Marketplace Roundup

Cowboys Earning Big With Lottery Tickets

In Dallas, Jeff Mosier cites state contracts as indicating that the Cowboys "stand to make as much as $4.2[M] from the team's new Texas Lottery scratch-off tickets," while the Texans could make up to $1.45M from their tickets. The amount the teams make is "based in part on how many of the 17 million tickets sell at $5 each." At least 14 NFL franchises "have signed deals for sponsored lottery tickets this fall." Team Services Principal E.J. Narcise said that NFL deals "had been a desirable marketing opportunity that was just out of reach" for state lotteries (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 8/31).

CHANGE OF POSSESSION: In N.Y., Stuart Elliott notes while the Campbell Soup Company has used NFL players in ads for Chunky soup since '97, the company now will present Chunky "as a reward for a hard day's work rather than as fuel for gridiron greatness." The revised approach is "scheduled to begin next week in ads on television and radio, in print and online." Chunky execs said that they are "not completely giving up on football," as Chunky remains an NFL sponsor and Fox' Troy Aikman "will take part in public relations initiatives." Campbell VP/Marketing Michael Barkley: "The brand wouldn't be where it is today without the NFL" (N.Y. TIMES, 8/31). SportsBusiness Journal in June first reported no NFL players would be in Chunky ads this year.

NASCAR SELLS: Toyota Motor Sales USA Group VP & GM Bob Carter said that "awareness of the product and sales has grown because of the NASCAR program." Toyota joined the Truck Series in '04 and the Cup Series in '07, and Carter said, "NASCAR continues to deliver what our goals were when we entered the sport. ... In 2004, for many of the NASCAR fans, we weren't necessarily on the short list when it came to buying a car." Carter: "Our goal being at the race track is to be top of mind among all these race fans when they're considering their next car purchase. This was a push on a market that we saw an opportunity to expose the product" (Bob Pockrass, SCENEDAILY.com, 8/29).

DROPPING DIMES: CBSSPORTS.com's Mike Freeman profiled the efforts by Knicks F Al Harrington and Warriors G Stephen Jackson to promote the "affordable shoe line they started called Protégé." The majority of the shoes cost around $40, but they are dealing with "stigma that cheap means poor quality." That idea "angers Harrington, who says his shoes undergo the same rigorous quality checks as more expensive sneakers." Harrington: "Our shoes can hold their own against the Nike and Adidas, no question" (CBSSPORTS.com, 8/30).