Marketplace Roundup

In St. Petersburg, Mark Albright reported Tampa-based restaurant chain Beef 'O' Brady's "has signed a 'seven figure' naming rights deal for another three years with the owners of a college bowl game played at Tropicana Field." Beef 'O' Brady's has title sponsored the bowl aired and owned by ESPN for the last two seasons. The most recent game in December drew 3.6 million viewers nationally on ESPN (TAMPABAY.com, 4/7).

YOU'LL NEVER WALK ALONE: The FINANCIAL TIMES' Bounds & Blitz wrote Liverpool FC's partnership with LeBron James' LRMR Marketing is "just the latest twist in a dramatic 12 months for the club." There is "little doubt about their marketing potential as two of the strongest brands in sport," and the partnership "could be lucrative for both parties." Havas Sports & Entertainment Global President Lucien Boyer said that "theoretically it offered a profile" for Liverpool in the U.S. and James in Europe and the U.K. But he added, “It’s quite rare. It’s not a model that can be standardised" (FINANCIAL TIMES, 4/9).

KICKING & DREAMING: The N.Y. POST reported the MLS Red Bulls are "taking over part of the Adidas store" in Manhattan's SoHo neighborhood "for the remainder of the 2011 MLS season." The partnership "kicked off with the entire team, including stars Thierry Henry and Rafa Marques appearing at the store to sign autographs for hundreds of eager fans lining the streets" (N.Y. POST, 4/10).