The National Association for Multi-Ethnicity in Communications held its 35th anniversary breakfast Thursday, where SUSAN SCOTT "was permitted to speak without a time limit" about her late brother, ESPN anchor STUART SCOTT. She accepted the '15 Mickey Leland Humanitarian Achievement Award on his behalf. Choking up "momentarily while thanking ESPN for its 'uncomplicated support' of 'Stuart when he had cancer,' she went off script." She said, "The first time I met [former ESPN Exec VP/Sales & Marketing] SEAN BRATCHES I never thought I'd think of him as family. But I do ... their support couldn't have been more respectful, strong or helpful." Prior to the Leland award, the "tone was far lighter, thanks to remarks" from ESPN Senior VP/Corporate Communications CHRIS LAPLACA (CABLEFAX DAILY, 5/8).
OFFICE POLITICS: Wasserman Media Group Founder, Chair & CEO CASEY WASSERMAN on Thursday introduced Democratic Presidential candidate HILLARY CLINTON at a fundraising event that he and Saban Capital Group Chair & CEO HAIM SABAN hosted at Saban’s Beverly Hills home. The event was part of a three-stop California tour which raised "an astonishing" $3M for Clinton’s campaign (HOLLYWOODREPORTER.com, 5/7).
RAISING ARIZONA: Visitors to the Glendale area for Super Bowl XLIX in February "boosted revenue at restaurants, bars and hotels ... by double-digits." Phoenix, Scottsdale and Glendale "saw year-over-year increases in January sales tax collections." Those collections jumped 29% for restaurants and bars in downtown Phoenix, 51% for hotels in Scottsdale and 10% for "retail at Glendale's Westgate Entertainment District" near Univ. of Phoenix Stadium. Combined sales tax revenue for January and February totaled $14M in "roughly similar categories." That was up 19.5% "over the same time a year ago" (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 5/8).
DRIVE FOR HOPE: Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the Verizon IndyCar Series are partnering with the mobile carrier to "support victims of domestic violence as part of Verizon's HopeLine drive in Indiana," which began Thursday and runs to June 7. The HopeLine drive "will collect used phones, tablets, chargers and other small electronic devices at donation spots throughout the state," including at IMS. Devices "will be wiped clean and melted down, and proceeds will support the Indiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence" (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 5/8).
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Topps is releasing 10 cards featuring Ferrell, one
for each team he played for in Spring Training |
NAMES: Topps next month “will be commemorating
WILL FERRELL's foray into MLB with 10 cards -- one for each team” that the actor played for in Spring Training (
MLB.com, 5/7)....Tennis player
FRANCES TIAFOE said Roc Nation Sports agent
WAJID SYED “is a good guy, and he really took time and spent a lot of time talking about tennis. He really cares about my development.” He added, “Of course, I'm a huge
JAY Z fan. I've met him twice now” (
ESPN.com, 5/7)....Pirates Owner
BOB NUTTING “is one of the newest investors in the latest funding round” for Pittsburgh-based Diamond Kinetics, a startup technology company that develops motion data and analytics “used to help baseball and softball players improve their skills” (
BIZJOURNALS.com, 5/7)....Knicks F
CARMELO ANTHONY “appears to have a scene in the sequel to ‘
TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES,’ currently filming in Brooklyn” (
WASHINGTONPOST.com, 5/7)....Patriots Owner
ROBERT KRAFT and girlfriend
RICKI LANDER on Thursday "took a leisurely stroll through Central Park" dressed in "Patriots track suits and hats" (
BOSTON GLOBE, 5/8)....The Univ. of Florida on Thursday hired Louisiana Tech men's basketball coach
MIKE WHITE to the same position. UF "will pay" White an average of $2M a year over six years (
SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 5/7)....The Atlanta Tipoff Club on Thursday announced former basketball player
LYNETTE WOODARD and CBS college basketball analyst
BILL RAFTERY as winners of the '15 Naismith Outstanding Contributor to Men's and Women's Basketball award (
ATC).
