Comcast-Spectacor President & COO PETER LUUKKO was featured in a Q&A today about his businesses. He said of Wells Fargo Center and the changing arena business, "When I first started, if a show grossed $100,000, that was a big gig. We had the Rolling Stones here recently and grossed over $4 million per show." Luukko said the allure of hockey is "the speed and pace." He added of a regular 7:15am ET hockey game that he plays in with team employees at the arena, "What I like is the camaraderie on the bench and in the locker room" (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 10/21).
BEANTOWN'S BEST: R&B artist MARY J. BLIGE will "sing the national anthem before Game 1 of the World Series" tomorrow at Fenway Park (BOSTON GLOBE, 10/22). Meanwhile, celebs spotted at the Red Sox' series-clinching ALCS Game 6 against the Tigers on Saturday night included actor JON HAMM, comedian DANE COOK, writer BEN MEZRICH, U.S. Secretary of State JOHN KERRY, former NFLer DREW BLEDSOE, Celtics President of Basketball Operations DANNY AINGE, Mayor TOM MENINO and Indiana Gov. MIKE PENCE (BOSTON GLOBE, 10/21).
BUCK UP: The WALL STREET JOURNAL's "What's Your Workout" feature today highlights Professional Bull Rider LUKE SNYDER, who said that he relies on "a mix of yoga, low-impact cardio and body-weight-based strength exercises to keep him in shape." He added his strategy is to stay "thin to win." Snyder works out "two to three times a week, as long as his muscles aren't too sore from a competition" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 10/22).
THE MORE THE MERRIER? Yankees 3B ALEX RODRIGUEZ has added attorney LANNY DAVIS to his "already expansive legal team." Davis has previously worked with Penn State and is still retained by Redskins Owner DAN SNYDER (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 10/22). Davis said that he has been “acting as an adviser to the legal team for the past six weeks.” He also previously served as White House Special Counsel to President BILL CLINTON (ESPN.com, 10/21).
NAMES: The IOC named golfer MICHELLE WIE Youth Olympics ambassador, joining retired U.S. swimmer MICHAEL PHELPS and Russian pole vaulter YELENA ISINBAYEVA. Wie will advise golfers during the '14 Nanjing Youth Games (REUTERS, 10/21)....Toronto Sun columnist STEVE SIMMONS yesterday received the ’13 Sports Media Canada George Gross Award for Outstanding Sportswriting (TORONTO SUN, 10/22). Sportsnet's BOB MCCOWN was presented the Career Achievement award at the same ceremony (Sportsnet)….Former NBAer MALIK ALLEN and Penn.-based attorney JOSEPH ROCCO have launched inRecruit, a sports social media site “that links high school basketball players with college coaches” (PHILADELPHIA BUSINESS JOURNAL, 10/18 issue)….Former Padres Owner JOHN MOORES this weekend will wed DR. DIANNE ROSENBERG (UTSANDIEGO.com, 10/21)....IndyCar driver DARIO FRANCHITTI and his estranged wife, actress ASHLEY JUDD, are reportedly "back together" (MERCURYNEWS.com, 10/21)....Basketball HOFer BILL SHARMAN on Saturday "had a mild stroke" (L.A. TIMES, 10/21).
