AGENCY NEWS: CT-based Phoenix Home Life Mutual
Insurance Co. has retained Cronin & Co., Hartford, to
develop and execute a regional publicity campaign to promote
the Phoenix/ATP Tour World Doubles Championships (Cronin &
Co.)....AD AGE reports that the NY-based Nat'l Thoroughbred
Racing Association will hear presentations from BBDO South,
Atlanta; D'Arcy Masius Benton & Bowles, L.A.; Merkley Newman
Harty, N.Y.; and the Richards Group, Dallas, for a $15M
awareness campaign....In other agency news, FootLocker has
"contacted" agencies about its $25M account "and is setting
up meetings." The retailer was to split the business, "but
has now decided" to name one firm (AD AGE, 9/15).
SPONSORSHIPS: The A-10 and Asics Tiger have signed a
one-year deal for Asics Tiger to be title sponsor of the A-
10's men's and women's cross country championships (A-
10)....Franklin Sports has signed a two-year deal as a
Silver-Level Official Sponsor and Supplier for USA Hockey's
grassroots, national and int'l programs (USA Hockey).
MERCHANDISE: Foxboro Stadium's Pro Shop sold 400 "Can
the Tuna" t-shirts at $14.95 during the first ten days they
were available (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 9/14)....ABL Reign GM Jim
Weyermann, on the team's merchandise partnership with the
Sonics' Full House Sports and Entertainment: "This gives us
an instant statewide distribution network. Last year, we
didn't even have the capital to invest in the inventory to
put on the shelves" (SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER, 9/12).
