April 19 (Bloomberg) -- Vitaminwater offered to pay a record $100,000 fine levied by the National Football League against Chicago Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher for wearing a cap featuring its logo during a Super Bowl press event, the company president said in an interview.

Mike Repole, president of Whitestone, New York-based Glaceau, the maker of Vitaminwater, said he ``feels terrible'' that the NFL fined Urlacher. The five-time Pro Bowl selection has a partnership with the closely held company dating back more than a year.

Urlacher declined the offer, Repole said. Vitaminwater will instead match the fine with a $100,000 donation to the United Way, he said. A call to Urlacher's agent, William Johnson, was not immediately returned.

``We chose the United Way because it's the NFL's official charity and because we respect the NFL,'' Repole said.

Players attending league events are required to wear apparel authorized by the NFL, said Brian McCarthy, a league spokesman. PepsiCo Inc.'s Gatorade is the NFL's drink sponsor.

Uniform violations typically bring a $10,000 fine, which escalates to $100,000 at the Super Bowl to ward off opportunistic marketers. Urlacher's fine is the largest issued under the league's uniform policy.

Urlacher made almost $4 million last season. The Bears lost the NFL championship game to the Indianapolis Colts 29-17.

To contact the reporter on this story: Aaron Kuriloff in New York at akuriloff@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: April 19, 2007 19:15 EDT