New Balance Tampa Blog

New Balance Passport, New Balance Nation? What is that? According the New Balance, it is your key to this year’s 2004 LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon VIP access. Think about it, you could have access to reserved seating in the grandstands and hospitality at the finish. It includes being able to access the New Balance Nation cheering zones at miles 13, 21 and grand stand seats at the finish line complete with shuttle service. Looking to get back to home after the race, New Balance is also providing a CTA day pass to get you to the first New Balance Nation and home after the race. In your passport you will get a map of the race course to navigate from one New Balance nation to the next New Balance nation. You can jam with a DJ spinning tunes, New Balance have giveaways, lots of complimentary food and beverage, internet access to browse the New Balance site and check out the updates on the race. Want to know how to get one of these New Balance Passports to the marathon? Get a New Balance Passport.http://www.newbalance.com/passport/

Did you know that New Balance is offering a chance to win one of four incredible trips for you and three friends? The prizes are spectacular and New Balance picks up the tab too.

I'm signing up... Here's to hoping I win the 4-Day walk in the Netherlands.

Here's what I don't like about the registration process. After signing up New Balance tries to persuade you into supplying them with email addresses for 10 other friends. Doing so will get you a better chance at winning. I'm not giving any emails out... grrrr.

The Tsunamis occurred 8 days ago and many organizations have pledged support. I read on Robert Scobles blog about the Microsoft employees in India all giving 1 days pay. Apple has devoted their home page to donation links. So too has Microsoft in addition to committing 3.5 million dollars.

So here we are 8 days later and I'm surprised that there hasn't been a relief effort from the footwear industry. This morning I visited the New Balance, Nike, Reebok and Adidas web sites and there is no mention of the Tsunamis or a relief effort. I really believe that some of these organizations should be stepping up and providing relief. Especially those that are manufacturing in that part of the world. Help the communities that help you succeed.

Did you know that New Balance won the National PETA Award (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) for giving leather the boot? The award was for Best Cruelty-Free Athletic Shoes. You can review the other winners here.

New Balance continues to give back to the community. I just read about Woodrow Wilson High School winning the 6th. annual New Balance Marty Glickman Award for recognition in outstanding academics, school spirit, team spirit and service to the community.

So what's the big deal? Well for starters Woodrow Wilson High will receive a check for $10,000 from New Balance. Secondly, they are the first High School in the state of New Jersey to win this award.

Hey Luke, I where's my Christmas Card? Luke and his schoolmates in association with the YEA sent out 4000 Christmas Cards to New Balance customers.

New Balance is using an advertising campaign to promote the expansion of new products that they are introducing. It comes as a little flyer in an envelope inside the boxes of the new 2005 shoe line. It states that New Balance is expanding new ways to achieve.

New Balance is partnering with industry leaders on new collections. These include, Franco Apparel which have a good reputation for making children’s apparel. New Era who in the fifties developed the 59fifty cap, has developed a line of hats for New Balance. Mortez Sports has come up with a line of performance technology sockwear. New Balance Fitness equipment is made by Fitness Quest Inc. Even shoe and apparel care products such as Apparel cleaner, Apparel Water & Stain Repellent, Gel Cleaner and Water & Stain repellent for shoes. They mask odors and are environmentally safe. Granger International is the manufacture of these products. Packworks Europe is creating a global line of packs and sports bags appearing in the Spring 2005 line. These bags will be highly functional.

And last of all, if you tried on glasses lately you may have seen the eyewear line with “Xtreme Peripheral Vision” put out by New Balance, made by Eyewear Designs Ltd.

Wow, I just read the press release about New Balance announcing a new advertising campaign called "For Love or Money"?

This quote was taken from that press release and pretty much says it all about what this campaign is about. "It's a celebration of the amateur athlete who plays for the love of the sport", New Balance spokeswoman Amy Vreeland said. "This is taking an edgier stance for New Balance."

This campaign could not come at a better time in sports when so much is happening in every arena. Basketball has had it’s sportsmanship issues this year. Hockey, well, yeah what about that? Baseball, with the salaries those guys are making. Steroids? Football and injuries, now there’s some guys playing for love and money!!!!

It is indeed a very critical time in the Sports world. Whether it be amateur or professional, we all have a lot of thoughts on how sportsmanship is affecting the sport.

What New Balance is doing with this campaign is asking consumers to go to their website and answer very emotional questions about what you would do or how you feel about a certain situation when it comes to sportsmanship.

We’ll be blogging a lot about this. It opens up a lot of conversations about what is going on in the sports world today!

Anyway for now, go to this link and answer these questions about what is your motivation! “For Love or Money”! http://www.newbalance.com/vote/

We’ll be answering these questions ourselves and sharing our thoughts with you.

Press release at http://www.newbalance.com/aboutus/media/pressReleases/02.28.05