The WALL STREET JOURNAL's Baer, Patrick & Zuckerman cited sources as saying that two multimillion-dollar house purchases have "rankled employees" at Guggenheim Partners. One home purchased in May was an $85M mansion in Malibu, with Guggenheim CEO and Dodgers Chair MARK WALTER as a "co-investor in the purchase." Sources said that a second, $13M home was bought last year in L.A., and Guggenheim Global Head Institutional Distribution ALEXANDRA COURT "subsequently moved in." Both properties were purchased by a Miami-based ABS Capital Company. Sources from the firm said that news of the home purchases in June "deepened some employees’ resentment over an alleged personal relationship" between Walter and Court. Court had "laid off staff and imposed new limits on contacts with clients after a promotion last year." (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 10/9).
THE LATEST TREND: Disney Chair & CEO BOB IGER is starting to find his "voice on matters having nothing to do with PG-rated blockbusters or amusement park rides," as he is emerging as a "credible contender" in the '20 presidential speculation game. The entry of Iger into the arena shows how PRESIDENT TRUMP has a way of "drawing people and corporations once considered apolitical into the red-hot center" (N.Y. TIMES, 10/9).
ON THE RIGHT TRACK: Charlotte Motor Speedway joined DALE EARNHARDT JR. in "addressing the concussion issue." The track will "donate $100,000 to establish the Dale Earnhardt Jr. Concussion Research Fund at the Carolinas Healthcare System's Levine Children's Hospital in Charlotte." The CMS donation also will "underwrite baseline concussion testing for more than 10,000 athletes" at Charlotte-area high schools" (USA TODAY, 10/7)....Texas Motor Speedway President EDDIE GOSSAGE was "honored" by Middle Tennessee State as the recipient of the '17 MTSU Distinguished Alumnus Award winner (Nashville TENNESSEAN, 10/8).
FOOTBALL FREE TIME: Broncos LB VON MILLER on Saturday stopped by the Dixie Chicken, a bar in College Station, to "help before attending the Texas A&M-Alabama game during his bye week" (DALLASNEWS.com, 10/7)....Patriots WR JULIAN EDELMAN will “perform a reading of his book, ‘FLYING HIGH,’” tomorrow at the Jewish Community Center in Newton, Mass. (AP, 10/8)....Patriots QB TOM BRADY and wife GISELE BUNDCHEN were “with their family at the BRUNO MARS show” at TD Garden on Saturday (BOSTON GLOBE, 10/9).
NAMES: MSG VP/Sports & Entertainment MATTHEW GOLDSTEIN is included on Billboard's list of "40 Under 40: Music's Top Young Power Players" (BILLBOARD.com, 10/6)....Among those in attendance at Friday's Cubs-Nationals NLDS Game 1 were U.S. Secretary of Labor ALEX ACOSTA, former White House Press Secretary SEAN SPICER, adviser to HILLARY CLINTON’s ’16 presidential campaign JAKE SULLIVAN, former White House Communications Dir ANITA DUNN, former White House Counsel BOB BAUER, DC lobbyists DAVID and ANN CASTAGNETTI, political strategists STEVE ROSENTHAL and JAMES CARVILLE, and LUKE RUSSERT (POLITICO.com, 10/7)....Astros P JUSTIN VERLANDER “tucked in to dinner at Strega Waterfront” in Boston this weekend with his team facing off against the Red Sox in the ALDS (BOSTON HERALD, 10/9).
IN MEMORY: Several hundred people, including numerous NASCAR officials, drivers and former stars of the sport, “attended Friday morning’s funeral" for NASCAR HOFer-elect ROBERT YATES. Among those attending the service were NASCAR Chair & CEO BRIAN FRANCE, drivers RICKY STENHOUSE JR., TREVOR BAYNE, ARIC ALMIROLA and retired drivers BOBBY and DONNIE ALLISON. Among the pallbearers were NASCAR HOFer DALE JARRETT and former Yates team crew chiefs LARRY MCREYNOLDS and TODD PARROTT (USATODAY.com, 10/6).
