AD WEEK’s Anthony Crupi noted CBS President & CEO Les Moonves yesterday “made a bold prediction about the broadcaster’s Super Bowl prospects, telling investors that his sales team will set an all-time unit cost record in 2013.” Moonves said he anticipates landing “a potential $4 million per spot” in Super Bowl XLVII, which is scheduled to be played in New Orleans on Feb. 3, 2013. That figure “would mark a 14 percent increase from NBC’s staggering $3.5 million asking price for time in this year’s game.” NBC “commanded a 17 percent increase hike over Fox’s going rate of $3 million in 2010.” Moonves also “quantified the number of NFC games it will add to its AFC slate as part of its new nine-year, $9.5 billion NFL package: seven per season” (ADWEEK.com, 2/15).
HONDA RENEWAL COMING SOON? In West Palm Beach, Dave George reports PGA Tour Honda Classic tournament officials expect a new sponsorship deal with Honda "will be announced soon." The automaker's “original six-year contract tying together PGA National and the Honda sponsorship ends” this year. There was never "much doubt about that happening,” but Tiger Wood's announcement that he will play in the tournament for the first time as a pro “makes it a slam dunk.” Honda, the PGA Tour's “longest-running sponsor partner, wants all of this it can get, and so do NBC and the Golf Channel” (PALM BEACH POST, 2/16).
COURT REPORT: In Chicago, Steve Schmadeke reports U.S. District Judge Gary Feinerman yesterday “all but threw out Michael Jordan's lawsuit against Jewel-Osco over a congratulatory ad it ran when he was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame three years ago.” Feinerman ruled that the ad, which “appeared in a Sports Illustrated issue commemorating Jordan's induction, was ‘noncommercial speech’ protected by the First Amendment.” The ad featured a pair of basketball shoes with the number 23 on the soles below the words "Jewel-Osco salutes #23 on his many accomplishments as we honor a fellow Chicagoan who was 'just around the corner' for so many years" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 2/16).
TIE IT UP: In Boston, Donna Goodison notes the Jimmy V Foundation has created a “Neckwear Collection inspired by memorable sports figures.” The ties are “available at Kohl’s, Macy’s and Amazon.com for a suggested price of $40,” with a portion of the proceeds to benefit the V Foundation for Cancer Research. Some figures “immortalized” in the neckties include Hockey HOFer Bobby Orr, Pro Football HOFer Jerry Rice, ESPN’s Dick Vitale and Chris Berman, and former IndyCar driver Mario Andretti. N.Y.-based PVH, which is helping to make the ties, “expects to include 15 more sports personalities in the collection each year” (BOSTON HERALD, 2/16).
