Toyota, Audi to Fill Void After GM Exits Sponsorship Deal with Yankees

 The Yankees will fill the void leftfrom GM's sponsorship departure by tapping Toyota and Audi.Carmakers Toyota (NYSE: TM) and Audi will grace signage in new Yankee Stadium after General Motors (NYSE: GM) announced that they would not be renewing their sponsorship agreement with the Yankees (see details). GM had been the car sponsor for the Yankees since 2006. Reached for comment by The AP, Yankees chief operating officer Lonn Trost said Tuesday that economic factors with GM were clearly to blame for not extending. "We understand their financial condition," Trost said of GM. "I think it was a mutual understanding."GM spokesman John McDonald said that in light of the current economic conditions, the automaker is reviewing all of its sponsorship activities as part of a plan to cut its marketing and promotions budget by 20 percent.In addition, contracts with about six other Major League teams expire at the end of this year, and those deals are being reviewed a...