As it gets "accustomed to Baltimore, Monumental Sports & Entertainment has been talking to Under Armour." There is no official relationship, but MS&E Chair TED LEONSIS said that he "expects partnerships to be explored." Leonsis said UA is a "very, very entrepreneurial company. My expectation is at some point somewhere we'll find something big and innovative to work on together" (Baltimore SUN, 4/13).
SOCIAL JUSTICE? U.S. District Judge WILHELMINA WRIGHT in Minneapolis dismissed a case between a Minnesota-based carpet cleaning company Zerorez and the USOC, because the USOC "never sued or even threatened to sue" the company. Zerorez filed suit shortly before the '16 Rio Games "hoping to clarify whether the USOC could prohibit it from cheering for Minnesota athletes on social media." The company said that it wanted to tweet "Congrats to the 11 Minnesotans competing in 10 different sports at the Rio 2016 Olympics!" However, they "could not for fear of a lawsuit by the USOC" (ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS, 4/13).
THE OMEGA MAN: Former North Carolina-based Fresh Market CEO CRAIG CARLOCK has "acquired Omega Sports, a 14-store retail chain" based in Greensboro. Two of the three Omega owners "will stay on as investors and as executives." Founded in '78 by PHIL BOWMAN and THOM ROCK, Omega has "grown from a single Greensboro location to sites across North Carolina" (BIZJOURNALS.com, 4/11).
HOT ITEMS: Cubs 3B KRIS BRYANT and P JAKE ARRIETA are "set to appear" on the season finale of NBC's "CHICAGO FIRE" along with NBC Sports' MIKE TIRICO. In the episode airing this Sunday, a "young Cubs fan is in a serious car accident and rescued by the Chicago Fire crew" (DEADLINE.com, 4/12).
NAMES: As part of Adweek's spotlight on Atlanta, Falcons Senior VP/Fan Experience MIKE GOMES and Turner Sports VP/Social Media MORGAN DEWAN were among the publication's "rising brand stars who are bringing attention" to the city (ADWEEK.com, 4/10)....The N.Y. Times' "Personal Tech" feature highlighted the paper's Chief Soccer Correspondent, RORY SMITH. Smith said his favorite video-streaming apps for watching soccer are "Virgin Anywhere and Sky Sports Mobile TV." However, he said the Virgin app "needs to work out various bugs" and Sky is "better, but not perfect" (N.Y. TIMES, 4/13)....Golfer STEWART HAGESTAD was the low amateur at The Masters this year, but he said he has "no plans to turn professional." He hopes to land a "spot in a top MBA program" (WSJ.com, 4/12)....Boston Marathon principal sponsor John Hancock recently hosted an event at the Reggie Lewis Track & Athletic Center for 250 students participating in UNICEF Kid Power in Boston (John Hancock)....Las Vegas-based Millennial Esports has raised $2M through "privately placed shares that come with stock warrants" (ESPORTSOBSERVER.com, 4/11)....LARRY THE CABLE GUY will be grand marshal for Kansas Speedway’s spring Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race (KANSASCITY.com, 4/12)....Churchill Downs announced that HARRY CONNICK JR. will sing the National Anthem at the Kentucky Derby on May 6 (Churchill Downs).
IN MEMORY: Former Steelers and Eagles exec TOM MODRAK died Tuesday at his home near St. Augustine, Fla., at the age of 74. Modrak "rose from part-time scout with the Steelers" to have a four-decade NFL career. Modrak also worked with the BLESTO scouting combine before "rejoining the Steelers as a full-time pro scout" in '78. Modrak was later hired as Eagles GM and was "responsible for hiring" coach ANDY REID and drafting QB DONOVAN MCNABB. After being fired in ‘01, he "spent 10 seasons" as Bills VP/College Scouting. In May ‘12, Modrak returned to BLESTO (TRIBLIVE.com, 4/12). Modrak "served two years in the U.S. Army," and he was also an "assistant coach in college at West Point, Utah and Harvard" (POST-GAZETTE.com, 4/12).
