Marketplace Roundup

TNT has rejected Electronic Arts' ad for the forthcoming "Dante's Inferno" videogame using the tagline "Go to Hell" for use during the NBA All-Star Game on February 14. CBS similarly rejected the spot for Sunday's Super Bowl XLIV. The videogame publisher for both events will instead run an ad for the game using the modified tagline "Hell awaits" (Eric Fisher, SportsBusiness Journal).

Under Armour Will Return As Presenting Sponsor Of Combine

RENEWING ITS PROTECTION PLAN: Under Armour will return for the second year as the presenting sponsor of the '10 NFL Scouting Combine. All participants in the combine, set for February 24-March 2 at Lucas Oil Stadium, will be outfitted in Under Armour performance apparel and footwear designed specifically for the event. Under Armour will have extensive branding throughout the stadium (Under Armour).

GOING DIGITAL: MEDIAWEEK's Katy Bachman reported TurboTax is "taking over the home pages of Yahoo, AOL and MSN" this weekend. Initiative Exec VP & Managing Dir of Digital Michael Hayes, whose agency handled TurboTax's campaign, said the company wanted to be associated with the Super Bowl "without the in-game ad cost." Bachman noted the focus of the campaign is the TurboTron, a new "media creative unit that resembles a big scoreboard and does everything except fill out the tax form." Initiative has partnered with Brand Affinity Technologies for the "digital rights" to ESPN's Chris Berman. The TurboTron is "expected to generate 500-600 million impressions" throughout Super Bowl weekend (MEDIAWEEK.com, 2/2).

ROUNDUP: EPL club Arsenal has hired Helios Partners to provide marketing expertise and consulting services as the team aims to expand its presence and fan base in China (Arsenal)....adidas has "launched a restructuring of its North American headquarters in Portland that will ultimately increase employment by 60." But adidas said that the restructuring also will require them to "eliminate an unspecified number of positions" (Portland OREGONIAN, 2/4).