Patriots Owner ROBERT KRAFT and rumored girlfriend RICKI NOEL LANDER attended the Allen & Co. conference in Sun Valley, Idaho, on July 11 (BOSTONGLOBE.com, 7/13). In Boston, Fee, Raposa & Johnson note Kraft’s appearance at the conference with Lander "was the latest stop for their jet-set romance that began in L.A. sometime in May" (BOSTON HERALD, 7/13). In Providence, Jim Donaldson writes, "There's no fool like an old fool, which is pretty much what the 71-year-old owner of the Pats looks like in the 'audition tape'" that went viral on the internet earlier this week (PROVIDENCE JOURNAL, 7/13).
CAUGHT ON VIDEO: truTV has ordered 10 episodes of "'UPLOAD WITH SHAQUILLE O'NEAL,' a series centered on the former basketball star scouring the internet in search of the funniest online videos to comment on as well as creating his own viral videos and parodies." O'Neal will be joined on-screen by host GARY OWEN and comedian GODFREY (HOLLYWOODREPORTER.com, 7/11).
ALL MY FRIENDS SAY: Country singer LUKE BRYAN performed on ABC’s “GMA” Friday morning as part of its summer concert series and briefly touched on his singing of the National Anthem at the MLB All-Star Game Tuesday night. Bryan admitted to writing some of the lyrics on his hand, and he said, "That stage and being in that moment was certainly one of the biggest moments of my life. I’ve done the Anthem many times ... but going out there for that moment just meant so much to me to have a few notes to just make sure that it was done right. In this day and age, you see it done wrong and that’s a big deal." Bryan said when he glanced down at his notes on his arm, “I didn’t even know what I was looking at. I had the notes there but I didn’t see anything, and the next thing I know I got Stealth bombers flying over” (“GMA,” ABC, 7/13).
NAMES: The PGA Tour has partnered with the Huntsman Cancer Institute to raise awareness for breast cancer and provide research funding. Golfers playing Saturday in the Web.com Tour Utah Championship will wear pink attire, and pink flags will appear on the greens (DESERET NEWS, 7/11)….NHL free agent C DOMINIC MOORE Thursday night in Toronto hosted Smashfest, a ping-pong tournament featuring current and retired NHLers. Proceeds from the event will go to Toronto’s Rotman Research Insititute and the Matthew Gfeller Center at the Univ. of North Carolina (TORONTO SUN, 7/12)….Edmonton Mayor STEPHEN MANDEL was named marshal for the July 22 Izod IndyCar Series Edmonton Indy (EDMONTON JOURNAL, 7/11).
GAME CHANGERS: SportsBusiness Journal again this fall will shine the light on women who are making key contributions in sports business. If you know someone who should be considered for the second annual Game Changers: Women in Sports Business section, please send her name, company/title and -- in 300 words or less -- reason for consideration to women@sportsbusinessjournal.com.
