Red Sox Selling Same Categories Across Different Assets

Shaw’s Supermarket has signed a deal with Entercom to become the official supermarket of the Red Sox Radio Network. Shaw's becomes Red Sox Radio’s first-ever naming-rights sponsor (Entercom).  In Boston, Jesse Noyes writes Shaw’s three-year deal with Entercom comes "despite Stop & Shop's status as the Sox official supermarket sponsor."  While the Red Sox call team deals exclusive, "rival brands are increasingly finding their way into the game" through the media partners or other platforms. As another example, Bank of America is the official bank of the team, but Sovereign Bank is the official bank of NESN. BofA spokesperson Joseph Goode: “To a certain degree it does fragment our sponsorship category.” But he noted that BofA gets “important rights Sovereign doesn’t get," including ballpark signage and use of team marks. Strategic President Peter Stern: “I don’t think you can do what’s being done in Boston in Kansas City” (BOSTON HERALD, 7/24).