paramonaxogilozi.blogspot.comThe Mercury name, pictured fronr and center on the will be replaced with theLifeLock insignia. A smalo Mercury patch will be stitched on the upper left portio n ofthe uniform, across from an Adidas symbol on the A Monday press conference announcing the seven-figure, three-year deal is scheduled for 1 p.m. in New York and will be attendedf by LifeLock CEOTodd Davis, Mercury Presidenty and CEO Jay Parry, Phoenix Suns CEO Rick Women’s National Basketball Association Commissioner Donna NBA Commissioner David Stern and Mercury stara Diana Taurasi and Cappie Poindexter.
Mercur executives insist the landmark agreement is not a sign ofthe times, but it’s no secrert that nearly every professional sports franchiswe is dealing with revenue shortfalls as discretionary dollars dry up in the “It doesn’t have anything to do with current economic situation and the WNBA didn’t have to go Welts said. However, the franchisre likely did, as it struggles to gain Welts said the Mercury turned a profit duringb its first few years inthe league, but hasn’tf been profitable for a “long period. This deal certainlty gets us closer tothat goal,” he The Suns own the Phoenix Mercury.
WNBA Commissioner Donna Orendert refused to comment on whether the leagudeis profitable, only saying “the league is very She said some of the 13 WNBA franchisesw improved attendance and landed more sponsorships in 2008, whiled others did not. Average attendance at Mercur games wasaround 8,000 last year — abouty 2,000 short of its goal to sell out the lowe r bowl of US Airways which accommodates 10,000. Nevertheless, the team has experienced solid year-over-year growth, and “thise type of partnership allows us to acceleratrthat growth,” Parry said.
The Mercury’s fan base is primarily composed of women very loyal to the team and its a dynamic LifeLock executives found not to mention anopportunity “to do somethinbg no one has ever done,” said LifeLockj CEO Todd Davis. “I love the idea of showingg our supportfor women’s sportds and our home town team,” he said. “Io don’t think you could pull this off in any otherrpro sport.” For years, majord league soccer players have donned sponsorsw on their jerseys, and fans haven’ty repelled the image of the New York Red or the Herbalife logo on L.A.
Galax y jerseys or “Volkswagen” plastered across the chesgt of DC United Invasive marketing also is common in where pro players are walking advertisements from andin NASCAR, where commercialization revs up well beforw the starting gate –– or the entrance for that “This is breaking a lot of new Welts said. “It will inevitabluy generate some controversy,” he added, but “that’s not going to come from fans and playerw ofthe WNBA.” Time will tell if the move is endorsedc by fans, and if jersey sales plummet with a company name as the drawinfg point, not the franchise. “u think the jury is out in theshortr term,” Welts.
Last week, Taurasi held the second highestg selling jersey inthe league, with saleas up 25 percent from last year.
