In New Orleans, Mark Schleifstein reported former Saints QB ARCHIE MANNING, Saints and Hornets Owner TOM BENSON, his wife, GAYLE, and others in the city, have “asked 22 members of the Newhouse Family to sell The Times-Picayune, which will move to three-day-a-week publication this fall.” But the sale request “was immediately rejected by the paper’s owners” (New Orleans TIMES-PICAYUNE, 7/10).
JOY RIDE: ABC’s KATIE COURIC was in Indianapolis yesterday to “take a drive around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway with [NASCAR driver] DANICA PATRICK.” The feature will air “sometime after Couric’s syndicated talk show" debuts in September (AP, 7/10).
FOR YOUR SAFETY: USA Football will stage a “Protection Tour” at “four NFL team facilities, focusing on educating players and their families, coaches and others on preventive safety measures for young athletes.” The tour begins July 21 at the Bears and Colts training complexes, and will continue on July 24 with the Giants and four days later at the 49ers. Held in conjunction with Riddell, Chartis Insurance and the NFL, the tour will "include as many as 1,500 youth football players, parents, coaches, medical and training personnel” (AP, 7/10).
NAMES: In Portland, Aimee Green reported a woman is “suing the Trail Blazers and the Rose Garden arena for $155,000 -- claiming that the organizations over-served a drunken fan, who badly injured her shoulder when he fell onto her” (OREGONLIVE.com, 7/10)....Officials from the PGA Tour Northern Trust Open yesterday announced that City of Hope, a research, treatment and education center for cancer, diabetes, HIV/AIDS and other life-threatening diseases, will be the tourney’s official charity (PGA Tour)….Red Wings Scout NICKLAS LIDSTROM recently sold his Novi, Mich., home for under the full listing price of $2.9M (MLIVE.com, 7/9)….Blackhawks C JONATHAN TOEWS paid $2.05M for a Lakeshore East condo that was previously rented by Blackhawks RW MARIAN HOSSA (CHICAGOREALESTATEDAILY.com, 7/10)….Jets QBs MARK SANCHEZ and TIM TEBOW, along with several teammates, attended the first-anniversary celebration for Katsuya restaurant in Laguna Beach, Calif. Sanchez is a part owner (N.Y. POST, 7/11).
IN MEMORY: Double-A Southern League Jacksonville Suns Owner PETER BRAGAN SR. yesterday was remembered by “several hundred mourners” in attendance at his memorial service. Bragan, 89, died of heart failure on Saturday and yesterday was “eulogized for everything from his kindness, to his tough negotiating stance in making a new ballpark for his Double-A franchise a reality, to being the patriarch of five Southern League championship teams.” Southern League President of Operations LORIE WEBB and MiLB VP/Legal Affairs SCOTT POLEY were among the “visitors paying their respects” (FLORIDA TIMES-UNION, 7/11).
GAME CHANGERS: SportsBusiness Journal again this fall will shine the light on women who are making key contributions in sports business. If you know someone who should be considered for the second annual Game Changers: Women in Sports Business section, please send her name, company/title and -- in 300 words or less -- reason for consideration to women@sportsbusinessjournal.com.
