In N.Y., Talya Minsberg reported runners Mary Cain and Nick Willis will be the first two athletes sponsored by Boston-based Tracksmith, which is “exploring a new kind of sponsorship in which professional athletes are treated like full-time employees.” Cain, who last November accused coach Alberto Salazar of abuse while running for Nike, will run for Tracksmith as well as become a community manager for the company in N.Y. She will be “tasked with building the brand’s presence in a city chock-full of running clubs” (N.Y. TIMES, 5/12).
HOME GROWN: The Nike shirt Bengals QB Joe Burrow wore during the NFL Draft featuring the 740 area code he is from is "hitting the market ... after Nike initially said it wouldn't see the light of day." The "white long-sleeved shirt featuring the outline of Ohio and his hometown's area code quickly became a fan favorite." Several websites have been offering "bootleg versions" of the shirt (TMZ.com, 5/9).
NO. 1 WITH A BULLET: The Athletic’s Frank Isola noted Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa had the No. 1-selling jersey in the league because “they’ve been marketing Tua to Miami forever.” Additionally, Tagovailoa is a “young guy." Isola: "Young people want to buy the jersey of a young player, not a 40-year-old Tom Brady.” The L.A. Times' Bill Plaschke: “His name looks cool on a jersey” (“Around The Horn,” ESPN, 5/12).
