BOSTON
Ted Williams Collection at auction
Bidding is open for more than 700 items in Hunt Auctions’ Ted Williams Collection. The event takes place April 28 at Fenway Park. Williams’ personal collection includes his 1949 MVP award, his Silver Slugger award and a Babe Ruth signed baseball personalized to Ted Williams. Apart from the
 |
Ted Williams and Babe Ruth met in 1943.
Photos: HUNT AUCTIONS (3)
|
Williams collection, the auction also includes many Fenway Park items, including the first pitched ball from April 20, 1912.
Red Sox sign official insurer
Cross Insurance signed a two-year partnership with the Boston Red Sox, making Cross the official insurance broker of the team. Cross will have video board signage at Fenway Park this season and in 2013 and will have a presence at other ballpark events, including Frozen Fenway and select Fenway Park 100th anniversary celebrations this year.
BUFFALO
Bills partner with Delta Sonic
The Buffalo Bills agreed to a contest deal with Delta Sonic Car Wash related to this month’s NFL draft. Fans can register through either the Bills’ or Delta Sonic’s Facebook page, and one winner will be selected for a trip to New York to announce the team’s fourth-round draft pick at Radio City Music Hall on April 28.
CLEVELAND
Indians group donates $1 million
Cleveland Indians Charities donated $1 million to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Cleveland in support of the group’s Save Our Kids capital campaign. The donation is the largest one-time gift in Cleveland Indians Charities history and brings the CIC lifetime giving total to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Cleveland to $2.7 million since its first donation in 1992.
DENVER
Cycling Challenge adds new cities
The course for the 2012 USA Pro Cycling Challenge includes four new cities: Durango, Telluride, Montrose and Boulder. The August race will follow a 680-mile course between Durango and Denver. This is the second year for the event.
DETROIT
Tigers have best opening series in decade
The Detroit Tigers welcomed 120,525 fans through the gates at 41,255-seat Comerica Park in their first three games this season. That translates into about $1 million in additional revenue compared with this point last season, according to a Crain’s Detroit Business report. It’s the biggest opening three-game series crowd since the ballpark opened in 2000.
HOUSTON
Chevy gets in on Astros’ 50th
The Houston Astros are working with Chevrolet and Houston-area Chevy dealers to commemorate the club’s 50th anniversary this season. Activities include player autograph signings at Chevy dealerships, a Chevy Youth Base Stealer at each home game and two Chevy-sponsored youth baseball clinics at Minute Maid Park this month.
Ballpark adds healthier fare
The Astros, along with Aramark and chef Bryan Caswell, are introducing more variety and healthier fare to Minute Maid Park this season. Among the additions are gluten-free beer and hot dogs, as well as barbecue brisket nachos.
KANSAS CITY
Royals add to corporate roster
The Kansas City Royals signed several new corporate partners for the 2012 season and reached extensions with other existing sponsors. New partners include Boulevard Brewing Co., H&R Block, Hollywood Casino, KC Hopps, Papa John’s, Pittcraft Printing, Taco Bell, Time Warner Cable and United Airlines. Returning partners include Anheuser-Busch, Assurant, Chevrolet, Commerce Bank, John Deere, MillerCoors, Missouri Lottery, and Waddell & Reed/Ivy Funds.
Speedway offers free admission
Kansas Speedway is offering fans free admission to the grandstands on Friday for NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series practices. In lieu of admission, speedway officials are requesting that fans make an on-site donation to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
LOUISVILLE, KY.
Derby, Indy 500 packaged for fans
Churchill Downs and Indianapolis Motor Speedway are offering joint ticket packages for the Kentucky Derby and Indianapolis 500. The Horsepower vs. Horsepower packages — priced at $115 or $995 — include tickets to the two races (May 5 and May 27) as well as the 138th running of the Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs and the Miller Lite Carb Day at IMS. The host cities are separated by about 120 miles.
MILWAUKEE
AT&T boosts ballpark signal
AT&T expanded its mobile Internet coverage at Miller Park and the nearby region by installing a distributed antenna system, according to a report in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. The addition was slated for the start of the Milwaukee Brewers’ home schedule earlier this month.
MINNEAPOLIS-ST. PAUL
 |
The Target sign is customized with a tail
that can wag at different speeds.
Photo by: WAYNE KRYDUBA / MINNESOTA TWINS
|
Target dog happy to see into Twins’ park
Target’s mascot dog, Bullseye, now graces a 37-foot-tall sign affixed to Target Center, overlooking right field at the Minnesota Twins’ ballpark, according to a St. Paul Pioneer Press report. The sign features a wagging tail that is programmed to move at different speeds. The same spot last season held a Sanford Health sign, which many fans disliked for intruding on the view of the Minneapolis skyline.
NEW YORK
Barclays Center names official hotel
The New York Marriott at the Brooklyn Bridge was named official hotel of Barclays Center. Starting with the arena’s opening in September, Barclays Center and the hotel expect to have teams, performers, concert-goers, and those attending other events at the arena staying at the Marriott property.
PHOENIX
D-Backs trail all others in a good way
The Arizona Diamondbacks’ Fan Cost Index of $145.94 — more than $60 below the league average — is again the lowest in MLB for the sixth consecutive season. The index is computed annually by Team Marketing Report and comprises four average tickets, two beers, four soft drinks, four hot dogs, parking for one car, two programs and two adult-sized hats.
Suns site incorporates social options
The Phoenix Suns’ digital department launched fans.suns.com, a community website intended to draw the team’s fans together. The site, which is presented by Southwest Airlines, incorporates all of the team’s official social media channels, including Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Google+, Foursquare and Instagram.
ST. LOUIS
Cards name hometown bank
The St. Louis Cardinals signed a three-year sponsorship deal with First National Bank of St. Louis. The deal designates First National as the “hometown bank” of the Cardinals and will enable it to offer Cardinals-branded checking in the St. Louis area.
TAMPA-ST. PETERSBURG
Rays roll out ‘Burst Pass’ benefits
The Tampa Bay Rays, in partnership with Fortress US, are introducing the Burst Pass system for season-ticket holders this season. The new initiative is a stored-value card that will serve as a season-ticket holder ID and provide a 12 percent cash bonus for every dollar loaded onto the card. The funds can then be used to make purchases at the Tropicana Field Team Store, fixed concession stands and restaurants around the ballpark.
WASHINGTON, D.C.
NASCAR speaks at environmental summit
Mike Lynch, managing director of green innovation for NASCAR, is speaking at the White House Summit on Environmental Education the EPA is hosting today in Washington, D.C., at the White House Eisenhower Executive Office Building. Lynch will be speaking on a panel to discuss NASCAR’s fan education program, and NASCAR’s green efforts, such as the use of Sunoco Green E-15 ethanol fuel, and recycling efforts with Sprint and MillerCoors.
Send your Coast to Coast news to: CoastToCoast@sportsbusinessjournal.com or phone (704) 973-1436.
