ATLANTA
Gas South following Braves to new park
Atlanta-based Gas South will remain the official natural gas partner when the Atlanta Braves move into their new home at SunTrust Park. Gas South will receive prominent signs in the new ballpark, including a 75-foot-long “Bring the Heat” LED digital board in left field that will display pitching statistics and messaging.
CINCINNATI
Reds ready the Dancing Bears
The Cincinnati Reds are planning a Grateful Dead Night at Great American Ball Park on Sept. 4. A ticket package to the game against the Milwaukee Brewers will feature a Reds-themed Dancing Bears item.
COLUMBUS
Blue Jackets bloggers convene
The Columbus Blue Jackets recently held their first #CBJ Community Convention for an offseason gathering of about 45 social media influencers and bloggers who cover the team. The event was held at corporate partner venue Scioto Downs Racino.
EDMONTON
Oilers fans queried on parking rates
The Edmonton Oilers sent a 31-question survey to season-ticket holders that included inquiries about parking options and prices at the new Rogers Place, according to an Edmonton Journal report. Fans are asked whether they would pay $35 (Canadian) a game for heated underground parking a five-minute walk from the arena.
GREEN BAY
Atrium eatery opens this week
Lambeau Field visitors will get their first chance to eat at 1919 Kitchen & Tap on Friday, according to multiple reports. The atrium restaurant’s opening comes after Brett Favre’s induction into the Packers Hall of Fame this past Saturday and ahead of the team’s annual shareholders meeting July 28. The restaurant replaces Curly’s Pub, which had operated on the atrium’s second floor since 2003.
Police aim to lessen alcohol incidents
Green Bay police are stepping up their efforts to reduce the number of alcohol-related incidents at Lambeau Field, according to a Green Bay Press-Gazette report. The changes include capturing blood-alcohol levels of people being arrested or ejected, and making the data available to officers through the department.
HARTFORD, CONN.
Yard Goats screaming at retail
The Eastern League Hartford Yard Goats sold more than 1,000 pieces of merchandise online and at the team’s Hartford office within a day of the team’s logo unveiling, according to a Hartford Courant report. The Yard Goats, Class AA affiliates of the Colorado Rockies, will begin play next year at Dunkin’ Donuts Park, now under construction.
JACKSONVILLE
Jags, Web.com partner on contest
The Jacksonville Jaguars and Web.com are teaming up for a “Shark Tank”-like competition in which entrepreneurs can win an NFL sponsorship package and a digital makeover. Applications will be accepted until July 31 at www.bigstagebigresults.com. The winner of the prize package, valued at $250,000, will be chosen by a panel made up of Jaguars owner Shad Khan, team President Mark Lamping, and Web.com President and CEO David Brown.
JOLIET, ILL.
Movie names Xfinity race
“Furious 7,” the most recent installment of the “Fast & Furious” movie franchise, will title sponsor Chicagoland Speedway’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race Sept. 19. Chris “Ludacris” Bridges will serve as the grand marshal of the Furious 7 300. “Furious 7” will be released on Blu-ray, DVD and On Demand on Sept. 15.
KOHLER, WIS.
PGA Championship breaks own record
The 2015 PGA Championship at Whistling Straits has broken the PGA Championship record for combined ticket sales and corporate hospitality revenue with a month to go before the Aug. 10-16 event near Kohler, Wis. The record was held by the 2004 PGA Championship, also played at Whistling Straits.
LOS ANGELES
Summit aligns with Special Olympics
The Giving Back Fund will hold its sixth annual Sports and Entertainment Philanthropy Summit at the JW Marriott LA Live on July 25. This year’s partner is the Doha Goals (Gathering Of All Leaders in Sport) Forum in conjunction with the Special Olympics World Games.
NEW YORK
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The all-day event featured teams from Brazil, Italy, Mexico and across the U.S.
Photo by: STREET SOCCER USA
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Soccer takes over Times Square
Street Soccer USA hosted the third annual Times Square Cup on July 12 in partnership with New York City’s department of homeless services, Uniqlo, the New York Cosmos, Tag Heuer and other program partners. Thirty-two teams (ages 16 and older) competed in front of 125,000 spectators throughout the day in a pop-up stadium on the 42nd/43rd Street Plaza. SSUSA is a national nonprofit organization using soccer to teach life and job skills to at-risk and homeless youth and adults.
PITTSBURGH
Penguins reach out for tech ideas
The Pittsburgh Penguins teamed up with the Pittsburgh Technology Council in a call for people to submit ideas that can give them a technological edge over other teams, according to a Pittsburgh Post-Gazette report. The team is looking for ideas that relate to fan amenities and immersion, increased interaction, social media engagement, big data analysis and automation.
SALT LAKE CITY
Summer League has strong showing
The Jazz Summer League will happen in Utah again next year after more than 31,000 fans attended games over three days at EnergySolutions Arena, according to a Deseret News report. The report quoted Utah Jazz team President Randy Rigby: “The fans responded. We haven’t had it for [seven] years, but everyone has been wanting it. They’ve come out and been very supportive.”
SONOMA, CALIF.
Save Mart continues partnership
Save Mart Supermarkets signed a multiyear agreement to continue as co-title sponsor of the annual NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Sonoma Raceway. The new agreement is for five years, extending through 2020. Save Mart first partnered with the raceway in 1992.
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Disposable U-Gloves help eliminate contact with harmful pathogens at the pumps.
Photo: COURTESY OF U-GLOVE
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SUNRISE, FLA.
Panthers adorn gas-station glove boxes
The Florida Panthers partnered with South Florida based company U-Glove in providing Panthers advertising on their sanitary glove dispensers at 110 gas stations in Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties. Action shots of Panthers players will adorn dispensers for the U-Glove product.
TAMPA-ST. PETERSBURG
USF names flagship station
The University of South Florida and WWBA-AM reached an agreement for the Tampa Bay area signal to serve as the flagship station for the USF/IMG Radio Network. The station will carry all USF football and men’s basketball games and coaches shows, twice-weekly Bulls Reports and the majority of USF women’s basketball games.
WATKINS GLEN, N.Y.
Track responds to RV demands
Watkins Glen International introduced Bronson Hill, an outfield location, because of increasing demand for RV camping space. All sites are 30 by 50 feet and feature non-trackside pricing of $375 until Aug. 3, when rates rise to $425. The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series returns to The Glen Aug. 6-9 for the Cheez-It 355 race weekend.
COAST TO COAST — BEYOND THE COASTS
HANOVER, GERMANY
Team partners with Tipwin
Bundesliga side Hannover 96 agreed to a new partnership with betting provider Tipwin. The one-year deal includes an extensive rights package as well as hospitality.
HULL, ENGLAND
Hull City wearing resort logo
League Championship side Hull City unveiled Flamingo Land as its new shirt sponsor for the coming season. The partnership with the North Yorkshire-based resort will see the Flamingo Land brand featured on the front of the 2015-16 kits.
Hull owner tries Tigers again
Hull City owner Assem Allam failed in his latest attempt to rebrand the club Hull Tigers after the FA council rejected the controversial name change application for a second time, according to a (London) Guardian report. Allam’s initial proposal two years ago caused widespread anger among Hull supporters.
KAZAN, RUSSIA
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A partial ceiling was also installed for the FINA events.
Photo by: GETTY IMAGES
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Pools on the pitch at Cup venue
Kazan Arena, one of the venues for 2018 FIFA World Cup, will have the first swimming pool on a football pitch for the coming 16th FINA Swimming World Championships, according to a Xinhua report. Beginning this week, two temporary 50-meter-long pools will be used: one for competitions and one for practices.
KOLKATA, INDIA
Federation, FIFA eye youth project
The All India Football Federation, in partnership with FIFA, will be launching a pilot project in Kolkata for the development of seven state associations, according to a Deccan Herald report. With India hosting the FIFA 2017 U17 World Cup, the associations that are designated as provisional venues are Delhi, Mumbai, Goa, Kochi and Guwahati.
LONDON
Spurs, StubHub extend deal
Tottenham Hotspur extended its agreement with StubHub, which will remain the club’s official ticket resale partner through the 2016-17 season, according to a Tribal Football report. The deal will see StubHub continue to operate the club’s hospitality department, through which official match-day packages are made available.
Spurs mobile app launched
OneUp Sports launched Spurs Go, the official mobile application of Tottenham Hotspur. The free app features on-demand video and iBeacon technology that allows fans to access content and offers at the stadium. Match Centre lets fans follow every kick of each game.
Palace signs gaming sponsor
Mansion Group reached a deal with Crystal Palace FC to become its new official main sponsor. The global online gaming firm will work closely with the Premier League team across a broad spectrum of commercial activities.
Brentford adds shirt sponsor
League Championship side Brentford FC reached a deal with global sports betting exchange Matchbook.com to become the official shirt partner for the 2015-16 season. Brentford’s home and away shirts will feature Matchbook.com branding on the front for the coming campaign.
MADRID
Real scores in China, Australia
Real Madrid will earn more than $20.9 million from its tour of Australia and China, according to an AS report. The club will pocket $13.2 million for taking part in two matches in Melbourne, and in China it will rake in $7.7 million for its participation in two matches.
MILAN
AC Milan gets OK for land
AC Milan cleared a major hurdle in its plans to build a new stadium after its bid to acquire the city’s former trade fairgrounds was approved by the foundation that owns the land, according to a Reuters report. The team is planning to build a 48,000-capacity arena in time for the 2018-19 campaign.
SÃO PAULO
Team stores fed up, form union
Eleven of Brasileiro side Corinthians’ official franchise stores Poderoso Timão formed a union and plan on taking legal action against the club and product provider SPR Sports, according to a Maquino Do Esporte report. The franchise has closed 50 stores in the past few months.
WÜRZBURG, GERMANY
Team signs K1X apparel deal
Basketball Bundesliga club s.Oliver Baskets Würzburg agreed to a new three-year kit deal with K1X. K1X is already the official supplier of BBL rivals Ulm, Bayreuth, Göttingen and Giessen.
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