Nike Featuring Nine Draft Prospects; More NFL Marketing News

Calvin Johnson One Of Nine Prospects In Nike Campaign

NFL Draft prospect WR Calvin Johnson, who has a multi-year deal with Nike, is one of nine NFL Draft prospects involved in Nike’s “NFL Rookie Class” ad campaign, according to Mike Knobler of the ATLANTA CONSTITUTION. Ads are running in SI, ESPN The Magazine, Rise and Stack and on ESPN.com and a Nike Web site. There is also an 80-foot billboard in Times Square. Nike Dir of Communications Dean Stoyer, who has been with Nike since ’98, said, “This is the most energy we’ve put around the draft class and the rookies that I can remember” (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 4/26). The other eight players are RB Adrian Peterson, CB Leon Hall, DE Gaines Adams, RB Marshawn Lynch, TE Greg Olsen, QB JaMarcus Russell, DT Amobi Okoye and QB Brady Quinn (THE DAILY).

TIE ONE ON: In Ft. Worth, Mac Engel reports Quinn and QB Troy Smith are among the 30 or so prospects who will wear Lombardo Custom Apparel suits this weekend. Some players, “usually the higher-end draft picks, have as many as four suits made for the weekend.” According to Jay Lombardo, the average athlete suit sells for about $2,000, but can go up to $5,000 (FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 4/26).

HANGING CHAD: Thomas Monahan has filed a lawsuit against the Funny Bone Comedy Club in Newport, Ohio, for “what he claims was a false promotion” last December, in which Bengals WR Chad Johnson “was supposed to give away a new Lexus.” The suit claims that Johnson “did not hold the raffle and he gave the car away to a female acquaintance.” Johnson is not named in the suit, but Monahan said that he “could be added at a later date.” Monahan’s attorney, Eric Deters, “is attempting to resolve the matter with Johnson out of court” (CINCINNATI POST, 4/26).

NICE CATCH: Former NFLer Jerry Rice has signed DeBartolo Sports & Entertainment to manage his endorsements, appearances and PR (ST. PETERSBURG TIMES, 4/26). The company is owned by former 49ers co-Owner Eddie DeBartolo Jr., and recently hired Rice’s personal manager, Sasha Taylor, as VP/Client Management. Rice has been serving as an adviser to the agency (THE DAILY).