The organizing committee for the ‘18 Pyeongchang Games on Wednesday signed its second sponsor, inking a deal with U.S.-based outdoor retailer The North Face. The deal comes one day after Pyeongchang signed its first domestic sponsor, South Korean telecom firm KT Corp. The signing of The North Face was attended by IOC President Thomas Bach in Pyeongchang (Pyeongchang 2018).
CATCHING AIR: Hospitality specialist Airbnb is the latest corporate partner for the N.Y. Marathon, agreeing to a three-year deal with the N.Y. Road Runners as a year-round Foundation partner. The deal makes Airbnb the "Official Community Hospitality Partner" of NYRR and the N.Y. Marathon. Activation plans for what is believed to be Airbnb's first sports sponsorship are to be determined. Civic Entertainment Group is handling the activation. The site matches travelers with short-term accommodations with those with rooms to rent. Other Airbnb sponsorships have included the S.F. Gay Pride Parade and the Sundance Film Festival (Terry Lefton, Editor-at-Large).
TITLE TOWN: In Nashville, Lauren Moore writes Vanderbilt’s first NCAA baseball title has led to a “frenzy of fans buying just about anything that has ‘national champions’ on it.” The school's bookstore has “sold close to 10,000 shirts” since the team won the title last Wednesday. VU bookstore Dir Beth Cain said that the retailer “ordered 400 locker room shirts -- like the players put on while they were celebrating on the field -- and split them between the store and the celebration on campus” last Thursday. Cain said the bookstore is on its “third reorder now” (Nashville TENNESSEAN, 7/3).
GREEN FLAG: In L.A., E. Scott Reckard reports the area's largest bank, City Bank National, is opening a branch just north of Daytona Beach, Fla., "to serve the auto-racing industry.” The bank yesterday said that it would initially “focus only on motor sports, other sports and entertainment, not broader business banking and wealth management as its full-service branches do.” City Bank National Senior VP & Relationship Manager David Pijot, who will staff the office, said that he will be looking to “bank" IndyCar and NHRA drivers, "as well as businesses supporting NASCAR” (L.A. TIMES, 7/3).
