Discovery Communications is expanding its Discovery Expedition product line with two new licensing deals. Zeikos Inc. will develop a collection of consumer electronic accessories. Specific products, including digital cameras, waterproof earphones, sports armband music player, swivel iPad speaker and protector case, webcam speaker system, portable travel speaker system, weatherproof MP3 and MP4 docking system, will debut at retail this fall.
Additionally, Bravo Sports will produce a line of camping and tailgating chairs. Products will launch in spring 2012. The Discovery Expedition line of chairs will feature canopies and cargo pockets for storage.
The North-American deals were brokered on behalf of Discovery Communications by its licensing agent, the Joester Loria Group.
American Idol fans take note: a new book, cataloguing the past 10 years of the groundbreaking show, is now available. Licensed by FremantleMedia Enterprises and published by Abrams Image, American Idol: Celebrating 10 Years (The Official Backstage Pass) is designed as a yearbook and takes readers through each season up to the 2010 “class.” Know what Kelly Clarkson’s profession was prior to her American Idol fame or Fantasia’s biggest hit on the show? Find out this and more with the new book.
In other American Idol news, remember Brian Dunkleman? Well, he was Ryan Seacrest’s co-host on the first season of American Idol. He famously walked away from the show after the first season and, well, yeah…
My colleague Elizabeth Reid of The Toy Book and I got to meet Mr. Dunkleman at Toy Fair a few weeks ago while he was promoting Sky Ball League—a new coed game that combines basketball, volleyball and handball. Starting next month, the company will visit several U.S. cities with a televised competition looking for the best Sky Ball players. Elizabeth and I were not aware our interview with Dunkleman was being taped, but it was and here is the proof: watch?v=ySSh9qKSSLw
Viacom International Media Networks, a unit of Viacom Inc., today announced Street Surfing as the pan European sponsor of the Nickelodeon 2011 Kids’ Choice Awards. Street Surfing’s new Wave Scooter will be featured in all promotional activity in a build up to the April 2 show.
Street Surfing’s new Wave Scooter, called the Whiplash Scooter in the UK, will be featured on on-air billboards, all marketing and press materials, and presence on KCAs international online destinations.
The sponsorship also includes an online competition with the chance for the winner and their family to attend the show in Los Angeles. The Grand Prize winner will also be the first to road test Street Surfing’s new Wave Scooter through a test course in Los Angeles the day before the show. Additionally, 11 runner-up winners will get a scooter.
The sponsor markets include Austria, Denmark, Germany, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, UK, France, Ireland, Italy and Belgium.
Marvel Entertainment, LLC, and the National Basketball Association have announced a collaboration to launch an exclusive collection of co-branded merchandise featuring NBA team logos alongside Super Heroes in the Marvel Universe.
The line will include co-branded apparel and accessories, with artwork featuring a variety of Marvel Super Heroes, including Spider-Man, Iron Man and Captain America, dressed in NBA team colors and logos.
The collection will launch with headwear and apparel, including T-shirts and sweatshirts by C-Life, as well as headwear by New Era.
Modell’s and Madison Square Garden will launch the New York collection and the STAPLES Center will be the first destination for L.A. Lakers co-branded merchandise to debut at the NBA All-Star game on February 20. The products will then be made available in other national and regional sporting goods retailers, specialty stores, additional NBA arena stores, and mid-tier channels sports apparel departments.
ESPN Consumer Products, in collaboration with Sportiqe Apparel, launc
hes “Sports Heaven” apparel collection this month. The vintage inspired t-shirt line pays homage to ESPN’s original programming line-up and logos. The collection launches this month at Bloomindgale’s and SportiqeBoutiqe.com and featured styles include the World Frisbee and Full Contact Karate Championships, Slo-Pitch Softball, Australian Rules Football, and Superstock Saturday along with original ESPN branded logos and styles.
Stone America Licensing announced today it has been appointed as the exclusive licensing agent by Technical Knockout Inc. known as TKO, a world leader in fitness, strength and boxing equipment.
“TKO is one of the most authentic and genuine fitness/ boxing brand in America. “With an iconic name and universal brand recognition from product placement on many high profile television shows, we are confident TKO will become a licensing success across numerous categories,” said Rob Stone, president of Stone America Licensing.
The TKO brand has been seen nationally on television shows to include, but not limited to: Entourage, Friends, Scrubs, CSI: NY, Friday Night Lights, Parks and Recreation, The Biggest Loser, Dexter, Two and a Half Men, and The OC.
Garry Kurtz, President/CEO of Technical Knockout, Inc. commented, “Our partnership with Stone America Licensing will allow us to extend our trusted brand into product categories that will offer our customers additional opportunities to enjoy the TKO experience. We look forward to growing and transforming TKO into a lifestyle brand.”
CMG has announced its licensing partnership with the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum and the Hall of Fame legends who are participating in the Member Licensing Program.
The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, located in Cooperstown, New York is an educational institution, dedicated to preserving the history of the game, honoring its excellence, and connecting generations of baseball fans around the globe through exhibits, public programs, and educational outreach. Founded in 1936 and opening its doors for the first time in 1939, the non-profit organization is three institutions in one: a Hall of Fame to honor the game’s greatest players, managers, umpires and executives; a Museum that documents the game’s history and its most compelling storylines; and a Library, which serves as the research hub and the official repository of the game.
The Museum’s collections total more than 35,000 three-dimensional artifacts, more than 2.6 Library volumes, nearly 500,000 original photographs, more than 10,000 hours of recorded media, and more. The Museum welcomes more than 300,000 visitors to Cooperstown annually, while reaching millions of school children nationwide through distance learning initiatives and videoconferencing programs. On site, the Museum hosts nearly 1,000 public programs to augment the visitor experience in the Museum.
CMG will pursue opportunities to license the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum Marks and the participating member marks in the Hall of Fame Member Licensing Program.
European based underwear company Pull-In, with retail outlets in Paris, New York, and Los Angeles, is set to debut a new product assortment in its men’s collection featuring a partnership with Major League Baseball.
Hitting the company’s stores and online shop this month, the MLB boxer collection from Pull-in features team logos from both the LA Dodgers and NY Yankees. New interpretations and bold colors bring a new twist to the more traditional presentation of the team logos.
In other sports licensing news, ESPN Consumer Products has announced the launch of a new soccer-themed T-shirt collection highlighting ESPN’s “One Game Changes Everything” ad campaign commemorating the sport’s pinnacle event in South Africa this summer.
The collection blends sports and fashion by featuring eight fan-favorite countries (USA, Brazil, England, Germany, Italy, Mexico, South Africa, and Spain) in five different designs and 36 different styles that utilize each country’s colors, images, and fight songs.
The collection is available now at Urban Outfitters stores and website, as well as Nordstrom’s, KarmaLoop.com, and other online sporting goods retailers. The collection was produced with ESPN apparel licensee Sportiqe Apparel.
Through a new deal with Major League Baseball Properties, Team Grill has extended its line of professional-grade gas grills to include MLB-branded grills. The first two branded grills to debut will feature the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox, with more available soon.
Team Grill products are sold through select retail outlets, including specialty BBQ stores, outdoor living stores, and through online retailers including teamgrill.com, Amazon.com and Sears.com.
Check out the website for a complete list of teams, models, and features, and this YouTube channel to watch demos of the products in the line in action.
Atari Inc has announced its line-up of partners to support the launch of the all-new Backyard Sports: Sandlot Sluggers video game for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, Wii and Nintendo DS shipping on May 25.
Franklin Sports product and brand integration will appear in Backyard Sports: Sandlot Sluggers including a pitching machine, logos on fields, and billboards, and Franklin Sports branding will be seen alongside the activity tips on loading screens which promote physical activity for kids.
GT Beverages will feature the Backyard Sports: Sandlot Sluggers logo on its Sportastic Sports Drink from May to June 2010. Additionally, Backyard Sports and Sportastic will create a promotional tie-in with U.S. GameStop locations to drive awareness and sales of the game and Sportastic drinks.
The Backyard Sports: Sandlot Sluggers video game will serve as the exclusive game on the East and West coasts for the Baseball Youth Road Trip FANFEST, an interactive traveling tour visiting youth baseball tournaments across the United States.
Lastly, the partnership with the National Alliance for Youth Sports, Inc. will promote the game its e-newsletter. In addition, Atari will make a donation for the NAYS Excellence in Youth Sports Awards in the name of Backyard Sports: Sandlot Sluggers.
