FOOTBALL: Riddell said that it plans to appeal
yesterday's jury decision awarding Joe Rodriguez and his
family $14.5M. Rodriguez suffered brain damage while
playing football in TX wearing a Riddell helmet (AP, 3/19).
...The "Pert Plus presents NFL Air-It-Out National Finals"
will be played this weekend and will feature a women's final
for the first time in the tournament's 6-year history. The
event is held at Disney's Wide World of Sports (NFL).
CHEVROLET INCREASES ITS SKI SUPPORT: Chevy Trucks has
extended its sponsorship of the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Team
through the 2003-04 ski season. The new deal gives Chevy
title sponsorship of the Chevy S-10 U.S Snowboard Grand Prix
Tour and presenting sponsorship for U.S. Freestyle World
Cups and Ultimate Airwave events (Chevrolet).
TAE-BO ON WHEELS: In the "most offbeat sponsor
announcement so far this year," Integrity Global Marketing,
producer and marketer of Tae-Bo tapes -- a kickboxing and
aerobics fitness program -- will be an associate sponsor of
the Ron Hemelgarn-owned IRL car driven by Buddy Lazier and
be the primary sponsor of Hemelgarn's Johnny Unser-driven
entry (SPEEDNET, 3/18)....Goody's headache powder's 15-year
NASCAR relationship is examined in the front page Cover
Story by USA TODAY's J. Taylor Buckley (USA TODAY, 3/19).
OTHER NOTES: PremiumWear has re-signed LPGA pro Helen
Dobson to represent its Page & Tuttle line of golf apparel
(PremiumWear)....NC-based Raycom Sports has renewed its
agreement with Southern Living to return as a presenting
sponsor of the LPGA's AFLAC Champions event in Mobile, AL,
October 14-17 (Raycom)....The MLS Fire has debuted its new
ad campaign from The Rosen Group. The spots feature players
and coach Bob Bradley with the tag, "Fire Side Chats." The
TV spots will be concentrated in morning news, early news
and late fringe. The campaign is in four languages (Fire).
..FTD has secured title sponsorship of the Champions On Ice
Winter Figure Skating Tour in a multi-year extension
(FTD)....WNBA players Sheryl Swoopes, Nikki McCray and Lisa
Leslie are appearing in the latest "Got Milk" ad (BSMG
Worldwide)....MET-Rx Engineered Nutrition inked Blues LW
Tony Twist, the company's first NHL player (MET-Rx).
