ARLINGTON, TEXAS
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Colby Lewis is among the Rangers who posed with four-legged friends for cards.
Photo by: KELLY GAVIN
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Rangers pair up with canine friends
The Texas Rangers are partnering with Merrick Pet Care to create Dogs Safe at Home, a 26-card set of photos of Rangers players with canine companions. Players posed with either their own dogs or dogs that are available for adoption from the Humane Society of North Texas. The card set will go on sale at an adoption event on June 7 at Globe Life Park.
ATLANTA
Falcons sign Levy for new stadium
The Atlanta Falcons reached a long-term deal with Levy Restaurants to manage concessions at the team’s new stadium, which is set to open in 2017. Levy’s partnerships in the region include deals with the Georgia World Congress Center, Georgia Dome and Philips Arena.
BUFFALO
Bills partner with telecom provider
The Buffalo Bills agreed to a deal with telecom provider PremCom. PremCom will provide ShoreTel telephone and communications equipment for the Bills’ administration building, its ticket office call center and Ralph Wilson Stadium.
Bills’ Miller joining Wall of Fame
Longtime Bills broadcaster Van Miller will be honored on the team’s Wall of Fame this fall. Miller will become the 29th such honoree for the Bills.
GRAND RAPIDS, MICH.
Griffins reach three-year TV deal
The AHL Grand Rapids Griffins agreed to a three-year television deal with Michigan Entertainment Sports. MES will televise a minimum of 40 Griffins games during each of the next three seasons. All games will be shown live in HD.
LOS ANGELES
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Photo by: LOS ANGELES DODGERS
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Dodgers holding annual Korea Night
The Los Angeles Dodgers will host their annual Korea Night promotion presented by the Korea Tourism Organization on Tuesday when the Dodgers take on Cincinnati. In addition to pregame ceremonies and the singing of the Korean national anthem, the first 50,000 fans will receive a Hyun-Jin Ryu bobblehead presented by Asiana Airlines.
MIAMI
Heat to stay at arena through 2035
The Miami Heat agreed to a deal with Miami-Dade County under which they would begin paying rent at AmericanAirlines Arena, according to a Miami Herald report. The new deal would keep the team in the county-owned facility at least through 2035, but the Heat would end a profit-sharing arrangement in favor of an immediate stream of yearly $1 million donations being provided to the county parks department.
MILWAUKEE
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Carlos Gomez reaches out of a billboard visible to interstate drivers near Miller Park.
Photo by: MILWAUKEE BREWERS
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Gomez robbing homers on ad
The Milwaukee Brewers erected a billboard this month featuring outfielder Carlos Gomez. The 3-D portion of Gomez’s outstretched arm and glove extends almost six feet. The ad is visible to interstate drivers approaching Miller Park.
NEW YORK
Liberty signs Fidelis Care
Fidelis Care and the New York Liberty agreed to a new marketing partnership that makes Fidelis the official health plan partner of the WNBA team for the 2014 season. The deal will give Fidelis brand exposure during home games at Madison Square Garden, including promotion on digital signage, and Fidelis representatives will be available to talk to fans at the games.
NEWPORT, R.I.
Sailors converge for Ocean Masters
The top sailors from around the world will be in the U.S. next week to compete in the Ocean Masters New York to Barcelona Race. The event kicked off with a prologue this past weekend, a 142-mile overnight race to New York Harbor. During their time in Newport, the IMOCA 60 fleet spent time with the Class 40 fleet of boats that took part in the Atlantic Cup.
ORLANDO
Magic gets own affiliate in Erie
The Orlando Magic and the Erie BayHawks reached a three-year single-affiliation agreement beginning with the 2014-15 NBA D-League season. Orlando becomes the 16th NBA team to have a one-to-one affiliation with a D-League team.
PHILADELPHIA
McCoy wins Wanamaker Award
Philadelphia Eagles running back LeSean McCoy was named the winner of the 2014 John Wanamaker Athletic Award. The award recognizes the athlete, team or organization that has done the most to reflect credit upon Philadelphia and to the team or sport in which they excel. The award will be presented to McCoy by the Philadelphia Sports Congress at a luncheon on July 2 at the Wanamaker Building’s Crystal Tea Room.
PORT CHARLOTTE, FLA.
Spring training impact: $21M
Visitors attending Tampa Bay Rays spring training games in Port Charlotte this year generated an estimated economic impact of $21 million for Charlotte County, according to calculations by Tampa-based Research Data Services. The total includes direct and indirect spending by out-of-county visitors.
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Notre Dame Stadium turf is for sale in 10-square-foot patches for $149.95. The school is installing a FieldTurf surface.
Photo by: GETTY IMAGES
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SOUTH BEND, IND.
Irish grass for sale
The University of Notre Dame is selling 5-by-2-foot patches of the Notre Dame Stadium field for $149.95. The sales price includes two-day shipping and a certificate of authenticity. The school is replacing the venue’s natural playing surface with FieldTurf for the 2014 season. Notre Dame is partnering with J.P. Enterprises of Mississauga, Ontario, to handle logistics of the sale.
COAST TO COAST — BEYOND THE COASTS
BARCELONA
Barca signs Stanley Black & Decker
FC Barcelona signed Stanley Black & Decker to a three-year global sponsorship deal. Stanley Black & Decker will have image association and digital marketing rights, sponsorship rights for tours and friendlies, and hospitality rights at the team’s Camp Nou stadium.
MANCHESTER
Man City accepts fine
Manchester City accepted an $84 million fine from UEFA and a cap on its spending this summer after ending its fight to avoid a Financial Fair Play penalty, according to a (London) Telegraph report. The sanction follows the team’s unprecedented $1.68 billion spending spree under owner Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
NEW DELHI
PSG opening youth academy
Paris Saint-Germain will open a youth academy in India in July as the Ligue 1 champion seeks to enhance its reputation in Asia, according to an ESPN report. It will be the fifth academy set up by PSG’s owners after the opening of similar centers in Qatar, Brazil, Morocco and Indonesia.
RIO DE JANEIRO
Tests planned for polluted bay
The International Sailing Federation may conduct independent water-quality tests in Rio de Janeiro’s polluted Guanabara Bay, according to an AP report. The bay will be the sailing venue for the 2016 Olympics and is the site of Rio’s first test event this summer.
SYDNEY
Stadium renovation includes roof
A $234 million plan is being proposed to transform Allianz Stadium into a high-tech entertainment facility, according to a (Sydney) Daily Telegraph report. The master plan, by the Sydney Cricket and Sports Ground Trust, includes a permanent see-through roof at the 44,000-seat venue.
TOKYO
Panel to study cybersecurity issues
The Japanese government will take a more active role in bolstering cyberspace security ahead of the 2020 Olympics, according to a Kyodo report. A government panel will be tasked with examining cybersecurity issues.
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