McDonald's Golden Addresses Conference Crowd

The 6th annual SBJ/SBD Relay Worldwide Sports Sponsorship Symposium concludes today in N.Y., where sports business execs have gathered during the past two days to discuss myriad issues facing the industry. In the wake of the Beijing Games, Olympic marketing has been a hot topic at the event, with McDonald’s marketing exec John Lewicki saying the IOC’s decision on where to host the 2016 Summer Olympics will be a major factor in determining whether the company renews its TOP sponsorship. The economy is another issue at the forefront of marketers' minds, but some say the current climate could yield bargains for savvy sponsors. Other highlights from the conference include the importance of carefully aligning brands with the right athletes and interviews with a bevy of the industry’s heavy hitters.

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Feeding The Monster 
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Foul Ball?
Report claims city of N.Y., Yankees may have violated federal tax laws in using tax-exempt bonds to build new ballpark.

Road Block 
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Birds Of A Feather 
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Full Court Press 
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Around The Rink
Bettman addresses impact of economy, league expansion ahead of NHL training camps.

Four-Car Garage
Gillett Evernham has deal in the works to acquire Bill Davis Racing’s Cup team.