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Sunday, Feb. 7, 2:00pm ET

Weekend Rap .... Latest News .... Golden Eye

StubHub Says Lowest Super Bowl Ticket Going For $3,000

With Super Bowl 50 just hours away, $3,000 is the "lowest price of a ticket" to get into the game. StubHub Dir of Field Operations Jason Deppen said, "The average price we’re seeing -- $4,500, $4,700 -- and prices get up to into the tens of thousands depending on suite levels, and lower sidelines." Deppen added that StubHub as of this morning had "already sold nearly 5,000 tickets, and it expects sales to reach 6,000 before kickoff" (AP, 2/7).

Conditions "will be ideal for the game, with sunny weather and temperatures in the low 70s around kickoff." The weather "will cool by nighttime, with temperatures dipping into the 50s" (SFGATE.com, 2/6). 

Broncos' Bowlen Reportedly Suffered Blood Clot, Will Watch From Home

A source said that Broncos Owner Pat Bowlen "suffered a blood clot and spent a lengthy stay in a hospital before the Broncos' playoff run." Bowlen, 71, is "battling Alzheimer's and has since returned home" (DENVER POST, 2/6). Bowlen will be watching Super Bowl 50 "on TV in his Denver-area home" (N.Y. POST, 2/7). But Bowlen's fingerprints are "all over" this team (ESPN.com, 2/7).

Broncos Exec VP/Football Operations & GM John Elway is a "rarity in that he's a Hall of Fame player who may be as good behind a desk as he was under center" (SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, 2/6). Elway "gives everybody in his world the impression that he invented football, perfected it or both." Elway's approach has "produced splendid results for the Broncos since he took over" (SPORTSONEARTH.com, 2/5).

Panthers GM Dave Gettleman is "not quite cut from the same cloth as most NFL personnel executives," as his "easygoing, open-minded style has rubbed off on the rest of the Panthers" (BOSTON GLOBE, 2/7). Meanwhile, a story on Panthers QB Cam Newton "wouldn't be complete" without mentioning the "ball giveaways to kids" after touchdowns. He also grants surprises like "visiting an auditorium full of children at a local school" (USATODAY.com, 2/7).

Denver, Charlotte Newspapers Pay Tribute To Broncos, Panthers

Denver Post designer Alison Borden “took her job to the next level when she painted a Peyton Manning portrait to grace the newspaper's Sunday cover." The painting is “based off a photograph” and “took Borden 10 to 12 hours to complete” (DENVER POST, 2/7). Meanwhile, the Panthers have a full-page ad in today’s San Jose Mercury News thanking everyone in the Bay Area who helped host the Super Bowl. The Denver Post has a full-page ad in the Mercury News, its sister paper, touting its coverage of the Broncos and cheering on the team (THE DAILY).

Dick’s Sporting Goods and delivery service UberFlash are “combining efforts in Chicago and New York to get championship T-shirts to the fans” of the winning Super Bowl team either “two hours after the game or the morning after” (BIZJOURNALS.com, 2/5).

NFLPA's Smith Attributes Concussion Spike To Better Player Reporting

NFLPA Exec Dir DeMaurice Smith appeared on CBS' "Face the Nation" this morning and said the increase in concussions this season is likely the result of "doing a better job capturing the injuries that are occurring." He said, "We probably have a better system where players feel better to report the injuries that they have. So we look at the numbers not as a raw spike ... (but) something we've already known." He added of the league's response to the issue of head injuries, "The league goes absolutely as far as the union pushes them. So if it's the issue of sideline concussion experts, the union had to fight for that" ("Face The Nation," CBS, 2/7).

Advil Among Late Super Bowl Ads; KFC Opts For In-Game Stream

Advil "plans to air its first Super Bowl commercial in more than a decade” with a spot titled “Distant Memory” via Grey, N.Y. The 30-second national spot is a "floater, meaning there is a chance the commercial won’t air depending on timeouts and official reviews" (ADAGE.com, 2/5). Meanwhile, Amazon unveiled its full 30-second spot via Leo Burnett, N.Y. Alec Baldwin and Dan Marino in the spot “take jabs at one another,” while rapper Missy Elliott is “debuting her new song, ‘Pep Rally’” (ADAGE.com, 2/7). Brands with Super Bowl spots investing in “dedicated war rooms” during the game include LG, Anheuser-Busch and Wix.com (ADWEEK.com, 2/5).

Lionsgate during CBS’ pregame coverage “has opted to release” a 60-second trailer for “Gods of Egypt” (DEADLINE.com, 2/6). Meanwhile, comedian Jim Gaffigan will debut as KFC’s Col. Sanders “during Sunday’s pre-game broadcast and in an in-game spot in CBS’s live stream.” The 30-second spot is via Wieden + Kennedy, N.Y. (ADAGE.com, 2/6).

This year’s presidential hopefuls and their respective PACs have placed orders for 77 ads during Super Bowl-related programming at a total price of $1.68M in markets that serve New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada voters. Marco Rubio tops all spenders, as his campaign and the Conservative Solutions PAC supporting him are scheduled to air 40 ads at a total price of $616,850 on Super Bowl Sunday (Brandon McClung, Research Associate).

MLB Rangers Buy Local Super Bowl Ad To Battle Declining Attendance

The MLB Rangers, trying to "drum up enthusiasm and reverse a decline in attendance, have purchased" a 30-second spot during the Super Bowl 50 telecast. The Rangers "included a ticket offer at the end of the spot." It will run "before the start of the halftime show" only on KTVT-CBS. The Rangers last season "had the fifth-largest decline in per-game attendance in the majors at 2,801, to 30,764." Attendance "has annually dropped since the Rangers averaged a club-record 42,270 per game" in '12 (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 2/6).

Meanwhile, former MLBer Pete Rose and former Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman will star in a local spot that "promotes William Hill's mobile sports wagering application, which allows gamblers to place bets from a smart phone or tablet" (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 2/6). Campbell's Chunky Soup's 30-second spot, created by RAIN, N.Y., will "run regionally in Green Bay." The final scene, in which the Packers "head onto the field, should play well." The spot will "run nationally after the game" (ADWEEK.com, 2/5).

Big Crowds Push Super Bowl City To Capacity, Forcing Closure

With huge crowds yesterday "descending on downtown" S.F., its police department "closed Super Bowl City" to additional visitors. In a statement released at about 5:30pm PT, the department said the venue "has reached capacity and is closed." The 10-acre Super Bowl City "holds about 18,000 people." Singer Alicia Keys gave a free concert as scheduled at 7:30 (SFGATE.com, 2/6). But the S.F. CHRONICLE's C.W. Nevius wrote even the "crustiest critic has to admit that Super Hype Week went nicely here" (S.F. CHRONICLE, 2/6).

Former 49ers Owner DeBartolo Gets Into Pro Football HOF On Third Try

Former 49ers Owner Eddie DeBartolo Jr. was voted into the Pro Football HOF last night after falling short "in each of his three previous tries as a finalist." DeBartolo's case "took 50 minutes and 30 seconds -- the most time devoted to a single candidate during the debate." The 49ers won five Super Bowls during his reign and reached the NFC Championship game 10 times. ESPN's Jim Trotter "presented the first part of DeBartolo's case to the selection committee and then gave way to Nancy Gay, a former Bay Area-based sports writer" (SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, 2/7).

The HOF class of '16 also includes QB Brett Favre, coach Tony Dungy, LB Kevin Greene, WR Marvin Harrison, OT Orlando Pace, QB Ken Stabler and G Dick Stanfel (USA TODAY, 2/7).

NFL Awards Grants To Three Tech Firms In Shark Tank-Like Competition

By Daniel Kaplan

The NFL yesterday awarded $50,000 grants each to three technology companies as part of the league’s first ever shark tank-like funding competition that seeks to help develop sports tech firms. The companies also won meetings with NFL execs and Super Bowl tickets for today. The winners are LiveLike, which makes a virtual reality system for sports leagues; Kenzen, which makes a wearable patch that monitors biometrics; and Hyp3r, which collects social media data at sporting and entertainment events.

Third Round Of Phoenix Open Sets Single-Day Attendance Record

The third round of the Waste Management Phoenix Open yesterday drew 201,003 fans, setting a "new single-day attendance record." The previous single-day record "was 189,722 during the third round" in '14. The overall tournament record "will also be eclipsed." Last year, 564,368 "showed up for the week," and with one day still to go, this year’s total "is already up to 553,035." Officials "expect this year's attendance for the week to top well over 600,000" (PGATOUR.com, 2/6).

Golfer Phil Mickelson said, "The front nine there are really a lot of golf fans. ... They're watching and they're interested in the shots. And then you get to the back nine and they're not to be found, it's a party scene" ("Waste Management Phoenix Open," NBC, 2/6).

Rays Meet With Tampa, Hillsborough Officials On Ballpark Site Search

Rays President Brian Auld said that after "outlining the team's plans for its stadium search to a dozen officials and business executives from Tampa and Hillsborough County," both sides "agreed to meet again, probably monthly." Much of the closed two-hour meeting Friday in downtown Tampa "was spent explaining what the Rays mean when they talk about their ambition to create a 'next generation' ballpark" (TAMPA BAY TIMES, 2/6).

Weekend Briefs....

Sources said that Yankees radio broadcasters John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman have "agreed in principle to new two-year deals" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 2/7).

Citigroup has "barred its New York customers from making credit card transactions with DraftKings and FanDuel." Citigroup spokesperson Jennifer Bombardier said that the ban will last "until a decision on the sites’ legality is made by courts" (N.Y. POST, 2/6).

Yesterday's Islanders-Red Wings game at Joe Louis Arena was "delayed for 36 minutes because the Zamboni caught a mooring from the net and dragged it from about the goal line to the blue line, gouging a hole in the ice." Arena workers "plugged new ice into the portion that was gashed away and let it refreeze" (USATODAY.com, 2/6).

The USGA yesterday announced Chicago Golf Club, in Wheaton, Ill., and Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club, in Southern Pines, N.C., as the host sites of the inaugural '18 and '19 U.S. Senior Women’s Open Championships, respectively (USGA).

Michigan State announced Friday that football season-ticket prices will "increase by $5 per game while parking will rise $10 a game." The school said that it is the "first price increase" since '09 (DETROIT NEWS, 2/6).

Northern Kentucky Univ. and adidas have "entered into a five-year partnership" through '20-21 (WLWT.com, 2/6).

Quick Hits....

"Super Bowl Sunday: The day America celebrates football -- and brain damage" – The headline to Washington Post columnist George Will's Saturday column (WASHINGTON POST, 2/6).

"Newton is like rock music when it first came out. The kids loved everything about it. But it took parents awhile to accept it as a part of culture. Newton is the same way on the big stage with the way he plays" – The Marketing Arm Managing Dir Matt Delzell, on the popularity of Panthers QB Cam Newton (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 2/7).

"I have a feeling that ship has passed. ... We're not a variety show. We're not pop. We're not sparkly, and all that kind of stuff that seems to be what's needed for that" – Metallica lead singer James Hetfield, on whether he thinks the band will ever play the Super Bowl halftime show (AP, 2/6).

"It's so funny, years later people still bring up the Oreo moment. It was a defining moment for real-time marketing" – Twitter Head of Brand Strategy Alex Josephson, on Oreo's response to the Super Bowl blackout of '13 (FASTCOMPANY.com, 2/6).

"Now we have a Daytona 500 field missing not one star in Jeff Gordon but now two sure-to-be Hall of Famers with Gordon and [Tony Stewart]. It's certainly going to have an effect on what we do. It's one less really good story to tell and one less great sentimental favorite -- and probably also a competitive favorite -- to build a story on" – Fox NASCAR play-by-play man Mike Joy, on both men not competing in the race (USATODAY.com, 2/6).

Weekend Hot Reads....

The N.Y. TIMES' Ken Belson writes Santa Clara Mayor Jamie Matthews may be the only mayor in the U.S. to "host the Super Bowl and yet have no interest in attending the game." Matthews "will use a media pass to visit Levi's Stadium" this morning before the game to thank the operations staff and meet NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, before heading home to "watch the game with his wife and children." Matthews said, "I know nothing about football, I don’t follow the teams, I don’t follow the players, and I have never been to a professional football game, after all this. I am focused completely on the economics of it."

The L.A. TIMES' Kevin Baxter writes EPL club Everton is "trying to become America's team ... playing up its rich history and a lineage of U.S.-born players." The club has "tried to sell itself to the public in a uniquely American way -- by appearing" in the movie "Creed." The club also "may soon have American owners" if a group led by former Padres Owner John Jay Moores "is successful with a bid to buy a controlling interest in the club."

Elsewhere:

Sunday Comic....

A sneak preview of SportsBusiness Journal's weekly editorial cartoon:

Twitter Me This....

If you see a tweet we will not want to miss, send it to us at editorial@sportsbusinessdaily.com.

Weekend Digit....

16 – Number of times, after today, that CBS' Boomer Esiason will have made a Super Bowl appearance as a radio color commentator, tying him with Hank Stram for the most ever in that role (THE DAILY).

Back Pages....

The Weekend Rap offers today's back page sports covers from some of North America's major metropolitan tabloids:

 N.Y. Post  N.Y. Daily News Newsday   Boston HeraldChicago Sun-Times

Hit The Ground Running: The Week Ahead....

THE DAILY’s Week Ahead: Feb. 8-14
 
MONDAY
• Chinese New Year
• National Golf Course Owners Association Conference begins – San Diego
• ATP World Tour Memphis Open begins – Memphis
• ATP World Tour Argentina Open begins – Buenos Aires, Argentina
• ATP World Tour ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament begins – Rotterdam, Netherlands
• WTA Tour St. Petersburg Ladies Trophy begins – St. Petersburg, Russia
• WTA Tour Taiwan Open begins – Kaohsiung, Taiwan
 
TUESDAY
• Tampa Bay Business Journal’s Business of Sports conference – Tampa
 
WEDNESDAY
Soccer friendly: Mexico vs. Senegal - Miami (Note: TV coverage on FS1, marking the start of new Fox Sports rights deal with Mexican men’s national team)
 
THURSDAY
• Polartec Big Air at Fenway Park begins (USSA event) – Boston
• European Sponsorship Association Excellence Awards – London
• Circle K NHRA Winternationals begin (season-opening event) – Pomona, Calif.
• PGA Tour AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am begins – Pebble Beach, Calif.
 
FRIDAY
• Winter Youth Olympics begin – Lillehammer, Norway
• Champions Tour Chubb Classic begins – Naples, Fla.
 
SATURDAY
• NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Sprint Unlimited – Daytona Beach, Fla.
• “Sports Illustrated Swimsuit 2016 Revealed” on TNT (Sports Illustrated, IMG and TNT effort)
• World Bowling Tour Men’s and Women’s Finals presented by PBA – Indianapolis
 
SUNDAY
• Valentine’s Day
• NBA All-Star Game – Toronto
• National Sports Forum begins – Portland
 
Note: Events are subject to change. Information about upcoming events can be sent via email to calendar@sportsbusinessjournal.com.