The POHLAD family, which owns the Twins, "has acquired majority ownership" of Minnetonka-based Polaroid in a $70M deal. Polaroid is "best known for making instant cameras but the name can be found on a variety of electronic goods, including tablets, cameras and flat-screen TVs" (AP, 12/27). The deal to buy Polaroid includes the "right to license its still marketable name to manufacturers across the globe." The deal gives the Pohlads "control of about 65 percent of the company" (STARTRIBUNE.com, 12/27).
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Ferrara (l) tries to talk Rousey (r) into going out with
him in the Entourage movie |
LET'S HUG IT OUT: Warner Bros. last week released the trailer for the "ENTOURAGE" big-screen adaptation, and UFC fighter RONDA ROUSEY "spent much of 2014" filming scenes for the movie. Rousey "plays herself and has a significant role." Her "big scene depicted in the trailer is one at the gym, where the character Turtle, played by JERRY FERRARA, tries to talk her into going out with him" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 12/23). Patriots TE ROB GRONKOWSKI and WR JULIAN EDELMAN "make a brief but bro-tastic cameo in the trailer" (BOSTONHERALD.com, 12/24). Recently retired soccer player THIERRY HENRY also makes an appearance in the film (TELEGRAPH.co.uk, 12/24).
FIT FOR A QUEEN CITY: In Charlotte, David Scott profiled MLL Charlotte Hounds and USL Pro club Charlotte Independence President & Managing Partner JIM MCPHILLIAMY as part of the paper's "Seven to Watch" for '15. McPhilliamy, who previously served as Bobcats Senior VP/Brand Marketing, "wants to be able to market the Hounds and the Independence as one." He also hopes the Independence, which begin play in the spring, "will one day end up" in MLS. McPhilliamy said that a "deep-pocketed investor will need to step forward if the Independence is to ever be considered by MLS" (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 12/25).
NAMES: Florida State on Tuesday agreed to a "new eight-year contract" through the '22 season for football coach JIMBO FISHER. A source said that the deal "is worth an average" of $5.5M per year (ESPN.com, 12/23)....BEVERLY ABRAHAM, one of the women who accused former VANOC CEO JOHN FURLONG of sexual abuse, “has withdrawn her lawsuit, citing family reasons” (VANCOUVER SUN, 12/24)....The CP named tennis player EUGENIE BOUCHARD the winner of the Bobbie Rosenfeld Award “for the second year in a row.” The honor “is awarded to the ... female athlete of the year” (CP, 12/28)....The National Thoroughbred Racing Association, Daily Racing Form and the National Turf Writers & Broadcasters announced longtime NYRA announcer TOM DURKIN will receive the Eclipse Award of Merit for a lifetime of outstanding achievement in the thoroughbred industry on Jan. 17 at Gulfstream Park (NYRA)....The Western Mass Baseball HOF will induct Red Sox play-by-play announcer JOE CASTIGLIONE on Jan. 28 (THEREMINDER.com, 12/18)....Baseball HOFer JOHNNY BENCH sold two homes: one in Rancho Mirage, Calif., for $1.195M, and one in Naples, Fla., for $2.95M (LATIMES.com, 12/23)....Pro Football HOFer WILLIE ROAF sold his 4,586-square-foot Riverside, Calif., home for $1.085M. Roaf bought the home for $1.05M last year (LATIMES.com, 12/22)....Actress and Louisville native JENNIFER LAWRENCE watched the Kentucky-Louisville basketball game on Saturday from UL AD TOM JURICH’s suite (COURIER-JOURNAL.com, 12/28)....BILLIE JEAN KING yesterday was a guest of the KRAFT family at the Bills-Patriots game at Gillette Stadium as they celebrated the birthday of Ice Bucket Challenge founder PETE FRATES (TWITTER.com, 12/28).
IN MEMORY: Former Univ. of Oklahoma broadcaster and publicist MIKE TREPS passed away at the age of 81. Treps retired in ’98 after 27 years as Dir of Media Information, SID and Assistant AD (NEWSOK.com, 12/23).
