The NBA, as part of its 50th anniversary celebration, will
link with TNT and Sports Illustrated for a 16-week series of
advertorials featuring NBA "legends" writing about current stars.
... Converse is "nearing" a licensing deal with Lucasfilm to
distribute a line of kids' footwear in tandem with the re-release
of "Star Wars" next Spring. Converse may also get permission to
market a "Star Wars"-themed men's basketball shoe as an adult
component of the program. ... Cleveland Golf's "Great Big Deal,"
running June 15-July 31, offers buyers of new graphite shafted
VAS+ irons a free titanium driver (or two additional free irons)
and buyers of new steel-shafted irons a free metalwood driver (or
two additional irons) (BRANDWEEK, 6/10 issue)....After Tom Watson
used the Odyssey Dual Force 990 putter during his win last
weekend at The Memorial, the company is planning an ad campaign
for the putter (THE DAILY)....Reebok Dir of Public Relations Dave
Fogelson said of their deal with Allen Iverson: "It's multi-year
and it's in the seven-figure range" (WASHINGTON TIMES,
6/12)....NASCAR Winston Cup driver Mark Martin is planning to
open a racing-themed restaurant in the Daytona, FL, area. Martin
wants to launch before February's Daytona 500 (ORLANDO SENTINEL,
6/12).
