MARKETING NEWS
SPONSORSHIPS
Oregon Scientific Inc. signed a two-year deal with US Sailing making it an official sponsor of the national governing body for sailing and sailboat racing. The Tualatin, Ore.-based company provides personal weather stations and all-hazard emergency alert radios.
Sportstape agreed to a three-year deal with the ECHL that makes it the official tape supplier of the 31-team league.
Republic Bank signed a multiyear deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers that makes it the official bank of the NFL team. The deal provides Republic with stadium signs and the rights to use the team's logo in ads and promotions throughout its Florida markets. Republic operates 70 full-service branches in 17 counties throughout Florida.
Mercedes-Benz USA extended its title sponsorship of the Mercedes-Benz Cup tennis event for two years, through 2005. The company has been title sponsor of the ATP International Series event since 1997. This year's event is scheduled for July 28-Aug. 3 in Los Angeles.
Peak Performance Foods LLC renewed its partnership with USA Volleyball. The deal gives the company's Pro-Bites brand standing as the official performance snack food product of USA Volleyball.
Anthony Travel Inc. signed a new three-year deal with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. The deal, which runs through June 2006, gives the Dallas-based travel management company continued standing as the official travel partner of the NAIA.
Combe Inc. agreed to a one-year extension of its deal with the Canadian Football League that calls for the company's Aqua Velva brand to remain as the official aftershave provider of the league. Aqua Velva signed on as a CFL partner last year.
MARKETING ANDLICENSING DEALS
EAP Consultants Inc. agreed to a deal with the Southern Conference that calls for the Marietta, Ga.-based company to provide an employee assistance program for the conference office and all athletic department staff members at each of the conference's member institutions.
The PGA Tour and PGA of America each pledged $75,000 during the next three years to LPGA-USGA Girls Golf, a development junior golf program aimed at girls ages 7 to 17.
The PGA Tour's Tournament Players Club Network is developing localized programs with The First Tee chapters nationwide. The partnership will provide First Tee groups with access to TPC facilities and fund-raising assistance. There are 23 TPC sites nationwide. The First Tee youth instructional program has opened more than 120 facilities since its launch in 1997.
MEDIA NEWS
TELEVISION
The Minnesota Wild signed TV analyst Mike Greenlay to a multiyear contract extension. Greenlay joined the Wild in August 2002.
INTERNET
Triple-A Baseball, representing the International League and the Pacific Coast League, was scheduled on Friday to introduce a new Web site at triple-abaseball.com. The site was created in conjunction with Columbus-based computer consulting firm Hurst Management Group.
SPORTS AGENCY NEWS
CLIENT SIGNINGS
Champions Tour player D.A. Weibring agreed to serve as the player consultant for the new Tournament Players Club at Craig Ranch. The property is under construction north of Dallas in McKinney, Texas.
LPGA Tour player Christie Kerr signed a marketing and management agreement with New York City-based Pantheon International.
FACILITIES NEWS
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics closed on the purchase of land for its new headquarters. The NAIA's planned new campus, to be located in Olathe, Kan., will feature a 35,000-square-foot building for the association. The NAIA has been housed temporarily at a nearby Honeywell Corp. facility since its 2001 relocation from Tulsa, Okla.
BUSINESS NEWS
EVENTS
Chula Vista (Calif.) Marina was selected by USA Track & Field to host the 2004 Olympic Team Trials for the men's 50-kilometer race walk. The race is scheduled for Feb. 15. Chula Vista city officials, the USATF San Diego Association, the San Diego International Sports Council and Elite Racing Inc. teamed for the successful bid. The trials event is scheduled for Feb. 15.
Host Communications Inc. signed a five-year deal with Disney Sports Attractions Inc. that calls for bringing the Got Milk? 3v3 Soccer Shootout National Finals to Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex, near Orlando, annually from January 2004 through 2008.
BUSINESS NOTES
Public relations agency Brener Zwikel & Associates Inc. opened an office in New York City. Senior account executive Chris DeBlasio is heading up the new office. Brener Zwikel is based in Reseda, Calif.
RPR Sports & Entertainment changed its name to RPR Marketing Solutions and relocated to new offices in New York City.
Electronic Arts Inc. is developing a new video game called "NFL Street," billed as a street-style football game. The title is scheduled for release in early 2004 under the EA Sports BIG brand.
Minor League Baseball posted total attendance for games played through June of 20.1 million, marking the fist time in more than 50 years that attendance has surpassed 20 million through June. The total represents attendance for 176 teams in 15 leagues. Average per game attendance through June was up 2.8 percent.
The American Hockey League renewed the contracts of Jim Mill, vice president of hockey operations, and Chris Nikolis, vice president of sales and marketing, through the 2004-05 season.
CHARITY NEWS
The Philadelphia Phantoms of the American Hockey League launched a new program called the Captain's Club, created as a vehicle for businesses and organizations to donate Phantoms season tickets to the charity of their choice. A membership is $2,400 for the entire season and features four tickets to all 40 of the team's home games.
Source: Street & Smith's SportsBusiness Journal research
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