Niwot – Crocs Inc. said Wednesday it has struck licensing deals with the National Football League and the National Hockey League.
The deals will allow the company to produce shoes with the logos from the Super Bowl, the 32 NFL teams, the 30 NHL teams and other properties. Team shoes will feature one team color on the main part of the shoe and the other color and a logo on the heel strap.
A limited number of the shoes will be available by the end of the current seasons, with a more extensive launch before the 2007-08 seasons, the company said. Crocs has similar licensing deals with Walt Disney and more than 75 colleges and universities. Also on Wednesday, Crocs chief executive Ron Snyder said the company will boost production capacity this year while maintaining its gross profit margins.
STAFF WRITER KRISTI ARELLANO
Additional business news briefs:
IDAHO SPRINGS
County nod awaited on Eclipse ski area
The Clear Creek County board of commissioners will meet Jan. 31 to make a final decision on whether to grant rezoning approval to Eclipse Snow Park.
A group of investors led by Michael Coors purchased the 284-acre site at St. Mary’s Glacier, northwest of Idaho Springs, for $1.65 million last year. They plan to turn it into a family- friendly day-ski area.
GOLDEN
Mountainsmith owner to join with Mo. firm
Pacifica LTM, the parent company of Colorado outdoor-gear manufacturer Mountainsmith, has agreed to merge with Springfield, Mo.-based Blackstone Investment Group, the two companies announced late Tuesday.
Financial details were not disclosed.
Mountainsmith, which was founded in 1979, will continue to be based in Golden.
DENVER
Adventure Central secures $3.5 million
Adventure Central, a Denver- based online booking and inventory travel-management service for adventure-tour operators, announced Wednesday it has secured $3.5 million worth of financing.
Palo Alto, Calif.-based Allegis Capital led the funding, along with Denver-based Wolf Ventures and New Orleans-based Advantage Capital Partners.
The company said it plans to use the money to expand its sales and marketing efforts and enhance product development.
WASHINGTON
Comcast gets deadline for box compliance
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission ruled Wed nesday that Comcast Corp., the largest cable-television operator, must meet a July 1 deadline to allow set-top boxes made by unaffiliated companies to connect to its network.
The FCC denied a request by Philadelphia-based Comcast to extend the deadline, according to an e-mailed statement from the agency. Comcast has the right to amend its request, the FCC said.
Comcast has 800,000 cable subscribers in Colorado.
CACTUS, Texas
Former Swift workers charged with ID theft
A federal grand jury charged 53 former employees of Swift & Co.’s meat-processing plant with felony identity theft, the U.S. attorney’s office in Dallas said.
Those charged were among 295 at the Cactus plant arrested in mid-December during nationwide raids targeting illegal immigrants at six Swift facilities.
About 1,300 Swift employees, or 9 percent of its workforce, were arrested by federal agents. So far, 246 of those arrested nationwide are facing criminal charges, most for identity theft, according to Justice Department spokesman Dean Boyd.
Swift spokesman Sean McHugh said the Greeley-based company had no comment.
LOS ANGELES
EBay to buy ticket reseller StubHub
EBay Inc., the world’s largest online auctioneer, agreed to buy online ticket reseller StubHub Inc. for $310 million to boost its share in the multibillion-dollar market for secondary sales of seats to concerts and sporting events. The acquisition of the closely held StubHub is expected to be completed in the first quarter, San Jose, Calif.-based eBay said in a statement.
HOUSTON
Ex-Gov. Owens joins Key Energy’s board
Former Colorado Gov. Bill Owens has joined the board of directors of Houston-based Key Energy Services Inc., the company said Wednesday.
Owens’ “leadership, integrity and international experience will strengthen our board,” said Dick Alario, Key’s chairman and chief executive. Owens, 56, ended his second term as governor Tuesday after being term-limited.
ATLANTA
US Airways faces rival in Delta bidding
US Airways increased its unsolicited bid for Delta Air Lines by more than 20 percent early Wednesday, to about $10.3 billion. Hours later, Northwest emerged as a potential suitor.
Delta, according to people involved in the talks, is hoping to fend off US Airways and has been in talks with Northwest for weeks. Both carriers are operating in bankruptcy, with plans to emerge this year.
WASHINGTON
Trade gap narrows but still at record pace
American companies sold more goods like airplanes, cars and precious metals overseas in November, helping to narrow the trade deficit for a third consecutive month.
Despite the improvement, the United States was still on track to end 2006 with a record trade imbalance, eclipsing the $716.7 billion deficit in 2005.
The Census Bureau reported Wednesday that the nation’s trade deficit – the amount by which the value of America’s imports of goods and services exceeded the value of its exports – fell to $58.2 billion in November, the smallest it has been since July 2005. In October, the deficit was $58.8 billion.
DENVER
H&R Block hosts “tax rally” at park
Tax giant H&R Block will hold a “tax rally” today starting at 10:40 a.m. in Skyline Park, on Arapahoe Street between 16th and 17th streets. The event is expected to draw more than 200 local tax professionals and consumers in search of tax advice. Similar events are slated in 49 other cities nationwide.
BOULDER
Printing-systems unit boosts IBM patents
IBM said Wednesday it received 58 patents in Denver in 2006 – the bulk of them tied to the company’s printing-systems division in Boulder.
