ARLINGTON, VA.
MCM sold out in under 3 hours
Marking the fastest sellout in the history of marathon events, the Marine Corps Marathon sold 30,000 available online entries in two hours, 41 minutes, besting the previous registration record of eight hours for the 2011 Boston Marathon. Meanwhile, Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill will return for the seventh year as the headquarters hotel for the October marathon.
CHICAGO
Fire working on premium club
The Chicago Fire started work on the Second Star Club, an all-inclusive club at Toyota Park in Bridgeview, Ill. The club on the first concourse is located midfield and will include a dining room with a full-service bar. Club members will have premier seating, access to Fire players postgame, valet parking, a VIP entrance and private elevator.
Media members running Shuffle
The Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle 8K added a new feature to this year’s race: A charitable challenge among members of the media who will team up to compete for bragging rights, prizes and a donation to support Chicago Park District youth running programs. The Shamrock Shuffle will take place on Sunday in Grant Park.
DETROIT
Griffins, Red Wings extend affiliation
The Grand Rapids (Mich.) Griffins and Detroit Red Wings extended their affiliation agreement by five years, through the 2016-17 season. The 10-year-old affiliation, in its final season of a second five-year deal, has helped produce a Stanley Cup and an AHL regular-season championship, along with multiple division titles for both teams.
HOUSTON
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Major League Baseball initially objected to the use of the authentically styled jerseys.
Photo by: HOUSTON ASTROS
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Astros to wear Colt .45s jersey
The Houston Astros will wear replicas of their original Colt .45s jersey during their April 10 and April 20 games at Minute Maid Park. The jersey, worn when the ballclub was named the Colt .45s in the 1960s, included a pistol below the name “Colts” across the chest of the uniform.
LONG BEACH, CALIF.
Grand Prix designates Fuzzy’s
The Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach named Fuzzy’s Ultra Premium Vodka as the official vodka of the Izod IndyCar Series race. The spirits brand, created by Indiana native and golf legend Fuzzy Zoeller, has had several partnerships for entries in the Indianapolis 500. The Long Beach race weekend is April 13-15.
LOS ANGELES
New book marks ballpark’s anniversary
As part of the 50th anniversary of Dodger Stadium, the Los Angeles Dodgers created an official illustrated history coffee table book. “Dodgers: From Coast to Coast — The Official Visual History of the Dodgers” will be released on April 10 for the team’s home opener.
Kings, Ducks ante up for foundation
On March 1, the Los Angeles Kings and the Anaheim Ducks participated in the second annual Rivalry No Limit Hold’em Charity Poker Tournament at San Manuel Indian Bingo & Casino in Highland, Calif. The tournament featured 500 Ducks fans and 500 Kings fans playing against each other, team alumni, poker pros and celebrities. Close to $19,000 was raised for Kings Care Foundation.
NEW YORK
Jets suing suite holder
The New York Jets filed a $1 million lawsuit against Super Metals Mining Inc., one of their MetLife Stadium luxury suite holders, for alleged failure to pay the bill for their suite last season, according to a Bergen Record report. Super Metals Mining is a Canadian copper mining company.
PHILADELPHIA
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From left: Bill Reynolds, John Stoviak, Julie Sheehy, foundation Chairman Mike Curry, Union CEO Nick Sakiewicz, Robbie Robinson, and foundation Executive Director Rick Jacobs.
Photo by: PHILADELPHIA UNION
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MLS Union starts foundation
The Philadelphia Union launched the Philadelphia Union Foundation this month, revealing its mission statement, vision and programming. The foundation’s vision is to use soccer as a conduit for change by reinforcing the traditional family values of honesty, integrity, effort and accountability.
Sixers raising some ticket surcharges
The Philadelphia 76ers will not raise the face value prices for regular-season games on seats in the lower and upper bowl for next season. A surcharge placed on certain high-profile contests categorized as “select” and “choice” games will increase in the lower bowl at the Wells Fargo Center by $5 or $10, respectively. Prices will remain the same in the upper bowl. The team also is raising prices for front-row courtside seats by an undisclosed amount.
CoverSports padding ballpark
CoverSports entered into a deal to provide a variety of field covers and wall padding products to the Philadelphia Phillies for use at Citizens Bank Park. The company created a custom-made infield tarp for the ballpark and covers for the pitcher’s mounds and home plates on the playing field and both bullpens.
PHOENIX
Suns reduce some season-ticket prices
The Phoenix Suns will not raise season-ticket prices next season. Season-ticket prices are being reduced for more than 35 percent of the seats at US Airways Center, including upper-, lower- and club-level seating. The Suns are also expanding their $10 seating option so that one-third of the upper concourse priced at an average of $10 a game.
PORTLAND
Timbers getting more food options
Centerplate plans to roll out a slew of new food options at Jeld-Wen Field, according to a Portland Oregonian report. The report quoted Ben Forsythe, Centerplate general manager for the venue: “My No. 1 goal has been to make it local. Portland is a great city to dine, with everything from Ethiopian and Thai, and soccer’s kind of the world’s game.”
SACRAMENTO
Council mulls arena partnership
The Sacramento City Council is expected to decide next month whether to enter into a $13 million arena pre-development agreement with the developer partnership of Icon Venue Group and David S. Taylor Interests Inc. Populous would produce the arena design, and Turner Construction Co. is expected to be general contractor. The arena project in Sacramento’s downtown railyard would follow the design-build model, meaning the project wouldn’t go to bid.
SEATTLE
Mariners try dynamic pricing
The Seattle Mariners are debuting a dynamic pricing system for all single-game tickets, according to a Seattle Times report. All home games will be divided into four categories based on their perceived value. The Mariners are using Qcue for the pricing system.
VANCOUVER
Whitecaps may ditch ‘Bell Pitch’
The B.C. Pavilion Corp. said that it will take legal action against the Vancouver Whitecaps and their sponsor Bell if they do not stop using the term “Bell Pitch” to refer to the soccer field at BC Place, according to a Vancouver Sun report.
WICHITA, KAN.
WSU hires Rhycom for review
Wichita State University’s Intercollegiate Athletics Association retained Rhycom Sports to review and analyze WSU’s sponsorship and broadcast rights. The evaluation will include a review of WSU-ICAA’s signage, game broadcast media, print media, title sponsorship, digital media, interactive media and other inventory.
YORK, PA.
Revs draw up new logos, color scheme
The two-time defending Atlantic League champion York Revolution have a set of new permanent logos, new uniforms and a modified color scheme to be used beginning this season. Brandiose, which has worked with dozens of professional teams and college athletic departments on branding, helped the Revolution during the creative process.
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