CART Licensed Products has agreed to a partnership with
Ford Motors on a cross-marketing licensing program which
will run through the end of 2000. The deal includes
CART/Ford Racing co-branded merchandise featuring Ford
drivers on headwear, apparel and novelties. Also, Ford will
conduct its Fan Appreciation Day programs in several CART
markets through the end of next racing season, with
additional programs also being planned (CART).
ON THE CART PATH: ESPN2's Jon Beekhuis, on how it is
decided which CART cars receive on-board cameras during a
race broadcast: "It just comes down to money. You can buy
one if you want, and some of the sponsors have bought them
for the season, ... or you can just choose to buy one for a
specific race." Beekhuis noted the only "exception" is that
"you're not allowed to broadcast on-board video from a
tobacco-sponsored car" ("RPM 2Night," ESPN2, 8/17).
NEW DEALS: IMS Properties has signed agreements with
nine companies for the manufacture of Speedway-related
products. The deals include youth apparel manufacturers
Li'l Fan and Ansa Kids; die-cast model manufacturers UT
Models/Gateway Global and Jakks Pacific; home furnisher
Trademarx Wallcoverings; rain poncho maker PonchoBalls;
Bridgepoint Marketing; automobile accessories supplier
AllStar Sportsline Products; and software firm GT
Interactive, which is preparing an Indy 500/Pep Boys IRL
game for PCs, PlayStation and Nintendo 64 consoles, with a
tentative release date of March 2000 (IMS).
