CHARLOTTE
CIAA, city reach new 6-year deal
The CIAA agreed to a deal with city officials that will keep the Division II conference’s men’s and women’s basketball tournaments in Charlotte for six more years. The events have been in Charlotte annually since 2006. Additionally, the conference will move its headquarters to Charlotte from Virginia.
DAYTONA BEACH, FLA.
Developer seeks public funding
The developer behind the $289 million first phase of One Daytona, a mixed-use project that would sit across from Daytona International Speedway, is asking for about $40 million in public funding from Volusia County and the city of Daytona Beach, according to a Daytona Beach News-Journal report. The proposals will be voted on within the next few weeks. The developer, JV Partners, is a joint venture between International Speedway Corp. and Jacoby Development.
DETROIT
Ilitch family to keep more revenue
The Detroit Red Wings, under terms of a new deal with state and local development authorities for the team’s soon-to-be-built arena, will no longer have to share with the city 10 percent of ticket proceeds, 7 percent of suite sales, 10 percent of food and beverage concessions, 5 percent of souvenir sales, and other revenue from parking, according to a Detroit Free Press report. Those percentages currently apply to the team as it plays at 34-year-old Joe Louis Arena. In the new arena, the Ilitch family, which owns the team, would keep that revenue instead.
HARTFORD, CONN.
Bond group OKs arena funding
The Connecticut State Bond Commission backed $31.2 million for upgrades at the XL Center, with construction expected to begin in late spring, according to a Hartford Courant report. The funding is part of a financial package approved by the state legislature last year.
NEW HAVEN, CONN.
Yale signs Webster Bank
Yale University and Webster Bank agreed to a three-year sponsorship deal, according to a New Haven Register report. As the official bank of Yale Athletics, Webster will have opportunities for placement of premium signs and advertising as well as promotional and hospitality opportunities at Yale events and venues.
NEW ORLEANS
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Fans will be forking over a few more dollars at Mercedes-Benz Superdome this year.
Photo by: GETTY IMAGES
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Saints raising ticket prices
The New Orleans Saints are increasing ticket prices for the first time since the team’s 2009 Super Bowl-winning season, according to a New Orleans Times-Picayune report. No ticket price will increase by more than $10 per game, and approximately one-third of all seats will be priced at $55 or less per game.
PHILADELPHIA
Schmidt heads to broadcast booth
Philadelphia Phillies Hall of Fame third baseman Mike Schmidt is joining the Phillies broadcast team this season. Schmidt will be in the broadcast booth for 13 Sunday home games to be shown on Comcast SportsNet this year, working as an analyst alongside play-by-play man Tom McCarthy.
Curling event to add $2M to economy
The 2014 USA Curling National Championships, held at the IceWorks Skating Complex in suburban Philadelphia earlier this month, were expected to generate an economic impact of about $2 million for the region, according to an estimate from the Brandywine Conference and Visitors Bureau.
PITTSBURGH
Pens could miss October deadline
The Pittsburgh Penguins might not make an October deadline for the start of their proposed office, residential and commercial development at the team’s former Civic Arena site, according to a Pittsburgh Post-Gazette report. Penguins COO Travis Williams said that meeting the deadline could be tough given ongoing negotiations with local officials over subjects that include the amount of affordable housing that would be a part of the project.
PORTLAND
Fans to decide new court appearance
The Portland Trail Blazers will debut a new court at Moda Center for the 2014-15 season, and the team launched an online contest called Create the Court to help determine how it will look. The contest runs through Sunday, with the team scheduled to announce three finalists on March 24 and subsequent voting through March 30.
SAN FRANCISCO
Warriors eye site next to Giants’ ballpark
The Golden State Warriors may try to team up with the San Francisco Giants to shift the site for their proposed waterfront arena down to the parking lot across from AT&T Park, according to a San Francisco Chronicle report. Although the teams have not had direct talks, both sides reportedly are said to be open to discussing the idea.
SONOMA, CALIF.
Raceway signs blood supplier
Sonoma Raceway signed BloodSource as its newest official sponsor. With the deal, BloodSource will collaborate with the raceway on a number of initiatives for 2014, including the 14th annual High Speed Blood Drive event on May 5.
WASHINGTON, D.C.
New website campaigns for stadium
D.C. United launched a website aimed at building support for the team’s plan to build a soccer-specific stadium on Buzzard Point, according to a Washington Post report. The site, uniteDC.org, encourages visitors to write to members of the city council to support Mayor Vincent Gray’s plan to acquire and provide the land and infrastructure for the stadium.
COAST TO COAST — BEYOND THE COASTS
BAHRAIN
Corner getting Schumacher name
Michael Schumacher, still in a coma in a French hospital after a skiing accident in late December, is to have the first corner of Bahrain’s Formula One circuit named after him, according to a Reuters report. Schumacher, a seven-time F1 champion, won the inaugural Bahrain race in 2004 and also advised on the design of the circuit.
MANCHESTER
Fans to digitally cheer from sidelines
Manchester United is partnering with social media site Front Row for what the club calls a first in soccer: During Man U’s game against Liverpool on Sunday, video of a select few fans could be streamed onto the field-level screens while they watch the game, according to a (London) Daily Mail report. The process is possible via a live Google Plus hangout.
MUNICH
‘Mash’ replacing X Games
Munich will host the action-sports event Munich Mash in July to replace X Games Munich, which ESPN canceled in November, according to a Süddeutsche Zeitung report. Olympic Park Munich spokesman Arno Hartung said the city will invest about $1.4 million for the event.
SUNDERLAND, ENGLAND
New sponsor, pricing for club
Sunderland AFC formed a partnership with retailer Cruise that makes the brand Sunderland’s official suit provider for the 2014-15 season. Cruise also gets LED perimeter and jumbo screen advertising at the team’s Stadium of Light along with match-day program advertising at home games. Separately, Sunderland plans to have reduced season-ticket prices for the 2014-15 season, according to a Press Association report. The club said all season-ticket holders who sign up before April 11 will pay less. Adult seats will be available from $620, but those over the age of 65 will pay $452. The price of student and children’s tickets also will be lowered.
TULLE, FRANCE
Player assisting accordion factory
Arsenal FC player Laurent Koscielny dug deep into his pockets to help save France’s oldest accordion factory, according to a (London) Guardian report. Koscielny, whose hometown is Tulle, is part of an investment group that put up $830,000 to save the factory from closure.
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