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ARLINGTON — Mega sporting events at Cowboys Stadium are sure to draw companies and entrepreneurs hoping to cash in on the national exposure.
On Tuesday, the Arlington City Council is expected to pass what is called an "anti-ambush" marketing ordinance that will temporarily restrict advertising near the stadium to protect the sponsors of the Feb. 14 NBA All-Star Game. The rules are also designed to help prevent the sale of counterfeit or unlicensed merchandise near the venue. The NBA requires cities hosting its events to have ordinances to protect their corporate sponsors from competitive advertisers trying to fraudulently associate themselves with the event.Dallas, which will host the T-Mobile Rookie Challenge and NBA All-Star Saturday Night festivities at the American Airlines Center over the same weekend, is expected to have similar rules in place. "If Coke is a sponsor of the All-Star Game, the last thing Coke wants to see right across the street is a big Pepsi setup. They’ve paid big dollars to be associated with this event," Arlington Deputy City Manager Trey Yelverton said. "This ordinance would prevent displays that imply you are associated with the event."The ordinance would ban temporary signs, tent sales, projected image signs, inflatables and other marketing activities in an area around the stadium if they have no official ties to the all-star game, according to a staff report. The ban also applies to building wraps, which are thin, vinyl sheets that turn high-rise buildings into giant billboards. The council amended a city ordinance this year to allow such advertising in the entertainment district during the all-star game, Super Bowl or other major sporting events.The ban would be in place from Feb. 6 through Feb. 16.Yelverton said the City Council is expected to pass similar rules for Super Bowl XLV, which will be at the stadium in February 2011. The NFL requires cities to protect corporate sponsors from competitive advertisers within one mile of the venue and at area airports, according to a city staff report.Violators could be charged with a Class C misdemeanor. "If during the event we have officers in the area and all the sudden we see a setup going up not authorized by the NBA, they would be asked to not set up and move along," Yelverton said.All-star initiative Arlington, working with NBA Cares, hopes to plant 2,010 trees across the city during the 100 days leading up to the NBA All-Star Game, Feb. 14 at Cowboys Stadium. At least 1,200 trees will be given away to businesses and neighborhoods during the initiative sponsored by the city’s L.E.A.F. (Let’s Enhance Arlington’s Forestry) program. Other trees will be planted at schools, at parks and along major thoroughfares. The trees will be distributed on a first come, first served basis. Apply at www.naturallyfun.org or contact the parks department at 817-459-5474 or parksdepartment@arlingtontx.gov.Susan Schrock, 817-390-7639
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