Marketplace Round-Up
In this week's SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, Terry Lefton reports
that Nike "has completed a five-year renewal of its [MLB] advertising license,
which gives it the right to use MLB logos in ad campaigns." Meanwhile, as of
last week, sources "expected MLB's crown jewel — on-field uniform rights — to
go to one supplier." The uniform deal is now split between Russell and Majestic
Athletic (SPORTSBUSINESS
JOURNAL, 7/7 issue).
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Athleta Competing With Big Names
Like Nike & Victoria's Secret |
WHAT WOMEN WANT: In N.Y., Fara Warner profiled women's
athletic apparel company Athleta, which Scott Kerslake started five years ago
"after listening to female friends complain about a lack of selection in women's
workout wear." Warner: "What they wanted ... was properly sized gear that held
up on a 10-mile run followed by a 50-mile bike ride. But they also wanted it
to be fashionable enough to wear to the office." Kerslake expects sales to top
$30M in '03, up from $18M in '01. Kerslake said that his company, which employs
125 employees, 95% of whom are women, "would make money this year." But Warner
noted competition "has become intense," as companies from Prada to Victoria's
Secret have athletic lines. Nike also has a new women's line (N.Y.
TIMES, 7/6).
GONE IN 60 SECONDS? F1 drivers Jacques Villeneuve and
Jenson Button missed a practice session for yesterday's French Grand Prix after
they had their British American Racing (BAR) cars "seized on Thursday by a bailiff
acting at the behest" of Quebec-based TV producer France Corbeil. Corbeil alleges
BAR owes US$3.2M "in unpaid commissions" to his Monaco-based Partnership Production
Group Int'l for arranging the team's sponsorship deal with Montreal-based Teleglobe.
A French court gave back the cars prior to qualifying (Toronto GLOBE & MAIL,
7/5).
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