CAL RIPKEN JR.'s marketing firm will announce a new
name today "as well as its expanded reach in sports
marketing and representation," according to Joe Strauss of
the Baltimore SUN. MD-based Tufton Sports & Management,
headed by President & COO IRA RAINESS, will replace what had
been recognized since '92 as The Tufton Group. The change
"culminates a three-month transition Rainess and Ripken seek
to diversify the company." Rainess wants to move the
company to a "higher level" that will include recruitment of
other high-profile clients and "strategic alliances" with
other agencies. Tufton Sports & Management named former
Orioles and Redskins PR exec JOHN MAROON as
VP/Communications and former IBL BayRunners COO TODD
BREIGHNER as VP/Business Development. Though Ripken is
considered Tufton's "most prominent client, he will assume a
more prominent role in its management upon his retirement."
Ripken: "It was always important to me, through baseball, to
Tufton Spots currently handles marketing interests for free-
agent P MIKE MUSSINA, Orioles P RYAN KOHLMEIER and Reds 1B
SEAN CASEY, among others (Baltimore SUN, 11/29).
