Major companies have "defected" from supporting free-
style skiing "to join" snowboarding, resulting in the
"cancellation of the first three events of the free style
World Cup season ... [and] the possibility of further
cancellations" because of the lack of sponsor support,
according to James Christie of the Toronto GLOBE & MAIL.
Meanwhile, the World Cup snowboarding tour is "up and
flying" with Nokia the title sponsor and German electronics
company Grundig a presenting sponsor. Both were free-style
World Cup sponsors. Nokia signed a three-year deal with the
snowboarding tour, which has 17 events and about $1.5M in
prize money. Nokia Mobile Phones Senior VP Anssi Vanjoki
said its snowboarding support is about "creativity, freedom
and individuality. Snowboarders take challenges and do
things differently. It's a young and growing sport with
strong visual appeal" (Toronto GLOBE & MAIL, 11/24).
SKI-DO: Coca-Cola has become the exclusive soft drink
of the Telluride Ski & Golf Co. (Telski) in CO for the next
ten years. The deal between Telski, Coca-Cola and Coca-
Cola's western bottler gives the soft drink company title
sponsorship of the SURGE Air Garden terrain park and pouring
rights at the ski area. Coca-Cola will also be a secondary
sponsor of "special on-mountain events" and will "work
closely" with Telski to develop new promotional programs.
Terms were not disclosed (TELLURIDE DAILY PLANET, 11/20).
