ShortTakes

Nike has created a standalone business unit for its line of licensed sports products by combining its Organized Team Sports operation with Sports Specialties Corp., a wholly-owned subsidiary that markets licensed headwear. The new unit, which formally begins operations on June 1st, 1999, will be named Nike Team Sports (NTS) and will focus on servicing the retail licensed products marketplace. Rick White, general manager of Nike subsidiaries, will head up the department.
Star Struck has become the official catalog and the official on-line catalog of "Professional Baseball-The Minor Leagues" after signing a three-year agreement with the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues (NAPBL), Inc. Under the terms of the deal, Star Struck will design a baseball exclusive Official Catalog that will feature officially licensed Minor League Baseball and Major League Baseball merchandise and collectibles. The catalog will also contain merchandise bearing the "Professional Baseball-The Minor Leagues" logo. The NAPBL will assist Star Struck in distributing the Official Catalog in more than 100 NAPBL stadiums, as well as web-site links.
CART Licensed Products, L.P., the licensing arm of Championship Auto Racing Teams, Inc., has signed a long-term, exclusive die-cast and toy licensing agreement with Phoenix, AZ-based Action Performance Companies, Inc. Under the terms of the agreement, Action obtained the exclusive licensing rights to the CART series and FedEX Championship Series logos, as well as five of the top teams in the series. Action also obtained the non-exclusive licensing rights for a minimum of 75 percent of the other teams and drivers participating in CART sanctioned race events. (Auto Sports, Licensing