In N.Y., Katie Rogers noted the USTA is promoting the upcoming U.S. Open by offering people the "opportunity to have pictures of themselves posted on six billboards throughout Times Square." USTA Managing Dir of Marketing Nicole Kankam said that the digital takeover "was an attempt to attract a new type of tennis fan: someone who is younger, someone who is more digitally savvy and, crucially, someone who might buy a ticket." McGarryBowen worked with the USTA and Horizon Media "to put together the project." Kankam said the amount paid by the USTA was "hard to quantify." However, companies like Citizen "allowed the USTA to take their digital billboards free" (N.Y. TIMES, 8/26).
FEELING SO FLY: Boeing has signed a five-year extension to "remain as presenting sponsor of the RBC Heritage." The new agreement runs through the '21. RBC last month "locked in its affiliation with South Carolina’s largest sporting event for an additional six years" through '23. Boeing also announced a five-year extension of its title sponsorship deal for the PGA Tour Champions event outside Seattle (ISLANDPACKET.com, 8/25).
DRIVING IT HOME: Ping announced Thursday it "will sell 6,000 limited-edition pink Ping G drivers" similar to the one used by Bubba Watson and donate $60 to the Bubba Watson Foundation "for every pink driver sold." Ping and Watson have "partnered before and surpassed" more than $1M in donations since '12. The drivers "are available for pre-order through authorized Ping retailers around the world." The driver "comes with a Watson caricature head cover" (USA TODAY, 8/26).
BABY KICKS: Seventy newborns at the Anne Arundel Medical Center in Annapolis on Tuesday received free Nikes "in honor of" U.S. runner Matt Centrowitz' Gold Medal win in the 1,500 meters. Centrowitz, a Maryland native, became the first American to win the race in more than 100 years. Nike reps said that the shoes "won't be sold publicly." They are "green with an orange Nike logo-- representing the colors" of the Games. Nike plans to "deliver the baby shoes to areas where several of the U.S. gold medal winners are from," including U.S. women's basketball player Elena Delle Donne (Annapolis CAPITAL GAZETTE, 8/25).
