Marketplace Roundup

NBCOlympics.com To Host "Design Lindsey's Helmet" Contest Around Skier Vonn

NBCOlympics.com on Monday will begin a "Design Lindsey's Helmet" contest around U.S. skier Lindsey Vonn. Fans ages 13 and up can enter original artwork at a dedicated Web page by December 21. A team of judges will narrow the submissions down to three final designs that will be showcased on NBCOlympics.com the first week of January. Fan voting will run through January 11, with the winner to be announced later that month (NBCU). 

GOING BASS FISHING: ESPN.com's David Newton reported NASCAR driver Jamie McMurray inked a "one-year deal with options" for Earnhardt Ganassi Racing's No. 1 Chevy during the '10 Sprint Cup season. McMurray will replace Martin Truex Jr., and Bass Pro Shops "will sponsor the car for about 20 races with multiple sponsors filling the remainder of the season" (ESPN.com, 11/18).

JUST DO IT: In Memphis, Wayne Risher reports Nike's $135M investment in a new distribution center in Memphis "drew rave reviews" from local warehouse and distribution industry insiders. The center is "huge, at 1.1 million square feet, the equivalent of more than 20 football fields." Nike "built the footwear distribution center ... to consolidate operations from" facilities located in Hickory Hill, Tennessee; and Wilsonville, Oregon. Nike "employs about 450 full-time at the center and uses another 100 to 300 temporaries based on the daily workload" (Memphis COMMERCIAL APPEAL, 11/19).

SMOKING SIGN: In Ft. Lauderdale, Sarah Talalay reported the South Florida Super Bowl Host Committee Tuesday unveiled the game's official humidor from Altadis U.S.A. Company Exec VP/Sales & Marketing James Colucci noted that it is the "first Super Bowl humidor." There are "500 of these special humidors featuring" artist Charles Fazzino's artwork. Colucci said that the humidors are "already for sale across the country for about $750 each" (SUN-SENTINEL.com, 11/18). 

Massachusetts Now Offering Celtics Plates

DRIBBLE DRIVE: In Boston, Sean Teehan noted the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles last month "finally began producing" specialty Celtics license plates, "nearly three years since" the Shamrock Foundation first promoted them. It "turns out the state needs 1,500 orders to print the $40 specialty license plate, and the Celtics' tag didn't hit that threshold until mid-October" (BOSTON GLOBE, 11/14).