“I have always been attracted to Fila’s fashion-forward designs and especially appreciate their commitment to infusing our sport with beauty and fashion,” said Jankovic. “Fila has such a rich tennis history and it is an honor to be wearing the same brand as the stars I admired as a child.” (via Press Release)

Janokovic had previously been under contract with Chinese-based sportswear company ANTA, whom she joined in 2009 after she was not re-signed by Reebok.

As Fila enters its 101st year of existence, they seek to make a splash with Jankovic,

“We are thrilled to add former #1 ranked Jelena Jankovic to the Fila family,” said Gene Yoon, Chairman of Fila. “Her on-court and off-court style is consistent with the tennis champions that have worn the Fila brand since the 1970s. As we enter the 101st year of the Fila brand, our commitment to the sport that has been such an important part of our history will be strengthened by relationships with world-class athletes like Jelena.”

Fila’s signing of Jankovic further expands their already well-established footprint in the world of tennis — the company currently is a sponsor of the Sony Ericsson Open, the BNP Paribas Open, the Campbell’s Hall of Fame Tennis Championship, and they are a footwear licensee of The Championships at Wimbledon.

NBC Sports Group and Panasonic Corporation of North America — NBC’s exclusive flat-panel HDTV and Blu-ray Disc Player advertiser for the games — have agreed to partner to make the London 2012 Olympic Games available in 3D to all U.S. distributors who carry Olympic coverage on cable, satellite and telco; essentially 100% of the multi-channel industry.

It marks the first time that the Olympic games will be distributed in 3D.

“NBC has a history of utilizing technological innovations to distribute the Olympics in new ways for viewers,” said Gary Zenkel, President, NBC Olympics. “We are proud to continue that tradition by partnering with Panasonic and Olympic Broadcasting Services to distribute the first 3D broadcast of the Games in the U.S. in partnership with our multichannel video programming distributors.” (via Press Release)

The 3D broadcasts, which will be produced by Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS), will be shown on next-day delay, and will include over 200 hours of coverage, including the opening and closing ceremonies, gymnastics, diving, and swimming.

Founded in 2010, the Tough Mudder series has quickly become one of the more recognizable strength and endurance events in the world. Starting in 2012, the series will expand to 35 events and will cover the U.S., UK, Canada and Australia.

“Tough Mudder is excited to partner with Under Armour, a brand that is the epitome of ‘tough,’” said Will Dean, CEO and Co-Founder of Tough Mudder LLC. “We believe this is a perfect partnership between the two brands, aligning the ultimate performance apparel with one of the most recognized, award-winning endurance series in the world.” (via SportsOneSource)

Under the partnership, both companies will incorporate a new obstacle into the 2012 events along with a custom training program that will be shared with fans of the event through both company’s websites and social media channels. Co-branded Under Armour apparel and footwear will be available in stores and on the UA/Tough Mudder websites, and onsite during events, in the beginning of next year.

Tough Mudder participants have raised more than $2 million in support of its official charity partner, the Wounded Warrior Project, a non-profit organization aimed at helping American servicemen and servicewomen who have been severely injured in combat. With the announced Under Armour partnership, both companies will now be working in tandem to promote and support Wounded Warrior Project.

As a member of the Bleacher Report Board of Directors, Moore will focus on relationship development within the sports business community. His appointment is effective immediately.

“Peter Moore is an industry leader who has an unmatched track record in building brands in sports and entertainment,” said Brian Grey, CEO of Bleacher Report. “The addition of Peter to our board of directors further establishes Bleacher Report as a major player in the sports business community and we look forward to his strategic advice and direction in taking the Bleacher Report brand to the next level.”

Prior to joining EA, Moore served as the president and COO of Sega of America, and Senior VP of Marketing at Reebok International Ltd., among other positions.

The National College Players Association and the Drexel Department of Sport Management released a joint study that found that TV revenues from five major athletic conferences and the NCAA average approximately $784 million per year in new annual revenues. They go on to conclude revenues from televised college football total nearly $2 billion a year.

The study, entitled “TV Money Windfall in Big Time College Sports”, can be found on the NCPA website. As co-author Dr. Staurowsky explains the study was to address potential scholarship shortfalls in college athletics,

In explaining the purpose of the study, Drexel University professor Dr. Ellen J. Staurowsky noted, “During the past few months, proposals to address the scholarship shortfall have prompted questions regarding how such proposals would be funded. With this influx of new money, we argue that this is the time for college presidents, conference commissioners, and athletics administrators to make covering the full cost of attendance a budget priority.” (via Press Release)

So, what is done with the $780+ million in new revenue? According to the study, trends indicate that colleges will likely spend the revenue on athletic facilities, and salary increases for coaches and athletic directors.

The study is released on the heels of various NCAA proposals which look to decrease roster sizes, potentially eliminating nearly 1500 scholarships in Division I college football and basketball.

Ramogi Huma, NCPA President and co-author of the study, stated, “It is inconceivable to me that the NCAA and its colleges are considering eliminating over 1500 educational opportunities while enjoying $784 million in new annual revenues that, thanks to their ‘educational mission’, they will receive tax free.” (via Press Release)

The NCPA, which was created in 2001, currently has over 14,000 members from over 150 Division I schools. They work as an advocacy group for college athletes across the nation.

In the latest proposal in the never-ending student-athlete/play-for-pay debate, NCAA president, Mark Emmert, has come out in support of a proposal that would allow conferences to increase grant to athlete’s by about $2000. The grant, which would be given to student-athletes in addition to the various other expenses — tuition, room and board, books, etc. — already covered by athletic scholarships, is not considered “pay-for-play” compensation under NCAA rule.

Emmert took offense with critics who claim he may be endorsing the policy in an effort to prevent student rule breaking; a problem that has maybe not increased in frequency, but has become more prevalent in recent months,

“I’ve heard a lot of people say, ‘Well, you want to do this $2,000 cost-of-attendance thing to reduce the probability of students breaking rules,’ and that’s nonsense,” Emmert told the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics during a three-hour meeting at the Ritz-Carlton. “People break rules because they break rules.” (via NYT)

A finalized proposal is expected to be presented to the NCAA board of directors by the end of the week. Whether or not the proposal is approved could come down largely to the financial disparity the NCAA is willing to create between its larger and smaller schools,

“President Emmert said some conferences will do this and some won’t, and it’s pretty clear to me who will and who won’t,” Boise State’s president, Robert Kustra, said. “There’s already a great divide between larger conferences and the smaller conferences, and this is just going to exacerbate the gap between the haves and have-nots.”

Big conferences (read as: BCS) that can afford to pay the extra $2,000 in grants to each student will pay, while the smaller conferences and schools will not pay the additional monies due to lack of resources. The extra money will give more prestigious conferences in edge in recruiting, which leads to better players and the ability to demand more money when negotiating television contracts.

So, at least on its face, it sounds like the disparity between “power schools” and smaller schools will either continue as a constant or increase.

It sounds a little familiar, no?

Again, as noted, a final proposal is expected to come before the NCAA board of directors by the end of the week.

The secondary ticket provider is now the official secondary ticket provider for CBSSports.com, the Army Black Knights, Colorado buffaloes, and the Minnesota Golden Gophers.

The exclusive partnership with CBSSports.com includes integration on the CBSSports website, with access to purchase tickets on the league, team, and schedule levels. TicketCity will also provide CBSSports with special promotions and offers created specifically for the visitors of the site.

“We’re proud to bring our unique, personalized service in the ticketing space to these partnerships,” says Amy Carpenter, TicketCity Vice President of Marketing. “Building relationships with partners and servicing fans who share our same passion for sports and live events is where our difference really shines.” (via Press Release)

TicketCity has seen continued growth since 2008, when they signed an exclusive deals with NBCSports.com and Baylor University. The company now boasts a partnership roster of 13 different colleges and universities, two collegiate conferences and over 12 collegiate event sponsorships.

Indeed, TicketCity partnership growth has been expanding rapidly since 2008, when TicketCity secured an exclusive contract with NBCSports.com and entered its first collegiate partnership with Baylor University. Today the partnership roster includes 4 major sports media properties, 13 colleges and universities, two collegiate conferences, and more than 12 collegiate event sponsorships. Event sponsorships include title sponsorships such as the TicketCity Legends Classic basketball event and the TicketCity Bowl, which was first played January 1, 2011 at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, TX.

They recently inked a strategic marketing agreement with The Experts Network. The Experts Network, as the name implies, is a digital media and content company featuring sports analysts Cris Collinsworth, Boomer Esiason, Nick Faldo, Howie Long, Cal Ripken Jr. and Phil Simms. The group, which was created by 16W Marketing, touts itself as specializing in the development of digital programming, content, and high-end special events.

The extended partnership between the two entities stems from the success of a previous collaboration during this year’s NFL draft, this past April.

“Big Lead Sports has developed a wide ranging, passionate core of fans all looking for the best independent voices in professional and collegiate sports. We are very proud to bring some of those voices to this partnership,” said Frank Vuono, 16W Co-Founder. “Our NFL pre-draft event was a tremendous success and set the stage for this announcement today. We are excited to expand the partnership and create unique content programs for advertisers and sponsors around the NFL season, World Series and PGA.

“We are very excited to create a broad platform for the TXN experts from a wide variety of sports,” said Chris Russo, CEO of Big Lead Sports. “Our initial event leading into the NFL Draft was a huge success, and we are looking forward to creating more events and complimentary content around football, baseball, golf and other sports going forward.” (via 16W)

According to comScore, Big Lead Sports had 17 million+ unique viewers in the month of June alone (5th overall among online sports properties), so it can be expected that many people will be hearing the opinions of many of The Experts’ Network, in the very near future.

What do you get when you take Patriots QB Tom Brady, Panthers QB Cam Newton, the direction of Peter Berg and the narration of Ray Lewis?

You get Under Armour’s newest marketing campaign entitled “Footsteps”.

The campaign, which was developed by Interpublic’s twofifteenmccann, a San Francisco-based ad agency, focuses on Under Armour’s UA Charge RC shoe — the shoe utilizes Under Armour’s HeatGear® sweat-wicking performance material that is found in a large majority of their apparel — which will be available nationwide in December, with a limited, advanced release to select retailers in October.

As for the “Footsteps” ad, Under Armour fans will soon see the 60-second and 30-second spots on various broadcast outlets, including MTV, BET, and ESPN, while the ads will also be featured on Facebook, Yahoo! Sports, and STACK magazine and other online and print distribution mediums.

“The campaign marks an unprecedented step forward for Under Armour footwear, bringing together the highest caliber of talent on both sides of the camera to tell the story of our state-of-the-art performance footwear,” said Steve Battista, Senior Vice President, Brand, Under Armour. “We’ve captured athletes in their authentic training environment, showcasing Under Armour’s commitment to performance and innovation in a voice that is unique to the Brand. Our new line of footwear is helping athletes create footsteps, not just hear them.” (via UA)

A unique feature of UA’s marketing campaign will be their August 16th takeover of YouTube, in which a 60 second UA ad will sit atop the site, and direct visitors to UA’s Facebook page, where they can view commercial outtakes and behind the scenes clips.

Check out the 60-second “Footsteps” ad below:

Finnerty comes to TWC Sports by way of Comcast Networks, where he served as the Executive Vice President of Network Distribution & Development for the past 6 years.

“Dan is well known and highly respected in our industry,” Rone said. “He’s an innovative thinker, which will be critical to building the TWC Sports brand among consumers. He also has years of experience as a leader in securing broad distribution for regional sports networks and a true passion for sports. Through his strong relationships, he’ll be a key asset in growing our business. We’re very excited to have him on board.”

Finnerty should expect to work heavily with the Los Angeles Lakers during his tenure with TWC Sports. This past February the Lakers and Time Warner Cable entered into a 20-year, rights agreement, which will give TWC the right to distribute all locally available pre-season, regular season, and post-season Lakers games, beginning with the 2012 season. TWC is launching two regional HD sports networks, including the nation’s first Spanish-language regional sports network, to promote the rights agreement.

Nike, Hurley and Converse have teamed together again to open the third of a series of a series of new retail concepts entitled ‘Salvation Malibu’.

The trio promises that this store, located in Malibu, California, will offer ‘fresh attitudes, innovative consumer experiences, market tailored product offerings, community resources, and the introduction of customization services.’

The previous two iterations of this multi-brand store, 225 Forest and Salvation Irvine, opened in 2009, in Laguna Beach, CA and Irvine CA respectively.

As mentioned, Salvation Malibu looks to provide a unique opportunity for consumers; on-site customization,

Salvation offers the consumer the best products from NIKE, Hurley and Converse, and a premium shopping experience with a sales staff that demonstrates a passion for action sports, art, music and fashion.

Salvation also offers consumers the unique and exciting opportunity to express their own sense of style and creativity at “The Workshop,” an on-site customization station allowing consumers to create their own custom footwear, apparel and accessories leveraging artwork from artists across all three brands. Consumers can choose items to customize, such as NIKE and Converse footwear, Hurley boardshorts and bikinis, tees and bags, providing consumers the power to create products that speak to their individual sense of style. It’s a portal into a design community, both virtual and hands-on, for consumers to share ideas, concepts and bring an artist’s eye to the key items from each of the brands.

For more information on Salvation Malibu, check out the store’s Facebook page.

Phil Frazier, who served as executive producer of the Madden series, has decided to leave after 14 years at EA Sports.

According to the San Francisco Business Times, EA Sports announced that Frazier “was looking for a new opportunity.” No statement was made about where he may end up next.

Madden’s development team will now be headed up by Roy Harvey; Harvey currently serves as the executive producer of EA Sports’ “NCAA Football”.

Look for Madden NFL 12 to hit stores August 30th.

They recently launched their “sports sponsorship evaluation index”. It’s purpose? To quantify consumer perceptions of 1,000 different sports properties — leagues, teams within the leagues, venues, and the like.

“Historically, our industry has relied heavily on speculation and assumptions when making sponsorship decisions,” Belmont said, in a written statement. “The sports property index replaces hunches and guesstimates with valid and reliable data.” The index relies on nine attributes, which are appeal, avidity, awareness, breakthrough, endorsement, excitement, influence, trendsetter and trust. Each are graded with a score to determine the coverage the property could expect to attain. Those scores are cross-tabulated with demographic information and the sports properties to provide comparison and trending information for brand marketers. “Sponsors can leverage the sports property index to make better decisions through deeper insights and plan their marketing spend more strategically,” — Dan Belmont, The Marketing Arm’s president and CMO.

The index’s impact on the world of sports marketing should be readily apparent. Creating an index that gives sports marketers the ability to effectively spend their marketing dollar, and get an estimate based on empirical data — and not guesswork — may actually help to level the playing field, with smaller companies getting more bang for their buck, and allaying fears of spending outside their comfort zone. Of course, that’s not to say that big companies couldn’t utilize the information as well,

“From our perspective, the SPI helps us in two ways,” said Todd Fischer, manager of National Sponsorships at State Farm Insurance, a subscriber to the index. ”First, it strengthens our ability to strategically evaluate our extensive portfolio of sports properties. And, second, it provides us with a better understanding of where new, strategic opportunities may exist.”

For those interested in learning more about index, check out The Marketing Arm’s website.

UA saw gains in net revenue, net income, and diluted earnings per share when comparing first quarter’s of 2011 and 2010. The company also saw staggering gains in apparel (34% increase in revenue comparing quarter-to-quarter) and a 213% ($23.5M from $7.5M) increase in accessory revenue — primarily due to UA moving their licensed hats and bags business in-house.

In short? things are going well.

“First quarter results underscore the substantial opportunities that remain in taking our Brand to new consumers. The launch of Charged Cotton to date shows that we can change category expectations, while broadening the overall market opportunity for the Brand. At the same time, we continue to see opportunities to better meet consumer demand through enhanced execution with our existing retail partners as well as through our own Direct-to-Consumer channel.” — Kevin Plank, President, CEO and Chairman of UA

UA had previously anticipated net revenues in the range of $1.33 – $1.35 billion (up 25-27% over 2010). Due to what can only be termed as a positive first quarter, UA has increased those expectations to the $1.37 – $1.39 billion range (29% to 31% increase over 2010).

Mr. Plank concluded, “Our growth story remains strong, as demonstrated by the success we are seeing across both Apparel and Direct-to-Consumer. Our momentum into 2011 and beyond affords us the patience needed to let our Footwear investments develop and build foundations for long-term International success.”

We’ve already seen a very active Under Armour in the last few months — sponsorship at the NCAAF National Championship game, a Tom Brady endorsement deal, securing $325M for expansion — and it looks as if these first quarter numbers are somewhat reflective of some of those moves. For those looking for more information regarding UA’s financial results, they’re available online.

[format] The company has spent the last year signing huge endorsement deals (i.e. Tom Brady), enjoying their first year of $1 billion+ revenue, and a large showing at college football’s National Championship game. They’ve also seen their stock hit a high of $72.50 on April 1st. [/format]

All of that success means one thing: its time to borrow some money…to expand.

[quotes]

In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission filed Monday, Under Armour (NYSE: UA) said it is entering into a credit agreement with a consortium of banks including PNC Bank, SunTrust Bank and Bank of America for $300 million. It struck a separate term loan for $25 million to buy its Tide Point headquarters. (Ed. — its new corporate headquarters)

The credit agreement replaces a previous $200 million loan and has a term of four years, according to the SEC document. (via Baltimore Business Journal)

[/quotes]

Companies typically borrow money when they’re in dire straits or when they’re about to make a “power move”. In Under Armour’s case, it appears as if they’re going to continue the pattern they’ve established over the past year; carefully crafted moves that look to expand their market share.

[format] A company that sponsored college football’s national championship team and signed one of the NFL’s highest-profile QB’s with an extra $300 million dollars to spend?[/format]

It should be interesting to see what Under Armour has done by the time we reach April 2012.