The WALL STREET JOURNAL's John Miller examines TV exposure for Tour de France sponsors and notes research firm IFM Group estimates that the "average exposure value for a team ranges from $8 million for a low-ranking team to more than $100 million for a team with a top finisher." IFM Group Head of Global Solutions Ulrich Lacher said cycling "is still a great advertising investment if you can deal with the doping risk, and that can be handled with good crisis management." Europcar is sponsoring cycling for the "first time this year, paying roughly two-thirds" of its team's $9.2M annual price tag. Europcar Communications Dir Marine Boulot said the rental car company's marketers are "calculating every second that our logo is seen on the screen" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 7/22).
TRIPLE THREAT POSITION: In Chicago, Joe Cowley notes 2K Sports last year "took full control of the hoops gaming world" when it put Bobcats Owner Michael Jordan on the cover of "NBA 2K11," and the addition of Basketball HOFers Magic Johnson and Larry Bird to covers of this year's video game is the "foot on the throat for what little remaining competition was left." 2K Sports last year sold 5 million copies of its NBA game, indicating that Jordan "is instant green," not only for the "older gamers who grew up watching him, but a younger generation that only has heard of his legend." Futhermore, the "real beauty" in the "NBA 2K12" cover idea is that it is "all but NBA lockout-proof" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 7/22).
JOIN THE BREW CREW: Caterpillar Global Mining and the Brewers Thursday announced a new corporate partnership, and the company’s “first promotion is a big one.” Caterpillar, which moved into the Milwaukee market with its acquisition of Bucyrus Int'l Inc., said that it “will purchase a total of 10,000 Terrace Level Reserved tickets to games” next Tuesday and Wednesday against the Cubs at Miller Park, and “make them available to fans for free.” There will be 5,000 free tickets for each game (JSONLINE.com, 7/21).
ROUNDUP: UFC has reached a multiyear sponsorship deal with Boston Pizza, making the Canadian chain an exclusive partner of the MMA organization in the country (MARKETINGMAG.ca, 7/20)....Puma has signed a multiyear sponsorship deal with EPL club Tottenham Hotspur and South Africa men's soccer MF Steven Pienaar (THE DAILY).
