In Milwaukee, Don Walker reported Wisconsin-based T-shirt company Oppermacher “has been marketing a T-shirt online that attempts to cash in on the drug-testing furor” over Brewers LF Ryan Braun. However, shortly after the company was asked "whether the shirt's design and sale violated Major League Baseball's infringement rules,” it “took the Braun shirt off its website.” The shirt had the word "Innocent" and “used script that is very similar to the Brewers script on jerseys.” It also "included the No. 8, which is Braun's number.” A Brewers spokesperson, who was made aware of the T-shirt, said MLB is also aware of the shirt and "will address it as a trademark infringement" (JSONLINE.com, 4/13).
FASHION FAUX PAS: RBC “may have made a slight Heritage fashion faux pas when asking fans to compete to design a golf bag for PGA Tour player Matt Kuchar” as there is “no plaid in the winning design.” IMG Live Dir of Show Services Ryan Smith said, “We tried to work with the manufacturer, but we couldn't get that tartan in there.” The winning bag will be used by Kuchar “during the practice round of next year's RBC Heritage.” The golfer will “pick a winning design from a list of final finalists” today (Hilton Head ISLAND PACKET, 4/14).
COMBINING FORCES: Perry Ellis International announced that it has “expanded its agreement with Callaway Golf Co. to design, make and distribute Callaway-branded apparel and related accessories.” The company said that it will “take over distribution” for Callaway in the Western Hemisphere. This includes “supplying sporting good and specialty golf stores, tournaments and e-commerce” (NCTIMES.com, 4/13).
THE FUTURE OF FOOTWEAR: adidas announced Friday that it “will sponsor a dozen students in a three-week footwear design class" taught by former Nike designer D’Wayne Edwards. In Portland, Allan Brettman noted the classes will be June 4-22 at Pensole, the "footwear design school” Edwards opened this year in Portland. Brettman noted “creating such a [partnership] has been a goal of Edwards since he started Pensole in 2010.” It also “falls in line with his vision of creating the equivalent of baseball's minor league farm system for the next generation of footwear designers” (OREGONLIVE.com, 4/13).
REMEMBERING A LEGEND: MLB.com’s Ton Singer noted Pirates CF Andrew McCutchen yesterday wore "special UCLA baby blue-and-gold spikes" in honor of Jackie Robinson Day. The specially-created Nike cleats had "JACKIE" spelled out on the inside and "42" on the outside (MLB.com, 4/15).
