Marketplace Roundup
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Hamilton Hopes To Cash In On
Record Home Run Derby Performance |
CNBC's Darren Rovell noted MLB Rangers CF Josh Hamilton has several small endorsement deals "that are up after the end of this year," including one with the Verdero Bat Company and an exclusive autograph deal with Lojo Sports. Meanwhile, Nike "gives him shoes, but they don't pay him." Hamilton's agent Michael Moye: "I think America learned who he was [Monday] night. The phone has definitely been ringing" (CNBC.com, 7/15). In Ft. Worth, Jeff Wilson reports a column on ESPN.com "mentioned Hamilton in the same breath as [Baseball HOFers] Babe Ruth, Jackie Robinson and Cal Ripken, suggesting that Hamilton could rescue [MLB] from steroids era as past stars had helped the sport emerge from dark times" (FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 7/16).
PRICELESS PARTNERS: MasterCard CMO Lawrence Flanagan said of the company’s partnership with MLB: “MasterCard is about authenticity, family values, ‘some things money can’t buy.’ Baseball is the American pastime (and) it’s about getting your family together. … The brands fit together really well and allow us to do really strong marketing programs” ("America's Nightly Scoreboard," Fox Business, 7/15). While some speculated sponsors might leave the league over the steroids scandal, Flanagan said, Flanagan: "What gave us a lot of comfort was the fact that (MLB) took it very seriously. We’re very pleased with the actions that they took to protect the integrity of the game" (“Closing Bell,” CNBC, 7/15).
DRESSED TO THE NINES: The Vanderbilt Univ. (VU) football team will wear nine uniform variations this season, with black, gold and white options for both jerseys and pants. The two-color stripe on the pants has been removed, replaced with a Nike logo and the school's star logo patch stitched on either hip. To make the jersey "unique to [VU] is the inclusion of the color 'Star V' logo into a 'home plate' design in the front collar" (Nashville TENNESSEAN, 7/16).
NOTES: AFL and Txtstation have announced a real time text messaging promotion that includes the July 27 Virgin Mobile ArenaBowl XXII in New Orleans. Fans will be able to interact live with the video board by sending a text message that within seconds will show their note live on the screen (Txtstation)....Wizards G Gilbert Arenas is helping sponsor pro videogamer David Walsh, who "receives about $300,000 for his team in sponsorship from Arenas and Red Bull" (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 7/15)....AT&T may move its corporate HQs from San Antonio to Dallas, but the company "will fulfill its commitment to San Antonio golf." AT&T spokesperson Marc Bien said that the company's three-year title sponsorship agreement with the city's Champions Tour event "will remain in place" (SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS, 7/16)....The Univ. of Montana (UM) has signed a nine-year deal with Learfield Sports in which the company will oversee all sponsorship and multimedia rights for UM athletics. The deal begins with the '08-09 academic year (UM).
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