Marketplace Roundup

USA TODAY’s Catalina Camia reported TheTeaParty.net, which “serves as a web clearinghouse for about 200 small-government groups, is joining forces with NASCAR driver Chris Lafferty on a ‘We the People’ truck.” TheTeaParty.net Media Relations Coordinator Vicki Dooling said that the sponsorship of Lafferty's No. 89 Camping World Truck Series ride is “a way to reach out to a younger crowd and debunk any misperceptions about Tea Party supporters.” Lafferty Motorsports Coach & GM Bill Wallace indicated that the “truck's manufacturer, color and design will be decided by people who vote by text.” He said that a “copy of the Constitution will be emblazoned on the truck's hood and all the names of people who text in about the truck's design will have their names on the vehicle.” The truck will debut at the Kentucky 225 on July 7 (USATODAY.com, 3/29).

RAM TOUGH: YAHOO SPORTS’ Jeff Eisenberg noted that “no less than 30 T-shirts” are now available for purchase on VCU’s website this week as it prepares for its first Final Four appearance, and one "should be an especially hot seller." The shirt “features a crumpled piece of paper and a VCU logo on the front” with the slogan "There goes my bracket!" Eisenberg noted no one in Yahoo's NCAA tournament Pick'Em game “had the correct four teams in the Final Four and only two contestants in the ESPN bracket game had a perfect Final Four” (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 3/29).

EXPANDING THE COLONY: The Colonial Athletic Association has entered a four-year partnership with Front Row Marketing Services to help secure corporate sponsorships and media rights opportunities for the conference. Front Row will sell sponsorship packages and promotional rights to all 22 CAA championship events. The CAA has had two teams make the Final Four in the past six seasons -- VCU this year and George Mason in '06. Front Row, which is a subsidiary of Comcast-Spectacor, currently represents Temple Univ. and CAA member James Madison Univ., among other schools (CAA).

GETTING OFF ON THE RIGHT FOOT: AD AGE’s Natalie Zmuda cited sources as saying that New Balance “has named PGR Media its media shop in the U.S.” New Balance, which last summer shifted creative duties from BBDO and Mother to Boston-based Arnold, was reportedly “seeking a smaller shop to handle its media needs.” Kantar Media reported that New Balance in ’10 spent $25M “in domestic measured media” (ADAGE.com, 3/28).