16W Marketing To Represent Big Brown In Sponsorship Deals

By Terry Lefton, Editor-at-Large

Befitting a pro athlete in the national spotlight, Triple Crown hopeful Big Brown now has a marketing firm seeking licensing and sponsorship deals. 16W Marketing, a name familiar to many stick-and-ball sports marketers, has signed on to represent the three-year-old thoroughbred for likely licensing and sponsorship deals, should the horse complete thoroughbred racing's trifecta by winning the Belmont Stakes on Saturday. 16W Marketing co-Founder and former NFL licensing chief Frank Vuono said he has agreements with Big Brown owner IEAH Stables, along with jockey Kent Desormeaux. Vuono said he has a Big Brown/Triple Crown logo developed, and a number of "if win" orders in place, some of which will be ready immediately after the race if Big Brown wins, including blankets, apparel, photos, posters, publications, and memorabilia signed by Desormeaux. "I don't see Big Brown going on Letterman or anything if he wins, but they are still selling merchandise from ['73 Triple Crown winner] Secretariat,'' said Vuono. "The TV ratings that a horse going for the Triple Crown usually gets and the fact there hasn't been one in 30 years says there's a lot of potential there. So maybe there's a milk mustache ad he could do." UPS signed a sponsorship deal prior to the Belmont Stakes, which has Desormeaux wearing the shipping company's logo on his pants and under-silk shirt during the Preakness and Belmont Stakes as well as a UPS baseball cap after the races.

UNCHARTERED WATERS: Gauging the potential of a championship horse to generate merchandise sales is not easy. IMG Licensing Senior VP & Founder Rick Isaacson said, "No prior licensing success has been achieved for any horse. They tried it with Funny Cide, but it never got beyond on-site venue merchandising." Modell's Sporting Goods CEO Mitch Modell said he had some T-shirts printed up for sale now, with more to follow if the horse wins. Modell: "The Yanks and Mets licensed stuff is a little slow right now, so we thought this was a good chance to try something different." The Breeders' Cup Senior VP/Sales Carter Carnegie, who helped secure the UPS deal, said, "Generally, championship horses haven't produced a lot in terms of merchandise sales, but you have to keep in mind that we haven't seen [a Triple Crown winner] since 1978. It is kind of untested, and obviously the licensing industry has gotten very advanced and much larger since." Carnegie added that if Big Brown runs the Breeders' Cup in October, it would offer a longer window for merchandise sales. Two-legged clients in the 16W stable include Cal Ripken Jr., Howie Long and Phil Simms. Vuono said he last did licensing of animals with the NFL Pet line of dog- and cat-licensed merchandise in the early-mid '90s.