PIT BULL: has become the Official Energy Drink of the American Basketball Association. Pit Bull is made and marketed by Hip Hop Beverage Corp. The league said that as part of the sponsorship, the support personnel of each ABA team will be known as the Pit Crew.
MARKETING WERKS: Chicago, named T.J. Nolan as director of sales, a new post reporting to VP-sales Jason Vargas. Nolan had been senior account supervisor and director of sponsorships at Kemper Lesnik Sports and Event Marketing, Chicago. Marketing Werks also hired Sean Budway and Ricardo Felice as senior account managers and promoted Brian Balok and Ashley Guida to account manager and account coordinator, respectively.
EPRIZE: Farmington Hills, MI, promoted Ivan Frank to senior VP-strategy and Jackie Trepanier to senior VP-fulfillment services, both new posts. Frank had been head of business development for ePrize’s Los Angeles office. Trepanier had been senior project manager.
PREMIERE RADIO NETWORKS: Los Angeles, hired Hosea Belcher as senior VP-marketing and creative services. Belcher had been senior VP-marketing at Artisan Entertainment, Los Angeles. He replaces Marty Raab, who left Premiere.
BURGER KING FRANCHISE GROUP: The Sydran Group, San Ramon, has filed for bankruptcy protection and will sell 226 Burger King restaurants to Strategic Restaurants Acquisition Corp. The restaurants, primarily in the South and West, will continue operations and marketing; some Sydran executives will join Strategic Restaurants to run the units.
T.G.I FRIDAY’S: has introduced two new Jack Daniel’s Grill items, expanding a seven year relationship between the restaurant and the liquor maker. The Jack Daniel’s Grill entrée line is one of the most successful menu categories in the company’s history, T.G.I. Friday’s said.
MITCHELL CO: has reached a title sponsorship agreement with Raycom Sports, owner and operator of the Mobile, AL, LPGA Tour event, securing the event’s future in the city of Mobile. The multi-year agreement renames the event, which takes place next month, The Mitchell Company Tournament of Champions. Mobile-based Mitchell Co. is one of the largest real estate companies in the Southeast, and is recognized as one of the top 100 homebuilders in the U.S.
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