Rumble On The Sidelines

Forget about remembering the playbook. It's who's wearing what that gets confusing on the Dallas Cowboys sideline. Running back Emmitt Smith wears hats and jackets from Starter Corp. But an equipment manager hands quarterback Troy Aikman a Logo 7 cap when he comes off the field. And wide receiver Michael Irvin dons a Sports Specialties cap when he sits on the bench. The rest of the Cowboys wear Apex One gear.

It's enough to rattle John Madden. It's also big business, helping to bring in an estimated $500 million in retail sales. That's why NFL Properties Inc. stepped in this year to place new controls on sideline garb. And that, in turn, has caused an all-out war among companies to sign marquee players. "This is the new battlefield," says John Horan, editor of Sporting Goods Intelligence, an industry newsletter.