ATLANTA
Citgo to sponsor Latin driver
As part of a Hispanic marketing initiative, Citgo Petroleum Corp. will sponsor Latin racing star Milka Duno and her Rolex Series racing team in 2004. Duno and the team's No. 09 Citgo Pontiac Crawford Daytona prototype were set to debut last Saturday and Sunday at Rolex 24 at Daytona. Citgo also will outfit the No. 2 Chevrolet Crawford Daytona prototype, manned by Andy Wallace, as well as NASCAR's Tony Stewart and Dale Earnhardt Jr. The U.S. race venues are in a number of high-density Hispanic markets such as Phoenix and Homestead, Fla.
BOSTON
Lacrosse team moves to Boston U field
The Boston Cannons of Major League Lacrosse will make their new home at Boston University's Nickerson Field starting this season, beginning May 22. Nickerson Field features a 9,575-seat stadium. The corporate headquarters for both Major League Lacrosse and the Boston Cannons will relocate to Brighton Landing in Boston on March 1.
BUFFALO
University to mark women's day
The University at Buffalo will host its annual celebration of National Girls and Women in Sports Day Wednesday through Feb. 14. The events include a panel discussion and a clinic, plus a visit by U.S. gymnastics team member and Olympic gold-medalist Dominique Dawes on Feb. 11. This marks the 14th year UB has celebrated the national event.
DALLAS
Mavericks give away marionette dolls
In what the team says is an NBA first, the Dallas Mavericks are giving away  |
| Mavericks (from left) Steve Nash, Dirk Nowitzki and Michael Finley as marionette dolls |
marionette dolls of three of their most popular players. The first 5,000 fans at the Jan. 20 game against the New Jersey Nets received Dirk Nowitzki dolls. The same arrangement will apply for the Tuesday game against the Golden State Warriors, when Michael Finley dolls will be handed out, and on Feb. 10 against the New York Knicks, when Steve Nash will be featured.
Official decides not to take SB tickets
A Dallas County commissioner has reversed a decision to accept two Super Bowl tickets from a lawyer who is representing the Dallas Cowboys in talks with the county on public financing of a new stadium. Commissioner Kenneth Mayfield originally accepted the tickets from Mike Baggett, ostensibly because they were offered on behalf of the Houston Super Bowl XXXVIII Host Committee and not by the Cowboys. Baggett's employer, law firm Winstead Sechrest & Minick PC, represents the Super Bowl committee. Following disclosures of the matter in The Dallas Morning News, Mayfield opted against accepting the tickets, telling the paper he made the decision after Baggett told him that the law firm owned the tickets. The four other county commissioners also were offered Super Bowl tickets, but all turned them down, the Morning News reported.
DENVER
Pre-win, station plans to honor Elway
Denver's CBS affiliate, KCNC, apparently expected the Pro Football Hall of Fame vote would go in favor of John Elway, with a tribute planned for the occasion. Elway was to learn on Saturday whether he made it into the hall in his first year of eligibility. KCNC planned a half-hour tribute to Elway that day from 6:30 to 7 p.m.
DETROIT
TigerFest draws record, cold crowd
A record crowd of more than 12,000 people, more than attended a few of the 
Tigers' games last season, went to the annual TigerFest Jan. 24 at Joe Louis Arena in spite of sub-zero wind chills and last year's dismal on-field performance. Nearly 40 current Tiger players and coaches and many other Tiger alumni were present for the six-hour event that included autograph sessions, photo opportunities, instructional clinics, interactive pitching and other activities.
Race tickets go on sale
Tickets for the two NASCAR Nextel Cup races at Michigan International Speedway go on sale Saturday. The two races will be held June 20 and Aug. 22. The past 26 NASCAR events at the speedway have been sellouts.
GRAND RAPIDS, MICH.
Events lead up to AHL All-Star Classic
Community events will surround the 2004 Pepsi AHL All-Star Classic at Van Andel Arena this week. Willie O'Ree, who in 1958 became the first black player to skate in the NHL, will visit Grand Rapids for three days to participate in the events and to serve as keynote speaker for Tuesday's "Diversity in Business and Sports Symposium," sponsored by the Griffins Youth Foundation and Warner Norcross & Judd LLP. Other activities include a skills competition and various charity events. The All-Star Game is Feb. 9.
INDIANAPOLIS
Purdue drops prices on some seats
In the face of a six-year attendance slide for men's home basketball games, officials in the Purdue University athletics department are considering beefing up marketing efforts. Purdue averaged more than 14,100 during the 1998-99 season but is averaging only 10,203 this year. Purdue has begun offering top row seats, which normally sell for $21 and $26, for $8 on game days to try to bolster attendance. An aging Mackey Arena, built in 1967, could be partially to blame for the attendance slump, Purdue officials said. The arena is the 10th largest in the 11-school conference and has no chair-back seats or video screens.
Irsay: Lease negotiations heating up
During a press conference Jan. 21, Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay said he is pleased with negotiations between city officials and his team for a lease deal that would keep the team in Indianapolis "long term." Irsay said a new stadium is part of the discussions, which he said will intensify this off-season.
KANSAS CITY
Coors buys naming rights to exhibit
Coors Brewing Co. has made a $1 million  |
| The museum exhibit will bear the Coors name. |
deal with the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum to rename an exhibit "The Coors Field of Legends." Representatives from Coors and museum Chairman Buck O'Neil announced the partnership late last month and unveiled a new vintage scoreboard with the new name, which has been erected over the field as part of the exhibit. The deal with Coors awards the naming rights to the brewery for 10 years at $100,000 a year. The renamed field is the centerpiece of the 10,000-square-foot museum. It is a mock baseball diamond that features 10 life-size bronze sculptures of Negro League legends cast in position as if they were playing a game.
MIAMI
Soccer channel adds digital
Gol TV, a Miami-based bilingual soccer channel, has added digital rollouts with Comcast and Adelphia cable systems. The service began last February with carriage on EchoStar's Latino tier and now claims a total reach of nearly 5 million homes. The programming will be on digital-basic or Hispanic tiers on Adelphia's systems in Miami and West Palm Beach, and Los Angeles, along with Hispanic tiers on Comcast's systems in Miami, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Sacramento, San Jose, Fresno and Albuquerque, a Multichannel News report said.
Pantheon to host invitational
The Miami Beach Invitational Golf tournament, scheduled at the Miami Beach Golf Club on Feb. 27, is to be hosted by Pantheon International of New York. The event will mark the beginning of the 2004 LPGA season and will feature such players as 2003 U.S. Solheim Cup members Cristie Kerr, Kelli Kuehne and Heather Bowie. Canyon Ranch Living and For Eyes Optical have signed on as the title sponsor and presenters of the inaugural event.
MILWAUKEE
Stadium board could finance Brewers buyer
The Miller Park 
stadium district could provide financial support to a new ownership group willing to invest in the Milwaukee Brewers. The district's decision to help secure financing may hinge on the makeup of the ownership group pursuing the Brewers, said Michael Duckett, executive director of the stadium district. So far, the Southeast Wisconsin Professional Baseball Park District board has not been asked to help finance a new ownership group, said state Rep. Mickey Lehman, acting chairman of the district.
Dinner scrapped for 'fan-friendly' event
The Milwaukee Brewers canceled their annual Diamond Dinner this year in favor of what the organization deems a more family-friendly event. In place of the annual late-January $100-per-plate dinner at the luxury Pfister Hotel, the team hosted Milwaukee Brewers On Deck at Brookfield Square Mall. The free event featured 15 players along with manager Ned Yost signing autographs and taking pictures with fans.
MINNEAPOLIS
Stadium plans still up in air
The Minnesota Vikings consider 
the suburb of Blaine the leading contender for a new stadium because it has the most detailed and well-thought-out plan to date, said Lester Bagley, a lobbyist for the team. Advisers to Gov. Tim Pawlenty told the governor that if a stadium is built for the Vikings, it should go to the Blaine site or to one in Eden Prairie. Proposals submitted by the city of St. Paul and jointly by Hennepin County and the city of Minneapolis should be considered for a Twins ballpark, the screening committee announced. Legislators and state officials, however, say there still are significant obstacles to passing any stadium legislation at all. A Star Tribune poll published Jan. 25 indicated that most Minnesotans don't think the two teams need new facilities and that nearly two-thirds oppose paying for them with their taxes.
Twins make sunflower seed deal
Wahpeton, N.D.-based Giant Snacks has signed a two-year contract to provide sunflower seeds for the Minnesota Twins and the Metrodome during Twins games. Financial terms were not released. However, the Giant Snacks deal allows the team to increase its revenue, said Eric Curry, vice president of corporate sponsorships for the team. Previously, the Twins — as with most other baseball teams — had received free seeds from David's Sunflower Seeds, a California snack company.
Weekend festival draws 23,000
The Minnesota Twins drew about 23,000 fans to the annual TwinsFest weekend, the second-highest total since the event began in 1989. TwinsFest is a weekend-long event at the Metrodome that allows fans access to players and team representatives. The team also recently completed its Winter Caravan, during which team officials and players visited fans throughout Midwestern communities.
PHILADELPHIA
76ers, Phillies in unique cross-promotion
In a cross-promotion involving two of the city's professional  |
| Even retired mascots Phil and Phyllis are being auctioned. |
sports teams, the Philadelphia 76ers hosted "Phillies Night at the Sixers" during their Jan. 27 game against the New Jersey Nets. Philadelphia Phillies players from the past and present were in attendance. In addition, the first 5,000 fans were to receive a collectible Phillies bobblehead. For the Phillies, the night provided another opportunity for the baseball team to promote its "Final Pieces of the Vet" auction on Friday at the Wachovia Center. For sale and auction at the event will be thousands of items of Veterans Stadium memorabilia, including pieces of Vet turf and the outfield wall, dirt from the pitcher's mound, home plate, dugout items and even the heads of retired Phillies mascots Philadelphia Phil and Phyllis.
3 bobblehead giveaways in 2 days
Young bobblehead  |
| Bobby Clarke doll, part of Hockey Heritage Series |
collectors in Philadelphia had the chance to add three new dolls to their collection in the span of two days. On Jan. 23, the Philadelphia Phantoms of the American Hockey League — as part of their "Philadelphia Hockey Heritage Series" — gave away Bobby Clarke bobblehead dolls to the first 4,000 kids 14 and younger. Also on Jan. 23, the Philadelphia 76ers handed out mini-bobbleheads of Sixers guard/forward Aaron McKie to the first 5,000 kids 12 and younger. On. Jan. 24, the Philadelphia Kixx of the Major Indoor Soccer League distributed bobblehead dolls of team mascot SocceRoo to the first 3,000 fans 14 and younger.
SACRAMENTO
University seeks new arena
The new president of California State University Sacramento and a campus task force have endorsed the construction of a new 8,000-seat, multiuse arena, health and fitness center. The arena would house basketball, volleyball and other activities.
Kings throw support behind bond
The owners 
of the Sacramento Kings will assist Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's effort to convince voters to support a $15 billion bond on the March ballot by holding a fund-raiser at Friday's home game against the San Antonio Spurs, the Sacramento Bee reported. Joe and Gavin Maloof will hold a private dinner prior to the game for the eight to 10 attendees willing to ante up $100,000 apiece. Separately, 20 to 25 people who contribute $25,000 each can watch the game in the Maloofs' suite.
SAN DIEGO
City wants Chargers to stay put
The city of San Diego asked a judge on Jan. 26 to prevent the Chargers from shopping themselves to other cities. City officials argued in Superior Court that the team has not met the financial-hardship requirements needed to get out of its stadium lease. Officials with the Chargers, who sued the city over the Qualcomm Stadium lease in November, say the team has met the requirements but still would rather try to get a new stadium built in San Diego than move to another city. "The Chargers are extremely confident in our case," said team spokesman Mark Fabiani in a statement. "The Chargers remain determined to give the public the answer it deserves on the trigger." The trigger clause in the lease allows the team to start a renegotiation period with the city and shop itself to other venues if it meets a financial-hardship benchmark. Last March, the Chargers notified the city that they had exceeded that mark in 2002 by more than $4 million, triggering a period that has been extended twice and is to expire May 1.
SAN FRANCISCO
Giants expect to lose $15M
The San Francisco Giants said they expect to lose about $15 million this season because team revenue has flattened while expenses continue to rise. Team executives told the San Francisco Chronicle that they expect annual revenue of about $160 million to $167 million. But expenses, most notably league-mandated revenue sharing, are taking a bigger piece of the team's financial pie. The Giants expect to pay about $13 million in revenue sharing this season. Giants executives said they were encouraged by season-ticket sales, which were up 10 percent over last year at this time.
ST. LOUIS
Charter signs on with Roush Racing
Charter Communications has signed  |
| Charter CEO Carl Vogel (left), driver Greg Biffle and Charter COO Maggie Bellville |
its first-ever NASCAR team sponsorship. The St. Louis-based cable operator has inked a deal with Livonia, Mich.-based Roush Racing to serve as a primary sponsor for driver Greg Biffle in this year's NASCAR Busch Series. Charter will pay between $5 million and $8 million to sponsor the team over the 34-race season and plans to use the sponsorship to market its broadband technology and high-speed Internet connectivity.
TAMPA
Bright House to name local stadium
Bright House Networks, the Tampa Bay area's largest cable TV provider, has acquired naming rights to Clearwater's new $28 million baseball stadium, which will be spring training home to the Philadelphia Phillies as well as the home stadium for the minor league Clearwater Threshers of the Class A Florida State League. The length of the agreement is 10 years with two five-year renewal options. The deal is valued at $1.7 million annually. Bright House Networks Field is scheduled to open in February and contains 7,000 seats with an open concourse. Bright House Networks is part-owned by Advance Publications Inc., parent of American City Business Journals, which publishes SportsBusiness Journal.
Mayor asks arena be given to county
Tampa Mayor Pam 
Iorio has asked the Tampa Sports Authority to transfer ownership of the St. Pete Times Forum to Hillsborough County, effectively relieving the Tampa Bay Lightning from paying a hefty property tax bill on the 20,000-seat arena in downtown Tampa. Lightning owner Palace Sports & Entertainment estimates it is losing $10 million a year, putting it at an unfair financial disadvantage to other NHL teams, few of which are required to pay property taxes.
TORONTO
Big cable rate hikes rejected
Applications by Sportsnet and The Score for large increases in basic cable fees were rejected by Canada's broadcast regulator. The Score was granted a four-cent increase on its fees, from 10 cents a subscriber to 14. The Canadian Radio Television and Telecommunications Commission said the increased revenue must be spent on The Score's news side as opposed to live sports. Sportsnet's per-subscriber rate stays fixed at 79 cents.
Roots closing plant in Toronto
Saying production was no longer cost-effective, Olympic garment supplier Roots is closing its Toronto manufacturing plant, a decision that will cost 200 jobs. Roots co-founder Michael Budman said some, but not all, of the work will be subcontracted to other Toronto garment makers. Canadian Olympic branded gear will continue to be made domestically, Budman said. Since its inception in the 1970s, Roots has used its Canadian image and the "Made In Canada" label to position the company in ad campaigns and the public eye. Budman wouldn't say how much of the company's production is being done overseas.
