• The Sporting News, Friday, August 24, 2007 12 PM

Starter, Nike's value brand, has decided not to pursue more deals in NASCAR. Previously, the brand claimed to provide 70% of the footwear worn by NASCAR crews, and it pledged to strengthen its position in the sport last January, when it signed a three-year contract with Joe Gibbs Racing.

A Nike spokesman said Starter will fulfill the terms of its deal -- providing uniforms, footwear and apparel -- with Gibbs Racing through 2009. The decision not to pursue future deals is "based on our long-term growth strategy," according to a company spokesperson.

Industry insiders say Starter had attempted to work out more deals with NASCAR teams, including Hendrick Motorsports, in order to aggregate the apparel and footwear rights and take them to retail in major sporting goods stores. Nike's spokesperson denied that Adidas' recent deal with Earnhardt, which effectively took NASCAR's most prolific pitchman off the market for footwear and apparel, played a part in the decision.

Read the whole story at The Sporting News »