Marketplace Roundup
The AP's Howard Fendrich cited a source who said AIG will not renew its contract of the U.S. Davis Cup team when it expires at the end of the year. AIG, who has sponsored the team since '99, is the USTA's "only year-round, national sponsor for Davis Cup," and the relationship "has been worth millions of dollars." The sponsorship included "promotional rights attached to the U.S. team, including an AIG patch on players' warmup suits and TV advertising time" (AP, 10/16).
CHECK MATES: The WALL STREET JOURNAL's Nicholas Casey notes the legal battle between Nike and Wal-Mart "comes about a year after the two began to part ways." Nike Monday filed suit against Wal-Mart, and N.Y.-based attorney Ethan Horwitz said that Nike's decision "to pursue a patent claim rather than a trademark claim may bolster" its case. Horwitz noted while consumers "would be unlikely to confuse the Wal-Mart shoes with Nike's branded footwear -- a trademark issue -- patent claims involve more clear-cut issues of research and development" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 10/17).
NOTES: In Boston, gossip columnists Fee & Raposa report Patriots QB Tom Brady "passed on an opportunity" to star in underwear ads for Calvin Klein. Brady reportedly "pulled the plug at the last minute because he didn't feel comfortable baring so much skin" (BOSTON HERALD, 10/17)....SPORTINGNEWS.com's Rich Lopez reported Nike to start the NBA preseason unveiled a "slew of PE Hyperdunk colorways ... to outfit their 'Young Guns,'" including Thunder F Kevin Durant, Jazz G Deron Williams, Blazers G Brandon Roy and Grizzlies F Rudy Gay (SPORTINGNEWS.com, 10/15).
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