The NHL rules in Canada, but Toronto Blue Jays outfielder and two-time MLB home-run champion
José Bautista is the newest endorser for
Coke north of the border. In keeping with the locale, we’re told that Tampa Bay Lightning star
Steven Stamkos will also appear in the point-of-sale ads, and social media video was shot last week at the Rogers Centre in Toronto.
The use of Bautista’s image on Coke Zero packaging, along with TV ads, is also expected later this year. Other endorsements for the man who’s undoubtedly the
most marketable MLBer in Canada include
Sony PlayStation,
Pizza Pizza (Canada’s largest pizza chain),
TD Bank and
Booster Juice, the Canada
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Bautista has several other endorsement deals, including Canada’s Booster Juice.
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equivalent of Jamba Juice.
Alex Radetsky’s Radegen Sports Management represents Bautista for marketing.
> SOUNDS OF THE GAME: Bose, by our estimation one of the least-capable activators of pricey NFL sponsorship rights, has finally enlisted some professional help. CAA Sports has won an agency shootout to become global sports shop for the consumer electronics brand.
Bose also has deals with golfer Rory McIlroy and PGA Tour rights in China. Contractually, this is the final NFL season for a Bose NFL sponsorship that began in 2011. We gather that CAA Sports will have a lot to do with whether it is the last one for Bose as the NFL’s official home audio sponsor. However, agency officials would not comment.
The Bose victory adds to a few recent consulting wins for CAA Sports, including Guinness and KPMG.
> SUBWAY STOP: ESPN radio raconteurs Mike & Mike have been pitching for Subway restaurants for what seems like forever, and the quick-service restaurant’s “Subway Fresh Take Hotline” tag for on-air interviews is as much a staple on the daily radio show as ham and cheese are at Subway.
However, Golic and Greenberg had never appeared in a TV ad for the QSR with the most locations — until now. The loquacious pair shot a brand spot for Subway last week in Spark Hill, N.Y. Appearing along with the Mikes is New York Giants defensive end Justin Tuck, another longtime Subway endorser, along with Australian snowboarder Torah Bright. Headline Media Management, New York, represents Mike & Mike.
> BIRD FEEDING: Agencies are anxious for word from Jim Smith, Atlanta Falcons senior vice president of sales and marketing, regarding sales assignments at the proposed new NFL facility adjacent to the 21-year-old Georgia Dome.
Some time ago, various sports sales shops were asked to compete for premium sales, naming rights and top corporate sponsorship sales work, with assignments expected June 1. The agency names we first heard as chasing sales rights surrounding the stadium, scheduled to open in 2017, include Front Row Marketing, IMG, Legends and Van Wagner.
More recently, however, we are hearing that while Legends has been quietly handed the assignment for premium seating sales, other assignments have not been set and some new agencies have recently been asked to join the chase anew.
The morass may now became a bit less opaque, since the Georgia World Congress Center Authority gave 360 Architecture its blessing last week for a design concept on a 1.8 million-square-foot multipurpose facility that would hold 70,000 people and could cost as much as $1 billion. Plans call for the Georgia Dome to be demolished when the new stadium opens.
> GRAZING: MLB official lawn-care company Scotts is leveraging the coming All-Star Game in New York City with the culmination of its first season as presenting sponsor of the Pitch, Hit & Run youth baseball skills competition, an affiliation that helped get Scotts into more than 1,800 Wal-Mart stores with an “Ultimate Home Field Advantage” promo that showcased both Scotts and Miracle-Gro products.
PH&R finals will take place at Citi Field during the weekend before the July 16 All-Star-Game. Scotts will also showcase its grass “carpet” at MLB Fan Fest and do baseball field and facility refurbishments in Queens, said Chris Strunk, manager of sports marketing sponsorship.
Wasserman Media Group is Scotts’ sports marketing agency.
Terry Lefton can be reached at tlefton@sportsbusinessjournal.com.
