Bettman, leader of the NHL since '93, is one of several notable inductees into the Sports Broadcasting HOFGETTY IMAGES
The Sports Broadcasting HOF announced its '18 class, including GARY BETTMAN, MARY CARILLO, BOB COSTAS, BILL FITTS, BUD GREENSPAN, PETER LARSSON, DAVID MAZZA, GENE MIKELL, JIM NANTZ, NEAL PILSON and DICK VITALE. The class will be inducted Dec. 11, at the N.Y. Hilton (Sports Broadcasting HOF).
ADDITION BY SUBTRACTION: In Toronto, Morgan Campbell profiles MPP Sports Group Founder LEISA WASHINGTON, the "first Canadian woman certified to represent players in both the WNBA and NBA." But Washington "doesn't want women as clients." Washington said that "taking a percentage of a WNBA player's salary makes her squeamish." Washington "hopes to grow her company by focusing on the small but increasing number of Canadian NBA prospects emerging each year" (THESTAR.com, 8/30).
THE GOOD STUFF: EA will contribute $1M to the victims of the shooting at a "MADDEN" esports tournament in Jacksonville, as "well as the families of the two men who were killed" (ESPN.com, 8/29)....The H.D. Smith Foundation donated $20M to the Univ. of Illinois Foundation, with $15M "toward the latest football facilities upgrade." The building "will forever be named" the Henry Dale and Betty Smith Football Center (NEWS-GAZETTE.com, 8/29).
CLUTCH MOVE: Birmingham-based peer-to-peer gameday parking app startup Clutch! has "raised more than $680,000," and is "looking to raise up to $750,000" in its offering. Clutch! will "allow sports fans to rent privately held parking spaces." Clutch!'s BOD includes former Univ. of Alabama AD BILL BATTLE, and the app's initial launch will be "available for football games" at Alabama in the '18 season (BIZJOURNALS.com, 8/27).
NAMES: Capitals RW BRETT CONNOLLY "won't be attending" the team's potential White House visit to celebrate their Stanley Cup win, joining RW DEVANTE SMITH-PELLY (WASHINGTONPOST, 8/29)....Buccaneers co-Chair BRYAN GLAZER has "bought the venerable Vinoy Renaissance Resort & Golf Club" in downtown St. Petersburg. The sale "includes a golf club and 74-slip marina as well as the 362-room hotel" (TAMPA BAY TIMES, 8/30)....Longtime American Express ambassador VENUS WILLIAMS stopped by the AmEx Fan Experience on Tuesday in N.Y. She played a round of Super Rally, an interactive gaming experience within a full-sized augmented reality environment where fans use a custom-designed 3D-printed racket to return virtual tennis balls targeting real-life, physical targets (AmEx)....TONYA HARDING "will be among the cast" for the upcoming season of Food Network's "WORST COOKS IN AMERICA: CELEBRITY EDITION" (OREGONLIVE.com, 8/28)....Elon Univ.'s women's volleyball locker room is "now named after" Warriors G STEPHEN CURRY's youngest sister, SYDEL, who used to play for the school. The change comes after some "string-pulling -- and perhaps a few dollars" from the elder Curry (CBSSPORTS.com, 8/29)....The Univ. of North Texas will “erect a statue” of Pro Football HOFer JOE GREENE. The statue “will be located at gate 2 at Apogee Stadium” (DENTONRC.com, 8/29)....U.S. Sen. BOB CASEY (D-Pa.) was at the Union-DC United game last night (POLITICO.com, 8/30).
