (BRANDWEEK ONLINE, 10/20).
ON THE SIDEWALKS OF NEW YORK: In N.Y., Allen & Seifman
report that as part of the "Pledge Your Allegiance" campaign
kicked off by N.Y. Mayor Rudy Giuliani and MLB execs
yesterday, MLB "spotters will be roaming the city starting
today, handing out hundreds of free tickets" to the Series
to fans wearing Yankees or Mets gear. MLB Exec VP Tim
Brosnan: "It's not just limited to wearing a hat. Paint
your face, wear a shirt, put on shorts, wear a button, wear
a blue and orange nose, do whatever you have to do to let
everyone know who you're rooting for." Additionally, a
national 30-second TV ad beginning today tells fans the
details of a poll in which fans will "have a chance to cast
a ballot for their favorite team" (N.Y. POST, 10/20).
MERCH SALES: The three top-selling licensed sports
products, in units sold, for the week ended October 15 were
1) Logo Athletic's Basic Wool Yankees Cap, 2) New Era's
Authentic Yankees Game Cap and 3) Majestic Athletic's black
Piazza T-shirt (SportsTrend.Info)....MLB's five best-selling
team baseball caps: 1) Yankees, 2) Dodgers, 3) Braves, 4)
Indians, 5) White Sox (USA TODAY BASEBALL WEEKLY, 10/18).
SERIES NOTES: Mets co-Owner Fred Wilpon, on whether he
shows his emotions during a game: "Privately, in my box, I
can be very emotional, but not against anybody else. I get
frustrated that we left a guy on third or whatever. At
home, watching on television with my wife or kids, I can get
quite emotional" (N.Y. TIMES, 10/20)....A USA TODAY
editorial states that "to the legions of anti-New York
fans," the Subway Series is a "stinging reminder that
baseball's playing field is severely tilted in favor of
wealthy, big-city teams" (USA TODAY, 10/20).
PROGNOSTICATION: THE DAILY asked several members of the
N.Y. sports community for their Subway Series predictions:
Pilson Communications President Neal Pilson -- Yankees in
six; CBS Sports Senior VP/Marketing Keith Ritter -- Yankees
in six; N.Y. Times sports business writer Richard Sandomir
-- Mets in seven; SI VP/Communications Art Berke -- Yankees
in six; BrandWeek Editor At Large Terry Lefton -- Yankees in
seven; Stars & Strategies President Sue Rodin -- Mets in
six; PR exec (and former Yankees PR Dir) Marty Appel --
Yankees in seven; WSJ.com Staff Writer David Sweet --
Yankees in seven; N.Y. Post and TV Guide sports columnist
Phil Mushnick: "I couldn't pick a winner if one team were
disqualified. ... The NYC Police Department should win the
Series based on overtime pay" (THE DAILY).
