Fox Sports during today's NFC Championship will debut a highlight-filled NASCAR spot, one of seven in its '17 Daytona Day marketing campaign. The spot is designed for avid fans after criticism from some quarters last year that the main Daytona Day ad did not show enough actual racing (Adam Stern, Staff Writer).
The NHL yesterday brought its "Centennial Fan Arena" to the Honda Center ahead of the league's All-Star festivities in L.A. next weekend. The Stanley Cup was on "display and the line to take photos with it easily exceeded 100 people." Also present were the league's Museum Truck, an "interactive virtual Zamboni ride station and a ball hockey rink inside the arena" (L.A. TIMES, 1/22).
The Univ. of Minnesota men's basketball team yesterday drew the program's "first sellout in two seasons" at Williams Arena for the team's game against Wisconsin. The Barn "got its soul back" with the 14,000-plus fans in attendance (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 1/22).
The AHL San Diego Gulls hired Orioles CF Adam Jones "as an off-ice official" for the team's game against the San Jose Barracuda at Valley View Casino Center this past Friday. Jones, a San Diego native, is a Gulls season-ticket holder (BALTIMORESUN.com, 1/20).
MMA fighter Tito Ortiz "capped off a nearly 20-year professional fighting career in style" yesterday, as he took down Chael Sonnen in the opening round of their light heavyweight bout. The fight headlined Bellator 170 at The Forum (ESPN.com, 1/22).
