IHOP Inks Three-Month Promotional Partnership With NFL

The International House of Pancakes (IHOP) has signed a "three-month promotional partnership, from August through October," with the NFL, according to Terry Lefton in this week's SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL. IHOP "will use its NFL rights to push two forthcoming football-themed menu items: NFL Stuffed French Toast and the QB Scramble." Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but the NFL is IHOP's "biggest sports sponsorship." The 1,400-location chain "has been a sponsor of the Harlem Globetrotters since early this year and also has sponsored the WNBA since last season." Sources said that because the NFL deal is for "only three months, it is not exclusive, nor does the deal include a designation beyond official sponsor." The deal makes IHOP the "first NFL sponsor in the restaurant category since KFC's brief run during the playoffs early this year." IHOP creative agency VitroRobertson "shot two separate ads last week" in L.A. using Cardinals WR Larry Fitzgerald and Eagles QB Donovan McNabb (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 6/29 issue).