BUFFALO
Bills keep season-ticket prices flat
For the fourth straight year, the Buffalo Bills will hold the line on season-ticket prices but individual game buyers will see an average increase of $8.12 per seat. The team also will reduce the season-ticket cost on more than 2,500 seats in the 300 level of Ralph Wilson Stadium to $25 per game, down from $37 last season.
DENVER
Broncos raising some ticket prices
The Denver Broncos are raising their reserved-seat ticket prices by an average of 4.2 percent next season, according to a Denver Post report. Season-ticket holders were informed of the increases along with a letter from Broncos owner Pat Bowlen.
Mammoth start family initiative
The NLL Colorado Mammoth and Kroenke Sports Charities created The Mammoth Family, a new community volunteerism initiative spearheaded by Lisa Hamley, the wife of head coach Bob Hamley. The Mammoth Family has an Adopt-a-Family program that it implements every home game, hosting families and then providing a private meet-and-greet with players.
HOUSTON
Jeremy Lin Foundation getting started
Houston Rockets point guard Jeremy Lin will host an inaugural event Thursday to launch the Jeremy Lin Foundation and announce its first initiative, The Making A Difference (MAD) Project. The foundation’s launch party will be held at Minute Maid Park as the unofficial start of NBA All-Star Weekend.
Greenstar coming off Dynamo jerseys
The Houston Dynamo reached an agreement with Greenstar Recycling that will end its three-year team sponsorship as well as jersey title sponsorship. The termination comes as a result of Greenstar’s sale to Waste Management.
LOS ANGELES
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It’s ‘A Whole New Blue’ for Dodgers fans.
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Dodgers launch digital loyalty program
The Los Angeles Dodgers launched a program that will reward fans for supporting the club online, via social media and at Dodger Stadium. The DodgersRewards.com program offers fans the chance to win prizes by supporting the team through activities including online shopping, social networking and checking in to games through MLB.com’s mobile app.
Ticketmaster out, Axs in at Staples
Staples Center switched its ticketing operation to Axs Ticketing from Ticketmaster. Beyoncé’s June 26 concert at Staples Center, which kicks off her upcoming tour, will be the first event offered exclusively through the Axs system. AEG, owner and operator of Staples Center, launched Axs in February 2011.
NEW ORLEANS
Baugh jersey fetches $109K
A Sammy Baugh Washington Redskins jersey was the most sought-after piece of football memorabilia at the Hunt Auctions Super Bowl XLVII Live Auction, realizing $109,250 during live bidding at the NFL Experience. The jersey was part of the personal collection of former Redskins equipment manager Harry “Kelly” Miller, who spent more than 40 years in professional sports.
NEW YORK
Triathlon retains three sponsors
Precision Sports Entertainment signed terms with CytoSport, Qdoba Mexican Grill and Janus Funds for the Aquaphor New York City Triathlon. Cytosport’s Muscle Milk will remain the official recovery drink for the 2013 and 2014 events. Qdoba will continue to receive display space, Internet exposure, database marketing opportunities and promotional opportunities. Janus Funds will continue as the title partner to the seventh annual Janus Peak Performance Challenge, a race-within-a-race targeted to financial advisers.
PHILADELPHIA
Flyers conduct 50/50 raffles
The Philadelphia Flyers have teamed up with 5050 Central to hold 50/50 raffles to benefit charitable organizations during home games this season. Volunteers sell raffle tickets to fans, with 50 percent of the money collected donated to charities and the remaining 50 percent presented to a random winner.
Replacement cycling event gets sponsor
The Philly Cycling Classic — the scaled-back, replacement event for The Philadelphia International Cycling Championship, which was called off last month after a 28-year run — received its first major sponsorship commitment. New Penn Financial will become a six-figure sponsor of the proposed June cycling race. The organization that is putting together the Philly Cycling Classic was created though the efforts of U.S. Rep Robert Brady, D-Philadelphia.
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The MLS team got some stage time, along with jersey sponsor Bimbo Bakeries.
Photo by: GETTY IMAGES
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Orchestral maneuver for Union jersey
The Philadelphia Union got a plug in an unusual manner when actor Hugh Jackman displayed the team’s home jersey while on stage with Philadelphia orchestra conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin during a recent concert at the Philadelphia Academy of Music. Jackman is friends with Union chairman and primary owner Jay Sugarman and Nick Sakiewicz, the club’s CEO.
Eagles raising season-ticket prices
The Philadelphia Eagles are increasing the price of season tickets for next season from 7 percent to 12 percent, or from $5 to $10 per ticket, depending on the seat location. Prices for lower-level sideline seats and upper-level loge seats are going up to $105 from $95. Lower-level seats behind the end zones are increasing to $95 from $85.
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FLA.
‘Kuch’s Krew’ seeks video applicants
Bridgestone Golf and The Players Championship are sponsoring an online contest for fans to become part of “Kuch’s Krew,” a fan club for reigning TPC winner Matt Kuchar, according to a Florida Times-Union report. Fans have until Feb. 28 to enter a video that describes why they want to be part of Kuchar’s gallery. Three winners will be awarded with travel packages and have the chance to meet Kuchar and attend VIP events.
SACRAMENTO
Kings don ’90s jerseys, offer ticket combo
The Sacramento Kings are wearing retro jerseys from 1996-98 for 10 games, half of which will be at home at Sleep Train Arena. The first was Feb. 4. In conjunction, the Kings are offering a Retro Pack with a T-shirt and three games for $19.95 in what the team described as “slashed” costs to reflect 1990s pricing.
SAN FRANCISCO
Candlestick to meet explosive end
Candlestick Park likely will go out with a blast next year to make way for a shopping center, according to a San Francisco Chronicle report. Plans are to demolish the 69,000-seat stadium, possibly within weeks of the 49ers’ final game next season.
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ.
TPC Scottsdale breaks single-day records
The PGA Tour’s Waste Management Phoenix Open recorded third-round attendance of 179,022, an all-time single-day record for the event and professional golf history. The previous single-day mark of 173,210 was set last year, also during the third round. The total attendance for the week was 525,821, short of the record of 538,356 set in 2008.
ST. LOUIS
Rams season-ticket prices going up
St. Louis Rams season-ticket holders received an email notice informing them of a slight increase in season-ticket prices for the 2013 season, according to a St. Louis Post-Dispatch report. The email included a letter from head coach Jeff Fisher. A seat that cost $82 a game last season now costs $88. There is a discount program for those who renew by Feb. 22.
COAST TO COAST — BEYOND THE COASTS
BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA
Lions sign storage partner
Australian Football League club Brisbane Lions named National Storage their co-major partner until the end of the 2015 season. National Storage joins insurance company Suncorp Group brand Vero as the co-major partner.
CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA
Century 21 gets golf real estate
Century 21 has become a sponsor of the 2013 ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open, which will be played at Royal Canberra Golf Club from Thursday through Sunday. Century 21’s branding will be visible on two holes from tee to green, as well as on the primary digital scoreboard and through other online and on-ground channels.
DUBAI, UAE
Al Nasr owed $6M in contract breach
Al Nasr of the UAE Pro-League is due $6.1 million in compensation after its former player Esmail Bangoura was ruled to have breached his contract with the Dubai club when he joined Nantes of French Ligue 2 in January 2012, according to a Gulf News report. FIFA has also suspended Bangoura for four months.
DUBLIN
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Irish athletes, from left: Jessie Barr, Colin Costello, Ciara Mageean, Fionnuala Britton, Thomas Barr and Ava Hutchinson.
Photo by: DAVID MAHER / SPORTSFILE
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New Balance outfits Athletics Ireland
New Balance was named as the new sponsor for Athletics Ireland in a multiyear deal. The new partnership sees New Balance supply the Irish track and field team with a full selection of team wear, including performance apparel for use in competition in all Irish events, world championships and European championships.
HAMBURG, GERMANY
Viagogo suing Hamburg SV
Online ticket marketplace Viagogo started legal proceedings against Bundesliga club Hamburg SV. Viagogo is seeking to recover $273,000 in damages resulting from a breach of contract and has pledged to donate all the proceeds from the lawsuit back to HSV fans. The company also is requesting a public apology.
HONG KONG
Man U to play Hong Kong friendly
Manchester United agreed to visit the 40,000-seat Hong Kong Stadium and face local side Kitchee in a July 29 friendly, according to a London Telegraph report. The EPL club is seeking to cash in on their huge support in the former British colony and in mainland China.
ISTANBUL
2020 bid gets new airport boost
The tender to build the world’s largest airport in Istanbul was opened, reinforcing Istanbul 2020’s transportation plan should Turkey be awarded its first Olympics in 2020. Istanbul’s new third airport will have six runways and an annual passenger capacity of 150 million. The first phase of construction is due to be completed in 2016.
MALANG, INDONESIA
Dutch-born player still unpaid
Indonesian football club Persema Malang admitted to not paying its Dutch-born player Irfan Bachdim, according to a Jakarta Globe report. The player recently left the team to play with a Thai club. The report quoted Persema assistant manager Dito Arief: “We indeed haven’t paid Irfan’s salary, although honestly we’re not sure for how many months.”
PARIS
Paris Saint-Germain will Fly Emirates
Ligue 1 Paris Saint-Germain agreed in principal to a five-year, $171 million jersey sponsorship deal with Emirates Airline, according to a Le Parisien report. The deal, which is set to take effect in 2014, represents a sum never seen before in France.
SOCHI, RUSSIA
Volunteer applicants exceed needs
The Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics volunteering program has so far received 160,000 applications, with one month left before the deadline, according to an Indo Asian News Service report. The program was expected to recruit 28,000 Russian and foreign volunteers, 3,000 of whom would be local residents.
Russia on track for Sochi Grand Prix
Russia President Vladimir Putin told F1 CEO Bernie Ecclestone that the country is ready to host the Formula One Grand Prix in Sochi after it holds the Winter Olympic Games in 2014, according to an AFP report. Putin agreed with Ecclestone to hold F1 races at a circuit being built around the Sochi Olympic Park.
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