The WALL STREET JOURNAL's Luciana Magalhaes wrote Brazil F Neymar and Nike "aren’t missing their golden chance to cash in on the soccer player´s World Cup notoriety." Neymar on Saturday "will debut a new pair of cleats for Brazil’s second-round match against Chile." The gold-colored boots, a special version of the Hypervenom Phantom, "have a stinging price to match: $545 in Brazil." Even admirers "wonder if his pricey new cleats may be overreaching in a country where the monthly minimum wage is ... about $328" (WSJ.com, 6/25). Meanwhile, YAHOO SPORTS' Brooks Peck noted FIFA has reportedly launched "an investigation into Neymar's underpants," as the governing body is focused on the "protection of its high-paying sponsors' exclusivity." The "underwear alarm went off at FIFA headquarters when Neymar's were partially exposed after he swapped shirts following Brazil's 4-1 win over Cameroon" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 6/25).
SPONSOR RECALL: YouGov Omnibus yesterday released poll data showing that, when Americans were asked which brands they thought were official sponsors of the World Cup, they correctly recognized Coca-Cola 21% of the time, and McDonalds 19% of the time. adidas was identified by 16% -- the same number who incorrectly identified Nike. Hispanics had higher sponsorship recognition with 36% of Hispanics correctly identifying Coca-Cola, and McDonalds (27%). Total sample size was 1,079 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between June 23-24. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all U.S. adults (aged 18+) (YouGov).
CONSOLATION PRIZE: In London, Antony Barrett reports members of the England national team were given Xbox One consoles by Microsoft despite being eliminated from the tournament. A Football Association spokesperson said, "It was a sponsorship deal for the tournament. The players were given them whilst they were away by the manufacturer, free of charge" (LONDON TIMES, 6/26).
