Names & Faces: Tiger Surprises AmEx Cardholders

Woods Gives AmEx Customers Up-Close And Personal Access During Event

The AP’s Doug Ferguson writes that Tiger Woods surprised a group of 82 American Express card members yesterday at Oakmont Country Club in Pennsylvania, site of this year’s U.S. Open, who paid $900 each for an event called “2007 U.S Open Preview Day,” which they expected would include a round of golf and free lunch. Woods “entered the room from a back door to a stunned silence, followed by high-fives and then a standing ovation.” Woods “invited unlimited questions as he walked the fairways and greens, at one point asking the security detail to drop the hand-held ropes so the customers could get closer” (AP, 4/24).

BRYANT: Upper Deck is launching two Kobe Bryant superhero-inspired vinyl action figures tonight at 8:24pm, a reference to the two jersey numbers he has worn during his career. There will be 1,500 figures produced with the Lakers’ yellow home jersey and 500 with the purple road jersey. Also, Upper Deck Sports Figurine Product Manager Dave Sanders is writing a blog at allstarvinyl.com that will give customers a first look at upcoming sports action figure launches (Upper Deck).

BONDS: The S.F. BUSINESS TIMES’ Eric Young writes Giants LF Barry Bonds, who in ’04 became the first player to opt out of the MLBPA’s group licensing agreement, has maintained at least 18 licensing deals. Topps Co. last week “renewed its deal with Bonds for a specialized line of cards.” Sports agents and other sources estimate Bonds’ licensing deals to be worth $500,000-1M, but Young writes Bonds “strikes out with endorsement deals.” Pickett Advertising Exec Creative Dir Bob Dorfman: “If you’re a McDonald’s or Honda or any kind of large major national company, you would probably not be considering Bonds very strongly as an endorsable athlete because there is too much baggage” (S.F. BUSINESS TIMES, 4/20 issue).

BRADY: In Boston, gossip columnists Fee & Raposa report Patriots QB Tom Brady was seen having lunch with reps from Audi (BOSTON HERALD, 4/24).