LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON: BRANDWEEK's Terry Lefton reports
that both Peyton Manning and his father, Archie, were signed
last week by adidas. The company "will pump up" the
family's Manning Passing Academy camps as part of the deal.
Lefton adds that adidas has also signed "a quartet" of Bucs
players, the first NFL team it will provide with uniforms
and sideline wear....Kordell Stewart has signed a two-year,
"low six-figure" deal for Midway's "NFL Blitz" video game.
Stewart will appear in spots for Midway, part of a $5.5M
marketing push behind the fall launch of Blitz....CA-based
Management Plus is now representing Oscar de La Hoya for
marketing deals (Terry Lefton, BRANDWEEK, 5/11 issue).
NOTES: The Boston Lager billboard on the outfield wall
of a little league facility in Newton, MA, which has been up
for five years, "will now stay down for good." The sign was
removed from the field last week due to parental protest
(ADWEEK, 5/11 issue)....MLBP announced that CO-based Zephyr
Graf-X has joined the Minor League licensing program to
produce fitted adjustable replica and non-replica caps for
158 Minor League teams. The deal runs from '98-2000 (MLBP).
....Columbia Sportswear opened its first retail store in
Nagoya, Japan. The 1,152-square-foot shop opened March 14
(Columbia)....Hibbett Sporting Goods opened 15 new stores in
the first quarter of '98 -- with initial stores in TX and IN
-- bringing its total to 135 stores in 16 states (Hibbett).
