The WNBA Cleveland Rockers have garnered about $500,000
in corporate sponsorship, more than double the team's
initial goal of $200,000, according to Angela Hardin in
CRAIN'S CLEVELAND BUSINESS. Rockers Dir of Media Relations
Lori Montgomery said the deals put the team first in the
league in corporate sponsorship sales. The team has signed
Finast Friendly Markets as its "pre-eminant sponsor," which
allows Finast to have its name on in-stadia signage, as well
as promote its role with the team through clinics, hold
promos at the arena, and "possibly" even sell team
merchandise at its stores. The team also signed the
Cleveland Clinic, Southwest Air and Key Bank as "associate
sponsors." The team has sold over 1,000 season-tickets and
hopes to sell at least 2,000 by the beginning of the season
(CRAIN'S CLEVELAND BUSINESS, 5/11).
MERCURY RISING? In Phoenix, the WNBA Mercury have sales
of 4,000 season-tickets even before its "big advertising
push" (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 5/12).
DRIVING THAT TRAIN: The women's ABL "has another coup"
as former NBA head coach K.C. Jones will be named head coach
of the Blizzard, according to Barbara Huebner of the BOSTON
GLOBE. The signing of Jones is the "latest in an string of
offseason triumphs for the ABL" (BOSTON GLOBE, 5/13). ABL
CEO Gary Cavalli said Jones agreed to a four-year deal worth
six-figures (Bruce Berlet, HARTFORD COURANT, 5/13).
