In New Orleans, Jaquetta White notes a group of New Orleans organizations in partnership with the NCAA “will begin hosting seminars about contract procurement later this month,” in an effort to “identify minority and women-owned businesses that might qualify for contracting opportunities when the NCAA Men's Final Four is hosted" in the city next year. The NCAA Access Program “aims to educate New Orleans minority and women business owners about the services the NCAA will need during the basketball tournament in March and April and how they can become qualified to perform them.” The first seminar “will take place Aug. 31” (New Orleans TIMES-PICAYUNE, 8/18).
THE HAND OF THE LAW: In Austin, Steven Kreytak reports a federal jury yesterday found former Triton CEO KURT BARTON guilty of fraud on “all 39 counts against him.” Prosecutors said that Barton “employed Heisman Trophy-winning football players, including TY DETMER and CHRIS WEINKE, to raise money for purported investments in real estate and businesses, and to make short-term loans to business owners” (AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATEMAN, 8/18).
NEW KID ON THE BLOCK: CHRISTINA MCHALE, the 19-year old New Jersey native who knocked off No. 1-ranked player CAROLINE WOZNIACKI yesterday at the Western & Southern Open, is now represented by Lagardere Unlimited. The French agency began working with her last week. She had been represented by Octagon, before going without representation the last few months. She is currently ranked 76th (Daniel Kaplan, SportsBusiness Journal).
NAMES: Phoenix Suns Charities gave a “record $1.36 million in grants and scholarships to a record 178 non-profit organizations in a Tuesday afternoon ceremony at US Airways Center” (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 8/18)....Attorneys for Jets QB MARK BRUNELL are “hopeful” that he “can emerge from bankruptcy in 30 to 45 days.” Brunell “originally filed for a Chapter 11 debt reorganization in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Jacksonville in June 2010” (FLORIDA TIMES-UNION, 8/18)….Celtics F PAUL PIERCE “teamed with HGTV designers CORTNEY and BOB NOVOGRATZ to give the gym at his alma mater, Inglewood High, a high-end makeover.” The “Home by Novogratz” episode will air this Saturday at 10:00pm ET (BOSTON HERALD, 8/18)….F1 Management Chair BERNIE ECCLESTONE has spent an estimated US$2.15M on his daughter PETRA’s wedding next week, including performances from the Black-Eyed Peas and ERIC CLAPTON. It is estimated the Black-Eyed Peas will cost US$1.2M, and Clapton will cost close to US$400,000 (London DAILY MIRROR, 8/18).
