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Coast to Coast

CHICAGO
New sports museum sought

Two nonprofit executives are raising $50 million and searching for a site for a 100,000-square-foot sports museum, according to a Crain’s Chicago Business report. Mark Lapides, former chief marketing officer at Adler Planetarium, and Roger Germann, principal and chief strategist at consultancy Four Lions Strategies, are leading the project and expect that the museum will employ 250 people and maintain a $20 million annual operating budget.

Mark Mabry, Levy’s senior executive chef, and Dirk Nowitzki with the new offering.
Photo by: DALLAS MAVERICKS
DALLAS
The Dirkwurst debuts

In celebration of Dirk Nowitzki’s 30,000 career points, the Dallas Mavericks and American Airlines Center concessionaire Levy Restaurants introduced the Dirkwurst last week. Only 30 handmade Dirkwursts will be available for each game through the end of the regular season. The Dirkwurst, priced at $14.50, is a footlong bratwurst served with German mustard and pickled red cabbage on a Bavarian pretzel bun.

DETROIT
New arena banks on Huntington

Huntington Bank signed a multiyear deal to sponsor Little Caesars Arena as a Landmark-level partner. Huntington becomes the official consumer banking partner of the Detroit Red Wings and acquires naming rights for the new arena’s northwest entrance. Huntington also will brand the Little Caesars Arena Legends Club, a 132-person capacity premium area.

LAS VEGAS
Track may reduce capacity

Las Vegas Motor Speedway appears poised to eliminate more seats that were largely empty at the recent Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Kobalt 400, according to a Las Vegas Review-Journal report. Fans who sought to renew seats in the lower grandstands fronting the Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt Terraces were told they could not buy them for 2018.

LONG POND, PA.

Pocono offers 3-D seating guide
Pocono Raceway added a 3-D seating map to its website, allowing fans a high-definition view from nearly every seat. The Seats3D map was created in conjunction with Spectra Ticketing & Fan Engagement and powered by Ballena Technologies. The new map covers 100, 200 and 300 level seating, club spaces and all camping locations.

MINNEAPOLIS-ST. PAUL
Timberwolves to play 2 China dates

The Minnesota Timberwolves will deepen their ties to China with a trip there this fall for a pair of exhibition games. The Wolves and Golden State Warriors will play on Oct. 5 in Shenzhen and Oct. 8 in Shanghai. Choosing the Wolves was a logical choice for the NBA. Lizhang (John) Jiang bought a minority stake in the franchise last year, becoming the first Chinese minority owner of an NBA team.

Longtime Warriors center Adonal Foyle and friends enjoy the sunset cruise on San Francisco Bay before watching the game.
Photo by: GETTY IMAGES

OAKLAND
AmEx sails S.S. Dub Nation

American Express on March 18 as part of its deal with the Golden State Warriors hosted the third “All For Dub Nation” watch party. The sold-out gathering, exclusively for hundreds of AmEx card members, took place on the S.S. Dub Nation, a private cruise. Special appearances included former NBA players Muggsy Bogues and Adonal Foyle.

PHILADELPHIA
Union closer to filling new tattoo role

The Philadelphia Union narrowed a field of 150 applicants to 13 semifinalists for the position of chief tattoo officer. The next step will see Union players offer their input in the hopes of narrowing the field down to a final five. Doug Vosik, the team’s vice president of marketing, will then visit each shop personally to get to know the artists ahead of a final selection.

Uber on board with Flyers, arena
Uber reached an agreement with Comcast Spectacor that designates Uber as the official ride-sharing partner of the Philadelphia Flyers and the Wells Fargo Center. The Flyers and Uber will honor top-rated drivers with free tickets and VIP treatment. Uber will promote events at the Wells Fargo Center to its rider base. Uber also partners with the 76ers and the Union.

Ballpark food getting own baseball cards
Philadelphia-based Aramark is teaming up with Topps to immortalize popular and iconic ballpark food offerings on a special set of 18 “Incredible Eats” cards that will be included in Topps Opening Day packs sold at retailers and local hobby shops. Citizens Bank Park made the cut with its South Philly Dog, which features a hot dog with roasted red peppers, sharp provolone and broccoli rabe.

Soul has eyes on new facility
The Philadelphia Soul signed a deal for a new practice facility. Financial terms of the partnership with the Virtua/Total Turf Experience in Mantua Township, N.J., were not disclosed. The AFL team plans to use the 22-acre Gloucester County complex for the daily practices, player tryouts, the team’s junior academy, and its combines and clinics. Since 2008, the team practiced at Nexxt Level Coliseum in Voorhees, N.J.

SAN FRANCISCO
Uber invests in buildings near arena

Uber bought a stake in two office buildings under construction at the Golden State Warriors’ project in Mission Bay, as the company continues to aggressively soak up San Francisco real estate. Uber plans to occupy at least half of the office space, which totals 580,000 square feet, when the Warriors’ Chase Center arena opens in 2019.


      COAST TO COAST — BEYOND THE COASTS

 

Eleven Sports breaks

into U.S. market

     European sports broadcaster Eleven Sports acquired key distribution assets of U.S. outfit One World Sports, enabling it to break into the U.S. market through distribution deals with AT&T, DirecTV, Verizon, Charter Communications and NCTC, according to a Digital TV Europe report.
    Eleven said that it now intends to build a strong portfolio of rights in the U.S. from sports including cycling, ice hockey, basketball, football, rugby, lacrosse, cricket and drone racing. Eleven Sports is owned by global investment company Aser and its founder, Italian investor Andrea Radrizzani, the founding partner and vice chair of MP & Silva.

BLACKBURN, ENGLAND
Rovers sign social media sponsor

League Championship side Blackburn Rovers reached a partnership with WEC Group, which became the club’s official social media sponsor for the rest of the season. The new deal will see the WEC Group logo included on the Rovers’ Facebook, Twitter and Instagram posts.

MANCHESTER
Man City puts Nexen on sleeves

Nexen Tire renewed its partnership with Manchester City and becomes the first brand to take advantage of sleeve branding in the Premier League. The Nexen logo will appear on the sleeve of the Man City playing shirt for all Premier League games.

SYDNEY
Roosters renew with poultry firm

Poultry producer Steggles reaffirmed its commitment to the Sydney Roosters for four seasons. The agreement will take the National Rugby League club’s association with Steggles to 12 seasons by the end of 2021.

TOKYO
Olympic golf venue changes stance

The golf venue for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics will change its rules to allow women to become full members. The decision was made at a meeting of Kasumigaseki Country Club’s executive board in Kawagoe, Saitama Prefecture, after calls by the International Olympic Committee to ensure nondiscriminatory regulations. For more international

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

SBJ Morning Buzzcast: March 18, 2024

Sports Business Awards nominees unveiled; NWSL's historic opening weekend and takeaways from CFP deal

ESPN’s Jay Bilas, BTN’s Meghan McKeown, and a deep dive into AppleTV+’s The Dynasty

On this week’s Sports Media Podcast from the New York Post and Sports Business Journal, ESPN’s Jay Bilas talks all things NCAA. Big Ten Network’s Meghan McKeown shares her insight into the Caitlin Clark craze. The Boston Globe’s Chad Finn chats all things Bean Town. And SBJ’s Xavier Hunter drops in to share his findings on how the NWSL is making a social media push.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SBJ I Factor: Nana-Yaw Asamoah

SBJ I Factor features an interview with AMB Sports and Entertainment Chief Commercial Office Nana-Yaw Asamoah. Asamoah, who moved over to AMBSE last year after 14 years at the NFL, talks with SBJ’s Ben Fischer about how his role model parents and older sisters pushed him to shrive, how the power of lifelong learning fuels successful people, and why AMBSE was an opportunity he could not pass up. Asamoah is 2021 SBJ Forty Under 40 honoree. SBJ I Factor is a monthly podcast offering interviews with sports executives who have been recipients of one of the magazine’s awards.

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