Marketplace Roundup

Aston Villa dropping Nike as jersey supplier after dispute over quality issues

In England, Brett Gibbons wrote EPL club Aston Villa is set to drop Nike as its uniform supplier “following a kit quality row and will announce a new major multi-million pound deal in March.” The move to drop Nike, which had a three-year, US$15.3M deal with the club, “follows a dispute over the quality of matchday, training and replica gear.” Speculation “has indentified Italian firm Macron as successor to Nike” (BIRMINGHAM MAIL, 1/14).

SUPPLY & DEMAND: In Baltimore, Lorraine Mirabella noted Modell’s Sporting Goods “opened a ‘pop-up’ store Friday in the former ESPN Zone space in downtown Baltimore to sell Ravens merchandise.” The store is the “first of its kind for Modell’s in the Baltimore-Washington area and was opened in response to growing demand for Ravens items.” The store will remain open “as long as the Ravens are in the playoffs” (BALTIMORESUN.com, 1/13).

SWING DOCTOR: The PGA Tour named orthopedic care and rehabilitation service Allegheny Sports Medicine the “Official Sports Medicine Sponsor” for the Tour. Allegheny will also sponsor the Champions Tour Mobile Health & Fitness Program, which features state-of-the-art fitness and therapeutic trailers available to players at more than 70 tournaments throughout the season (PGA Tour).