Marketplace Roundup
Amid news GM is ending its sponsorship deal with the Pirates, GM Dir of Communications for Sales, Service & Marketing Pete Ternes said that the company is looking at other MLB team sponsorship contracts that expire at the end of the year "as part of an effort to cut the company's promotional and advertising budget" by 20%. Ternes: "We're reviewing all our sponsorships as contracts come up, which include [MLB]. We have national agreements with [MLB], and most of these (we're reviewing) are at the team level" (AP, 12/10).
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Earnhardt Inks Endorsement
Deal Extension With Wrangler |
PHILLY PHANATIC: In Philadelphia, Paul Vigna reported an ad ran in Sunday's Philadelphia Inquirer from a dissatisfied Phillies fan that read, "Attn Phillies Ticket Holders Who Were Refused Entry To World Series Game 5. We want to hear from you!!" New Jersey resident Brent Blanchard, who placed the ad, is "trying to find others who had bought tickets" for Game Five of the World Series, which began on October 27 and ended on October 29. The ad states many fans "who bought their seats through legal means on 10/27 'had their tickets suddenly voided before the game resumed ... allegedly at the request of people who resold their tickets online then called the team to claim they 'lost' them.'" Blanchard said that the ad "should run in the Inquirer and Daily News several times" (PHILLY.com, 12/10).
JEAN TEAM: Wrangler yesterday announced that it has renewed its endorsement deal with Dale Earnhardt Jr. and will serve as the NASCAR driver's official jean for the sixth year in a row. Earnhardt will continue to appear in Wrangler's ads, in-store signage, product ticketing and consumer promotions. The relationship is Earnhardt's longest-running endorsement deal (Wrangler).
ON THE BUBBLE: The WALL STREET JOURNAL's Molly Neal writes, "After the housing bubble, the credit bubble and the commodities bubble, could the sports bubble be the next to burst?" Existing sponsorship deals are "mostly safe," but for teams "looking to renew contracts, the future looks bleak." The "risk is that a collapse in sponsorship could trigger a vicious spiral" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 12/11).
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