MLB Forces Denver Water Company To Drop World Series Label

Denver-based Deep Rock Water Co., which was selling bottled water with a “Rock the World-World Series 2007” label, “had to scrap the bottle, becoming the latest entity to run afoul of MLB licensing rules,” according to Roger Fillion of the ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS. Deep Rock spokesperson Joy Arnold said that MLB told the company that Pepsi is the league's official water sponsor, "and Deep Rock would be infringing on that deal with another type of water.” Arnold added, "We can’t use Rockies. We can’t use World Series [in marketing efforts].” MLB Senior VP/Licensing Howard Smith said, “Pepsi has been with us for years. We don’t let somebody step up to the plate at the eleventh hour” (ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS, 10/23).

FOXWOODS:  Foxwoods is dangling as much as $1M in prizes per World Series game played at Coors Field to “lure Red Sox fans away from their TVs.” As part of its “Million Dollar Series Getaway,” Foxwoods is giving away ten $1,000 prizes at the end of each inning, $100,000 if a Red Sox player hits a grand slam, $150,000 if they win by ten runs or more, $250,000 if David Ortiz hits back-to-back home runs, and $500,000 if a Red Sox pitcher throws a no-hitter. The casino hired Red Sox P Luis Tiant to be involved in the promotion.  Foxwoods “plans to tune every TV in the casino to the game” (BOSTON HERALD, 10/23). 

TACO BELL: CNBC’s Darren Rovell noted that as part of Taco Bell's promotion promising a free taco if a base is stolen during the World Series, the free taco must be redeemed between 2:00-5:00pm. That time frame “obviously reduces the number of people that can come and collect” and “that’s got to be one of the reasons why Taco Bell isn’t taking out insurance” (CNBC.com, 10/22).