In this week's SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, Terry Lefton reports NFL coaches’ headsets “will be festooned with different logos next season, as Motorola is out as a league sponsor after 13 years.” Sources said that Motorola “had an offer on the table of about $50 million a year over five years, roughly 25 percent more than its prior deal, but could not reach agreement with the NFL on pricing and value.” Members of the league’s business ventures committee were told recently that Motorola "was not renewing." Club marketers contacted “had not been informed of the move, or told whether any of the inventory would now revert to team control.” Research firm Repucom estimated that based solely on TV exposure, the value of NFL coaches’ headsets for the ‘11-12 season was at “$90 million, and, of course, the deal included more than just NFL sideline exposure” (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 3/19 issue).
DOVE'S NEW MAN: In Detroit, Dale Buss notes Michigan State men's basketball coach Tom Izzo during the NCAA men's basketball tournament is joining familiar pitchmen,” including TNT NBA analyst Shaquille O'Neal and Basketball HOFer Magic Johnson, “to promote Dove's theme of being comfortable in your own skin.” Fans will get “glimpses of how Izzo prepares for March Madness with his wife, Lupe, and his thoughts about why he loves this month.” He also “talks about his kids in the series of spots” (DETROIT NEWS, 3/16).
FASHION FORWARD: In N.Y., Ben Rothenberg wrote BNP Paribas Open winner Victoria Azarenka yesterday “rarely looked threatened” and her wardrobe choices in the news conferences “reflected this confidence all week.” Having previously worn a Nike shirt that simply said, “Best is Best,” after the final she wore a red jacket with “AZARENKA” written on the back and “VIKA 1” on the front, over a shirt that read “Unstoppable Skills” (N.Y. TIMES, 3/19).
LIEUTENANT DENG: In Chicago, Brigid Sweeney wrote Comcast SportsNet Chicago Bulls analyst Stacey King is “putting his best work on T-shirts.” A collection of his sayings “has been on the Bulls' website since last summer, but Mr. King only started selling the shirts under the label 21King at the beginning of this year." King said it started "kind of on a whim." The idea “has paid off: In January and February alone, Mr. King's line sold 38,000 shirts.” Sweeney noted a “slew of new sayings and designs were just added” last week (CHICAGOBUSINESS.com, 3/16).
