In England, Brett Gibbons wrote EPL club Aston Villa is set to drop Nike as its uniform supplier “following a kit quality row and will announce a new major multi-million pound deal in March.” The move to drop Nike, which had a three-year, US$15.3M deal with the club, “follows a dispute over the quality of matchday, training and replica gear.” Speculation “has indentified Italian firm Macron as successor to Nike” (BIRMINGHAM MAIL, 1/14).
SUPPLY & DEMAND: In Baltimore, Lorraine Mirabella noted Modell’s Sporting Goods “opened a ‘pop-up’ store Friday in the former ESPN Zone space in downtown Baltimore to sell Ravens merchandise.” The store is the “first of its kind for Modell’s in the Baltimore-Washington area and was opened in response to growing demand for Ravens items.” The store will remain open “as long as the Ravens are in the playoffs” (BALTIMORESUN.com, 1/13).
SWING DOCTOR: The PGA Tour named orthopedic care and rehabilitation service Allegheny Sports Medicine the “Official Sports Medicine Sponsor” for the Tour. Allegheny will also sponsor the Champions Tour Mobile Health & Fitness Program, which features state-of-the-art fitness and therapeutic trailers available to players at more than 70 tournaments throughout the season (PGA Tour).
