Marketplace Roundup

Harvick Says Sponsors Looking For Best Deals

Yahoo Sports has signed Yankees 1B Mark Teixeira as its endorser for the portal's '09 fantasy baseball products. Yahoo additionally has produced its first fantasy preview print title, with the Yahoo Sports Fantasy Baseball '09 Draft Guide being released to retail this week (Eric Fisher, SportsBusiness Journal).

KEEPING EVERYONE HAPPY: NASCAR driver and team Owner Kevin Harvick said in this struggling economy, the "main things that we have to do is perform on the track, but the most important thing is make sure that (sponsors) are getting their money's worth with everything that comes with it." Harvick: "From an owner's standpoint, you have to do everything you can to make your company run as efficiently as possible, and the sponsors are going to be looking for the best deal that they can get" ("NASCAR Now," ESPN2, 3/3).

ROUNDUP: The H.J. Heinz Co. is releasing a commemorative six-pack of Heinz Ketchup to recognize the Steelers' Super Bowl victory. Each of the six bottles pays tribute to one of the team's six Super Bowl championships (Heinz)....The PGA Tour Superstore has hired Atlanta-based Wolfbone Marketing Inc. to "help drive business in a slowing retail climate." Wolfbone is charged with "implementing a marketing program to help drive customer traffic" to the store, and a new ad campaign will include print, radio, in-store and online activation (ATLANTA BUSINESS CHRONICLE, 2/27 issue)....The Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) has signed a five-year deal through '13 as the first Official Supporter of the LTA's new British Tennis commercial program (LTA).