Bankrupt Sports Authority "wants to shed its sponsorship agreements with nine professional sports teams" -- including the Broncos and the Rockies, according to Alicia Wallace of the DENVER POST. The retailer on Friday "asked a federal bankruptcy court to let it reject -- court language for 'get out of' -- the nine agreements." The deals "include benefits such as ticket-back advertisements, rotational signs, logo rights and mascot appearances." The list of proposed rejected contracts "does not include Sports Authority’s agreement with the Metropolitan Football Stadium District for naming rights to Mile High Stadium in Denver, where the Broncos play." Court records show that other contracts Sports Authority "hopes" to scrap are with the Galaxy, Dodgers, Brewers, Vikings, NFL Giants, NFL Jets and the Eagles. Attorneys said that Sports Authority would "avoid incurring additional administrative expenses" by rejecting the contracts. If approved, the move "appears to favor the Broncos, who recently sought the court’s approval to cancel the team’s sponsorship agreement with the withering retailer." Sports Authority’s sponsorship agreement with the Broncos "includes a license to use the trademarked Broncos logo, advertisements, hospitality benefits such as tickets and player appearances." Sports Authority was "under contract to pay the Broncos" about $1M a year (DENVER POST, 6/7).
