Names In The News

Parker’s (r) Honeymoon Puts Charity All-Star Game In Paris On Hold

SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL’s Daniel Kaplan cites sources as saying that IMG has “received several inquiries in recent months” about whether the company is for sale. However, while IMG has been working with Goldman Sachs, “its role is to expand business rather than sell.” A source said, “IMG is doing extremely well ... and investment bankers see that, and consequently inquiries are made.” But IMG Exec VP, CFO & CAO TERRI SANTISI “said emphatically that the company is not for sale” (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 4/23 issue).

RIDING HIGH: SPIRE CAPITAL’s acquisition of a majority interest in the PBR officially closed yesterday following an approval of the deal by PBR shareholders on April 12 (PBR). Spire said that it plans no major changes for the PBR and signed PBR CEO RANDY BERNARD to a four-year contract prior to the shareholders meeting (BILLINGS GAZETTE, 4/18).

WHIP LASH: A charity all-star game planned for July 15 in Paris featuring several NBA stars playing against France’s national team has been canceled because Spurs G TONY PARKER “will be unavailable to play after his wedding” to actress EVA LONGORIA. Rockets C DIKEMBE MUTOMBO, who was planning the game to benefit his Biamba Marie Mutombo Hospital and Research Center in the Republic of Congo, said, “Tony is going to be on the honeymoon, and the French Federation says if Tony Parker will not play, the game cannot happen” (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 4/24).

NAMES: The N.Y. City Council by a 41-4 vote overrode a veto by Mayor MICHAEL BLOOMBERG on a bill banning metal bats from high school baseball games. The ban will begin in September (AP, 4/24)....Sirius Satellite Radio increased the compensation of CEO MEL KARMAZIN “ninefold to $31.2[M] last year, when the firm’s stock fell 47%” (BLOOMBERG NEWS, 4/24)....A new high school in Trophy Club, Texas, will be named after late golf legend BYRON NELSON (FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 4/24)....Patriots Owner ROBERT KRAFT will receive an honorary degree from the Univ. of Massachusetts-Boston at its June 1 commencement (BOSTON HERALD, 4/22).

IN MEMORY: NJSEA Dir of Communications & External Affairs BERNARD SPIGNER died Sunday at the age of 51 after recently beginning treatments for cancer (STAR-LEDGER, 4/24)....STEVE PATRAS, radio broadcaster for the Triple-A Int’l League Richmond Braves, died Saturday at the age of 58, “apparently after working out at a Charlottesville health club” (RICHMOND TIMES-DISPATCH, 4/24).