Coast to Coast

AKRON, OHIO
Zips embark on downtown arena
The University of Akron announced a $76 million downtown arena project that would be paid for by a county sales tax increase, according to an Akron Beacon Journal report. The choice to support a 0.25 percent sales tax increase to fund the arena will be put on the Nov. 4 ballot.

ARLINGTON, TEXAS
GovX.com helps Rangers with tickets
The Texas Rangers and GovX.com launched their online verification ticketing service to members of the U.S. military and first responders. The service provides specially priced tickets for the 2014 baseball season at Globe Life Park.

ATLANTA
Braves to buy more acreage
The Atlanta Braves are looking to buy an additional 25 acres in Cobb County for about $15 million, according to an Atlanta Journal-Constitution report. The land is near, but not contiguous with, 57 acres the Braves closed on in January for $34.2 million as the site of their planned ballpark and mixed-use development.

BALTIMORE
Ravens bring Utz to stadium
The Baltimore Ravens signed a multiyear sponsorship deal for Utz Quality Foods to be the exclusive provider of potato chips, tortilla chips and pretzels at M&T Bank Stadium. Frito-Lay previously had been the salty snacks partner of the team.

BUFFALO
PrimeSport retains Bills contract
The Buffalo Bills will continue a partnership with PrimeSport, the official fan travel partner of the team, for fan packages for the 2014 season. The company, based in Atlanta, will offer travel arrangements that include game tickets, hotel accommodations, airfare, a PrimeSport ticket holder and lanyard.

Fan will win draft pick contest
The Buffalo Bills and M&T Bank’s “Predict the Picks” contest runs through Wednesday. Online, fans will be asked 10 multiple-choice questions specific to the Bills’ 2014 NFL draft moves. Fans who correctly answer 80 percent or more of the questions will be entered to win the contest’s grand prize, a meet-and-greet with the Bills’ first pick of the draft.

Double shifts for HarborCenter workers
HarborCenter officials said that the $172  million hockey and entertainment project is more than 60 percent complete and on track for its fall opening. The project has more than 180 construction workers on site and double shifts lasting deep into the night.

Murchie donates $3M to university
The University at Buffalo announced a $3 million gift to upgrade its football offices. The gift comes from UB graduate Tunney Murchie. The facility will be known as the Murchie Family Football Center and will house a head coach’s suite, more office space and nine additional team meeting rooms.

CAMDEN, N.J.
Riversharks sign Jaworski’s Turf
Jaworski Turf Solutions, which is owned by former Philadelphia Eagles quarterback and current ESPN commentator Ron Jaworksi, signed a deal with the Camden Riversharks to provide field maintenance at Campbell’s Field. The Riversharks compete in the independent Atlantic League of Professional Baseball.

CINCINNATI
UC favors renovated Fifth Third Arena
A renovated Fifth Third Arena with 3,000 fewer seats, all-permanent seating and improved upper-deck views has emerged as the University of Cincinnati’s favored option for a permanent basketball home, according to a Cincinnati Enquirer report. UC hasn’t settled on a renovation plan for the arena, or whether to move to a renovated U.S. Bank Arena downtown.

COLUMBUS

Crew dips Jeni’s Splendid
The Columbus Crew partnered with Columbus-based Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams in a move that will see the brand served at Crew Stadium concession stands throughout the regular season. The deal is the first sports-specific sponsorship for the company.

KANSAS CITY
Speedway’s first night race gets boost
5-Hour Energy will sponsor Kansas Speedway’s inaugural NASCAR Sprint Cup Series night race on Saturday, naming the race the 5-Hour Energy 400 Benefiting Special Operations Warrior Foundation. Through July 31, the energy shot’s manufacturer Living Essentials will donate five cents from the sale of every specially marked 5-Hour Energy to SOWF. The minimum guaranteed donation is $75,000.

LAS VEGAS
UNLV stadium to cost $490M-$682M
The proposed cost of UNLV’s proposed new 50,000-seat on-campus stadium ranges from $490 million for an open-air venue to $632 million for a domed facility and $682 million for a retractable roof stadium, according to a report cited in a Las Vegas Review-Journal story. The report was by stadium consultant CSL International, a subsidiary of Legends.

MINNEAPOLIS-ST. PAUL
Atomic Data gets jersey placement
Minneapolis-based IT solutions company Atomic Data will showcase its logo on the back of all Minnesota United FC home and away jerseys. Atomic Data will have a presence at all 2014 Minnesota home matches at National Sports Center Stadium. The United competes in the NASL.

NASHVILLE
Bank buys Sounds park naming rights
First Tennessee Park will be the official name of the Nashville Sounds’ new ballpark in North Nashville. The park is scheduled to open in April 2015. Sounds owner Frank Ward said that the sponsorship and naming-rights agreement is a 10-year term by First Tennessee Bank, with options to extend for up to 10 additional years.

PHILADELPHIA

New Penn stays with Cycling Classic
New Penn Financial reached a deal to continue as founding sponsor of the Parx Casino Philly Cycling Classic in Philadelphia through 2015. The Philly Cycling Classic was created last year by Liberty Sports Development. The 2014 Classic will be held June 1.

PITTSBURGH
Penguins sign Sheetz to deal
The Pittsburgh Penguins reached an agreement with Sheetz to be the official convenience store of the team. The new agreement features radio, print and digital signage elements, as well as logo rights.

Pirates, Mylan plan peanut-free zone
The Pittsburgh Pirates are partnering with Mylan on Allergy Awareness Night at PNC Park on Friday. This is the third consecutive season the Pirates have partnered with Mylan, a generics and specialty pharmaceutical company. A peanut-controlled area of the ballpark will be provided for fans who have an allergy to peanuts.

RALEIGH

Attendance at PNC Arena’s three sessions was 53,172. A ZIP code study by the GRSA showed that 71 percent of ticket buyers were from outside of the Triangle region. Photo by: GETTY IMAGES

Men’s tourney generated $4.2 million
The NCAA men’s basketball tournament’s second and third rounds, hosted by North Carolina State University and held at PNC Arena, generated an estimated $4.2 million in direct visitor spending in March. The economic impact information was compiled by the Greater Raleigh Sports Alliance, a division of the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau.

SANTA CLARA, CALIF.
Watson designs Niners’ fan portal
Portland-based Watson Creative designed the San Francisco 49ers Fan Loyalty Portal, which integrates with all of the brand’s marketing touch points. The program was set to launch last month. Watson also designed programs for the Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs.

SANTA CLARA, CALIF.
Stadium features California artists
The art collection at the new Levi’s Stadium will be home to more than 200 original pieces and more than 500 photographs. Of the 23 original artists showcased, 20 are from California. The collection is curated by Tracie Speca-Ventura of California-based Sports And The Arts.

SONOMA, CALIF.
Track signs Verihealth to partnership
Verihealth was named official emergency services provider at Sonoma Raceway and will provide ambulances on a daily basis. The multiyear partnership also includes naming rights to the raceway medical center, first-aid centers and first-aid stations, as well as the annual High-Speed Blood Drive.

      COAST TO COAST — BEYOND THE COASTS

BARCELONA

Barca academy coming to Florida
FC Barcelona plans to open its first official club academy in the United States this summer, according to a Sport report. The academy, which will be called the FCB Escola, will open in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., in August. The academy will be designed for boys and girls ages 6-13, with as many as 400 players expected to participate.

BEIJING
NBA Yao School sets summer dates
The NBA Yao School plans to offer youth summer camps in Beijing from July 14 through Aug. 23. NBA players will visit the camps at Wukesong Hi-Park and No. 3 Middle School to teach basketball techniques. The first program of the NBA Yao School, which is a partnership of NBA China and former NBA player Yao Ming, occurred in February at Wukesong Hi-Park.

BERLIN
Cup final stays at Olympic Stadium
The Berlin Olympic Stadium will continue to play host to the DFB-Pokal (German Cup) Final until 2020, according to an SID report. German Football Federation President Wolfgang Niersbach made the announcement and signed a corresponding contract recently. The previous contract was set to expire in 2015.

BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA
Lions extend BLK apparel deal
Australian Football League club Brisbane Lions extended its partnership with apparel partner BLK for four years. Gold Coast-based BLK is also the apparel sponsor for AFL clubs Richmond and the Western Bulldogs.

COWES, ENGLAND
Shoemaker extends sailing sponsorship
British footwear brand Chatham signed a two-year extension to sponsor the Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week. Chatham will showcase its summer range in the retail arena at the sailing event in early August.

DOHA, QATAR

VALCKE

Valcke wants probe over by June 12
FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke said he wants a probe into allegations regarding Qatar’s selection to host the 2022 World Cup completed before the start of this year’s tournament in Brazil, according to a Bloomberg report. Valcke urged former U.S. Attorney Michael Garcia, the Zurich-based body’s chief investigator, to announce results of his probe before the first game on June 12.

Retailer renews with Emir Cup
Retailer Fifty One East renewed its deal with the Qatar Football Association to sponsor the Emir Cup for three more seasons, according to a SoccerEx report. The partnership, which began in 2011, will be promoted across a range of platforms under terms of the extension.

LONDON
Centre Court seat prices soar

Wimbledon ticket prices are going up, but so is the players’ prize purse. Photo by: GETTY IMAGES

Organizers for Wimbledon have almost doubled prices for a guaranteed seat on Centre Court in hopes of raising $168 million to pay off a loan related to construction of the roof over the tournament’s main stadium as well as to fund additional site refurbishments, according to a Bloomberg report. The All England Lawn Tennis Ground plans to issue 2,500 Centre Court debenture tickets at a price of $84,020 each for 2016 through 2020. The All England Club also announced that the Wimbledon prize purse is going up 11 percent to a record $42 million for this year’s tournament.

MOYES

MANCHESTER
Man U settles with Moyes for $11.8M
Manchester United closed its final chapter with former manager David Moyes, reaching a settlement agreement with Moyes worth $11.8 million, according to a Financial Times report. Moyes was fired April 22 just 10 months into a 10-year contract.

SIEM, REAP, CAMBODIA
Sponsors commit to marathon
The National Olympic Committee of Cambodia will host the kingdom’s full-distance marathon and half marathon around the Angkor temple complex in Siem Reap on Aug. 17, according to a Phnom Penh Post report. Preliminary sponsors secured include Pepsi, Angkor Beer and Smart Mobile.

SYDNEY
Eels, Wanderers favor renovation
National Rugby League club Parramatta Eels and A-League club Western Sydney Wanderers unveiled a $111 million proposal to turn Pirtek Stadium into a 32,000-seat venue that would supersede plans to build a new stadium in western Sydney, according to a Sydney Morning Herald report.

For more international news, visit www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/global.