Dolphins Owner STEPHEN ROSS will become the Univ. of Michigan's "biggest benefactor" today with a gift of $200M, with the "single largest in the university's history" set to be split between the university's business school and athletic program. Ross' total giving to the school after this gift will be $313M. The donation will "build out the athletic campus, which will carry his name, to serve some 900 student athletes." Ross said that he "wanted to boost athletes who aren't part of Michigan's marquee sports programs" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 9/4).
HOBBY LOBBY: In Jacksonville, Matt Dixon reported pro sports teams with interests in Florida during Q2 "paid $150,000 in lobbying fees," which is "up from $70,000 during the same period in 2012, and $30,000 five years ago." Q2 is "often the most lucrative for lobbyists because it includes the end of the legislative session." Additionally, lobbyists registered for sports teams and clubs have "increased from 13 to 47 over the past five years." The Blue Jays, who paid an "estimated $60,000 in lobbying fees, are leading the charge." This year’s session had a "higher number of sports-related issues, but the lobbying increase likely represents a new normal rather than a single-quarter spike" (FLORIDA TIMES-UNION, 9/3).
DAYS OF THUNDER: In Detroit, Frank Witsil noted NASCAR VP/Marketing KIM BRINK is "one of the few women to reach the executive ranks in the family owned sports venture." Brink said of NASCAR trying to reach young fans, "If you don't understand the sport or if you don't follow your favorite drivers, then you get these perceptions it's just cars going around in circles. You don't understand the strategy. You don't understand how much skill it takes to drive a car, because these guys make it look easy" (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 9/3).
CHARITY STRIPE: The Alberta-based Foothills Minor Hockey Association yesterday "got a helping hand" from the NHLPA and RBC with the donation of $50,000 to replace equipment after it was destroyed by floodwaters in June. Flames players MATT STAJAN, T.J. GALIARDI, DEREK SMITH and MARK GIORDANO "helped present a cheque" (CP, 9/3)....Tennis player JOHN ISNER plans to donate 20% of his U.S. Open winnings to America's VetDogs, a "national group that has been providing service dogs to veterans across the country" (NEWSDAY, 9/4)....The Yankees prior to their game against the Orioles on Sunday "helped launch the Alzheimer's Association's 'Worldwide Alzheimer's Awareness Month.'" Univ. of Tennessee women's basketball coach emeritus PAT SUMMITT and her son TYLER took part in a pregame ceremony (NBCSPORTS.com, 9/1)....A's Owner LEW WOLFF helped "serve up another free lunch" yesterday at St. Vincent de Paul of Alameda County (MERCURYNEWS.com, 9/3).
NAMES: Former Dodgers Owner FRANK MCCOURT "has made his first major New York purchase" in buying a roughly $167M development on Manhattan's West Side. McCourt's plans "call for a 730,000-square-foot tower on the site, which would include both residential and office space" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 9/3)....The family of Pirates Owner BOB NUTTING yesterday agreed to acquire Pennsylvania-based Hidden Valley Resort from the Buncher Co. and "add it to their holdings," which include the Pirates, Seven Springs Mountain resort and a publishing company (TRIBLIVE.com, 9/3).....Golf HOFer NANCY LOPEZ has an agreement with HarperCollins Publishers for a memoir scheduled to be published in June (AP, 9/3)....Patriots QB TOM BRADY and wife GISELE BUNDCHEN "have broken ground" on a new 7,500-square-foot home near Pine Manor College in Chestnut Hill (BOSTONHERALD.com, 9/2)....Ravens LB ELVIS DUMERVIL recently bought a $2.3M home in Parkland, Fla. (BALTIMORESUN.com, 9/3)....Stars Exec Advisor MIKE MODANO on Sunday married golfer ALLISON MICHELETTI in Dallas. Among those in attendance were former teammates BRENDEN SHANAHAN, MARTY TURCO and BRETT HULL, as well as Mavericks Owner MARK CUBAN (DALLASNEWS.com, 9/1)....Tennis agent JOHN TOBIAS on Monday became a father with the birth of EMMA ROSE TOBIAS (TWITTER.com, 9/3).
IN MEMORY: Former USGA President WILLIAM CAMPBELL "died in his home Friday at the age of 90" (GOLFCHANNEL.com, 8/31)....RAY GREBEY, who represented MLB owners in “the bitter 1981 labor dispute with players who went on strike for nearly two months, causing the cancellation of 713 games,” died on Aug. 28 in Stamford, Conn., at the age of 85. Grebey came to MLB with a “long record as a tough labor negotiator.” Some thought he “pushed too hard and provoked a strike that could have been avoided” (N.Y. TIMES, 9/3)….Agent ROB ADES died Sunday night at the age of 65. Among those he represented were GARY WILLIAMS, JIM BOEHEIM and DIGGER PHELPS. ESPN’s TONY KORNHEISER also was represented by Ades, and he was “one of many who went to see him when he came home for his final few hours" (WASHINGTON POST, 9/3)….EDITH “EADIE” LEVY, the mother of restaurateurs LARRY and MARK LEVY, died Aug. 28 at the age of 92. Edith “helped establish some of the Levy restaurants’ most-loved dishes” (CHICAGOBUSINESS.com, 9/2).
