Marketplace Round-Up

AD AGE’s Thomaselli & Klaassen write OLN is “optimistic the NHL deal will expand its roster of advertisers and, more importantly, bring additional share from its current advertisers.” OLN has more than 300 advertisers, including many NHL sponsors like Dodge and Anheuser-Busch. Comcast Network Advertising Sales President David Cassaro: “This is not only about bringing brand-new advertisers, the real opportunity is to expand relationships with current ones” (AD AGE, 9/12 issue)....76ers G Allen Iverson will tour Tokyo and Shanghai September 21-26 as part of a Reebok-sponsored tour where he will host youth basketball clinics and visit retailers (Reebok)....Gatorade Dir of Communications Andy Horrow said that worldwide Gatorade sales are up 40-50% this summer over last summer, a demand that “outpaced supply and forced the company to start rationing shipments in July.” Horrow: “It’s mostly due to heat in the U.S.” The ARMY TIMES’ C. Mark Brinkley adds that military exchanges sold $14.8M worth of Gatorade in FY ‘04. Over 15% of Gatorade sales went to military troops in combat zones (ARMY TIMES, 9/12 issue).