The WALL STREET JOURNAL's Esterl & Lublin report Heat Owner MICKY ARISON is "stepping down" as CEO of cruise-ship company Carnival after three decades at the helm. Arison will "remain chairman but be replaced as CEO next month by ARNOLD DONALD, who has been on Carnival's board for 12 years." Carnival "appears headed for its third straight year of lower profits" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 6/26). In Ft. Lauderdale, Arlene Satchell notes Arison seemed to indicate he "wasn't headed for retirement any time soon." He said, "I'm not going anywhere. I will remain chairman, and my plan is to continue in that role for the foreseeable future." The move is effective July 3 (South Florida SUN-SENTINEL, 6/26). In Miami, Hannah Sampson notes while "plenty has happened during the last couple years under his watch -- a deadly shipwreck, disabling fire, a series of technical glitches -- the limelight averse Arison has drawn criticism for making more public appearances at basketball games than cruise line crises" (MIAMI HERALD, 6/26).
BEHIND THE MUSIC: ESPN's Tony Kornheiser said JAY-Z "is getting by far the better" part of the deal in which Thunder F KEVIN DURANT signed with the rapper's Roc Nation Sports for represenation. Kornheiser: "He just declared himself as an agent. He's a novice as an agent and he just picked up the second- or third-best basketball player in the world. I don't really know what Jay-Z can do for Kevin Durant. ... Get him tickets to BEYONCE concerts?" ESPN's Michael Wilbon noted Jay-Z can "set him up in the music industry." Durant, who has a music studio in his house, has "further interests outside of basketball, and this is a primary one" ("PTI," ESPN, 6/25).
CHARITY STRIPE: Cowboys Exec VP/Brand Management CHARLOTTE JONES ANDERSON “has big plans to help the Salvation Army celebrate its 125th anniversary” in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area. The celebration “will be launched at the Salvation Army’s 2013 annual Doing the Most Good Luncheon on Nov. 15 and run through the end of the year” (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 6/26)....Yankees 2B ROBINSON CANO celebrated his RC24 Foundation's work with The Dream Project on Monday night by hosting a "fund-raiser and domino tournament at JAY-Z's 40/40 club." Guests who "helped raise more than $545,000" included Yankees P CC SABATHIA, Yankees SS JAYSON NIX and Thunder F KEVIN DURANT (N.Y. POST, 6/26).
NAMES: Former NFL Panthers President MARK RICHARDSON this month bought a 50% stake in Charlotte's Thunder Road Marathon (BIZJOURNALS.com, 6/25)....HBO Films yesterday announced boxing HOFer MIKE TYSON's one-man show "UNDISPUTED TRUTH" is "getting the TV treatment." SPIKE LEE will direct the stage show in July, "with a premiere eyed for later in the year" (HOLLYWOODREPORTER.com, 6/25)….Fourteen artifacts from Padres investor PETER O’MALLEY’s collection will be featured in a special exhibition called “Baseball in Japan and the O’Malley Family: A Lasting Friendship” at the Baseball HOF and Museum in Tokyo from June 29-July 15 (THE DAILY)….Chiefs OL BRANDEN ALBERT “announced a T-shirt design content to promote art and creativity as a positive outlet for youths" in Rochester and K.C. Three finalists from each group “will be selected to team up with mentors trained in graphic design to refine their creations and present a final contest design” (ROCHESTER DEMOCRAT & CHRONICLE, 6/26).
