BOSTON
Under Armour to supply MLL
Under Armour has been named an official supplier 
of Major League Lacrosse as part of a multiyear partnership with the league. The deal is for the 2003 and 2004 seasons. Financial terms of the contract were not disclosed. As part of the sponsorship, all MLL teams and players will wear a variety of Under Armour’s performance apparel products.
CHARLESTON, S.C.
Davis Cup semifinal at Family Circle
The U.S. Tennis Association announced that the Family Circle Tennis Center in Charleston was selected as the site for the 2004 United States vs. Belarus Davis Cup semifinal Sept. 24-26. The semifinal tie is the first-ever Davis Cup to be played in South Carolina, and will be played on a hard court. Tickets for the three-day series will go on sale in mid-June.
CINCINNATI
Blaze to join ABA next season
The Cincinnati Blaze will join the American Basketball Association next season, the team announced. The team will play at U.S. Bank Arena. The Blaze was approved as an ABA expansion team earlier in May.
Classic returning to Cincinnati
The Ohio Classic & Jamboree has decided to return to Cincinnati in September, ending rumors that the football game and festival would stay in Cleveland. The four-day event attracts some of the best teams from historically black colleges. The classic, which started in Cincinnati in 1999 but moved to Cleveland last year, will have a budget of $1.4 million and be played at Paul Brown Stadium.
COMMERCE, OKLA.
Mantle Museum hires PR firm
Marty Appel Public Relations has been hired to help launch the planned Mickey Mantle Museum in Mantle’s boyhood home. Appel’s first job in the PR department of the Yankees, in 1968, was answering Mantle’s fan mail. The $10 million museum project will seek funding from the Oklahoma Capitol Complex and Centennial Commemoration Commission, which will celebrate the state’s 100th birthday in 2007. A Web site, www.mickeymantlemuseum.com, has been established for information and individual contributions.
DALLAS
Speedway selling name of event
On the heels of winning a second Nextel Cup date, the Texas Motor Speedway is selling naming rights to the event and to the track itself. Officials told The Dallas Morning News they expect to get at least $35 million for a 10-year deal on the track. The speedway has wanted to put its name up for sale for some time, but decided to wait for a resolution of a lawsuit over the second Nextel Cup date. That litigation was recently resolved, and resulted in the second race being awarded to the speedway.
DAYTONA BEACH, FLA.
NASCAR star’s car in baseball giveaway
The Daytona Cubs had to cancel a Dale Earnhardt Jr. bobblehead giveaway scheduled for June 26, but will be giving away Dale Earnhardt Jr. die-cast cars to fans. The first 1,000 fans through the gates will get the cars, replicas of the No. 8 car Earnhardt drives in NASCAR’s senior circuit. Earnhardt has agreed to sign a few of the die-casts, which will then be awarded to fans throughout the game through door prizes, auctions, raffles and giveaways. The Cubs are a Class A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs.
DETROIT
MIS installing wall safety system
Michigan International Speedway is installing the SAFER (Steel and Foam Energy Reduction) wall system, expected to be complete in time for the DHL 200 NASCAR Nextel Cup race weekend June 18-20. The Elrod Corp. of Indianapolis will install a total of 8,284 feet, covering all four turns and the inside wall of the backstretch.
Shock ticket sales pass last year’s
Before its first home game last Saturday, the WNBA defending champion Detroit Shock had already sold 
more tickets for games than it did all of last season. Last season, the Shock averaged 7,862 fans for 17 home games. Season-ticket and advance single-game sales have already surpassed last season’s 133,654 total.
ENNIS, TEXAS
Track offers four-person ticket deal
The Texas Motorplex is teaming up with Mattel for a
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| Mattel die-casts are part of ticket plan. |
Family Pack ticket offer for the Monster Truck Madness, the Motorplex’s first monster truck event, June 19. The Family Pack will include four event tickets, four hot dogs, four Coca-Cola soft drinks and two Mattel 1/64th-scale die-cast monster trucks for $50. The package requires advance purchase from the Texas Motorplex box office.
HOUSTON
Techstyle to rewrite NCAA regulations
A Houston company that specializes in “plain language” communication has been hired to rewrite some NCAA regulations and manuals to make them easier to understand. The NCAA has hired Techstyle Group LLC, which provides document development and information research services. Laurel Prokop, Techstyle’s president, is reviewing the wording on NCAA regulations that recruiters must follow in qualifying high school students as college athletes. Techstyle also has been working on polishing the NCAA’s constitution, operating bylaws and administrative bylaws. The Houston company helps corporate and institutional clients improve clarity and simplicity in documents and other forms of communication.
INDIANAPOLIS
Galyan’s taps ‘survivor’ for campaign
Galyan’s Trading Co. used the nation’s most popular “Survivor” participant to spearhead a marketing program to sell more Indianapolis Colts jerseys. 
Rupert Boneham, the popular Indiana resident who starred on CBS’ reality series “Survivor,” appeared at a public unveiling of the Colts’ new jersey with several of the team’s players and coaches. Boneham was recently voted by viewers as the most popular figure on the series’ all-star show. Boneham modeled the new jersey, a darker blue, with quarterback Peyton Manning’s No. 18 emblazoned on it. During the event, Colts and Galyan’s officials also announced that Galyan’s had stepped up its agreement to be a team sponsor. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
KANSAS CITY
Speedway hopes for Nextel event
Kansas Speedway officials will continue to pursue a second Nextel Cup series race after NASCAR’s 2005 season schedule failed to grant a second race to the track in Kansas City, Kan. Jeff Boerger, Kansas Speedway’s president, said he hopes to capitalize on future realignments in the series. Boerger also wants to bring NASCAR teams from Charlotte to Kansas, whose midcontinent location has become more travel-friendly as the NASCAR schedule adds Western dates.
MEMPHIS
AutoZone Park hits big league on ESPN
AutoZone Park is being featured in a series of short films on ESPN called “The Scout.” The films center on
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| ESPN made some short films at Memphis’ AutoZone Park. |
a washed-up major league scout who is looking for his last big prospect and finds him: a minor league groundskeeper. The spots are sponsored by Sears and feature a Craftsman riding lawn mower. The title shots, concourse footage and the grand finale all feature AutoZone Park. Tony Martin, operations coordinator for the Class AAA Redbirds, said the 14-hour shoot for “The Scout” featured seven Redbirds interns and was shot the day after the team’s two-day homestand against the St. Louis Cardinals. “The crowd shots that are in the final installment were shot during the Cardinals game when the stadium was full, and a couple of concourse shots were shot here,” Martin said. The baseball park was also one of a handful of U.S. sites chosen for a live simulcast of the World War II memorial dedication ceremony May 29.
MIAMI
Marlins give away nesting dolls
The Florida Marlins distributed Russian nesting dolls of Mike Lowell to the first 10,000 fans at a recent game against the Diamondbacks. The dolls feature Lowell in his Marlins uniform, Florida International University uniform and Coral Gables High School uniform. The Miccosukee Resort & Gaming facility sponsored the promotion.
Heat sales get boost from playoffs
Miami Heat merchandise sales got a huge boost by the team’s playoff run. Sales were up 116 percent, a Sun-Sentinel report said, compared with the same period of 2003, SportsScanINFO data showed. The numbers don’t include sales at the team’s store at AmericanAirlines Arena, which ranked in the top 10 of sales of all 29 NBA teams.
MILWAUKEE
Brewers near radio deal for similar fee
The Milwaukee Brewers are likely to announce in the next few weeks that the club will continue 
its long-standing relationship with Journal Communications Inc.’s news-talk-sports station WTMJ-AM for carrying game broadcasts. The Brewers are not expected to receive an increase in their rights fee, which is estimated at $2.5 million to $3 million. The other possible contender for the Brewers’ radio contract is WEMP-AM, a religious station owned by Entercom Communications Corp. Clear Channel Communications Inc., which owns six Milwaukee stations and lost in its bid for the contract in 2001, has declined to pursue the Brewers this year.
NAZARETH, PA.
ISC to discontinue events at speedway
International Speedway Corp., which owns the Nazareth Speedway, announced plans to discontinue all spectator motorsports events at the Lehigh Valley speedway after the 2004 season. Craig Rust, president of Nazareth Speedway, said the track hasn’t been able to “achieve the level of support that is necessary to grow our business.” Nazareth will host its final event, the Firestone Indy 225 IRL IndyCar Series, Aug. 27-29. ISC has not decided on its future plans for the Nazareth property. The last NASCAR race at the track was May 23.
OAKLAND
34 black colleges team for marketing
New Vision Sports Properties, an Oakland-based sports marketing firm, has landed a first-of-its-kind licensing deal for 34 historically black colleges in the South. New Vision, working on behalf of the schools, said athletic wear company Russell Corp. agreed to a five-year exclusive deal to license and sell merchandise bearing the logos of black colleges such as Grambling State, Morehouse College and Tuskegee University. Russell paid in the middle seven figures for the rights. Russell also agreed to pay royalties on the sale of apparel and provide the schools with team uniforms. The deal marks the first time that many of the historically black colleges have marketed themselves to corporate America as one brand with a strong connection to students and alumni, said Steven Malcolm, chief operating officer of 2-year-old New Vision. All schools will share equally in revenue from merchandise sales, Malcolm said.
PHILADELPHIA
Smarty Jones name sought for Street Road
Bensalem, Pa., Mayor Joseph DiGirolamo proposed changing the name of one of Bucks County’s busiest highways — Street Road — to “Smarty Jones Boulevard” within the township’s borders. The home track of Smarty Jones, the winner of this year’s Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, is Philadelphia Park, which is in Bensalem.
US Airways is official airline of Eagles
The Eagles and US Airways announced a seven-year partnership that will 
make US Airways the official airline of the Eagles. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Under the agreement, US Airways will get exclusive use of the team trademark in the airline category and exclusive signage rights at Lincoln Financial Field.
PHOENIX
Suns merchandise sales up 28%
Sales of Phoenix Suns merchandise at Valley Team Shop locations increased 28 percent for the
just-concluded Suns season, which represents the largest annual increase for merchandise sales in team-operated stores among the 29 NBA franchises, according to the NBA. The new Team Shop at America West Arena opened at the beginning of the 2003-04 season as part of the $67 million arena expansion project. In addition to its AWA store, the Team Shop has locations in Fiesta Mall, Arrowhead Townecenter and Bank One Ballpark.
SACRAMENTO
Monarchs sell out home opener
The Sacramento Monarchs sold out their home opener for the third consecutive year. The WNBA team also is on track to sell 38,500 group tickets, up 25 percent from 30,718 last year, and to surpass last year’s revenue from corporate partners. Seventy-five percent of its season-ticket holders have renewed, one of the highest renewals in the team’s history. But the Monarchs are still losing money and won’t guess when the team will move into the black. New corporate partners of the team are American Pacific Mortgage, Big O Basketball Academy, Hawthorn Suites, Java City, Jelly Belly, La Mesa RV, Office Depot, Procrit, Procter & Gamble, Rocklin Family Dentistry and Wells Fargo. All but three partners renewed.
SAN ANTONIO
Final Four adds $55 million to economy
Officials with the 2004 NCAA Final Four San Antonio Local Organizing Committee and the NCAA announced that the 2004 Men’s Final Four generated a direct economic impact of $55 million for the San Antonio community, according to an independent study. The study, commissioned by local officials and the NCAA, indicates that the Final Four attracted more than 51,000 visitors who spent an average of $229 per day in San Antonio’s restaurants, retail stores and other businesses and stayed an average of four nights in local hotels. The 2004 Men’s Final Four was held April 3-5 in the Alamodome.
SAN JOSE
Testing proposed for high school athletes
State Sen. Jackie Speier is proposing testing high school athletes for performance-enhancing substances, including steroids. The tests, which can run $125 each, would not have to be paid for by the schools, she said. Instead, Speier would get the money from state and federal anti-doping agencies or private foundations. The bill also calls for educating high school coaches about steroid use and would prohibit them from endorsing supplements or supplying them to athletes.
SUNRISE, FLA.
Realtor to sponsor Panthers, arena
Century 21 Tenace Realty has become a sponsorship partner with the Office Depot Center and the Florida Panthers. Century 21 Tenace Realty will sponsor the Super Saves Area, where fans post signs during the game following each save made by a Panthers goaltender.
TAMPA-ST. PETERSBURG
Playoffs may erase Lightning deficit
The Tampa Bay Lightning expects to wipe out a $10.5 million deficit from last season as the result of a successful run in the NHL playoffs. The team increased sales of tickets, merchandise and sponsorships through the first two rounds of playoffs and all four games of the Eastern Conference Finals in Tampa, and expects a multimillion-dollar windfall from the Stanley Cup Finals. At least 80 percent of Lightning season-ticket holders have already renewed for the 2004-05 season, and 1,200 additional season tickets have been sold throughout the playoff run. The Bolts have also renewed major sponsorships with Wachovia, DaimlerChrysler, Budweiser and Marriott.
Authority to replace seats at stadium
The Tampa Sports Authority plans to replace 50,000 red seats inside Raymond James Stadium after noticing that the coloring has started to turn pink after just six years. Hussey Seating Corp. of New Berwick, Maine, agreed to install new seats after facing a lawsuit from the authority. The seats, which are intended to match the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ primary uniform color, are under warranty to resist fading.
TORONTO
University, teams work on stadium deal
It looks like the University of Toronto will soon have a new outdoor football stadium and the Toronto Argonauts and the Canadian Soccer Association will have a new home. The Argos are expected to move into a renovated 25,000-seat Varsity Stadium in 2006 after the federal and provincial governments made a conditional pledge to kick in about $25 million of the roughly $56 million project. The government funding is tied to Canada winning hosting rights for the 2007 world under-20 championship, FIFA’s largest event aside from the World Cup. There are currently no other bidders for the tournament, and CSA chief operating officer Kevan Pipe said he is confident Canada will win. FIFA makes its decision in October. The university will pay the remainder for construction, including a roughly $22 million mortgage.
Women’s rugby team nude for calendar
Twenty-one exposed members of Canada’s national women’s rugby team hope to raise some $60,000 through sales of a nude fund-raising calendar. Ranked fourth in the world, the Canadians appear covered up by only cleats and rugby balls. Calendars are available at www.rugbycanada.ca and cost about $15. Five thousand copies of the calendar were produced. Proceeds go toward covering travel costs for trips across Canada and to the United Kingdom.
WASHINGTON
Capitals plan draft party
The Washington Capitals will hold their fifth annual Draft Day Party June 26 from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. at Dave & Buster’s in Bethesda, Md. The party in part will celebrate the team’s first overall draft pick in the 2004 entry draft. The Capitals have five picks in the first two rounds, including three selections in the first round.
