Event Marketing Milestones

The growth of specialized events and the extensive contacts that Neil has developed from over 30 years in the sporting goods industry has also led them into the arena of event marketing. From their days of event marketing with Davey Allison, Neil and Tommy have developed an event marketing division for ancillary business interests of The Game. The following is a simple listing of some of the events The Game / Kudzu has managed over the last 15 years:

1993 – 1996 NASCAR

We managed all track-side sales for NASCAR driver Davey Allison and the Texaco Havoline Race Team merchandise as well as for Bill Elliott and the McDonald’s Race Team for the 1995 – 1997 seasons. This included supplying up to 300 wholesale accounts and fulfilling 100 mail order requests per day.

1994 World Cup

Managed over 20 permanent and temporary locations in six (6) World Cup cities.

1995 – 1996 NFL Air It Out

A series of 4 on 4 football tournaments played in 21 NFL cities. We handled product development and event merchandising for the entire series.

1996 Atlanta Olympic Games

We were the exclusive merchandiser for the Coca-Cola Torch Relay. Our three 53-foot event trailers, plus 11 smaller mobile locations accompanied The Torch over its entire 14,000 mile journey from Los Angeles to Atlanta. An Estimated 39,200,000 spectators viewed the event. For this program, we operated retail locations in up to 12 communities per day.

1996 Paralympic Games

As the exclusive merchandiser for the Paralympic Games in Atlanta, we Operated 41 locations in over 12 venues and served an estimated 1,000,000 spectators over a 10 day period. Our opening ceremony sales exceeded those generated during the Olympics, with 20,000 fewer spectators.

1996 – 2001 S.E.C. Championships

Chosen as the exclusive concessionaire for over 10 Southeastern Conference Championship events, including the SEC Football Championship, men and women’s basketball and men’s baseball.

1996 NFL Playoffs and Superbowl

Managed over 19 permanent and temporary locations in the Pittsburgh and Dallas markets. In fact, our team has had merchandising experience with each playoff and Superbowl since 1986.

1997 NFL Playoffs and Superbowl

We managed eight (8) locations in the Boston and Milwaukee / Green Bay markets plus the Fox Field (Broadcasting) event in New Orleans.

1997 Coca-Cola Racing

Handled the track-side merchandising of Coca-Cola racing products at four (4) different Coca-Cola sponsored events.

1996 – 1998 Big East Championships

Over 12 different men’s and women’s events including the Big East basketball tournament in Madison Square Gardens.

1997 MLB Playoffs and World Series

Managed over eleven (11) permanent and temporary locations in the Atlanta and New York markets. We have had experience with the MLB playoffs and World Series since 1989. We also worked with the Pittsburgh Pirates on event merchandising for the 1994 MLB All-Star Game.

1997 Muhammad Ali Cup

The most significant amateur boxing event of the year in Louisville, Kentucky. The world’s finest boxers representing over 24 countries participated in this competition. We handled merchandising at both the Commonwealth Center and at Freedom Hall.

1997 Coca-Cola Holiday Caravan

A mobile Holiday Celebration hosted by Coca-Cola. The event is actually five (5) different caravans covering 54 cities over 34 days.

1998 Nagano Olympics

We designed and managed the Coca-Cola Pin Trading Center in Nagano, Japan. Prior to and during the Olympics, over 800,000 plus visitors visited this interactive retail environment during the Winter Olympic Games.

1998 NFL Superbowl

We managed over eight (8) sites in the San Diego area, the most significant being the NFL Players Party (estimated attendance of 50,000).

1999 NFL Superbowl Players Party

This site in Miami, Florida included a 5,000 square foot store of which we were The Master Concessionaire with an estimated attendance of 45,000.

1999 – 2001 RCL Walleye Tournaments

Managed event tournament marketing and merchandise sales.

1999 – 2001 BassMasters Classic

Managed an event trailer for the Ranger Boat Company at the Bassmaster Classic Tournaments.

1999 – Current – NASCAR Licensed Apparel Trackside

Design and sell NASCAR apparel on both the wholesale and retail level at NASCAR all NASCAR Winston Cup races throughout the country. Provide merchandise trailers as well as drivers for the sales.

2002 – 2003 50th Anniversary Corvette Celebration

Designed merchandise and manage touring event trailers for the 50th Anniversary Celebration which runs from 2002 through June of 2003.