In San Antonio, W. Scott Bailey noted the Spurs have "entered into a new corporate sponsorship deal that could advance the organization’s efforts to create a tighter economic connection between San Antonio and Austin." The pact between the NBA D-League Austin Spurs and the Cavender Auto Family’s new Toyota dealership in Cedar Park "represents another move" by Spurs Sports & Entertainment to "create more multi-market support for its portfolio of pro sports franchises" (BIZJOURNALS.com, 5/8).
BAGGAGE CLAIM: ESPN.com's Royce Young noted Thunder G Russell Westbrook is featured in a new commercial for New Jersey-based luggage brand Tumi, and the "theme is pretty obvious: Oklahoma City is Westbrook's home." Westbrook narrates the spot and the ad "isn't exactly subtle about Westbrook's apparent feelings" (ESPN.com, 5/8).
IT'S NOW OR NEVER: ADWEEK's Christine Birkner noted SunTrust recently released an ad that "takes place at SunTrust Park." The spot, via StrawberryFrog, N.Y., takes place while "prepping" the ballpark for that day's baseball game. In the scene, a groundskeeper "drops his rake and timidly steps up to the mic on the pitcher's mound, gradually gaining more confidence as he belts out Bon Jovi's 'It's My Life' to a mostly empty" ballpark (ADWEEK.com, 5/8).
