Two years after the Harlem Globetrotters "were sold to a Georgia-based company, the team is moving" its HQ from Phoenix to metro Atlanta. The move, which "will be handled in several phases over the next year, affects the team’s 35 Phoenix employees." Herschend Family Entertainment bought the Globetrotters in October '13. Globetrotters Senior VP/Communications BRETT MEISTER said that the team in '95 "moved to Phoenix from Hollywood" after it was bought by former Globetrotter player MANNIE JACKSON (AZCENTRAL.com, 7/17).
CHEESE PLATE: Entertainer JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE "took a pass on the Packers-themed romantic comedy slated to shoot near Lambeau Field this year," entitled “THE SIXTY YARD LINE.” Co-writers and exec producers RYAN CHURCHILL and NICK GRECO "raised $22,000 through a 60-day Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign this winter that allowed them to hire a casting director for the story of how a guy’s favorite sports team -- the Packers -- comes between him and his girl." They have "spent the past several months coming up with their choices for a cast that already includes" Packers FB JOHN KUHN and former NFLer MARK TAUSCHER (GREENBAYPRESSGAZETTE.com, 7/17).
INSIDE THE ACTORS STUDIO: Cavaliers F LEBRON JAMES "eschewed acting lessons before taking on the 'TRAINWRECK' role, which required five days on set." James' agent, MAVERICK CARTER, said, "He’s been in front of the cameras since he was 18. He’s very comfortable in front of the camera. He didn’t need an acting coach" (HOLLYWOODREPORTER.com, 7/17)....FERNANDA COPPEL's off-Broadway play "KING LIZ" features actress KAREN PITTMAN as Liz Rico, a "go-getting sports agent angling to sign a basketball prodigy." Pittman said, "I have lived in the sports entertainment world, which is very glamorous -- the box seats at Barclays Center and Madison Square Garden." Pittman: "It's very much a gladiator's world. People have enormous power, enormous ego" (N.Y. TIMES, 7/19).
WHAT ABOUT BOB? Texans Owner BOB MCNAIR ranked No. 10 on the Houston Chronicle's list of the city's 10 "most influential sports figures" after being left off last year's list. McNair last year "beat cancer," a personal triumph that is "at least equal to his luring the NFL back to Houston 15 years ago." He is "again on his game as a quiet, unobtrusive behind-the-scenes power broker, both locally and league-wide" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 7/19).
NAMES: U.S. District Judge PHYLLIS HAMILTON on Thursday "dismissed a lawsuit alleging U.S. Soccer and other organizations had not done enough to reduce the risk of injury from concussions and repetitive 'heading' of balls." The judge ruled that the seven soccer players named as plaintiffs "had no right to bring the suit, in part because they had failed to show injuries or imminent danger of injury" (AP, 7/17)....Texans RB ARIAN FOSTER responded to a tweet by Texas A&M Int'l student ERNESTO GUERRERO, agreeing to "help pay for his books next semester" (SPORTINGNEWS.com, 7/17)....Colts QB ANDREW LUCK yesterday at Indiana Univ. held his "second-annual 'Change The Play' event," which is "designed to promote healthy habits and routine exercise among children." The program is "sponsored by Riley Hospital for Children" (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 7/20)....Broncos QB PEYTON MANNING "showed up at the Naval Marine Corps Reserve Center" in Chattanooga, where four U.S. Marines "were shot dead by a lone gunman last week." He "showed up at the reserve late Saturday night to visit with military personnel and police officers" (WRCBTV.com, 7/19)....Rockies radio broadcaster JERRY SCHEMMEL "competed in the annual Race Across America," riding "400 miles per day" on his bicycle. In total, he rode "more than 3,000 miles cross-country" to raise money "for an orphanage in Haiti" (ESPN.com, 7/17)....Minnesota-based Orthology Chief Clinical Officer JOSH SANDELL, a "celebrity sports doctor," is opening a location on Madison Avenue in N.Y. this September (NYPOST.com, 7/19).
