In Sydney, Michael Chammas notes 49ers RB and former Australian rugby player Jarryd Hayne signed his "first lucrative sponsorship deal" with Under Armour. Hayne this morning appeared on Australia's "Today" show to "officially announce his new sponsorship deal." Hayne said, "This happened over the course of a couple of months, going back and forth, and it was great to get the deal done. It's a company that's all about the underdogs and it's something that I love." He added, "This partnership was a natural fit for me. Under Armour is a powerful global brand with a deep history in American football ... I look forward to representing Under Armour in the next chapter of my journey" (SMH.com, 9/14).
NO KIDDING: AD AGE's E.J. Schultz reported Powerade yesterday launched a 30-second TV spot starring Seahawks TE Jimmy Graham, with 15- and 60-second versions of the spot already available. The ad, titled "Churn," continues the Coca-Cola brand's "Just a Kid" campaign that "began with an ad earlier this year" starring Bulls G Derrick Rose. The spot focuses on Graham's "tough upbringing" and features the tagline, "We're all just a kid from somewhere." Wieden + Kennedy, Portland is "handling the campaign" (ADAGE.com, 9/13).
SHARING IS CARING: In Cincinnati, Bowdeya Tweh noted shareholders of Bengals WR Mohamed Sanu, via S.F.-based company Fantex, this summer "received a dividend of 20 cents per share." That dividend "was higher than the most recent payouts from Greater Cincinnati publicly traded companies such as Kroger (11 cents), Fifth Third Bancorp (13 cents) and General Cable (18 cents)." Sanu, a 26-year-old fourth-year pro, said, "I just knew it was something I wanted to be a part of and in the long run, it would benefit me" (CINCINNATI ENQUIRER, 9/13).
