Marketplace Roundup

The AP reported the Saints formally announced that they have entered into a joint marketing effort with the Louisiana Lottery. The lottery will begin offering a $5 Saints-branded scratch-off game in early September that will feature a $100,000 top prize. Second-chance prizes for the game will include tours of the Saints’ practice facility and special access during games at the Superdome (AP, 7/16).

FUEL TO THE FIRE: MEDIAPOST's Joan Voight reported Nike is "establishing a major promotional beachhead on Fuel TV this month to promote its 6.0 line of action-sports gear." The net is "scheduling Nike-sponsored programming and incorporating Nike 6.0 athletes and other content into its existing shows." Nike's sponsorships "will be part of Fuel's bottom-of-the-screen show ticker during certain programs." As part of the deal, Fuel "will also create new segments featuring athletes affiliated with Nike 6.0" (MEDIAPOST.com, 7/16).

TROPHY PRESENTATION: The WALL STREET JOURNAL's David Biderman reports the Indian government Thursday said that it "will present a trophy to the top company that sponsors promising athletes." India won its first individual gold medal in the 10-meter air-rifle event at the '08 Beijing Games, but "hadn't won gold for 28 years before that." Many Indian companies "already sponsor cricket players, such as Mahendra Singh Dhoni, whose team gets funding from India Cements and Infotech India, among several others" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 7/17).