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Dale Jr. still leads drivers in sales: Danica Patrick has won just 1 of 81 IRL races (1.23%). But Dale Earnhardt Jr. has Patrick easily beat on that winning percentage. “Little E” has won 1 of the last 129 Sprint Cup races (0.77%) and he’s 0 for the last 51.
Yet, Earnhardt seems to be humming along in the business world. This week, Nationwide announced this week it was renewing its deal with him and we just got the NASCAR.com SuperStore sales rankings and guess what? Earnhardt is in his familiar No. 1 spot. Here’s the list of the Top 10 best-selling drivers on the Web site:
Top 10 Best-Selling Drivers
1. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
2. Tony Stewart
3. Jeff Gordon
4. Jimmie Johnson
5. NASCAR-branded items
6. Kyle Busch
7. Carl Edwards
8. Kasey Kahne
9. Mark Martin
10. Dale Earnhardt Sr.(CNBC.com)(10-14-2009)
Bankruptcy coming for Motorsports Authentics? Motorsports Authentics, an equally owned merchandise joint venture between race-track owners International Speedway Corp (ISCA.O) and Speedway Motorsports (TRK.N), has received default notices from certain licensors, regulatory filings show. In a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Speedway Motorsports said Motorsports Authentics had stopped paying certain guaranteed royalties in its third quarter, and was attempting to renegotiate agreements with all significant licensors of NASCAR merchandising. "MA is exploring other business strategies to turn its business around. If such efforts are not sufficient or timely, MA could ultimately pursue bankruptcy," the filing said.(Reuters)(10-7-2009)
NASCAR, teams consider streamlining licensing business: NASCAR and the sport's top teams are discussing ways to rescue their troubled licensing business by bringing all of the team and driver rights under one banner, marking the first major step toward creating NASCAR Properties. Those rights currently are splintered from team to team, which means a licensee might visit five teams to acquire five licenses. A centralized agency such as NASCAR Properties would make all of those licenses available from one entity like the other professional leagues do. The groundwork for NASCAR Properties was set Sept. 24 during a day-long meeting at the governing body's new office in Charlotte. Paul Brooks, NASCAR's senior vice president and a driving force behind the idea, said officials from his office have been meeting with teams individually since the summer, but the summit at NASCAR's office brought all of those executives together for the first time. "We are exploring the potential benefits of a unified industry approach to licensing," Brooks said. "The ongoing dialogue with all stakeholders has been very positive and collaborative, and that is truly encouraging."(in part from Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service/SportsBusiness Journal)(9-30-2009)
EA Sports: 'No plans' for new NASCAR game: The future of EA Sports' NASCAR franchise of racing games has been in doubt since February, when The Sporting News reported the publisher wouldn't be making a new installment of the series this year. Speaking with GameSpot for a Dreamcast retrospective on next week's episode of the HotSpot podcast, EA Sports president Peter Moore has removed all uncertainty from the equation. "There are no plans right now for NASCAR from EA," Moore said. "We had a great relationship over the years that I thoroughly enjoyed when I first got here. Unfortunately…we had to make some tough trade-offs. We've had to redeploy some of those folks. A number of the NASCAR team has moved over now to EA Sports MMA, which will be shipping next year. [We're] still a huge fan of NASCAR, but no plans right now to develop any further games for NASCAR from EA Sports."(Gamespot)(9-3-2009)
Memorabilia store in Canada forced to change name: A New Brunswick businessman and long-time racing fan has been forced to change the name of his tiny memorabilia shop under the threat of a lawsuit by NASCAR legend Darrell Waltrip. Randy Nicholson, who has sold NASCAR merchandise in Woodstock since 2001, has been accused of infringing on a trademark that wasn't registered by Waltrip until four years after Nicholson's store was established. Borrowing from a catchphrase issued by the Fox Sports commentator at the start of every race, Nicholson initially called his business Boogity Boogity Racing, and then later changed the name to Boogity Sportswear. On Friday, he received a cease-and-desist letter from an Ontario law firm representing Waltrip, a former Winston Cup champion who says, "Boogity, boogity, boogity, let's go racin', boys" each time the green flag drops. Waltrip registered the catch phrase as a trademark in Canada on Oct. 31, 2005. "My first instinct was that I was going to fight (him), but I don't have the means,'' Nicholson said Tuesday as he stood behind the counter in his store, which also sells hockey, wrestling and ultimate fighting souvenirs. "I am in no position to fight Darrell Waltrip. He has deeper pockets than I do." Nicholson said he registered his business with the federal government in 2001, and paid more than $1,200 to cover the cost of a search that was conducted to ensure the name wasn't being used in Canada by anyone else. At one point, he also operated stores under the Boogity banner in Moncton and Saint John, but he never received a complaint until last week, when a sheriff delivered a letter from MBM, an intellectual property legal group in Ottawa, sent on Waltrip's behalf. "From a trademark point of view, he is infringing Darrell Waltrip's registered Canadian trademark,'' Scott Miller, the head of the litigation group at MBM, said Tuesday. "Taking intellectual property without permission is as reprehensible as taking anything else." Nicholson argues that he has never infringed on Waltrip's rights. He says he has never sold anything that carried Waltrip's trademark, and the few Boogity-related items he sold bore a logo that he developed on his own. Nicholson has until next Tuesday to wipe his shop clean of the word "boogity" and has already taken down his signs. Until he comes up with something better, he will call his business R&B Embroidery, to accentuate the fact that he does printing and embroidery and manufactures vinyl signs. Nicholson said it will cost him between $5,000 and $8,000 to register a new name, put up signs, change his business cards and letterhead, order new cheques, change the way his phone is listed, and set up a new website.(Telegraph Journal)(9-2-2009)
UPDATE: "It's unfortunate to read the articles about Mr. Nicholson's store, as they do not tell the whole story", responded Van Colley, Darrell Waltrip's longtime Business Manager. "The truth is DW first came up with Boogity Boogity Boogity and then the name of the store appeared. "Mr. Nicholson only used Boogity as a result of DW's earlier use on FOX. In my opinion, it is not a coincidence that DW started his broadcasts with Boogity, Boogity, Boogity in March of 2002 and then 9 months later, with his business partner, Richard Poulin, that Mr. Nicholson incorporated a company called BOOGIDDY BOOGIDDY RACING INC on November 6, 2002. He then changed the corporate name to Boogity Boogity Boogity Racing Inc on March 3, 2003. That company was dissolved on July 25, 2008. Then the store operated under the name Boogity Sportswear. The shop went as far as applying for DW's trademark of Boogity, Boogity Boogity which was rejected in late 2007 by the Canadian Trademark Office. My point is there is no way Mr. Nicholson should be surprised about what has happened. It is odd that the shop filed for DW's trademark. Whether Mr. Nicholson is a small business owner or the owner of a large corporation is irrelevant to the matter. You simply can't take some one's legally trademarked intellectual property and attempt to profit from it. Common sense tells me that I can't simply throw up some golden arches in my front yard, hang a sign that says McDonalds on it and fire up my grill to attempt to sell some hamburgers simply because I want to. We appreciate Mr. Nicholson being a NASCAR fan and his selling of legally licensed NASCAR merchandise in his store. We also wish no ill will to Mr. Nicholson, despite his comment of wanting to "tear out DW's wind pipe." At the same time, I won't apologize for protecting DW's legal rights. We, like NASCAR, the drivers and teams in our sport fight this kind of thing all the time."(9-3-2009)
T-shirt seller arrested at Pocono Raceway on counterfeiting charge: A Michigan man was arrested and charged with selling knock-off NASCAR shirts at Pocono Raceway on Monday instead of officially licensed merchandise. Michael Quatrine, 45, has been arrested for selling fakes before. According to Pocono Mountain Regional Police, Quatrine has been arrested in California, Delaware, Michigan and South Carolina and other states for trademark counterfeiting. "We do counterfeit enforcement at tracks around the country. If not watched it can become pervasive," said Tom Sullivan, NASCAR's manager of business communications. Although NASCAR was not inspecting at Pocono on Monday, track workers were on the lookout for fake merchandise. Pocono Raceway employee Roger Green told police he saw Quatrine selling counterfeit Pocono Raceway T-shirts and detained him until police arrived. While investigating the complaint, a man told police he had purchased two shirts from Quatrine for $5 each and showed police the shirts. They matched the shirts Quatrine had in his possession. According the criminal complaint, Pocono Raceway employee Looie McNally identified the shirts as fakes by comparing labels and also showing the Sprint/NASCAR markings were fraudulent and misbranded. He was charged with trademark counterfeiting, a third-degree felony as a repeat offense, and arraigned by Magisterial District Judge Richard Claypool. Quatrine was being held in Monroe County Correctional Facility in lieu of $5,000 bail. Pocono Raceway spokesperson Bob Pleban said the track had no comment on the arrest. "It's not just about the loss of revenue to drivers and teams," said Joe Mattes, interim president of Motorsports Authentics. As the largest licensee in NASCAR, a vendor for more than 80 drivers, Motorsports Authentics makes more than 90% of the diecast products fans find trackside and on stores shelves in Wal-Mart and Kmart.(Pocono Record)(8-5-2009) Comment here
- NASCAR Kids Dolls: NASCAR and Original Appalachian Artworks have joined forces with leading toymaker JAKKS Pacific to produce NASCAR 'Kids, a crop of distinctly designed Cabbage Patch Kids in likenesses celebrating NASCAR's top drivers. The first NASCAR 'Kid to speed to the checkered flag will be Dale Earnhardt Jr. NASCAR's most popular driver is scheduled to debut his 'Kid counterpart on QVC Friday, May 22 during QVC's For Race Fans Only broadcast at 8:00pm/et. The next NASCAR 'Kid to hit the road will be Jeff Gordon, who is scheduled to make his appearance in Fall 2009. NASCAR 'Kids, will have the signature birthmark of Xavier Roberts and an authentic birth certificate showing the driver's actual birth date. The Adoption Fee (SRP) is $45.12.(CNN Money)(5-21-2009)
- Motorsports Authentics streamlines: Motorsports Authentics, a joint merchandising venture by the country's two largest speedway owners, laid off 40 employees Wednesday, said Joe Mattes, the company's new interim president. The cuts represent about 15% of the Charlotte-based company's workforce, and between 250 and 300 employees remain, Mattes said. Named interim president last week, Mattes said he and senior managers spent recent days analyzing the company's workforce and processes before cutting the 40 positions – 33 of them full-time. "It was from the manager level to the customer service level,” he said of the layoffs. “Every facet of the organization was reviewed.” Motorsports Authentics laid off several other employees earlier this year, but Mattes said he didn't know how many employees were let go before Wednesday. Mattes also wouldn't say how much money would be saved with the layoffs, saying only that “it's significant." While the sour economy was one factor, Mattes said the layoffs were mostly intended to improve efficiency at Motorsports Authentics, which is owned by Concord-based Speedway Motorsports and International Speedway Corp. of Daytona Beach. Speedway Motorsports Inc. is the company headed by Bruton Smith. International Speedway Corp. is the sister company of the France family's NASCAR. “We think strongly these changes will have positive effects. They're going to increase sales and make things happen,” Mattes said. “By doing this, we're in a position to be a stronger company."(Charlotte Observer)(3-19-2009)
- Motorsports Authentics names new Interim President: Motorsports Authentics named Joe Mattes as interim President of the motorsports merchandising company. A 14-year veteran within the NASCAR industry, Mattes brings a strong track record of licensing and merchandising success to Motorsports Authentics. In his previous roles as President of Sports Image, Co-Founder and President of Chase Racewear, and Vice President of the NASCAR.com Superstore, Mattes demonstrated experienced leadership in the development and promotion of numerous merchandising platforms involving multiple drivers, teams and sponsors in the sport. During that time, he was successful in maximizing returns and expanding value and demand for all entities involved. Mattes will continue in his current role as Vice President of Licensing for JR Motorsports. Motorsports Authentics board member Don Hawk, who has been serving as interim President for Motorsports Authentics, will maintain an ongoing active role in the company’s operations while retaining his position as Vice President of Business Affairs for Speedway Motorsports, Inc.(Motorsports Authentics PR)(3-11-2009)
- "Earnhardt and Elvis" show car unveiled in Las Vegas: Two of the greatest icons in American sport and music were celebrated Friday when a #3 race car was unveiled bearing the images of NASCAR great Dale Earnhardt and the King of rock 'n' roll, Elvis Presley. Meant to continue the legacies of both men, the "Earnhardt and Elvis" car paired these icons together as part of the "Enduring Legends" series that recently saw the Intimidator share the hood of his famous #3 Chevy with country music great Johnny Cash and cowboy film icon John Wayne.(NASCAR.com)(3-3-2009)
- Change at Motorsports Authentics UPDATE: Motorsports Authentics (MA) announced today that President & CEO Mark Dyer has left the company effective immediately. Don Hawk, a member of MA's Board of Managers, has been appointed on an interim basis to oversee the day-to-day operational and financial management of MA while a search for Dyer's replacement is conducted.(MA PR)(1-21-2009)
UPDATE: Motorsports Authentics announced that Jim Morris has been promoted to vice president and general manager of MA. Longtime NASCAR veteran Chris Williams has also been promoted to vice president of trackside for the sport’s largest licensee. Morris is a savvy business executive with 25 plus years of experience in which he has focused heavily on retail and supply management processes. Before joining MA in the fall of 2007 to help lead the company turnaround, Morris spent time at Americrown, Sports Authority and Russell Athletic. Williams, whose history in the sport dates back to the late 1980s, has been with MA as its director of trackside since its inception in 2006. Prior to International Speedway Corp. and Speedway Motorsports coming together in a joint venture to form MA from the companies formerly known as Action Performance and Team Caliber, Williams worked for 10 years at Action and seven years prior to that at Dale Earnhardt-owned Sports Image.(Motorsports Authentics PR)(1-28-2009)
- Revell stops making NASCAR model kits: From the revell.com site: Over the years we have been pleased to provide you with the finest NASCAR plastic model kits featuring the most popular drivers. Regrettably however, over the last several years we have faced increasing licensing costs that are greater than our increase in sales. Despite our best efforts to secure reasonable licensing terms for NASCAR model kits in general, and the Car of Tomorrow in particular, we have been unable to develop a program that allows us to market the product at a viable price point. Consequently, we will not be issuing a kit on the Car of Tomorrow and, in fact, will be exiting the NASCAR business altogether. We will discontinue all sales of NASCAR plastic kits by February 28, 2009.(revell.com)(12-10-2008)
- NASCAR Kart Racing: Five things you need to know: Mario Kart meets Jimmie Johnson. That's the simplest way to breakdown EA Sports' sudden shift in direction for its NASCAR series. Produced exclusively for the Wii (and now under the Freestyle brand), NASCAR Kart Racing looks to combine the arcade-nature of power-ups and tracks that do more than turn left with actual NASCAR strategy like teamwork and drafting. "The Wii is the number one console in North America, and when you look at the Wii audience, they're not the traditional hard-core gamers," explains Ryan Stradling, the game's Senior Development Director and the founder of EA North Carolina. "The Wii really appeals to the whole family and we want to take the NASCAR series in that direction, so that the whole family could play together and have that living room experience". So what should you expect? How about Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart dropping oil slicks behind them as they race for first, the Dover monster starring as an actual monster on the track, and teammates who are able to work together to slingshot one another to first place. See more at ESPN Video Games.(12-4-2008)
- Johnson helps push sales up: NASCAR fans across the country are celebrating Jimmie Johnson’s third straight Sprint Cup Championship in record fashion, as sales of his championship merchandise on the NASCAR.com Superstore are up 44% over 2007. In addition to the strong fan reaction on NASCAR.com, the Racing Collectables Club of America (RCCA), the premier club for motorsports fans and collectors, has also experienced a wave of enthusiasm for everything and anything related to Johnson and the #48 Lowe’s Chevrolet team. In fact, RCCA championship product sales are up 137% over last year when Johnson captured his second consecutive Cup crown. Shortly after Johnson crossed the finish line in Miami in his #48 Lowe’s Chevrolet, Motorsports Authentics, through its Chase Authentics and Action Racing Collectables brands, went to market with a full array of licensed products commemorating Johnson’s record-tying third straight Sprint Cup Championship. Mark Dyer, president and CEO of Motorsports Authentics, was pleased with the numbers, though not entirely surprised, given the historical significance of Johnson’s victory. “Jimmie has been one of the most popular drivers in the sport with strong merchandise sales, especially given his relatively short tenure in NASCAR,” Dyer said. “I think collectors and fans recognize the amazing feat he’s accomplished and are getting behind him to show their support. They know his memorabilia from this third championship will ultimately be quite valuable in the marketplace and they want to be a part of the excitement.” All 2008 Championship apparel and die-cast collectables are available at the NASCAR.com Superstore and rccamembers.com. Fans can also visit Motorsports Authentics authorized dealers across the country to learn more about these products. To find a local dealer, visit goracing.com and click on the dealer locator at the bottom of the page.(Motorsports Authentics PR)(11-27-2008)
- Richard Petty stamps: Premier Postage, a leading provider of officially licensed postage and collectibles, announced an agreement with Petty Enterprises to introduce a series of U.S. postage that honors the career of NASCAR legend Richard Petty. "We feel privileged to be working with a racing icon," said Mike Samora, Founder and President of Premier Postage. "The products we plan to introduce will represent the first time Richard Petty has been featured on real U.S. postage."
"This is really quite an honor," said Petty. "I've had my photo on a lot of different things, but this is really unique. What's neat is that fans can collect the postage or use it on their mail." The first postage collectible will pay tribute to Petty's 50 years in NASCAR - both as a driver and team owner. The collectible will feature a limited edition postage stamp on a 5" x 7" commemorative photo sheet. Each sheet will retail for $7.99 on RaceStamps.com, NASCAR.com Superstore, and select retail outlets.(PR)(11-12-2008)
- Toolbox Treasures Honors NASCAR's Past: Toolbox Treasures announced their entry into the thrilling world of NASCAR licensing. Toolbox Treasures, LLC is a new company with a strategic vision of developing niche categories with unique products that are designed specifically for the collector and for the collector market. The company's focus will be an emphasis on historical die-casts. Toolbox Treasures is expected to release six collectible die-casts in 2008. Each project will have strict limitations in the number of each die-cast produced. This is designed to make every piece an immediate collectible. The first releases, which just came out are the 1957 Earnhardt driven Oldsmobile convertible as well as a 1957 Oldsmobile sedan also driven by Earnhardt and owned by Petty Enterprises. Less than 2,300 die-casts of each will be produced making this an instant hit in the market. In addition, many of the die-casts will be autographed by the King himself Richard Petty. Toolbox Treasures offer the products that bring the history of NASCAR to life. More info at toolboxtreasures.com.(8-23-2008)
- NASCAR slashing prices on memorabilia: Borrowing a page from late President Gerald Ford, the people who sell authentic NASCAR memorabilia are trying to help cash-strapped fans by lowering prices. Motorsports Authentics said it would cut prices of Sprint Cup team jackets by $30 and standard die-cast car models by $10, among other reductions, starting with this weekend's race at Daytona International Speedway. The twill jackets normally retail for $120 and the die-casts for about $75. The promotion is called "Whip Inflation Now," the name given to Ford's attempt in 1974 to encourage the public's help in curbing rising prices. "We know times are hard for all Americans right now," said Mark Dyer, chief executive of Motorsports Authentics, adding that the price cuts apply to sales at tracks and online.(Los Angeles Times)(7-4-2008) Comment here
- Goodyear to give new keepskae for winners: Once the cheers subside, the "hat dance" is over and the champagne dries, what is left from a visit to Victory Lane besides the memories? Now, thanks to The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, Sprint Cup team members will have a keepsake that honors their hard work and commemorates each race win. Goodyear, the exclusive official tire supplier for NASCAR's top three series, today announced a new tradition for the Sprint Cup Series, its Victory Lane Medallion program. Now, each week in victory lane, the winning team owner, crew chief and driver will be awarded a three-inch medallion to go along with 100 two-inch medallions to reward team members. Each Victory Lane Medallion is die struck on both sides to resemble a mounted Goodyear Eagle tire. On one side there will also include the word "Winner" above the specific track logo, as well as the race date and Goodyear's winning left-side tire code. The opposite side will be stamped with Goodyear's right-side tire code and will be sequentially numbered up to 100.
"We at Goodyear couldn't be more excited about the Victory Lane Medallion program," said Greg Stucker, Goodyear's Director of Race Tire Sales. "We know what it takes to reach victory lane -- the hard work, dedication and commitment. Our people go through the same things to get Goodyear Eagles to the track each week. So we wanted to honor the efforts of each winning team with something they can cherish for a lifetime, as a remembrance of their accomplishment." In addition to rewarding team members, there is another group that warrants
consideration in this equation -- the fans. A limited number of sets of the complete fan version of the Victory Lane Medallions – called the Goodyear Eagle Race Win Medallion Set -- are available for purchase through the Racing Collectibles Club of America (RCCA) by calling
1-800-952-0708. The Goodyear Eagle Collection is only available through the RCCA offering. The sets are in limited edition, sequentially numbered and come with a die-cut leather carrying folio.
The Goodyear Victory Lane Medallion program is run in conjunction with SportCoins, which produces elite collectible medallions. Its coin products are officially licensed by NASCAR, the International Speedway Corporation, Speedway Motorsports, Inc., Indianapolis Motor Speedway and virtually all NASCAR drivers and teams. Its products are sold at track by Motorsports Authentics and on the worldwide web at NASCAR.com Superstore and its own website, www.sportcoins.com.(Goodyear PR)(7-5-2008)
- Vanity license plates: Earnhardt style: On Monday at a license plate bureau in Kannapolis, NC. Martha Earnhardt [Dale Earnhardt's mother] joined Dale Jr.’s mother Brenda Jackson, and his sister Kelley Earnhardt Elledge to show off their specialized NASCAR license plates. The state Department of Motor Vehicles offers 25 specialty NASCAR plates, including one with Dale Earnhardt, Jr.’s number 88. On the honor, Martha says, “I never thought I’d have a license plate for my grandson.” Hers reads, "GMAW," short for Grandma. Jackson’s reads "MOMA" and Elledge’s "1SIS." It was a charity that got the Earnhardt family involved in this effort. Part of the proceeds from the sale of the plates goes to the North Carolina Motorsports Foundation, which then funds programs and scholarships for students who want to work in the industry. Jackson hopes NASCAR fans get behind the effort, saying, “The whole thing is a win, win situation. You’ve got a nice looking tag that you can put your mark on and help a lot of kids out. So, I’m very excited about it.” The special plates add $30 to your yearly registration fee -- more if you want them personalized. Of that, $20 is sent to the foundation. In all, there are 25 drivers to choose from. The plates are on sale now through the state DMV website at www.ncdot.org/dmv.(WCNC.com)(6-11-2008)
- NASCAR and teams fighting counterfeiters: NASCAR, apparel company Motorsports Authentics and several teams have received an injunction over renegade merchandise, and at least 10 people have had unauthorized merchandise seized since the start of the 2008 season. The teams and NASCAR received a temporary restraining order Feb. 8 in U.S. District Court in Charlotte that allowed for the seizure of merchandise that infringed on their trademarks. On Thursday, the U.S. District Court issued a preliminary injunction against producers of counterfeit merchandise. Materials can be seized within a 10-mile radius of a track from 48 hours before qualifying to 24 hours after the completion of a race. Ten individuals were listed in the most recent order as violating the order. None of those individuals challenged the injunction during a hearing Thursday.
Among the teams and drivers that joined NASCAR in the suit are Richard Childress Racing, Roush Fenway Racing, Joe Gibbs Racing, Hendrick Motorsports, Jeff Gordon, JR Motorsports, Rusty Wallace Inc., Penske Racing, Dale Earnhardt Inc., Gillett Evernham Motorsports, Red Bull Racing, Michael Wlatrip Racing and Chip Ganassi Racing. NASCAR and/or teams occasionally file lawsuits in order to seize merchandise from unlicensed dealers.(SceneDaily.com)(3-1-2008) Comment here
- Drivers featured on Poker Chips: In a joint effort, Chipco International, one of the leading gaming chip manufacturers in the US, Premiere Sports Alliances and Get-Etched, Inc, both motorsports industry marketing and licensing agencies, today announce a unique gaming chip concept featuring NASCAR drivers. The launch of this nationwide program occurred Thursday at the Seminole Tribe of Florida's six Florida casinos, including Seminole Hard Rock Tampa. This program will feature NASCAR drivers Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Clint Bowyer, Kasey Kahne, Jeff Burton and Dale Earnhardt, Sr. on gaming chips distributed and featured at casinos throughout the US. The program will generate excitement and interest for consumers and collectors alike and will focus on casinos surrounding race markets throughout the season. Seminole Hard Rock Tampa unveiled the first chips Thursday at 3:00pm as the launch of a year-long promotion. Seminole Gaming will be promoting and featuring various quantities of $5.00 chips throughout their casinos. Additionally, special poker table layouts have been created to further drive excitement and to promote the driver chips.(2-18-2008)
