Marketplace Roundup

Watch One Of Manning's MasterCard Spots

In this week's SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, Terry Lefton reports MasterCard is "close to signing [Colts QB] Peyton Manning to his third consecutive two-year deal" as the company's top U.S. sports endorser. Sources said that the deal is "not yet finalized, but that it would pay Manning an average of $800,000 over each of the next two seasons." Octagon's First Call unit is handling the deal for MasterCard (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 4/28 issue).

LOCAL FLAVOR: In Boston, David Exum reported Heluva Good, a division of Boston-based HP Hood LLC, will sponsor Pole Days for the June 27 and September 12 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. The company also will sponsor the Heluva Good 125 Camping World Series East races that will be held "at the end of each qualifying session." Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Heluva Good, a "popular brand of sour creams, cheeses and condiments," is the third local company to team with the track, which in January was bought by SMI for $340M (BOSTON HERALD, 4/27).

GIANT MEMORY: The WALL STREET JOURNAL's Jim Carlton reports sales of free agent LF Barry Bonds memorabilia at AT&T Park have "dropped sharply this year." Meanwhile, Ted Choi, who rents kayaks in McCovey Cove, has just two advertisers, down from a "stable of advertisers to pay roughly $20,000 each to put their brands on his kayaks" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 4/28).

HORSING AROUND: In Boston, Peter May reported Suns C Shaquille O'Neal in last weekend's Daily Racing Form appeared in an ad for Vitaminwater "wearing riding silks and getting ready to send a letter to the National Thoroughbred Racing Association announcing his intent to enter the Kentucky Derby." The ad is a "followup to the racing spot he did" for Vitaminwater that debuted during Super Bowl XLII (BOSTON GLOBE, 4/27).