ESPN.com's Darren Rovell cited sources as saying that based on the valuation of Coca-Cola's deal to acquire a minority stake in BodyArmor, Kobe Bryant's 10% BodyArmor stake is "now worth" approximately $200M. Bryant first invested in the brand in '14 and has put in roughly $6M over time. Sources said that Bryant is now the "fourth-largest investor in the brand" behind co-Founder & Chair Mike Repole, Coca-Cola and Keurig Dr Pepper. Sources said that as many as a "dozen superstar athletes could also have stakes in BodyArmor" worth more than $1M, including Rockets G James Harden, golfer Dustin Johnson and Colts QB Andrew Luck (ESPN.com, 8/15).
LOOKING FOR A DEAL: In Las Vegas, Alan Snel noted the WNBA Aces' jerseys "lack a marquee sponsorship partner logo across the chest, unlike other teams around the league." Aces Head of Business Operations Lance Evans said that there was "not enough time to clinch a marquee partnership deal" after MGM Resorts bought the old San Antonio Stars and moved them to Vegas. The marquee sponsor on the WNBA jersey is "typically a lucrative sponsorship deal and Evans wants to carefully take the time to find the right corporate partner that would support and help grow the Aces team" (LVSPORTSBIZ.com, 8/15).
FROM ONE ORANGE HEAD TO ANOTHER: In Knoxville, Chuck Campbell noted locally-based clothing retailer M.S. McClellan & Company on Tuesday got in its first shipment of orange "'Make UT Football Great Again" hats, and that day, the physical stock was "sold out," with the retailer "taking phone orders by day’s end." The hats "put an orange spin" on President Trump’s omnipresent red "Make America Great Again" caps. This particular hat, which retails for $20, is "only available through M. S. McClellan & Company, and the retailer has already ordered more." The UT hats "cannot be ordered online" (Knoxville NEWS SENTINEL, 8/15).
