ATLANTA
Golf show commits (again)
The Golf Industry Show, originally planned for New Orleans before being redirected to Houston after Hurricane Katrina, was moved again, this time to Atlanta. Officials with the show, which will be held in February, said Houston couldn’t deliver all the services they needed.
BIRMINGHAM, ALA.
New baron for AA club
Don Logan and sons Jeff and Stan bought the Class AA Birmingham Barons from Elmore Sports Group Ltd. Logan, who has personal and professional ties to the city, is chairman of Time Warner’s media and communications group.
BOSTON
Tennis returning to town
Bosse Sports unveiled plans to host a U.S. Tennis Association Challenger Tournament in suburban Sudbury, Mass., from Oct. 31 to Nov. 6. The men’s event will be the first pro tennis event in the Boston area since 1999.
CHICAGO
AFL mascot: A Ditka specialty
The Chicago Rush unveiled a character named Grabowski as their first mascot. The name stems from Rush owner and former Chicago Bears coach Mike Ditka calling his NFL team years ago “a bunch of Grabowskis” in reference to their hard-working, blue-collar character — which Ditka now said is applicable to the AFL players.
Stats group laces up for NHL
Stats LLC of suburban Morton Grove, Ill., agreed to a deal that makes it the exclusive, third-party licenser of the NHL’s real-time data feed as well as a licenser of the league’s video highlights. The company is jointly owned by the Associated Press and News Corp.
COLUMBUS
Crew adds radio show
The Columbus Crew broadened its outreach efforts to the local Hispanic community with the Sept. 29 launch of a weekly show on Radio Sol, the Spanish-language station that broadcasts play-by-play of the MLS team’s home games. Crew assistant coach Eduardo Carvacho is host of the “Pasion de Gol” (Passion for Goals) show, which will air Thursday evenings year-round.
 |
| Chuck Norris is working with businessmen in Texas to start a team martial-arts league. |
DALLAS-FORT WORTH
Norris plans martial arts league Hollywood action star Chuck Norris is partnering with Plano businessmen Arch and Jacob Bonnema to form what they say will be the first team martial-arts league. Slated to kick off with four team matches Oct. 8 in Dallas, the World Combat League will try to field clubs in eight cities in 2006 and expand to 16 teams in 2007.
Fort Worth bowl extends deal
The Fort Worth Bowl has signed a four-year extension with Conference USA to play the Mountain West Conference. Though the deal runs from 2006 to 2009, the bowl says the sixth-place team of the Pac-10 Conference could play in the 2007 game. This year’s contest, slated for Dec. 23, will pair a Big 12 team with a Conference USA school.
DENVER
Kroenke breaks ground
Kroenke Sports Enterprises broke ground on its $130 million Prairie Gateway sports complex in nearby Commerce City. The property’s focal point, a soccer stadium, now may include 26,000 seats, as opposed to the 18,000 to 20,000 seats initially envisioned. The stadium will be home to Kroenke Sports’ Colorado Rapids, a Major League Soccer team.
DETROIT
Palace extends Ticketmaster deal
Palace Sports & Entertainment signed a multiyear contract extension for Ticketmaster to provide service for all Palace Sports venues and sports teams.
 |
| The Houston Texans will now close Reliant Stadium’s roof on hot, sunny days. |
HOUSTON
Texans put lid on heat concerns Responding after fans complained about the heat during a mid-September home game, the Houston Texans have announced that Reliant Stadium’s retractable roof will be closed more often during the early months of the NFL season. What the Texans are calling a “new approach” toward the retractable roof comes on the heels of the team’s 2005 home opener against Pittsburgh. The roof was open during that game, which had a noon kickoff on Sept. 18, despite afternoon temperatures in the mid-to-upper 90s. “Specifically, when the game-day forecast calls for sunny skies and temperatures in the mid-80s or higher, the roof will likely be closed for the game,” the Texans said in a letter sent to season-ticket holders days after the hot home opener.
INDIANAPOLIS
Colts unveil stadium details
The Indianapolis Colts unveiled plans for their new $500 million stadium, which will have wider seats and more legroom than their current facility. There also will be more than a dozen types of luxury suites and exclusive lounge and dining areas for club-seat customers.
LOUISVILLE, KY.
Cardinal network formed
WHAS-TV and its network consultant, Game Seven Sports Marketing in Lexington, Ky., have joined with the University of Louisville to create the Cardinal Sports Television Network. The network, which will carry football and men’s basketball games, will reach more than 750,000 homes.
 |
| Brewers owner Mark Attanasio said he plans to increase the club’s payroll again. |
MILWAUKEE
Brewers owner plans to spend Milwaukee Brewers owner Mark Attanasio said he plans to increase the team’s payroll for the 2006 season in an attempt to build on the club’s success on the field this year. Attanasio, who purchased the Brewers in January for $220 million, increased the team’s payroll from $28 million for the 2004 season, one of the lowest in the major leagues, to $43 million for 2005. The result on the field has been the team’s best season since 1992. Attanasio would not specify a 2006 payroll target, but in the past he has said he was willing to increase the payroll to between $50 million and $60 million.
Bradley Center going smoke-free
The Bradley Center will go smoke-free at all its events starting this fall. The policy resulted from requests and complaints from patrons at the facility, said president Steve Costello. Previously, smoking had been allowed in four small, designated areas. The move will affect all public areas of the 22,000-seat facility in downtown Milwaukee. The arena is the home of the Milwaukee Bucks, Marquette University men’s basketball and the Milwaukee Admirals of the American Hockey League.
Patrick starring in sandwich campaign
Cousins Submarines Inc. has hired ESPN sportscaster Dan Patrick as a spokesman for its 2005-06 advertising campaign as the suburban Milwaukee company expands its franchises in several Midwest and Southwest markets. Patrick will appear in television, radio, billboard and print ads starting in mid-October and will be featured in point-of-purchase materials. The ads are produced by Noble & Associates, Chicago. Cousins is spending more than $1 million on the campaign.
 |
| The Timberwolves’ Kevin Garnett (left) is teaming up with the Geek Squad. |
MINNEAPOLIS-ST. PAUL
Best Buy, Garnett plan school center Richfield, Minn.-based Best Buy Co. has become a partner with NBA star Kevin Garnett’s 4XL Foundation, the NBA and Achieve!Minneapolis, a local nonprofit organization, to offer a state-of-the-art learning center at Washburn High School in Minneapolis. The center will serve 1,300 students and receive continuing service from Best Buy’s Geek Squad division.
Metrodome getting new HDTVs
The Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission has budgeted $300,000 to replace 113 televisions in the Metrodome’s concourses, press boxes and gate areas with new HDTVs. Bids are due Oct. 17. The job should be done by December.
NEW ORLEANS
VooDoo cancels ’06 season
The New Orleans VooDoo suspended play for the 2006 AFL season in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. The team’s practice facility is being used for relief operations, and its New Orleans Arena home won’t be prepared to host games next season.
NEW YORK
Nassau project gets new partner
New York Islanders co-owner Charles Wang added Reckson Associates Realty Corp. as a partner for a planned development around the team’s Nassau Coliseum home. The proposed $1 billion mixed-use project is pending county approval.
Firm launches placement division
Sports marketing firm Sport Consulting Group has launched a new division titled Sports Branded Media. The new group will focus on product placement of sports properties, sporting goods and sports apparel in TV and films.
School picked for Hornets camp
Southern Nazarene University in nearby Bethany was selected by the New Orleans Hornets to host the team’s training camp. The Hornets are scheduled to play 35 of their regular-season home games this season in Oklahoma City.
OLEAN, N.Y.
St. Bonaventure receives donation
A $900,000 gift by a graduate and former baseball player will be used to upgrade St. Bonaventure University’s McGraw-Jennings Field. The donation comes from Thomas Marra, a 1980 alumnus and member of the university’s board of trustees. St. Bonaventure, a member of the Atlantic 10 Conference, will use a large part of the money to convert the field from natural grass to an artificial surface.
PHILADELPHIA
Phantoms share taste of championship
The Philadelphia Phantoms organized a 10-day “Sip From the Cup” tour leading to the American Hockey League team’s 10th anniversary opening night Oct. 8. The Phantoms captured the Calder Cup for the second time in team history last season. During each tour stop, one fan was selected to drink Pepsi from the champion cup. Stops included restaurants, universities and schools, radio stations and Philadelphia’s Love Park.
SAN DIEGO
Baseball finals will be played at Petco
Officials of Major League Baseball and the Padres announced that the semifinals and final game of the first World Baseball Classic will be held at Petco Park. The first international tournament to feature major league players will be staged next spring, with the 16-nation competition culminating March 18-20 at Petco.
SAN JOSE
Sharks clamp down extensions
The San Jose Sharks signed extensions with corporate partners Pepsi Bottling Group, Southwest Airlines and Orchard Supply Hardware for the 2005-06 season.
ST. LOUIS
KFNS to carry St. Louis men’s hoops
Saint Louis University will broadcast its men’s basketball games on KFNS-AM. KFNS, owned by Big League Broadcasting, also will produce a one-hour show with coach Brad Soderberg and add other features to highlight the university’s athletic program.
SEATTLE
Denny’s takes on Pro Bowlers
The Professional Bowlers Association and the Denny’s restaurant chain signed a three-year deal that makes Denny’s the title sponsor of the PBA Tour through the 2007-08 season. Financial details weren’t released, though the PBA described the deal as being a multimillion-dollar sponsorship.
Jackson Hewitt re-ups with PBA
The PBA and Jackson Hewitt renewed their sponsorship agreement for the 2005-06 season, the fourth consecutive year the two have partnered. The company will title sponsor the 2006 PBA Jackson Hewitt Tax Service Classic Jan. 25-29 in Alabama, and is offering a $1 million bonus to a Denny’s PBA Tour bowler who wins three of the last four major events this season.
SUNRISE, FLA.
Panthers build on to radio programming
The Florida Panthers and WQAM-AM have joined to expand programming focusing on the team. The programming includes new weekly shows such as “Inside the Panthers,” which will feature the team’s coach and general manager, and the “Panthers Weekend Edition” show.
 |
| The Toronto Maple Leafs will be showing up more often in high-definition. |
TORONTO
TSN increases HD games The supply of NHL hockey games available to the Canadian hockey market in high-definition will soar this season with TSN’s announcement that it is producing and televising 27 of its 71 national NHL regular-season broadcasts in HD. This is the first major push into regular high-definition broadcasts by a Canadian hockey carrier.
Execs want NFL game — or team
Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment Chairman Larry Tanenbaum was joined by other senior executives in the Toronto sports scene for what was called a fact-gathering mission to Mexico to see the NFL’s first regular-season game outside the United States. MLSE President Richard Peddie said the board of directors has discussed both hosting an NFL game in Toronto and pursuing a franchise, though he acknowledged the latter would be an unprecedented financial leap for the company. Toronto Blue Jays President Paul Godfrey has sought an NFL team for Toronto and said he would make a pitch to hold an NFL game at Rogers Centre if the opportunity arose.
WASHINGTON
Nationals get car-sharing deal
The Washington Nationals signed a deal with Zipcar that makes the club the first in MLB with a car-sharing partnership. The team will use a co-branded Zipcar for promotional and business purposes, and mascot Screech will use the car for pregame festivities and event-related transportation.
YORK, PA.
Ballpark design honors Robinson
Plans were unveiled for the 6,000-seat minor league ballpark being built to honor MLB hall of famer Brooks Robinson, who made his pro debut here in 1955. The effort is being overseen by Keystone Baseball.
