In London, Ian Herbert reports Iconix Brand Group-owned Umbro is "competing to wrest away" EPL club Manchester United's kit contract from Nike. There are understood to have been "three meetings" between Umbro and ManU. The "breadth of Iconix’s global experience ... is a factor that has made it attractive to United" (London INDEPENDENT, 3/25). It was reported earlier this month that Nike was expected to sign a 10-year, $1B deal for the ManU kit. The club currently has a deal with Nike worth $39.1M annually (THE DAILY).
FINANCIAL PLANNING: In Milwaukee, Rich Kirchen reported Chicago-based BMO Harris Bank execs "decided not to renew the bank's sponsorship" of the Brewers at Miller Park as the company has "shifted its sponsorships locally to the BMO Harris Bradley Center ... and other activities." The bank "inherited the Miller Park/Brewers sponsorship" from Milwaukee-based M&I Bank when BMO bought M&I in '11. BMO Harris Bank VP & Head of Media Relations Jim Kappel said, "The agreement came to a natural end." He added of whether the Ryan Braun PED scandal played a role in the decision, "Not at all" (BIZJOURNALS.com, 3/24).
ALONG FOR THE RIDE: Acura, timed with the NCAA men's basketball tournament, will debut a marketing campaign featuring the '15 TLX sports sedan. The campaign, titled the "Official Vehicle of Everything Thrilling," launches this month and will run extensively across ESPN platforms, BleacherReport.com and during coverage of the championship game (Acura). Acura is not an official NCAA sponsor (THE DAILY).
