In Cleveland, Chris Fedor noted Pepsi following the Cavaliers NBA championship has "returned with the latest chapter in the 'Uncle Drew' story, a commercial titled, 'Champions are Born Out of the Fire.'" The one-minute video featuring Cavs G Kyrie Irving "doesn't feature any of the other characters from previous installments." This chapter is all about Drew, who "explains what it takes to be a champion" (CLEVELAND.com, 6/28).
HYDRATING BUCKY: In Madison, Andy Baggot noted Aspire Beverages has signed a "two-year arrangement" to become the official sports drink of Univ. of Wisconsin athletics, effective Friday. UW is the first school to "strike a sponsorship deal" with the Minnesota based company. Aspire co-Founder & CMO John Montague along with co-Founder & CEO Jesse Parker wanted to promote a "healthier alternative to the popular sports drinks like Powerade and Gatorade for their sport-playing children." In a short time, Aspire has "gained a national foothold." It can be purchased at outlets such as Costco, Cub Foods, Hy-Vee, Safeway, Target and Whole Foods. Aspire also has a "sponsorship arrangement with Under Armour." One investor in Aspire is Wild D Ryan Suter (WISCONSIN STATE JOURNAL, 6/28).
PRIORITY LIST: In California, Larry Bohannan notes U.S. Ryder Cup captain Davis Love III lately has been "thinking about clothing" for the team in Minnesota rather than playing golf. Love said, "We've got Ralph Lauren, New Era, Cole Hahn. We've got a big group down there fitting the guys. But Ralph Lauren's done three or four Ryder Cups for us. They're getting better and better" (Palm Springs DESERT SUN, 6/29).
