BALTIMORE
Grand Prix on hold
Organizers of the Izod IndyCar Series Grand Prix of Baltimore announced that calendar conflicts have doomed the event for at least the next two years and potentially even longer. Having the event on Labor Day weekend in 2014 would have conflicted with an Ohio State-Navy football game scheduled at M&T Bank Stadium, and an American Legion convention provides a conflict on that weekend of 2015.
CARLSBAD, CALIF.
WTA event moving to Tokyo
The WTA board of directors approved the transfer of the sanction for the tournament played in Carlsbad, Calif., to Tokyo, as of 2014, according to a Tennis.com report. The WTA tourney at Stanford University, played one week before the Carlsbad event this year, will move into Carlsbad’s July slot on the tour’s annual calendar, while the new tournament in Tokyo will be played the week of Sept. 15.
LOS ANGELES
Dodgers plan LGBT Night Out
The Los Angeles Dodgers will hold their first LGBT Night Out at Dodger Stadium on Friday for the team’s game against Colorado. The event will feature a celebrity first pitch and the Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles singing the national anthem.
NEW YORK
Nets sign presenting sponsor
The Brooklyn Nets signed a multiyear, presenting sponsorship deal with SecureWatch 24, a New York City-based security firm. With the deal, SW24’s logo will be seen in conjunction with the Nets’ logo on all team-controlled branding. This
alliance also designates SW24 as the presenting sponsor of BrooklynNets.com and the exclusive security partner of the Nets.
Nets ask ‘Are You Ready?’
The Nets unveiled a new phase of their “Hello Brooklyn” marketing campaign for the 2013-14 season. The “Are You Ready?” campaign, created in-house, includes billboard, print and television advertising, as well as having a presence on telephone kiosks throughout Brooklyn in English, Spanish and Russian. It also includes activation across all digital and social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and Google+.
CTMS returns for Islanders’ travel
The New York Islanders signed an agreement with Corporate Travel Management Solutions designating the company as the official travel agency of the team for the second consecutive season. CTMS will handle travel needs for Islanders players and scouts.
OAKLAND
Raiders app passes six figures
The Oakland Raiders’ new app has been downloaded more than 100,000 times since its release earlier this month, according to a San Jose Mercury News report. The Raiders partnered with Palo Alto, Calif.-based Tibco Software for the app, which sends personalized real-time notifications regarding ticket offers, social updates and parking information, according to the report.
PHILADELPHIA
Fans had free rides to Eagles opener
Philadelphia Eagles fans got free rides on the city’s subway to the team’s home opener against San Diego earlier this month. MillerCoors and SEPTA, both marketing partners of the Eagles, teamed to allow people to ride the Broad Street subway line for free to and from Lincoln Financial Field. The Miller Lite Free Rides program has provided safe rides to more than 3.6 million people in cities across the country over the past 25 years, but the Eagles’ Sept. 15 game was the first time the program had been offered in Philadelphia.
PHOENIX
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Fans are finding the shade in a sponsored structure at University of Phoenix Stadium.
Photo by: ARIZONA CARDINALS
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Cardinals open pregame ‘Flight Deck’
The Arizona Cardinals are partnering with Valley Chevy Dealers and the Westgate Entertainment District to host pregame entertainment for fans coming to University of Phoenix Stadium this season. The Arizona Cardinals Flight Deck area is anchored by the Plaza Lounge, a shady seating area with an oversized LED video wall for watching early NFL games.
RALEIGH
N.C. State ‘Ag Day’ this Saturday
North Carolina State Athletics and its multimedia rights partner, Wolfpack Sports Properties, will host their inaugural Ag Day at Carter-Finley Stadium on Saturday, paying tribute to the state’s agriculture industry. Scheduled elements include in-game signage, quarterly video board segments featuring state farmers, and machinery and truck displays courtesy of Case IH, Kioti and Ram Trucks.
SAN ANTONIO
Women’s friendly set for Alamodome
The U.S. women’s national soccer team will play an international friendly against Australia on Oct. 20 at the Alamodome. The match will be the first for the U.S. women in San Antonio since 1996.
SEATTLE
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The previous record was 131.7 decibels at a soccer match in Istanbul in 2011.
Photo by: GETTY IMAGES
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Noise record set at Seahawks game
Seattle Seahawks fans created 131.9 decibels of noise on Sept. 15 during the team’s game against San Francisco at CenturyLink Field, setting a Guinness World Record for crowd noise.
SPRINGFIELD, MASS.
AHL names agency of record
The AHL agreed to a deal with Property Consulting Group that makes PCG the league’s sponsorship agency of record. PCG’s portfolio of national brands includes Lexus, Lowe’s, MillerCoors and Panasonic. The AHL is based in Springfield, Mass.
ST. JOHN’S, NEWFOUNDLAND
AHL All-Star Classic set
The St. John’s IceCaps and Mile One Centre were selected to host the 2014 AHL All-Star Classic Feb. 11-12. The AHL all-stars will face off against Färjestad BK, one of the top professional teams in the Swedish Hockey League. The game will mark the first time a team from the Swedish Hockey League will be competing in North America.
VANCOUVER
Canucks partner with Scotiabank
The Vancouver Canucks signed a deal making Scotiabank the team’s official bank. The partnership will focus on programs aimed at supporting fans, community initiatives and grassroots hockey.
WASHINGTON, D.C.
Monumental starts rewards program
Monumental Sports & Entertainment is launching Monumental Rewards, a season-ticket member rewards program provided by E Group that will offer benefits and experiences for fans of the NBA Wizards, NHL Capitals and WNBA Mystics. The program lets members earn points for buying and renewing season tickets, attending games and member events, and achieving tenure as a season-ticket member.
COAST TO COAST — BEYOND THE COASTS
BARCELONA
Barca revenue to rise to $680 million
FC Barcelona said that the club’s revenue is projected to rise to $680 million this season, according to a Reuters report. Barcelona spokesperson Toni Freixa said that the team’s 2013-14 income will be boosted by extra cash from sponsorship deals, as well as the sale of Spain midfielder Thiago Alcantara to Bayern Munich.
BERLIN
Naming rights sold for German Bowl
Germany-based fashion company New Yorker agreed to a naming-rights deal with the German American Football League for its 2013 championship game, the German Bowl XXXV. The New Yorker German Bowl XXXV will take place on Oct. 12 at the Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn-Sportpark.
HAMBURG, GERMANY
Freezers extend bank partnership
The German Hockey League’s Hamburg Freezers extended their premium partnership with financial institute Volksbank for the 2013-14 season. The bank’s logo will be featured on players’ helmets. Volksbank also will receive a presence on the club’s website and its social media channels.
MANCHESTER
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Spirits are high for Man U in the wake of upward-trending financial results.
Photo by: GETTY IMAGES
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Revenue soars for Man U
Manchester United released its annual financial results last week. Revenue for the Premier League team was up 29.7 percent to $243.5 million for the year ending June 30, while debt fell 10.9 percent to $621.4 million. Profit for the period was $27.5 million. Sponsorship revenue increased 44.1 percent to $145.2 million. Broadcast revenue dipped 2.3 percent to $162.2 million.
Man City partners with UAE bank
Manchester City reached a deal with First Gulf Bank as the club’s official affinity credit card bank partner in the United Arab Emirates. The three-year deal will see the bank launch the first Man City credit card in the region.
Man U reaches deal with Japanese firm
Man U signed a five-year sponsorship agreement with Manda Fermentation Co. of Japan. The agreement will see Manda become the club’s first official nutritional supplements partner, with exclusive rights in Japan.
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA
IMG buys AAMI Classic tennis tourney
IMG Media announced that its tennis division purchased the eight-man, singles-only AAMI Classic in Melbourne from Colin Stubs Enterprises, which started the event in 1988 in partnership with the Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club. IMG and KLTC will be equal partners in the venture.
MUNICH
Hockey team extends with tourism firm
German Hockey League club EHC Red Bull Munich extended its premium partnership with tourism company FTI. The company, which has been a partner of the club since 2010, will continue to have its logo featured on the ice and on the players’ pants.
OLDENBURG, GERMANY
Hoops team partners with retailer
German Basketball Bundesliga club EWE Baskets Oldenburg signed an exclusive partnership with online computer retailer ONE.de. The deal is a two-year agreement.
SOCHI, RUSSIA
Putin tracks Games preparation
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PUTIN
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Russian President Vladimir Putin recently visited Sochi to inspect construction of infrastructure for the 2014 Winter Games and ordered officials to quickly overcome failures and delays in preparing for the event, according to a Reuters report. Putin told a senior government minister to report to him every two weeks.
IOC-backed university opens
The Russian International Olympic University in Sochi opened to great fanfare last week, according to a Moscow Times report. The school is the first university established in conjunction with the IOC and aims to provide former athletes with education to help them build a career after their competitive days are over.
SOFIA, BULGARIA
CSKA Sofia turns down $53M offer
Bulgarian club CSKA Sofia turned down a $53 million investment offer for a new stadium from German company ISF, according to an Inside World Football report. The team rejected the deal after failing to agree to conditions that included handing over the stadium to ISF to maintain and operate, along with sharing use of the stadium with another club and the Bulgarian national team.
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