Beginning with last night's NCAA men's champion KY,
Miami-based American Scoop ice cream will "take the logos of
top college and professional teams and emblazon them" on
their ice cream pints, according to Jeffery Zbar of the Ft.
Lauderdale SUN-SENTINEL. American Scoop CEO Ed Squire said
that KY will be honored on three different containers, each
with the school's logo, and "each with a different fact box
about the team." Squire will intro the first batch of the
ice cream to retailers in KY on Thursday. FL-based Sports &
Sponsorships will handle the account with NY-based Alan
Taylor Communications overseeing the PR effort. Squire
worked with Sports & Sponsorships President Scott Becher to
forge deals with the NCAA and the Collegiate Licensing
Company which give American Scoop rights to 79 championship
events and 200 schools. Squire has also retained rights to
be the "official ice cream licensee" of the NHL, and is
"working to sign" other pro leagues. The next market
targeted by American Scoop is Michigan, with links to the
Univ. of MI and the Red Wings. American Scoop's premium ice
cream will retail from $2.39-$2.75 (SUN-SENTINEL, 3/30).
CHOICE SEATS: All fans who attended Saturday's men's
semifinal games in San Antonio received specially-designed
seat cushions containing pre-paid GTE calling cards. As
part of its promotion, GTE made a $10,000 donation to the
Kids Sports Network, which provided more than 300 volunteers
to place the 40,000 seat cushions in the Alamodome (GTE).
