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Coast to Coast

Coast to Coast: Hats off to Angels

ANAHEIM

Fans in hats will fill Angel Stadium June 2
in attempt to break a world record.
Photo by: ANGELS BASEBALL
Angles aim for hat record
The Los Angeles Angels on June 2 will attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the largest gathering of people wearing cowboy hats. The current record is 500. Fans in attendance when the Angels play Texas will receive a complimentary Angels cowboy hat courtesy of team sponsor Yokohama.

ANN ARBOR, MICH.
UM president cautious with night games

University of Michigan President Mary Sue Coleman said she “doesn’t want to overdo it” with night games at Michigan Stadium despite the popularity of last year’s event, when the Wolverines hosted Notre Dame, according to a Grand Rapids Press report. Though there were concerns about how the late kickoff would affect the town, Coleman said there were fewer problems than at a typical 3 p.m. game, according to the report.

ATLANTA
D-II, D-III finals join D-I venue

The Division II and Division III men’s basketball championship games will be played in Atlanta on April 7, the off day between the Division I semifinals and championship game. The decision to crown the champions of all three divisions in the same city on the same weekend is part of the NCAA’s plan for celebrating the 75th edition of the Division I tournament next year.

BALTIMORE
O’s clubs part of Passport program

The Baltimore Orioles have a new Birdland Passport program that rewards fans who visit Oriole Park at Camden Yards and the Orioles’ local minor league affiliates. All five affiliates are participating. Fans who visit all six clubs in one year will be entered to win a trip for two to spring training in Sarasota, Fla., in 2013.

CALGARY
UFC 149 sells out quickly

UFC 149 is officially sold out after brisk ticket sales on May 12, according to a Calgary Sun report, and scalpers were already cashing in on the fight’s popularity before the last ticket sold. Floor seats were being sold for more than $2,000 for a pair on one website, according to the report. Attendance for the July 21 event at the Scotiabank Saddledome is expected to exceed 18,000.

COLUMBUS
MLS team plans towering freeway sign

The Columbus Graphics Commission gave the Columbus Crew permission to erect a 100-foot-tall sign along I-71 that will feature two large LED screens, according to a Columbus Dispatch report. The commission approved the $2 million sign with several conditions, including no scrolling or flashing messages.

Classic car enthusiasts will return to Comerica Park in search of blue ribbons.
Photo by: DETROIT TIGERS

DETROIT
Tigers bring back car show
The Detroit Tigers’ second annual Classic Car Show, presented by MotorCity Casino Hotel and Total Lubricants, is scheduled for July 7. Interested car owners can participate in a nomination process online at tigers.com/carshow. Nominations will continue until Friday, at which time 100 nominated vehicles will be selected for participation.

EASTLAKE, OHIO
Captains, Chevy giving away leases

The Lake County Captains, Class A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians, have partnered with Chevy Network, the Classic Auto Group and Classic Chevrolet as part of the team’s 10th anniversary celebration and will give away one 24-month lease for a 2012 Chevy Cruze at the team’s home games on both June 3 and July 1. Fans 18 and older will receive a complimentary entry form at Classic Park for participation in the contest.

FLAGSTAFF, ARIZ.

Garagiola spoke at the dedication in his honor.
Photo by: JONATHAN WILLEY / ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS
D-Backs honor Garagiola
The Arizona Diamondbacks dedicated Joe Garagiola Sr. Field, the 32nd Diamonds Back Field, presented by APS. The field, part of the club’s youth-field rebuilding program, is the second venue to be dedicated in 2012, following Justin Upton Field on April 5. It also is the second field to be dedicated in Flagstaff, Ariz., after Mark Grace Field was introduced in 2003. Garagiola is a color analyst on select Diamondbacks broadcasts on Fox Sports Arizona.

FORT WORTH, TEXAS

Bell stays on as bowl sponsor
Bell Helicopter agreed to continue as the title sponsor of the Armed Forces Bowl for two more years. Owned and operated by ESPN, the Armed Forces Bowl initially signed Bell Helicopter as the game’s title partner in 2006.

INDIANAPOLIS
Agencies took $1.3M Super Bowl loss

Longtime Chip Ganassi Racing sponsor Target is taking Franchitti from 10 to 50.
Photo by: GETTY IMAGES
Final tax data indicates county and city agencies in and around Indianapolis took a combined $1.3 million loss resulting from hosting the Super Bowl at Lucas Oil Stadium in February, according to an Indianapolis Star report. That is about $450,000 more than local officials projected before the event came to town, but local officials emphasized the return that investment reaped, in terms of media exposure for the city and other measures.

Target targets Franchitti’s ride
IndyCar driver Dario Franchitti will have his traditional No. 10 changed to No. 50 for the Indianapolis 500 on May 27 in honor of Target’s 50th anniversary this year. This season marks the 23rd year Target has been a sponsor of Chip Ganassi Racing. The Target bull’s-eye will replace the zero in the number on Franchitti’s car.

Fieri to be Indy 500 celeb driver
Food Network’s Guy Fieri will be the celebrity pace car driver at this year’s Indianapolis 500. In 2010, Fieri and a film crew visited half a dozen local restaurants, taping segments for his show “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.”

KENNESAW, GA.
Owls get largest indoor display

Daktronics provided Kennesaw State University with multiple LED displays to the KSU Convocation Center. The facility is home to both the men’s and women’s basketball programs, as well as women’s volleyball. Daktronics installed a 16-by-30-foot wall-mounted video display, the largest indoor display at any school in the Atlantic Sun Conference.

LAWRENCEVILLE, GA.
Braves looking for all-stars

The Class AAA Gwinnett Braves are bringing back their Chopper’s All-Stars Program for a second year. The program, named after the team’s mascot, donates ticket vouchers to elementary and middle schools as a means to reward students for academic improvement and good behavior. Vouchers are good for any home game in June or July.

LOS ANGELES
Coliseum to fall under USC control

The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Commission approved a deal to surrender day-to-day control of the venue to USC, according to a Los Angeles Times report. The 8-1 vote by the commission would virtually end public stewardship of the 88-year-old stadium. The new lease would allow USC to control the venue until 2054.

MIAMI

(From left) Liz Baker, Safespace executive board member; Jeannette Garofalo, foundation board president; and Steve Stowe, Miami Heat Charitable Fund executive director
Photo by: DAVID ALVAREZ / MIAMI HEAT
Heat fund donates to Safespace
The Miami Heat Charitable Fund made a $75,000 donation to The Safespace Foundation in a halftime ceremony May 13. The donation was the result of the team’s annual fundraising efforts. Safespace, a longtime beneficiary of the fund, is a nonprofit organization committed to the advocacy and empowerment of domestic violence victims and survivors.

Hurricanes extend WGAM contract
WGAM-AM will continue to have exclusive radio rights to Miami Hurricanes athletics for another five years through the 2016-17 season, according to a South Florida Sun-Sentinel report. WGAM has been a radio partner with the school since 1999.

MILWAUKEE

The QB fields a call during pitching practice.
Rodgers takes the mound in Brewers ad
The third of five Milwaukee Brewers television commercials featuring Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers was released last week. The production of all the spots was handled by 2-Story Creative and Metaphystico. The shoot occurred in late February at the Brewers’ spring training facility in Maryvale, Ariz. The next spot will be released June 5.

NEW YORK
Bike tour, expo draw big crowds

The lower Manhattan start line was packed for the TD Five Boro Bike Tour on May 6.
Photo by: BIKE NY
The 35th anniversary of the TD Five Boro Bike Tour was commemorated earlier this month, as 32,000 cyclists pedaled 40 miles through the five boroughs of New York City. The days preceding this year’s tour also marked the launch of Bike Expo New York presented by Eastern Mountain Sports. The expo was touted as the most attended inaugural consumer bike expo in the country, attracting more than 43,000 people.

New York Times sells FSG stake
The New York Times Co. said it sold its remaining stake in Fenway Sports Group, the ownership group for the Boston Red Sox and several other sports properties, according to a New York Times report. An SEC filing indicated that the Times Co. received $63 million for the stake and expects to record a pretax gain of about $38 million in the second quarter.
 
NYC Triathlon signs title partner
Skin care product company Aquaphor is the new title sponsor of the New York City Triathlon. The partnership, with race organizer Korff Enterprises, is a three-year agreement that includes naming rights as well as marketing and promotional components. More than 3,000 athletes from 44 states and 10 countries are expected to compete in the 2012 race on July 8.

Cyclones put spin on social competition

Online updates show prizes, leaderboards.
The Brooklyn Cyclones launched a new social media endeavor, the first of its kind in the New York metro area, that gives fans a chance to win prizes by tapping into social networking platforms. The Cyclones Social Scoreboard — www.cyclonessocialscoreboard.com — provides incentives for liking or sharing posts, checking in at MCU Park, tweeting using certain hash tags or retweeting from Cyclones Twitter feeds.

Kimmel going live from Brooklyn
ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live” will air from Brooklyn for its Oct. 29-Nov. 2 episodes, timed to coincide with the start of the Brooklyn Nets’ first season in Brooklyn. Host Jimmy Kimmel was born in Brooklyn. The show will originate from the Brooklyn Academy of Music, located two blocks from Barclays Center.

ORLANDO
Affiliates named for ECHL team

The ECHL Orlando Solar Bears, scheduled to play their first season at Amway Center starting in October, will be affiliated with the Minnesota Wild and the AHL Houston Aeros. Solar Bears partners Jason Siegel, Joe Haleski and Bob Ohrablo joined Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer at a recent press conference announcing the affiliations. The original Solar Bears franchise played in the IHL from 1995-2001.

PHILADELPHIA
Eagles squad hits the beach

The Philadelphia Eagles cheerleaders traveled to the Bahamas to shoot their annual calendar, which again this year will have an eco-friendly theme. The cheerleaders will be featured wearing eco-friendly bikinis and accessories in the 2012-13 calendar. This year’s calendar also focuses on the importance of clean water. Ten percent of calendar sales will be donated to the Clean Water Fund.

PHOENIX
Celiac awareness event set

The group Gluten Free Calendar will hold the first of five gluten-free and celiac-awareness events at MLB ballparks this season when the Arizona Diamondbacks host Milwaukee on Friday at Chase Field. A portion of the ticket sales from the game will go to benefit various celiac disease organizations.

PITTSBURGH
Pirates add social media to calendar

The Pittsburgh Pirates will hold their first Social Media Night of 2012 on Friday at PNC Park. Fans who follow the Pirates’ official Twitter feed @Pirates or who “like” the Pirates’ official Facebook page can receive $10 off an outfield box seat to watch the Pirates take on the Chicago Cubs, as well as entry into a special pregame reception.

Hockey invitational set for Pens’ home
Consol Energy Center will host the Pittsburgh College Hockey Invitational Dec. 28 and 29, according to a Pittsburgh Post-Gazette report. The inaugural tournament will feature Robert Morris, Penn State, Miami (Ohio) University and Ohio State. The Pittsburgh Penguins are assisting with promotional and marketing efforts.

PORTLAND
Town OKs plan for Class A baseball

The Milwaukie (Ore.) City Council unanimously voted to continue a plan to a bring a Class A Northwest League baseball team to the area, according to a Portland Oregonian report. Milwaukie’s decision includes the caveat that the league must commit to bringing a team by July 31.

ROCHESTER, N.Y.

Shamrock to market Empire State Games
The nonprofit Empire State Sports Foundation, based in Rochester, has formed a partnership with Shamrock Sports & Entertainment to provide sponsorship development and strategic marketing services. The amateur Empire State Games, organized in part by the foundation, are played annually at rotating sites, with Rochester scheduled to host the 2013 Games.

SAN FRANCISCO
Ballpark store sells game-day items

Fans have the opportunity to purchase game-used jerseys, bats, balls, helmets, lineup cards, bases and autographed memorabilia at the new From the Clubhouse merchandise location at AT&T Park. From the Clubhouse is open only on game days, two hours before and one hour after games. The store receives new and game-used merchandise on a daily basis when the team is at home.

TORONTO
IndyCar Series signed through 2014

Honda Indy Toronto organizers reached a series of contract renewals securing the Izod IndyCar Series event through 2014. The renewals involve the city of Toronto, Honda Canada, Exhibition Place, Tourism Toronto and IndyCar.

WATKINS GLEN, N.Y.
Track, ISC, Gordon support AARP drive

Watkins Glen International is joining with International Speedway Corp. and NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon to support the AARP Foundation’s Drive to End Hunger. For the Aug. 12 NASCAR Sprint Cup race, WGI will offer a Sunday-only general admission ticket and admission to The Bog hospitality area for $135, with $24 of the purchase price donated to a national effort to address the issue of older adult hunger.

Send your Coast to Coast news to: CoastToCoast@sportsbusinessjournal.com or phone (704) 973-1436.

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