Univ. of Oklahoma AD JOE CASTIGLIONE "received $30,000 in bonuses tied to the postseason success of the women's gymnastics team, a program that lost more than" $1.5M last year. But Castiglione "isn't the only athletic director to have bonuses tied to the performance of money-losing teams." Ohio State Univ. AD GENE SMITH received an $18,086 bonus "when wrestler LOGAN STIEBER won his weight class at the NCAA championship in March." The wrestling program lost $805,000 in FY '13. Univ. of California AD SANDY BARBOUR got a $10,423 bonus "for the men's NCAA swimming and diving title last month." Those programs "lost a combined $534,000" (BLOOMBERG NEWS, 4/25).
SEASON OF GIVING: The Twins Community Fund, the Pohlad Family Foundation and MLB Charities will contribute more than $8M to local Minneapolis organizations and community projects "connected to the celebration" of the '14 MLB All-Star Game. The Twins and MLB said it is the "most extensive community legacy effort in All-Star Game history." Much of the money "is coming from the Pohlads and the Twins -- along with gate proceeds from the game's Home Run Derby" (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 4/25).
FUN AND GAMES: Tennessee-based First Round Exchange is launching a "new fantasy game based on the highly anticipated NFL draft, which starts in less than two weeks." The app, Play the Draft, allows football fans "to build a fantasy portfolio of potential draft picks based on their 'draft stock' value." The goal is to "have the highest-valued portfolio at the end of the third round of the draft" (Nashville TENNESSEAN, 4/25).
NAMES: A N.Y. federal court judge has “thrown out” a $45M libel and defamation lawsuit by former Ukranian figure skater OKSANA BAIUL. Baiul had filed the lawsuit against NBC and Disson Skating for “allegedly promoting her appearance in two ice shows that she didn’t skate in” (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 4/25)….Members of the USOC and 22 NGBs “celebrated the 36th anniversary of the headquarters' move” from N.Y. to Colorado Springs at an annual luncheon Wednesday. USOC Chief of Organizational Excellence BENITA FITZGERALD-MOSLEY “was the keynote speaker” for the 400 attendees (Colorado Springs GAZETTE, 4/24)….Former MLBer CHIPPER JONES proposed to his girlfriend, TAYLOR HIGGINS, on Thursday, which “also happens to be both of their birthdays” (AJC.com, 4/24).
IN MEMORY: Louisiana State Racing Commission Chair JERRY MEAUX was “killed Thursday in a car accident” at the age of 74 (KATC.com).
