Under Armour Nearing Deal To Sponsor NFL Scouting Combine

Under Armour (UA) is "close to a deal to sponsor the NFL Scouting Combine, an agreement that would be a first for the league," according to Kaplan & Lefton of SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL. The deal would "call for players to wear [UA] product during the combine workouts, but additional extensions of the deal were not immediately known." While Reebok "has been presenting sponsor of the NFL Network's coverage of the combine the last two years," Reebok Corporate Communications Manager Dan Sarro said that it "did not make financial sense for the company to sponsor the combine, which is not included in the company's NFL sponsorship." Asked if it is "fair to assume Reebok would no longer continue presenting the NFL Network's telecast," Sarro said that "that would be a fair assumption" (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 9/8 issue).