Marketplace Roundup

Saints Fans Scramble To Buy Gear As Team Remains Undefeated

In New Orleans, John Pope reports fans of the 5-0 Saints yesterday "were heading to stores selling Saints paraphernalia to augment their black-and-gold wardrobe items" following the team's win over the Giants Sunday. Slidell, Louisiana-based Who Dat Shoppe Owner Ronnie Dunaway: "We open up at 7:30 in the morning, and we had six people waiting to get in. They wanted everything Saints, any kind of clothing they could get their hands on." Dunaway said that in addition to jerseys for Saints players including WR Marques Colston, QB Drew Brees and RBs Pierre Thomas and Reggie Bush, a "big seller last week was a shirt reading 'Eli Who?' in reference to" Giants QB and New Orleans native Eli Manning (New Orleans TIMES-PICAYUNE, 10/20).

CABLE CONTINUATION: In Green Bay, Tony Walter reports the Packers yesterday "extended their corporate partnership" with Time Warner Cable that features WR Donald Driver. Driver "has been a spokesperson for Time Warner for years," and he previously "helped unveil the cable company's new advertising campaign 'Connect' that included a billboard near the intersection of Ashland Avenue and Lombardi Avenue." The Packers have had a partnership with Time Warner Cable since '00 (GREEN BAY PRESS-GAZETTE, 10/20).

NEW FRONTIER: In Ft. Lauderdale, Sarah Talalay reports the IHL Quad City Mallards are "promoting what they say is another professional hockey first: a logo in the ice in the goal." The logo is for Hardee's "Biscuit in the Basket" promotion, which will "award select fans with free biscuits for Mallards' goals." Fans in a "randomly selected row of seats will receive a coupon good for a biscuit for each goal scored by the Mallards" during home games this season. Fans in the entire section "get free biscuits, if the Mallards score at least four goals" (SUN-SENTINEL.com, 10/19).

FINDING COMMON GROUND: In Maryland, Brendan Kearney reported Under Armour "has settled the trademark infringement lawsuit it brought this year" against Denver-based Navajo Manufacturing Co. Under Armour alleged that Navajo's "Ultimate Action" sunglasses "were 'knock-offs,' both for their design and style and for their confusingly similar logo, which looks like an italicized version of Under Armour's interlocking 'U' and 'A.'" The settlement was announced in a U.S. District Court filing last Tuesday (Maryland DAILY RECORD, 10/19).