DEALS & DOLLARS: In Baltimore, Sandra McKee reported
that since NASCAR opened its N.Y. office two years ago, 25
new sponsorship deals "in excess of" $25M have been signed.
Also, in the past 36 months, NASCAR has hired 95 new
employees, including 14 in the N.Y. office (Baltimore SUN,
12/29)....TV Guide will "not return as primary sponsor" of
the Jack Roush-owned No. 16 Fords driven by Kevin Lepage for
the 2000 Winston Cup season (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 1/4)....In
Hartford, Kenneth Gosselin wrote that Fleet Financial Group
"hopes to widen the playing field" in sports financing, as
the company will market to minor-league teams and expand its
financing of "recreational sports venues" such as golf
courses and ski resorts (HARTFORD COURANT, 1/3).
NAMES & FACES: The marketing of U.S. sprinter Maurice
Greene "will begin in April" when Nike "will kick off its
pre-Olympic hype." Nike Manager of U.S. Communications Dave
Mingey said Greene will be a "major focus" for the company.
Greene has deals with Nike and video-game maker Konami,
while PowerAde and Home Depot are "recruiting him" (K.C.
STAR, 1/2)....Michael Jordan got "four times as many votes"
as runner-up Tiger Woods in a poll conducted by Burns Sports
asking execs to name the "sports celebrity from the 1900s
that they'd most want to pitch their products." Arnold
Palmer finished third. Woods "beat out Jordan by a 3-1
margin" in another poll asking execs to predict the No. 1
sports endorser of 21st century (BLOOMBERG, 12/31)....About
15,000 posters featuring Packers WR Antonio Freeman were
sent out to WI law enforcement officials as part of a safe
driving promo, but "no more" will be sent as Freeman "faces
possible charges stemming" from a December 22 car accident
in which Freeman wasn't wearing a seat belt (Mult., 12/31).
