Blazers/Seahawks Owner Paul Allen "is in talks to
acquire" a college broadcast radio company "as part of a
plan to develop" a full-service sports marketing agency for
collegiate athletics, according to Liz Mullen of the
SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, who wrote that Allen's Action Sports
Media has "completed the acquisition" of StadiaNet Sports,
which provides large screen video displays and scoreboards.
Action Sports "also plans to form" a broadcast division and
"may end up selling" collegiate TV and radio athletic
broadcast rights. Action Sports Media Senior VP Harry Hutt
said that the company is in "serious discussions" about
acquiring at least one radio broadcast company, but could
form its own. Hutt, on what the future holds for Action
Sports: "I would have to say that Action Sports Media would
become the leader in full-service sports marketing,
including venues, signage, naming rights, corporate
marketing and advertising" (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 6/21).
OH, BABY, BABY, IT'S A WIRED WORLD: In Portland, Brian
Miller profiles Allen's various business groups and writes,
"Given Allen's wide, wired world," selling new services to
others "is a natural way to recoup the cost of researching
and developing the product." Blazers Senior VP/Business
Affairs J. Isaac: "Allen's empire is so large, there's a lot
of talent. ... Our normal M.O. is that when we need services
we create a division. Once it's up and running and taking
care of our needs, we look to see if there's a way we can
use it to generate other business." Miller notes that a
"good example" is Game Ops Commander, a software-based music
delivery system now used by "nearly" 270 professional and
college teams around the U.S. Blazers Game Ops Manager John
Jackson: "We're only talking about $200,000 (in sales),
which in the Paul Allen realm is nothing. It's just really
a way to amortize R and D" (PORT. BUSINESS JOURNAL, 6/18).
