Minnesota Super Bowl Host Committee CEO MAUREEN BAUSCH was "paid nearly $470,000" in '16. Of her total take, she "received $459,173 in reportable compensation from the organization and $9,717 in estimated compensation from the organization and related organizations." In all, the committee had more than $1.5M in "reported compensation for its named staff" (BIZJOURNALS.com, 12/19). Meanwhile, singer KELLY CLARKSON will "perform at the 52 Live bash" on the afternoon of Super Bowl LII at the Armory in Minneapolis. She will also "sing for an even more select group of game attendees at another shindig that afternoon inside the stadium in the Delta 360 Sky Club" (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 12/19).
READING MATERIAL: KOBE BRYANT’s “DEAR BASKETBALL” has been “shortlisted as a finalist for Best Animated Short” at this year’s Academy Awards. “Dear Basketball” -- from Bryant’s poem about his “love for the game and having to let it go -- is one of 10 shorts to make the cut for a shot at being one of the five nominees when the Academy announces” Jan. 23 (DEADLINE.com, 12/18)....DANICA PATRICK’s new book -- “PRETTY INTENSE: THE 90-DAY MIND, BODY AND FOOT PLAN THAT WILL ABSOLUTELY CHANGE YOUR LIFE” -- is “out Dec. 26.” Readers will have to “wade through chapters full of affirmations and assurances” to “get to the good stuff.” There are also “lots and lots of exclamation points.” But most of the book “looks good” (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 12/19).
'TIS THE SEASON: Predators D ANTHONY BITETTO, C COLTON SISSONS, and LW AUSTIN WATSON purchased clothes and toys ahead of last night's team-hosted Christmas party for 70 kids whose families are served by the 23rd District Judicial Advocates, an organization that works with addicts and their families (Nashville TENNESSEAN, 12/18)....The Senators yesterday made their annual Christmas visit to the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (OTTAWA SUN, 12/17)....Bills C ERIC WOOD held his annual Operation Big Santa event last night, where he and teammates took part in an “evening of shopping for Christmas gifts for 40 chronically ill children” at a Buffalo-area Walmart (DEMOCRATANDCHRONICLE.com, 12/16)....Ohio State football coach URBAN MEYER and nine OSU players “visited Stecker Auditorium at Nationwide Children’s Hospital as they met with patients and guests who picked out gifts paid for by the Shelley and Urban Meyer Family Foundation” (COLUMBUS DISPATCH, 12/19).
KEEP ON GIVING: The Lions have committed $500,000 to “help build” the Detroit Police Athletic League’s new HQ at the site of the former Tiger Stadium (MLIVE.com, 12/15)....NASCAR driver DENNY HAMLIN, HOOTIE & THE BLOWFISH lead guitarist MARK BRYAN and entrepreneur DENIS GALLAGHER -- as part of their 6th annual Denis, Denny & Mark Pro-Am Jam -- raised a record $322,000 this year (THE DAILY).
NAMES: Rangers P COLE HAMELS and his wife, HEIDI, "donated a 32,000 square-foot home" in Missouri to the charity Camp Barnabas, which "provides help to individuals with special needs and chronic illnesses and their siblings." The home is on "about 100 acres on Table Rock Lake." It was "listed for sale during the summer" at $9.75M (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 12/19)....Washington State football coach MIKE LEACH “agreed in principle to a contract” that keeps him at the school through ’22. Leach will make $3.5M in ’18, $3.75M in ’19 and $4M each year from ’20-22. There is also a $750,000 “retention bonus” if Leach stays after the ’20 season (Spokane SPOKESMAN-REVIEW, 12/19)....Online retailer Brandless “sells about 250 generic products” and recently received investments from Warriors G STEPHEN CURRY and Pistons F ANTHONY TOLLIVER (S.F. CHRONICLE, 12/18)....Saints DE CAMERON JORDAN last night hosted Morton’s The Steakhouse’s annual Celebrity Serves Dinner at the restaurant’s Canal Street location (NOLA.com, 12/18).
