Sports Authority CMO Jeff Schumacher said that his company's proposed deal to acquire naming rights to the Broncos' stadium "has nothing to do with matching" Dick's Sporting Goods, which owns the entitlement for the Colorado Rapids' soccer-specific stadium. Schumacher said, "We look at it as having a hometown sponsor for a hometown stadium and a hometown team. It's about creating an emotional connection with our customers." Marketing analysts believe that Sports Authority field "could provide a public-awareness boost" for the Colorado-based retailer (DENVER POST, 8/12).
SATURDAY NIGHT'S ALRIGHT: Bears President Ted Phillips Thursday said that he has been "communicating with the NFL and Buffalo Bills to assure them that Soldier Field turf conditions will be safe for Saturday's preseason game." Concerns arose after the Bears "were forced to cancel the practice part of last Friday's annual 'Family Fest' because of field conditions." But Phillips said, "I have talked to the league a couple of times. They just wanted to know what happened, what I thought about it." He added, "Everyone right now understands and knows that the expectation is the field is going to be in good playing condition, as good a playing condition as the field has ever been in at this time of year. It's going to be fine" (ESPNCHICAGO.com, 8/11).
PINING FOR TREES: In St. Paul, Charley Walters noted while the Twins "removed those gorgeous pine trees in center field to improve the backdrop for batters this season" at Target Field, Twins players are hitting "just .250 -- 10th among 14 AL teams -- compared with last season, when they hit .273 -- third-best in the AL -- with the trees." The team has "no plans for Target Field dimension changes for next season" (ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS, 8/11).
