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| Michelle Wie, William Morris’ Ross Berlin (left) and Nike Golf’s Bob Wood |
She’s turning pro Michelle Wie’s decision to turn pro was announced in front of a backdrop featuring logos from sponsors Nike and Sony. Sources said the Nike and Sony deals combined will pay Wie $10 million a year. Wie, during a news conference, said she will donate $500,000 to Hurricane Katrina relief efforts.
KC lands AFL franchise
The AFL, for $16 million, has granted Kansas City Arena Sports & Entertainment an expansion franchise beginning in 2006 after signing a two-year lease to play at Kemper Arena, the Kansas City Star reports. The team will include 15 players who are under contract with the AFL VooDoo, which will not play next season because of the effects of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans.
Atlanta to host Sugar Bowl
The Sugar Bowl executive committee decided to move this year’s game from the Superdome to the Georgia Dome because of Hurricane Katrina. The committee also considered Louisiana State University’s Tiger Stadium.
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| Leland |
Stanford AD to leave post Ted Leland announced that he will step aside as athletic director at Stanford University on Jan. 1 to become vice president for university advancement at the University of the Pacific. Leland has been Stanford’s AD for 14 years. He’s a former winner of the SportsBusiness Journal Athletic Director of the Year award.
Nike combines hockey lines
Nike will combine its Nike and Bauer hockey businesses, betting that it can better challenge Reebok and others by marshaling its development and marketing resources behind a single brand, the Portland Oregonian reports. Nike, which has marketed two lines of hockey equipment for 10 years, will rename all its hockey products “Nike Bauer” and mark them with a new logo.
For these and other stories, visit our sister publication, The SportsBusiness Daily, at: www.sportsbusinessdaily.com.
