BLOOMBERG NEWS’ Korosec & Harris report former MLB Rangers Owner TOM HICKS “settled litigation” with the team’s “post-bankruptcy plan administrator who last year accused him of misdirecting money.” Administrator ALAN JACOBS accused Hicks of “diverting ‘tens of millions’ of dollars from the team toward the purchase and development of parking lots” near Rangers Ballpark. The settlement is “subject to formal approval by lenders in the bankruptcy.” The case had been scheduled for trial on Dec. 3 (BLOOMBERG NEWS, 11/27).
AWARDS & HONORS: The team behind the London Games Opening Ceremony, led by Creative Dir DANNY BOYLE, won the second Beyond Theatre award at the Evening Standard theatre awards on Sunday (GUARDIAN, 11/27)....The National Football Foundation yesterday announced that ESPN Senior VP/College Programming BURKE MAGNUS and CBS College Football Coordinating Producer CRAIG SILVER will be recognized with NFF Legacy Awards during the 55th NFF Annual Awards Dinner on Dec. 4 at the Waldorf-Astoria in N.Y. (NFF)....Charlotte Motor Speedway Senior Dir of Business Development TRACY RICH has been named the facility’s Salesperson of the Year (CMS).
HOUSE & HOME: Patriots TE ROB GRONKOWSKI purchased a new $1.6M, “fully furnished four-bedroom, six-bath waterfront crib” at the Westshore Yacht Club in Tampa (BOSTON HERALD, 11/27)....Oracle Founder & CEO and Indian Wells Tennis Garden Owner LARRY ELLISON is making his "10th residential purchase" along Carbon Beach in Malibu, Calif. He is buying film and TV producer JERRY BRUCKHEIMER's property, which is valued at "more than" $3.65M. Ellison already owns the homes on either side of the Bruckheimer property (LATIMES.com, 11/26).
NAMES: WNBA Fever C TAMMY SUTTON-BROWN is author of the children’s book series “The Adventures Of Cree And Scooter: A Global Series.” The main characters in the series are Cree, an “adventurous mini version of Sutton-Brown,” and Scooter, a “magical lizard who comes alive at night in Cree’s dreams” (ESPNW.com, 11/23)….Little, Brown & Co. yesterday announced that MLB Rangers President and Baseball HOFer NOLAN RYAN's “The Nolan Ryan Beef Cookbook” is scheduled for release in May ’14. Ryan “compiled dozens of his favorite recipes” for the book (AP, 11/26)….NHL Rangers G HENRIK LUNDQVIST sold a goalie mask for $66,000 through an auction with Steiner Sports. The proceeds benefit Hurricane Sandy relief efforts (N.Y. POST, 11/27)….Former NFLers ELLIS HOBBS and MICHAEL DEAN yesterday announced the launch of their new company and brand Privé Society and the website PriveSociety.com. The company is a luxury membership group and personal concierge service (Privé Society).
IN MEMORY: Former ESPN Mobile Senior VP & GM JOHN ZEHR died today following a lengthy illness. Zehr was hospitalized following a car accident in Connecticut in September '10. He started with ESPN in '95. ESPN Exec VP, Digital & Print Media JOHN KOSNER released a statement saying, "John made significant, long-lasting contributions to the company in every aspect of digital media. His fingerprints are all over many of the leading products and services our company has launched and his presence continues to be felt in the work our digital team does each and every day. He will be greatly missed and our thoughts are with his family during this difficult time" (John Ourand, THE DAILY).
