NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. “confirmed Diet Mountain Dew planned to cut back" on the races in which it will sponsor his Hendrick Motorsports No. 88 Chevy during the '13 Sprint Cup Series, according to Jim Utter of the CHARLOTTE OBSERVER. Earnhardt said that Hendrick had “interest from several companies to sponsor his team.” He said, “I would say in general we have more demand than supply” (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 9/15). ESPN.com’s David Newton noted Diet Mountain Dew was “contracted for 16 races this season with PepsiCo having the sponsorship rights for 20 races.” Earnhardt “did not say by how many that number would shrink.” But he "made it clear sponsorship is not an issue as it has been for other teams” (ESPN.com, 9/14). SPORTING NEWS’ Bob Pockrass wrote Earnhardt is “not worried about having an unsponsored car at Hendrick.” Earnhardt said that the Hendrick marketing department is “having talks with several companies to fill the unsold races on the No. 88 car” (SPORTINGNEWS.com, 9/14).
In addition to adidas last week unveiling the new D Rose 3.0 shoe for endorser Bulls G Derrick Rose, the company for the first time is "branching out beyond a Rose signature shoe and adding an accompanying clothing line,” according to Tom Rotunno of CNBC.com. The collection includes “jackets, hoodies, tees, shorts, pants, hats and socks," which will range in price "from $15 to $80.” The D Rose 3.0 shoe, which will be available Oct. 4 for about $160, is the "first to feature the new D Rose logo, which uses three petals to form a rose.” In the middle of the rose “is the number one, which represents Rose’s mom Brenda and is also his jersey number.” adidas' video documentary series, titled "The Return," serves as a marketing campaign “designed to keep Rose connected with his fans during his time away from the court and offer inspiration with a Rose-narrated peek at the effort he is undertaking to get back on the court.” Two videos released to date “follow Rose though his rehabilitation workouts at Athletes' Performance” in L.A. (CNBC.com, 9/14). Rose on Thursday said, "All this is unreal to me. ... I can't even dream about this where I would have my own logo.” In Chicago, K.C. Johnson notes the adidas ad campaign around Rose's rehabilitation uses “a planned five-episode documentary with titles like ‘Belief’ and ‘Hope’ to share his story.” A new ad spot also “is scheduled for the shoe's launch.” Meanwhile, Rose last week became an equity partner in Chicago-based pizza chain Giordano's, and company CEO Yorgo Koutsogiorgas said that Rose “already has expressed interest in having a say in the direction of the restaurant's new menu.” This will be “on top of a billboard advertising campaign set to launch this fall" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 9/17).
RAW EMOTION:The L.A. Times' Bill Plaschke said of Rose becoming emotional during the unveiling of his new adidas shoe, “At a moment when athletes are their most bombastic trying to sell a shoe, he’s at his most humble. You can tell this kid has the weight of a city on his shoulders” (“Around The Horn,” ESPN, 9/14). ESPN’s Tony Kornheiser said Rose’s emotional outburst was “heartwarming and it appears to be honest and real emotion.” Kornheiser: “The setting for it I could be cynical about because people were there to find out that he was selling shoes. But it’s very hard to be cynical about Derrick Rose” (“PTI,” ESPN, 9/14).
Brazil has selected an "endangered armadillo as the mascot" for the '14 FIFA World Cup, according to Brian Homewood of REUTERS. FIFA said that the mascot, which was unveiled last night on a TV program by former Brazil F Ronaldo, "represented the three-banded armadillo, an endangered species indigenous to Brazil." The animal is actually light brown, but the mascot is "yellow with green eyes and a blue shell," the colors of the Brazilian flag. He will be depicted "holding aloft a soccer ball" (REUTERS, 9/17). FIFA indicated that Brazilians "will have until mid-November to choose the name from three choices -- Amijubi, Fuleco and Zuzeco." Amijubi is a "representation of friendliness and joy," while Fuleco and Zuzeco are "linked to an 'ecological message'" (AP, 9/17).
