AEG President & CEO Tim Leiweke said that the Galaxy's acquisition of F Robbie Keane this month "was the fastest deal he's been part of -- an amazing feat 'because this one was complicated.'" In less than 72 hours, AEG "made contact, arrived at a transfer fee with Tottenham, reached agreement on a two-year contract with Keane, worked out logistics on the Designated Player slot, received approval from 'various FIFA federations both here and over there' -- all while trying to beat MLS's summer transfer-window deadline, on Sunday night." AEG then acquired a visa for Keane in three days, despite an "expected wait time of two weeks." Leiweke said that U.S. Ambassador to Ireland and Steelers Chair Emeritus Dan Rooney, as well as L.A.-based Irish Consul General M. Finbar Hill, "pulled strings to speed the pace" (ESPNLA.com, 8/19).
LOOKING THROUGH THE WINDOW: Timbers COO Mike Golub said that the MLS club "might open up more seats" at Jeld-Wen Field later this season and "push capacity past the 20,000 mark next year, which would let it expand its season-ticket base by another 1,000 or so." In Vancouver, Bruce Constantineau noted the Timbers have a "season ticket base of about 12,500, with a waiting list of 3,000 people wanting to buy season tickets when they become available." Golub said that corporate support for the expansion franchise "has been great, allaying any fears the team had about selling into a market during a tough economy." Golub: "We think we'll break the record for sponsorship revenue of any expansion MLS team" (VANCOUVER SUN, 8/22).
RAISING ARIZONA: ESPN.com's Mike Sando wrote the Cardinals' new eight-year contract with WR Larry Fitzgerald is a "watershed moment" for the franchise and a "referendum on how the Cardinals are doing business." Cardinals President Michael Bidwill's "profile has risen in recent years as he has taken more day-to-day control of the organization from his father." Sando: "It was appropriate for him to be the one sitting alongside Fitzgerald at the news conference" (ESPN.com, 8/21). CBSSPORTS.com's Craig Morgan wrote, "Once mocked for their frugality, the Cardinals have been one of the NFL's most aggressive and free-spending teams since the lockout." Bidwill said, "This was the plan all along." The Cardinals played at Arizona State Univ.'s Sun Devil Stadium before moving into Univ. of Phoenix Stadium in '06, and Bidwill said, "Fans didn't recognize the realities of playing in a college stadium. This is pro football. Revenue does matter. We wanted to deliver on our promise but it was like going into competition with one hand tied behind your back" (CBSSPORTS.com, 8/22).
KIDS 'R' US: In Pittsburgh, Rob Rossi reports the Penguins once again will distribute 18,000 free tickets to "kids aged 5-21 for an exhibition game" Sept. 24 at Consol Energy Center against the Wild. Unlike the "first free game last season, for which the Penguins partnered with the Allegheny Conference to promote keeping young people in the region, this event is totally geared toward treating kids." Penguins President & CEO David Morehouse said that the game "will feature kid journalists between the benches, videos and music geared toward young people and Penguins Foundation activities to promote keeping children active." The Penguins are "absorbing the cost of the tickets" (Pittsburgh TRIBUNE-REVIEW, 8/23).
