Marketplace Roundup

VANOC Inks Videogame Deal With Sega

In Vancouver, Damian Inwood reported Sega has signed a licensing deal with Int'l Sports Multimedia, the exclusive licensee of the IOC, to make a videogame tying Mario and Sonic to the 2010 Vancouver Games. Sega also will produce a "simulation game with more realistic portrayals of athletes and venues," and VANOC Dir of Licensing & Merchandising Dennis Kim said that VANOC will "share royalties from both video games with IOC." Kim said BOCOG "had a very successful game using Mario and Sonic at the Beijing Games." Kim: "That's what's being discussed and planned for Vancouver" (Vancouver PROVINCE, 2/8).

SHOE-IN: In Oklahoma City, Tatyana Johnson reported Nike Saturday released its first shoe for Thunder F Kevin Durant, the KD1, for a group of children at a Nike Skills Clinic in Oklahoma City. The shoes will retail for $88, and Durant said, "I wanted everyone to be able to get a pair of my shoes because when I was growing up, there were all types of shoes that my parents couldn't afford to buy." The shoe features a "stamp on the tongue" to honor Durant's mother, a former postal worker, while the word "Graffiti" on the left side of the shoe "represents meaningful places in his life" (DAILY OKLAHOMAN, 2/8). Meanwhile, adidas recently released a new TV spot called "Man Child," launching its "Inside PHX with [Magic C] Dwight Howard" all-access promotion (ORLANDOSENTINEL.com, 2/7).

SUBSTITUTION: Mexican newspaper the Record has teamed with Blockbuster for its voodoo-doll promotion ahead of Wednesday's Mexico-U.S. men's World Cup qualifying match, replacing RadioShack, who dropped out of the promotion last month "after learning details of the campaign." Customers can trade in coupons at any Blockbuster store in Mexico City in exchange for the voodoo-doll likenesses of U.S. soccer players (AP, 2/6).

ROUNDUP: Vitaminwater yesterday launched its new promotional campaign, "Revive to Survive," in which it challenges fans to "re-create" famous moments from the NCAA men's basketball tournament. Fans can upload videos at ncaa.com/revive, and the winning entrant will receive a VIP trip to the Final Four in Detroit (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 2/7)....Stop & Shop grocery stores once again are selling Flutie Flakes cereal in commemoration of the 10th anniversary of the Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism (BOSTON HERALD, 2/8)....Italian Serie A club AC Milan said that MF David Beckham's No. 32 jersey is "selling at a rate similar to those" of AC Milan MF Ronaldinho (BLOOMBERG NEWS, 2/5).