GOLF: Phil Mickelson has signed a five-year deal with
Acushnet to play Titleist clubs and balls, carry a Titleist
bag and wear FootJoy shoes and gloves, effective January 1.
Mickelson currently plays Yonex clubs (THE DAILY)....AMG
Sports is looking for a sponsor "willing to make" a $1.8M,
three-year commitment to title sponsor the LPGA's
"reorganized" Champions Classic. AMG Sports is seeking
$400,000 for the first year, $600,000 for the second year
and $800,000 for the third (DAYTON DAILY NEWS, 11/16).
NOTES: ESPN and TNS Intersearch have signed a five-year
renewal to develop and market jointly The ESPN Sports Poll,
a service of TNS Intersearch (THE DAILY)....In NJ, Matthew
Futterman profiles NJ-based Nelligan Sports Marketing and
President & CEO T.J. Nelligan. Nelligan represents several
college sports programs and has sold $10M in sponsorships
this year to "major corporations," and he "expects to double
revenue and add as many as three more schools in 2001"
(STAR-LEDGER, 11/17)....STP will continue its sponsorship
with Petty Enterprises through 2002 (STP).
...Thatsracin.com's Jim Utter reported that Roush Racing's
No. 16 Winston Cup team with driver Kevin Lepage will "not
return" for the 2001 season. Lepage was told several months
ago "his team may be dissolved should it not find" a primary
sponsor. But while Roush's No. 97 Winston Cup team "still
lacks a sponsor," Jack Roush has "vowed to run the team next
season regardless" (Thatsracin.com, 11/16).
