In Denver, Jason Blevins cited a Red Bull source as saying that action sports star Shaun White is "talking with Coca Cola’s Vitamin Water about a multi-million-dollar deal." White's contract with Red Bull ended after this year's Winter X Games, and he has since "been in discussions with a host of beverage companies, shopping for a deal that bests Red Bull's reported $1 million-a-year contract." The source indicated that White's discussions with Vitaminwater could lead to a sponsorship that makes the Red Bull contract "look like lunch money." Blevins noted White "has been very selective with his sponsorship deals, often demanding total creative control" (DENVERPOST.com, 8/10).
GIVE & TAKE: Sterne Agee analyst Arvind Bhatia estimated that Take-Two Interactive "stands to lose as much as $40 million" if the NBA lockout wipes out the '11-12 season. Bhatia in an investor note issued Tuesday stated that sales of "NBA 2K12" will be "softer than predicted" without an NBA season. However, he "also stated that the 'uniqueness' of NBA 2K12 might be enough to make the game a top-performer, regardless of a lockout scenario" (GAMESPOT.com, 8/9).
GOLD RUSH: NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. on Tuesday "unveiled a special gold paint scheme" for his No. 88 Chevrolet that he will drive in the Sprint Cup Series Irwin Tools Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway on Aug. 27. Earnhardt's car also will "carry a decal marking the 50th anniversary of the speedway." BMS GM Jerry Caldwell said that "this is the first time to his knowledge that a track has ever celebrated its 50th anniversary with a paint scheme" (Kingsport TIMES-NEWS, 8/10).
STAY THIRSTY, MY FRIENDS: Sports drink brand Lucozade "has renewed its partnership" with England's FA "for the next four years." Lucozade "first became a partner to the England team in a three-year deal that began" in September '07. The brand will support "all 24 England national teams over the four-year period, including the men's European Championship qualification campaign and the women’s senior team, due to play against Serbia in September" (MARKETINGMAGAZINE.co.uk, 8/8).
