ARLINGTON, TEXAS
Rangers lighting up left field
The Texas Rangers selected Daktronics to design, manufacture and install a new LED video display for Globe Life Park. The new Daktronics display is capable of 11,000 nits of brightness, aimed at cutting through the direct sunlight in the stadium’s left field display location.
AUSTIN, TEXAS
Stadium alcohol sales top $1.8M
The University of Texas’ first year offering alcoholic beverages at Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium produced more than $1.8 million in sales, more than half of that coming from sales of light beer, according to a Houston Chronicle report. The school sold 62,275 Miller Lites, making it the top-selling beer at football games and totaling $494,000 alone. Coors Light and Bud Light brought in $433,290 and $182,828, respectively.
BALTIMORE
Ravens hold ticket prices steady
The Baltimore Ravens for the third consecutive year won’t increase ticket prices. The team also froze prices in 2014 and 2015 after they were bumped up by 10 percent for 2013 following the Ravens’ 2012 Super Bowl-winning season.
BUFFALO
Bills raising season-ticket prices
The Buffalo Bills notified season-ticket holders that prices will increase in 2016. Account holders were informed by letter that prices will increase between $3 and $6 a game for general seating and $5 to $10 for club-level seats, depending on location, at Ralph Wilson Stadium.
CLEVELAND
Cavs drinking Aussie breakfast
The Cleveland Cavaliers this week are holding their first Australia Day Game, presented by UP&GO, the official Australian breakfast of the team. The activation for Monday night’s game tips off a partnership between the Cavs and Australian-based Sanitarium, which produces the UP&GO breakfast drink.
Cavs rally against ‘weak stuff’
The Cavaliers are teaming with Ohio law firm Elk & Elk for a promotion aimed at fighting pediatric cancer. Dubbed “Get That Weak Stuff Out Of Here!,” the campaign engages Cavs legend Austin Carr as its spokesman and ties each shot blocked by the team to a $100 donation from Elk & Elk to Cleveland Clinic Children’s Hospital.
LOS ANGELES
LAFC has new crest, owner
MLS expansion club LAFC unveiled its official crest and team colors: black and gold. The club also announced the addition of actor Will Ferrell to its ownership group. The team is slated to begin MLS play in 2018.
LOUISVILLE
Mayor OKs soccer stadium study
Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer has commissioned CSL International to perform a study on the feasibility of constructing a soccer-specific stadium for USL club Louisville City FC, according to a Louisville Courier-Journal report. CSL will be paid $75,000 to gauge financing options and assess four potential venue sites, at least one of them downtown. The team now plays at Louisville Slugger Field.
MIAMI
Speedway signs party rental firm
Diamonette Party Rentals and Homestead-Miami Speedway entered into a multiyear partnership making Diamonette the official party rental company for the track. Diamonette has serviced the speedway since the track opened in 1995.
Sun Life Stadium installing LED system
Sun Life Stadium is putting in an advanced LED system from power company Eaton. The new Ephesus system, to be ready for the Miami Dolphins’ 2016 season, is designed to enhance the viewing experience for spectators and television audiences.
ORLANDO
Magic has eyes on D-League team
The Orlando Magic has begun the work of bringing an NBA D-League franchise to central or northern Florida. The franchise would begin play in the 2017-18 season. The team sent RFPs to eight locations: Daytona Beach; Estero; Fort Myers; Jacksonville; Kissimmee; Lakeland; Orlando/ESPN Wide World of Sports; and Orlando/University of Central Florida.
PHILADELPHIA
Sixers partner with Firstrust Bank
The Philadelphia 76ers agreed to an integrated partnership with Firstrust Bank. Among the deal points, Firstrust becomes the presenting sponsor of the Sixers’ annual Row 1 Dinner, hosted by coach Brett Brown.
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Fans will gain free entry through a promotion with Arizona Ford Dealers.
Photo by: GETTY IMAGES
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PHOENIX
Free days at the Phoenix Open
Fans will be admitted free of charge to the first two days of the Waste Management Phoenix Open’s tournament next week through a promotion called Ford Free Days courtesy of the Arizona Ford Dealers. Monday includes practice rounds and the Coors Light Pro-Am, while Tuesday’s slate has practice rounds, the R.S. Hoyt Jr. Family Foundation Dream Day Activities and the Outfront Media Special Olympics Open. Valley Ford dealers will be providing more than 150 courtesy vehicles during tournament week to transport players, officials and staff.
RICHMOND, VA.
Track removing backstretch seats
Richmond International Raceway plans to remove its remaining backstretch grandstands, cutting the track’s seating capacity by 9,000 to about 60,000, according to a Richmond Times-Dispatch report. Track President Dennis Bickmeier said the decision is part of a long-term plan for the facility.
VERMILLION, S.D.
Daktronics installing multiple displays
The University of South Dakota picked Daktronics to design, manufacture and install LED video displays and scoreboards for several campus facilities. The installation at the multisport Sports Performance Enhancement Complex includes new video, ribbon and scorer’s table displays, scoreboards for the new practice facility and a scoreboard for soccer. The DakotaDome also will receive an upgraded video display.
COAST TO COAST — BEYOND THE COASTS
MILAN, ITALY
AC Milan suing former player
Serie A club AC Milan is taking one of its former players to court with the allegation that he lied to the club about his age, telling the club he was nine years younger than he really was, according to a London Telegraph report. Yusupha Yaffa, now playing for MSC Duisburg in Germany, is originally from the Gambia and arrived in Italy seeking asylum in 2009. He has denied the charge.
SINA Sports to stream
UFC events in China
UFC and SINA Sports agreed to a long-term deal that pairs the mixed martial arts organization and China’s largest online sports portal. SINA Sports will live-stream in mainland China UFC events that include Chinese fighters. SINA Sports also will relaunch the UFC China website, www.ufc.cn.
Highlights and features from UFC events around the world will be made available via video-on-demand on the site. The new website also will include new features and expanded content.
In addition, SINA Sports plans to co-produce UFC content aimed exclusively at the Chinese market.
MUNICH
Team aligns with Thai sugar firm
Bayern Munich has established its first regional partnership in Thailand with one of the country’s largest sugar companies, Wangkanai. The deal covers brand-image rights and makes Wangkanai the presenting partner of the FC Bayern Youth Cup in Thailand.
RIO DE JANEIRO
City cancels tennis facility contract
The city of Rio de Janeiro canceled the construction contract for the planned Olympic tennis center, fining the consortium responsible for delays and breach of contract for the mostly finished venue, according to a Reuters report. Rio levied a $2.7 million fine on the consortium.
WARSAW, POLAND
Team renews taxi sponsorship
Polish club Legia Warsaw renewed its sponsorship deal with local taxi company ELE Taxi for an additional two years, according to a SoccerEx report. ELE will be given exclusive access to the Polish Army Stadium on match days and will display the Legia club flag on its cars.
For more international news, visit www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/global.
