NAPA Auto Parts has signed with Nationwide Series rookie Chase Elliott for full-season sponsorship, and ESPN.com's Brant James wrote the brand following last year's Michael Waltrip Racing scandal "needed an assurance ... of good citizenship." JR Motorsports co-Owner Kelley Earnhardt Miller said, "This situation really kind of came together for us in the last 30 days full force, and to really get serious about it, we had to stand up to a lot of different things for NAPA as they have very high standards. We had to prove to them that we are going to go out and do what we said we could do and be a great representative for them." James wrote JR Motorsports offers NAPA "a place to cleanse itself of the stain of the MWR scandal while remaining in a series it has used as a ubiquitous marketing platform for 19 years" (ESPN.com, 1/7).
LINSANE IN THE MEMBRANE: BLOOMBERG NEWS' Scott Soshnick noted Rockets G Jeremy Lin's new endorsement deal with adidas "includes public appearances in Asia." Lin said, "I definitely have the international appeal. There will be tours in Asia -- that's part of the package." Lin will have "input on product development and design" (BLOOMBERG NEWS, 1/6).
ON THE AUCTION BLOCK: Bloomingdale's in celebration of Super Bowl XLVIII is collaborating with the NFL and the Council of Fashion Designers of America to auction off 48 one-of-a-kind helmets at bloomingdales.com. Each helmet will be customized by a fashion designer, and fans can bid on them from Jan. 15 through Feb. 4, with 100% of the proceeds benefiting the NFL Foundation. The helmets will be unveiled in Bloomingdale's windows on Jan. 15 at 5:00pm ET (Bloomingdale's).
CHECKMATE: Espen Agdestein, the manager for chess player Magnus Carlsen, said that his "ability to attract commercial sponsorships -- in 2013, he brought in revenues of about [U.S.$2.41M] -- is 'pioneering' for chess." The FINANCIAL TIMES' Martin Sandbu notes Carlsen "models for the Dutch clothing company G-Star RAW, whose advertising campaign has partnered him with British model Lily Cole." Carlsen this month "heads to California to meet the big names in Silicon Valley." Arctic Securities Head of Int'l Sales Gaute Ulltveit-Moe, whose company organized a chess event this week in London, said that the association with Carlsen had "brought the firm new clients." Ulltveit-Moe said, “People have called saying, ‘I see you sponsor Magnus Carlsen; I want to do business with you'" (FINANCIAL TIMES, 1/8).
