Facility Notes

SeatExchange Models New Ad Campaign After Concert Posters

Secondary ticketing outfit SeatExchange has signed English Premier League club Manchester City and the Univ. of California (UC) to exclusive multi-year ticket resale deals, deepening the Chicago-based company's base in collegiate and international clients. Meanwhile, the company is pursuing a new advertising campaign targeting younger consumers. The effort was developed with Chicago-based GamePlan, makers of the current logo and overall corporate identity for the Bobcats, features print and online ads inspired by event and rock concert posters. Financial terms of the Manchester City and UC deals were not disclosed (Eric Fisher, SportsBusiness Journal).

GOING UPSTATE? Skidmore College officials expect the Knicks to "make a decision by the end of the month on whether to hold their training camp" at the school's campus in Saratoga Springs, New York (Albany TIMES UNION, 7/15). The team has held its training camp at the College of Charleston in South Carolina for the past 17 years (Albany TIMES UNION, 7/14).

DOWN BY THE BAY: Sony Ericsson WTA Tour Bank of the West Classic Tournament Dir Adam Barrett said that when tournament officials and title sponsor Bank of the West last year agreed to a five-year extension, they “did so with ‘plans to remain in the Bay Area’ for the duration of the contract.” But the tournament's contract with Stanford Univ. expires after next year, and Barrett said that he “would like to find a venue larger than Stanford’s Taube Family Tennis Stadium.” The facility has 2,500 permanent seats, and about 1,700 are added for the tournament. In San Jose, Darren Sabedra noted one “possible destination” for the tournament is the HP Pavilion, home of the ATP Tour SAP Open (SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, 7/14).

TRAINING DAY: In Phoenix, Elias Arnold reports the Goodyear (AZ) City Council yesterday “approved an agreement allowing the Reds to train in the city for at least 20 years.” Goodyear in return “has agreed to spend nearly $32[M] to build practice fields and a 38,000-square-foot clubhouse for the team.” The Reds are slated to start holding their Spring Training in Goodyear in 2010 (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 7/15).