NEW YORK, May 9 (UPI) -- Verizon Wireless has pulled its sponsorship of Gwen Stefani's "Sweet Escape" U.S. tour because of an incident involving the tour's opening act, Akon.
Besides ending its affiliation with "Sweet Escape," Verizon removed Akon ringtones and music from its stores and handsets. Its V Cast TV spots featuring Akon are also gone, Billboard reported Tuesday.
Akon danced in a provocative manner with a young teenage fan during an unrelated concert last month in Trinidad. Verizon acted after it became aware of the incident.
Akon has apologized.
Cash value of a tour sponsorship similar to the Stefani-Verizon one was pegged between $1.5 million and $2 million, Billboard said. Artists use the funds to finance production, startup costs and other tour expenses.
Stefani manager Jim Guerinot said, "We're just in the beginning stages of evaluating" the impact of Verizon's decision.
Guerinot said he was "shocked" by Verizon's move.
"Akon has been a perfect gentleman on this tour. His show has at best been a PG show," he said. "We have had no complaints -- nothing but satisfied people. And I would say that we're shocked that Verizon would drop Gwen Stefani as part of this whole debate."
