| • | Flames Announce Arena Is Now Called Scotiabank Saddledome |
| • | Nebraska AD Tom Osborne Unveils Stadium Renovation Plans |
| • | Rangers' 2-0 ALDS Lead Makes For "Hottest Ticket" In Dallas |
| • | MLB To Debut Ad On Turner Celebrating Halladay No-Hitter |
FLAMES FORMALLY ANNOUNCE VENUE RENAMED SCOTIABANK SADDLEDOME
The Flames on Friday formally announced that their arena has been renamed Scotiabank Saddledome. No financial details were announced. The bank now has naming rights for NHL arenas in both Calgary and Ottawa (Scotiabank Place), "as well as team sponsorships" with both the Flames and Senators. The Saddledome's 10-year naming rights agreement with Pengrowth expired in June (CALGARYHERALD.com, 10/8).
NEBRASKA AD TOM OSBORNE UNVEILS MEMORIAL STADIUM EXPANSION PLAN
Univ. of Nebraska AD Tom Osborne Friday announced a plan to expand Memorial Stadium by 5,000 seats, "with construction starting in May and ending in June 2013." The $55.5M project would be funded with $40.5M in private donations and $15M in revenue bonds. The plan includes "expansion of the East Stadium concourse" and the addition of 2,000-2,200 covered and heated club seats. The school's Board of Regents will consider the plan on Oct. 15 (JOURNALSTAR.com, 10/8).
RAYS-RANGERS IS "HOTTEST TICKET" IN DALLAS WITH ALDS WIN IN SIGHT
With the Rangers up 2-0 on the Rays in the ALDS, Saturday's Game Three at Rangers Ballpark is the "hottest ticket in North Texas." As of Thursday night, "a handful of obstructed-view and standing-room-only tickets remained" for the game, which could be the first playoff series clincher in Rangers history. Area ticket brokers said that they are "doing brisk business." Metro Tickets Owner Robert Lodes: "It rivals the Cowboys for the hottest ticket in town" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 10/8).
Meanwhile, the Reds said that they have been "overwhelmed by demand for playoff tickets," having sold "all the tickets they have available" for their NLDS home games against the Phillies (Sunday and Monday, if necessary) and for NLCS games if they advance. Nearly 250,000 e-mail addresses were entered by Reds fans in an online lottery two weeks ago. Reds VP/Ticket Sales John Davis said that the roughly 50,000 available NLCS tickets "sold out in an hour and a half"
(CINCINNATI ENQUIRER, 10/7).
MLB TO DEBUT AD ON TURNER COMMEMORATING HALLADAY'S NO-HITTER
By Terry Lefton, Editor-At-Large
MLB will debut a “Beyond Expectations” promo spot in Friday night's NLDS telecasts on Turner commemorating Phillies P Roy Halladay’s no-hitter in Game One of the Reds-Phillies series, just the second in the history of MLB’s postseason. Pushing tune-in, the McCann Erickson ad says, "When these moments take place, they are no longer players and we are no longer fans. We are witnesses to the unbelievable. Don’t miss another moment of the 2010 postseason, where any game can go Beyond Expectations."
KROENKE SPORTS EXEC VP PAUL ANDREWS TO STEP DOWN LATER THIS MONTH
Kroenke Sports Enterprises (KSE) on Friday announced that Exec VP Paul Andrews has resigned from the company. Andrews will remain with KSE through Oct. 27 to oversee the start of the Avalanche's and Nuggets' regular seasons. Andrews, a longtime Avalanche and Ascent Sports exec, was promoted to his present role in April '05. Since that time, he has worked closely with KSE Owner Stan Kroenke to oversee the company's daily operations (KSE).
EPL APPROVES NESV'S BID FOR LIVERPOOL; LEGAL CHALLENGE REMAINS
The EPL Friday said that it was "satisfied with the proposed sale" of Liverpool to New England Sports Ventures, marking a "significant step" toward NESV's takeover of the club. However, Tom Hicks and George Gillett remain "determined to block" the US$479M bid by Red Sox Owner John Henry and his associates. The issue is "expected to be resolved in the High Court next week – which is also when the deadline falls" for Hicks and Gillett to repay their debt to RBS (SKY.com, 10/8).
BANK OF AMERICA DONATES $500,000 IN BUILDUP TO '10 CHICAGO MARATHON
By Fred Dreier, Staff Writer, SportsBusiness Journal
 |
BofA Donates $500,000 To Youth Fitness
Initiative In Buildup To Sunday's Marathon |
The Bank of America Chicago Marathon is Sunday morning, and the bank has donated $500,000 to the Chicago Youth Fitness Initiative as part of its buildup to race. Officials also announced they would award the race’s top fundraising participant with the Mayor Richard M. Daley and Maggie Daley Award. The award – a large plaque surrounded by two bronze running shoes – will be given out at a ceremony at the March 21 Shamrock Shuffle 8K run, also in Chicago.
Charity is the theme of the '10 Chicago Marathon, which last year brought in $10M in charitable donations. The “The Date to Motivate” campaign – coinciding with the 10/10/10 date of the run – singled out 10 marathoners who are raising funds for noble causes to promote the race’s philanthropic side. Bank of America has sponsored the race, which this year boasts 45,000 registrants, since it acquired the former primary sponsor LaSalle Bank in '07.
Meanwhile, Volkswagen will celebrate is 15th consecutive year as a sponsor of the event by setting up a Volkswagen FanZone. VW also will roll out The Great Jetta Giveaway, giving consumers a chance to win a two-year lease on an '11 Jetta.
BUZZER BEATERS….
Former NFLer Kurt Warner will make his debut as a Fox NFL analyst during the Sunday afternoon Saints-Cardinals game. Warner reportedly was interested in being an analyst "only if he could limit the amount of games" (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 10/8).
FS Midwest GM Jack Donovan said that analyst Jack Clark "isn't in the plans" for the net's coverage of the MLB Cardinals in '11. This comes after the postgame show analyst made "stinging comments" about the team on WXOS-FM (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 10/8).
MLB players, umpires and league officials will convene for a "rare meeting" on Dec. 3 to discuss "player-umpire relationships, and possibly instant replay" (ESPN.com, 10/8).
Rogers Sportsnet One launched Friday on Canada-based TV provider Bell TV in both standard definition and HD (Rogers Sportsnet).
QUICK HITS….
“We have absolute confidence in Dallas as a hockey market. The Stars have established themselves firmly in the community and long ago certified their credibility as an NHL franchise” – NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, saying there is zero chance the team will move to another market (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 10/8).
“It is highly unlikely that water came through the fabric” – Sun Mountain Founder and Owner Rick Reimers, on several U.S. golfers complaining about the company’s rainsuits during last week’s Ryder Cup competition (GOLF.com, 10/8).
TWITTER ME THIS….
MLS Galaxy F Landon Donovan: “PPL Park is beautiful, I was impressed.”
Rockets GM Daryl Morey: “Starting a new feature @TrueHoop suggested - when I get a constructive email from an international Rockets fan I will tweet excerpts from it.”
MLB Network’s Peter Gammons: “Minor League umps ejecting key players in pennant races, Oct. gaffes. MLB can't run umps. Let the MLBPA do it. Replays don't cure attitude.”
ESPN’s Molly Knight: “The Mannion firing is huge. He was Frank's boy, and that was a big source of conflict between F and Jamie. I'm stunned.”
If you see a tweet we won’t want to miss, send it to us at editorial@sportsbusinessdaily.com.
A LIGHTER BUZZ….
Nitto Tire will give away 17,000 Univ. of Florida-themed car air fresheners during Saturday's LSU-Florida football game at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, plus thousands more Univ. of Georgia-themed air fresheners at Sanford Stadium during the Tennessee-Georgia game. This kicks off a season-long campaign in which Nitto is launching signature fragrances for SEC schools Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, LSU and Tennesse, plus ACC school Florida State (Nitto Tire).
THE DAILY'S HOT READS….
The GLOBE & MAIL's Stephen Brunt writes of George Gillett's co-ownership of EPL club Liverpool, "That nearly four-year adventure is in its final hours. … When it's over, everyone concerned will emerge in much worse shape than when it began" (GLOBE & MAIL). Also, see a run-down of the major issues New England Sports Ventures will have to address if its takeover of Liverpool is successful.
With Kansas Speedway poised to get a second NASCAR Sprint Cup Series date as Auto Club Speedway loses one, NASCAR.com's David Caraviello writes, "A second date is something almost every track wants but only a few can have, and it carries with it equal degrees of prestige and pressure" (NASCAR.com). Meanwhile, one motorsports writer explains why he, like many NASCAR fans, cares little for races at Auto Club Speedway.
Also:
See the Hot Reads section for more sports business-related links.
WEEKEND EVENTS….
SATURDAY
The Knicks will begin hosting the two-day “The Knicks Are Back” event at Madison Square Garden that will feature an open practice.
Supporters of Univ. of California baseball, which is one of five sports slated to be dropped by the school, will hold a rally at Evans Diamond at 9:30am PT.
The Canucks and Kings will wear vintage uniforms for their 7:00pm PT game at Staples Center to mark the 40th anniversary of the their first game against each other.
SUNDAY
A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville will be held at 1:00pm ET. The event will feature the ceremonial handing over of the keys to Louisville Arena Authority and Kentucky State Fair Board officials.
NASCAR driver Carl Edwards and his crew will unveil a new Aflac Duck Wingman Bead of Courage to show kids stricken with serious illnesses that they are not alone in their fight against the disease. The bead is part of the Aflac Duck’s 10th birthday celebration.
More than 40 couples will marry or renew their vows prior to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Pepsi Max 400 at Auto Club Speedway. ACS President Gillian Zucker will officiate the ceremony with NASCAR team Owner Michael Waltrip as groomsman and Miss Sprint Cup as maid of honor.
DAILY DOWNLOAD….
Magic C Dwight Howard, Bulls G Derrick Rose and actor Ken Jeong appear in this comically absurd video from adidas tipping of its "Fast Don't Lie" NBA marketing campaign.
WEEKEND CHANNEL SURF….
FRIDAY
NASCAR driver Carl Edwards will appear on CBS’ “Late Late Show” at 12:35am ET.
SATURDAY
Comcast SportsNet and CSNChicago.com will broadcast live the ’10 Stanley Cup banner-raising ceremony prior to the Red Wings-Blackhawks game at 7:30pm CT.
SUNDAY
Angels manager Mike Scioscia and Red Sox Senior Advisor/Baseball Operations Bill James will appear on Fox’ “The Simpsons” at 8:00pm ET.
DirecTV Chair, President & CEO Mike White will be featured on CBS’ “Undercover Boss” at 9:00pm ET.
DAILY DIGIT….
1,081 – Number of “What’s your deal” football ticket packages Stanford Univ. has sold this season. The package consisted of a ticket to Saturday’s game against USC and two other games. The name of the ticket mini-plan refers to a midfield exchange between Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh and then-USC coach Pete Carroll following last year’s game
(SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, 10/6).
NOTES & QUOTES FROM THIS DAY IN SBD HISTORY….
2007
“It hasn’t been Hockeytown in quite a few years. The last straw came when [Steve] Yzerman retired. Once the face of the franchise left a lot of people didn’t care as much” – Red Wings fan Kathi Deese, on the state of hockey in Detroit at the time.
If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please let us know at:
dailyinsider@sportsbusinessdaily.com.
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