Shell/Pennzoil Moving NASCAR Sponsorship From Harvick To Kurt Busch In '11

Shell/Pennzoil today announced a multi-year deal to serve as the primary sponsor for Penske Racing's No. 22 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series entry driven by Kurt Busch starting next season. The company currently serves as the primary sponsor of Richard Childress Racing's Sprint Cup No. 29 entry driven by Kevin Harvick. The new partnership also includes associate sponsorships of Penske Racing's three Izod IndyCar Series cars. Shell/Pennzoil starting in '11 also will be the official fuel and motor oil supplier to the Penske organization. Meanwhile, Miller Lite also announced it has reached a new multi-year deal with Penske to continue sponsoring the No. 2 Sprint Cup entry, which next season will be driven by Brad Keselowski. Busch will finish this season in the No. 2 car with Miller Lite’s sponsorship, while Keselowski will remain in the No. 12 Penske Dodge through ’10 (THE DAILY). In Charlotte, Jim Utter cites sources as saying that Busch has "agreed in principle to a long-term contract extension with Penske." His current contract was due to expire after the '10 season (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 4/21). The Shell-Penske deal also "creates a business-to-business relationship with both Penske Automotive Group and Dodge" (FOXSPORTS.com, 4/21).

ONE COMPANY IN, ANOTHER ONE OUT: YAHOO SPORTS' Jay Busbee reports ExxonMobil, which is the primary sponsor of Penske's No. 77 Cup entry driven by Sam Hornish Jr., "will discontinue its sponsorship relationship with Penske Racing after the 2010 season." ExxonMobil in a statement said, "It has been a long and successful relationship, and we wish the Penske team continued success on the track. ... ExxonMobil remains fully committed to motorsports and will continue to strongly support Mobil 1 in NASCAR going forward" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 4/21). SCENEDAILY.com's Bob Pockrass noted the move by ExxonMobil was likely "since Mobil and Shell are competitors" (SCENEDAILY.com, 4/20).

THIS BUD'S FOR YOU? ESPN.com's David Newton cited a source as saying that Harvick, who "reportedly wanted out of his deal with RCR last season, is negotiating with RCR to find a new sponsor and stay with the company he has been with" since the '01 Cup season. Meanwhile, with Budweiser in its last season as the primary sponsor of Richard Petty Motorsports' No. 9 entry driven by Kasey Kahne, a source indicated that "discussions between RCR and Budweiser ... have taken place" (ESPN.com, 4/20). Richard Petty said with Kahne departing next season, the future of Budweiser's sponsorship is "very hard to say." Petty: "That's strictly up to Budweiser. They've been really, really a neat crowd to work with. But they've got boss men above them now. They've been sold to an outside company, so I don't know how into racing these people are" ("NASCAR Now," ESPN2, 4/20).

DIG DUG: Harvick's Sprint Cup car will carry a "Call 811" logo on the deck lid and rocker panels at Sunday's Aaron's 499 at Talladega Superspeedway in support of National Safe Digging Month. The "Call 811" logo also will run on the hood, deck lid and TV panel of Roush Fenway Racing's No. 16 car driven by Greg Biffle (THE DAILY).

By John Lombardo, Staff Writer, SportsBusiness Journal

Bing Logo Will Appear On Storm's Jerseys, Shooting Shirts As Part Deal

The WNBA Seattle Storm will announce today that it has reached a jersey sponsorship deal with Bing, Microsoft's search engine brand. The Storm becomes the third WNBA team to land a jersey sponsorship deal. The Phoenix Mercury have a jersey deal with LifeLock while the L.A. Sparks have a jersey deal with Farmers Insurance. Bing's logo will appear on the front of the Storm's jerseys and shooting shirts and the logo will be included in all of the team's marketing and promotional materials. Bing also becomes the presenting sponsor of the team's youth basketball initiative. Financial terms of the multi-year deal were not disclosed. The team will have Bing's logo on its jersey when it opens its season on May 2. WNBA President Donna Orender: "This will be unique in (Microsoft's) portfolio and the integration is strong." The jersey deal comes as the Storm begin their third season with local independent ownership. Storm President & CEO Karen Bryant: "To have Bing is significant. It was important to identify a company to not only build our business but our brand." Seattle-based Microsoft rolled out its Bing search engine last year. "(The deal) provides a great opportunity to invest in our hometown while reaching a valuable audience," Bing Marketing GM Danielle Tiedt said in a statement. "This is a unique way to share our Bing brand with a passionate and devoted fan base and every photograph, every piece of game footage is a chance to share our brand with a broad audience."

Brees Chosen As Cover Athlete For "Madden `11"

EA Sports has selected Saints QB Drew Brees to be the cover athlete for its "Madden NFL 11," the forthcoming installment of its perennially popular NFL simulation videogame, industry sources said. For this year's cover, EA Sports for the first time conducted a fan vote for the cover athlete, offering Brees as a choice along with Colts WR Reggie Wayne and Vikings DE Jared Allen. Brees, however, is believed to have easily won the vote, not at all surprising given the Saints' Super Bowl win in February and Brees' lofty status playing the sport's glamour position. Brees will be officially announced tomorrow night shortly before the start of the NFL Draft, and then make a series of media appearances. Brees has been on record saying he is not afraid of the much-discussed "Madden Jinx," an injury bug that has afflicted many prior cover athletes for the game, most recently Steelers S Troy Polamalu last year (Eric Fisher, SportsBusiness Journal).

LET ME AT 'EM: Brees said earlier in the week about the "Madden" cover jinx, "Just like records are made to be broken, curses are made to be broken too. If the fans have spoken, if I am indeed their vote, then I'll do my best to break that trend" (New Orleans TIMES-PICAYUNE, 4/20). FanHouse.com’s Jay Mariotti said Brees has “taken on Hurricane Katrina and unemployment and the demoralized city of New Orleans and the history of the New Orleans Saints, and look at what he has done there. He has made everybody happy, so what is a stupid little curse for Drew Brees." But ESPN.com's J.A. Adande said, "This curse is more powerful and certainly more proven than all of those things" ("Around The Horn," ESPN, 4/20).

With the NBA Playoffs in full swing, THE DAILY presents a comprehensive list of the official corporate partners of the NBA for the '09-10 season (THE DAILY).

BRAND REPUBLIC's Joe Thomas reported former Brand Beckham Ltd. Dir Simon Fuller is "set to resume control of David and Victoria Beckham's marketing and advertising activities handled by Brand Beckham, after negotiating the rights for his newly established company, XIX Entertainment." Fuller has been the "driving force behind the Brand Beckham business since 2003, while working at 19 Entertainment, the company he sold to CKX in 2005." Fuller is also "expected to secure the branding opportunities for a number of other high-profile British stars from CKX," including tennis player Andy Murray. Murray is "currently a brand ambassador for Highland Spring" and adidas (BRANDREPUBLIC.com, 4/21).

SAY WHAT? In Denver, Benjamin Hochman notes a commercial that has been airing during the Jazz-Nuggets Western Conference Quarterfinals features a narrator talking about Nuggets F Carmelo Anthony's "fans in ... yes, Utah." The narrator states, "Every millennia or so a person comes along with the power to unite the world. This year, that person is Carmelo Anthony. His dominant game this season is a testament to the human potential. But while he's gotten himself here, he can't do it alone -- or maybe he can -- but he'll also have us, Melo's people of Utah. We're proud to support this soon-to-be champion. C.A., the common denominator of our hearts. Supported by the fans of Carmelo Anthony in Utah." Hochman notes the commercial was "made by Jordan Brand" (DENVER POST, 4/21).

adidas' "Faster-Than-Ever Ball" To Be Used During This Summer's FIFA World Cup

WHOLE NEW BALL: The WALL STREET JOURNAL's Matthew Futterman notes the adidas ball that will be used during this summer's FIFA World Cup is a "faster-than-ever ball for a faster-than-ever game that allows players to attempt laser-like strikes from 40 yards, and precise long-distance passes that would have been impossible with a ball from the 1960s or 1970s." The idea that FIFA "would so willingly transform the single most important piece of equipment in the world's most important sporting event is an odd concept for most Americans." One motivation for changing the ball is "money," as every time adidas "produces a new design for a World Cup ball, it sells replicas in all sizes, and FIFA receives a royalty on sales" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 4/21).

GOING BEYOND THE SLURPEE: In N.Y., Pantelidis & Nelson report 7-Eleven is "launching its own brand of beer called Game Day that's aimed at penny-pinching sports fans." Game Day "Light" and "Ice" versions will be sold, and after debuting in N.Y. "in two weeks, the brew will sell for a mere $8.99 per 12-pack, and $1.49 for a 24-ounce can" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 4/21).