Panini has signed seven probable first-round picks in tomorrow's NBA Draft to exclusive trading-card deals, including the likely top two in G Jabari Parker and F Andrew Wiggins. Also signing with Panini are C Joel Embiid, G Dante Exum, G Marcus Smart, F Noah Vonleh and G Tyler Ennis. The rookies will initially appear in Panini's NBA Hoops card set, which will be issued in October. The players also will take part in Panini marketing initiatives and be featured on Panini NBA trading-card packaging (Terry Lefton, Editor-at-Large).
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Machado Salsa is being sold locally at Giant
grocery stores |
HOT CORNER: In Baltimore, Cody Goodwin notes Orioles 3B Manny Machado yesterday "unveiled his own line of 'Machado’s Salsa,' which is being sold exclusively at Giant grocery stores in the area, as well as online at PLBsports.com." The salsa is a product of food marketing company PLB Sports, which "pairs items with high-profile athletes and their charities." The company also has "worked with Doug Flutie (Flutie Flakes), Jerod Mayo (Jerod’s All-Pro Mayo) and Matt Kemp (Matt Kemp’s True Blue Original Big League Chew), among others." Tigers 1B Miguel Cabrera, free agent NFLer Brett Keisel and Giants RB Peyton Hillis have also "produced their own salsa lines" through the company (Baltimore SUN, 6/25).
LI'S WAY: BBC NEWS' Bill Wilson noted off the court, tennis player Li Na "is second only to Maria Sharapova in terms of global earning power, with a number of major western and Asian sponsors." Na's agent, Max Eisenbud, said that his client "is now at the peak of her earning power." Eisenbud: "There are one or two deals that have come about after the Australian Open win, but the Li Na sponsorship tank is pretty full now." He said that Na "has the power to continue being a brand ambassador when she hangs up her racquet, and he is already 'working on her life after tennis'" (BBC.com, 6/22).
