Beckham, Pepsi End 10-Year Sponsorship

Despite his high-profile loan move to AC Milan, the fizz could be evaporating from David Beckham's commercial appeal after ending a 10-year deal with Pepsi.

"David's football legacy will live on and everyone at Pepsi will continue to be as passionate about his success as we have been over the last 10 years," the soft drinks manufacturer said in a statement. "We wish David well with the many projects he is pursuing and look forward to the possibility of partnering together with him again someday."

The 33-year-old England midfielder, who is in Italy on loan from Major League Soccer's Los Angeles Galaxy, still has lucrative sponsorship deals with major brands like Adidas and Armani.

"I have nothing but good memories of my association with Pepsi," Beckham said. "I've played a gladiator, a cowboy, a surfer, and worked alongside Beyonce and Jennifer Lopez as well as some of the biggest names in world football."

NY Times Trying To Sell Red Sox Stake

The New York Times Co is trying to sell its stake in the holding company of the Boston Red Sox baseball team, The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the discussions.

The sale, which could give the Times desperately needed cash as newspaper advertising revenue falls and its debt payments loom, could involve its 17.5 percent stake in New England Sports Ventures and possibly the struggling Boston Globe daily newspaper, the Journal reported.

New England Sports Ventures owns the Red Sox, the Fenway Park baseball field where the team plays, and most of the cable network that shows their games.

A New York Times spokeswoman declined to comment.

The Journal report comes on the same day that the Times Co reported a 20 percent drop in advertising revenue in November, compared with the same period last year.

The Times has said that it is evaluating the future of its assets, which also include online encyclopedia About.com and several daily newspapers throughout the United States, as it tries to meet its debt obligations and cut its borrowing.

Debt is proving difficult for many U.S. publishers to handle because they are bringing in less cash to make them able to meet their obligations. This is partly because of the fading relevance of printed newspapers to people now used to getting news for free online. The world financial crisis has only worsened the ad sale declines.

The Times could raise at least $200 million if it sold its stake, analysts and sports bankers told Reuters earlier this month. The team, while not central to the Times's business, could be attractive to many buyers despite the recession because it is popular with fans.

Other baseball teams are up for sale as well, including the Chicago Cubs, which is owned by Tribune Co, the privately held newspaper publisher that filed for bankruptcy this month.

The Times got the Red Sox stake in 2002 as part of a group led by hedge fund manager John Henry that bought the team, Fenway Park and an 80 percent stake in the New England Sports Network. The price for the deal was $700 million, including debt. The network also includes a NASCAR auto-racing team.

My Impression Of "The Q"

The new JQH Arena, affectionately nicknamed "the Q", is definitely on par with the best arenas around the country for college basketball.

The $67 million facility opened its doors this season and the reviews have been positive. I have to agree that there is really not a bad seat in the house. In comparison to Hammons Student Center, the seats are bigger and wider and come with cup holders.

As far as the concourse, the wide open spaces are very nice as well as the numerous restroom facilities. The suites are spacious and have all the things you need to watch a game in comfort. The selection of menu items at the concession stands are tremendous. Who would think you could get Starbucks at a Bears game?

Also on the concourse is the tremendous offerings of the BearWear Shop. If you remember the same store inside Hammons, only two people were allowed in the store at one time. This store looks like one you'd see at the mall.

At the center of the arena is an awesome video scoreboard with constant game action and all the stats you'll need. Public address announcer Rick Jester gets a little time off with the abundance of video advertisements going on at the breaks.

The only negative I saw on the night was the lack of noise in the building. Now I've been told it was very noisy on opening night and nearly 11,000 people in one place would do that. What I'm talking about was during the starting lineups when traditionally the crowd is rockin', not the play on the court of which there was nothing to cheer for during the game. Last night reminded me of an NBA game. A few people were clapping to the new lineup song (which I think was expertly put together by the MSU staff). However, that same loud vibe that we heard in Hammons wasn't there.

In Hammons, the band nearly blew you out of the arena. The starting lineup song with Michael Buffer would send a ringing through your ears and make the hair stand up on the back of your neck. When there was a horrible call, like the foul Chris Cooks' face made on the MTSU players knee that knocked Cooks senseless, and the crowd booed, it didn't have the same effect. I remember times in Hammons where my water bottle vibrated and I had to yell at my staff so they could hear me if that same thing happened.

So in fairness, the Q is new and 6,000 fans in an 11,000-seater probably isn't as loud as Hammons. I do wish that the designers would have left out the sound mufflers and let the roof rock a little more. Or maybe, just turn up the speakers and let the lineup music take over.

Rovell: Why The Yankees Can Sign Who They Want

By Darren Rovell, CNBC

ESPN is reporting that the New York Yankees have signed free agent first agent Mark Teixeira. Add up Teixeira's contract with the offseason signings of A.J. Burnett and C.C. Sabathia and you have $423.5 million in guaranteed contracts. Pretty amazing, huh?

Sure, the Yankees have contracts that come off the books, but that's not the reason why the Yankees can do this. The reason the Yankees can do this is because their owners, the Steinbrenners, have no other primary business besides the Yankees.

What am I talking about? Think about all the other owners who have gotten pounded this year in the sector of the economy that they might still have their money in.

Think about the New York Mets, whose owners not only lost money from the Madoff mess, but are in the real estate investment business. So too is Theodore Lerner, the owner of the Washington Nationals, who were hoping to land Teixeira. The Chicago Cubs are being sold by an entity that is bankrupt.

Go down the list and you can see that there's a lot of people that lost money this year in other businesses. I have no idea where the Yankees are investing their personal money, but the bottom line is that their business is only the New York Yankees.

What does that mean? It means that as long as the Steinbrenners believe that the business of the Yankees will be good, they are not as affected as the others are. Will people still go to games? If not, will they watch the YES Network. It's a pretty simple equation.

Here's a quote from an owner: "One of the challenges I have is buying into a falling market," he told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. "When you buy into a rising market, you can't move fast enough. The challenge here is that, look, any investment you made in 2008 on Wall Street, 12 months ago, 12 weeks ago, 12 days ago, even 12 hours ago, you are down. We have to be careful with what is going on here."

That owner was Mark Attanasio. He is the owner of the Milwaukee Brewers. He gave up C.C. Sabathia. And you have to believe that some of that has to do with the fact that he's an investment banker. Hank and Hal Steinbrenner are not.

Bears JQH Attendance Up Slightly Compared To Last Season

Attendance at men's basketball games at the new JQH Arena on the Missouri State campus is up by over 1,211 fans per game through the first eight games. However, if you take out the Arkansas arena opener and the high game of last season versus league foe Creighton, that average number drops to a meager 857 additional fans in the seats.

Two Missouri Valley Conference games figured into last season's first eight with home dates against Bradley and Creighton.

The economy and the holiday season may have a contributing effect on the season so far. As far as the product on the floor, the Bears have exceeded expectations by going 7-4 during their non-conference slate.

Missouri State opens Valley action on Sunday, Dec. 28 at the "Q" with unbeaten Illinois State.

2008-09 at the new JQH Arena (56636 in 8 games | 7,080 average)

Arkansas (10,881); JQH Opening Night
Utah (7,742)
UALR (6,366)
Arkansas State (7,246)
Central Arkansas (7,216)
Norfolk State (5,831)
UC-Irvine (5,596)
Middle Tennessee (5,758)

2007-08 at Hammons Student Center (46,957 in 8 games | 5,869 average)
Harding (5,880)
UNC-Greensboro (5,734)
Saint Louis (6,126)
UNC-Wilmington (5,532)
UT-Pan American (5,286)
Bethune-Cookman (5,435)
Bradley (5,760)
Creighton (7,204)

Yankees Assessed $27 million Luxury Tax

The New York Yankees not only failed to make the playoffs, they were hit with their highest luxury tax in three years.

The Yankees were assessed a $26.9 million tax by the commissioner's office on Monday, up from $23.9 million last year and their biggest bill since paying nearly $34 million for 2005.

The Detroit Tigers, who also failed to qualify for the postseason, are the only other team that must pay tax and owe $1.3 million to the commissioner's office.

Checks are due by Jan. 31.

Both teams got little for what they spent. The Yankees' streak of 13 consecutive playoff appearances ended, and they finished third in the AL East at 89-73, prompting them to spend nearly a quarter-billion dollars to sign pitchers CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett.

Detroit entered the year with lofty expectations after acquiring Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis but went 74-88 and finished last in the AL Central.

While the Yankees pay at a 40 percent rate for the amount over $155 million, the Tigers pay at a 22.5 percent rate because they exceeded the specified threshold for the first time.

This year's figure brings the Yankees' total tax to $148.5 million in the six seasons since it began - 90 percent of the total.

Before this year, the only other teams to pay were the Boston Red Sox, who owed $13.9 million for exceeding the threshold in four seasons, and the Los Angeles Angels, who paid $927,000 in 2004.

New York's payroll was $222.2 million and Detroit was second at $160.8 million for the purpose of the luxury tax. To compute it, Major League Baseball uses the average annual values of contracts for players on 40-man rosters and adds benefits.

The threshold rose from $148 million last year to $155 million this season. It goes up to $162 million next year and rises by $8 million in each of the following two seasons.

Source: Associated Press

Bowl Game Attendance Down Through Five

The first five college bowl games have been completed and bowl game attendance is down considerably.

For the first time in at least five years, we're below the 30,000 attendance mark for the first five games.

Average Bowl Game Attendance Through First Five Games
YEAR | NUMBERS
2008-09 | 29,852
2007-08 | 34,094
2006-07 | 32,677
2005-06 | 32,832
2004-05 | 31,150

NHL Has Been Recession-Proof, So Far

Is the recent restructuring of the National Hockey League after the lockout helping save the league?

It very well may be.

Every major sports league in the United States has cut its workforce over the past month. The NBA cut nine percent of its workforce, the NFL announced plans to slash 10 percent of its employees and the majority of Major League Baseball teams have many of their seat prices frozen for next year. Even the once darling powerhouse of NASCAR, in the face of a massive bailout of the auto industry, is cutting jobs and expenses to the bone.

Every league has their weak franchises but the NHL is thriving under their new hard salary cap that has effectively made all the franchises viable on one scale or another. Only the owner's finances could be an issue. NHL teams as a whole are down only an average of 193 fans per game through December 1 or 1.1%. As a comparison, the NBA is down an average of 2,056 fans across the league per game.

And we didn't even talk about the depreciating Canadian dollar, which is now worth 17 cents less than the American dollar.

Padres For Sale?

Because of the sagging economy and because of President-Elect Obama's restructured tax plan that will heavily tax the wealthy, there is a belief that we will see more teams put up for sale in 2009 than we've seen in the previous several years combined.

The San Diego Padres have started that parade by hiring Goldman Sachs to search for a potential buyer.

Most sports owners make their money off of the value of the franchise increasing over the course of their ownership - but most teams are operated at a slight profit or even a loss from year to year. So if you are a cash strapped owner, you probably can't afford to run your team at a loss and you may be needing the equity you've made from your franchise value to support the other businesses in your portfolio.

Values were up in 2008 according to Forbes. However, the current economic climate could make 2009 a down year.

It's Official: AFL Cancels 2009 Season

The Arena Football League canceled its 2009 season Monday pending an agreement with its players union. The decision throws the future of the 22-year-old league into question just days after it said next season had not been suspended.

The AFL's owners voted against playing next year during a conference call Sunday night. It was unclear what had changed since the league issued a statement Wednesday night that said the 2009 season had not been suspended "despite rumors and reports to the contrary."

The league said in Monday's statement it was "developing a long-term plan to improve its economic model."

"Every owner in the AFL is strongly committed to the league, the game, and, most importantly, the fans," acting commissioner Ed Policy said in a statement. "Owners, however, recognize that, especially in light of the current unprecedented economic climate, the AFL, as a business enterprise, needs to be restructured if it is to continue to provide its unique brand of this affordable, fan-friendly sport."

Last week's statement came after a meeting of the league's board of directors and did not say the AFL definitely would play next year.

The AFL's woes come at a time when the world of sports, once thought to be largely recession-proof, has felt the economic chill. The NFL has said it would cut 150 jobs, while the NBA and NASCAR also have laid off dozens of workers. The NHL is in a hiring freeze while the Internet operation for Major League Baseball also has trimmed positions.

The AFL had been in limbo for weeks. With rumors swirling about its viability, the 16-team league delayed indefinitely the start of free agency, the release of next season's schedule and a dispersal draft to award players from the defunct New Orleans Voodoo.

The AFL has not selected a permanent replacement for longtime commissioner David Baker, who abruptly resigned from the 22-year-old league two days before the ArenaBowl in July.

Source: AFL

AFL Season Update

The league's board of directors met in "what had to be a tumultuous conference call" on Wednesday night, and will meet again on Thursday "in an effort to reach a three-quarters majority among the 16 league owners on a course of action."

David Mayo of The Grand Rapids Press describes the owners as being split between "AFL hard-liners", and "NFL bottom-liners" -- owners of NFL and AFL franchises, who "seeing their 100-yard profits shriveling, have become quick to view their 50-yard commodities as expendable playthings." In a separate article, Mayo cites an interview with Grand Rapids Rampage union rep Ahmad Hawkins, who alleges that "the owners of the Colorado Crush and Dallas Desperados are ... pushing hardest to suspend league operations for 2009 and perhaps resume in 2010." The Crush and Desperados are owned by Pat Bowlen and Jerry Jones, respectively, both owners of NFL teams.

According to Mayo, even though AFL teams account for "relatively insignificant operating losses compared to the huge profits NFL teams generate," they are an "easy place to cut" for NFL owners feeling the effect of the economic downturn.

For their part, the AFL's players are willing to make major concessions in order to play next season. The union voted on Friday to cut the salary cap by 30%, from $2 million to $1.4 million. Quoting the aforementioned Hawkins, "If I make $50,000, that's still more than I can make if I go out and try to find a job."

Source: Various

Missouri State Offers Additional Ticket Plans For JQH

Missouri State has announced additional ticket plans for men's and women's basketball, including a "Valley Five Pack" plan for upcoming Missouri Valley Conference games.

The plan includes upper-level seats for five league games for each team. The men's package is for games against Wichita State (Jan. 14), Northern Iowa (Jan. 25), Southern Illinois (Feb. 7), Indiana State (Feb. 14) and Creighton (Feb. 24).

Lady Bears games in the plan are Illinois State (Jan. 19), Creighton (Feb. 1), Drake (Feb. 6), Wichita State (Feb. 21) and Southern Illinois (March 1).

Cost is $65 for the men and $50 for the women.

This weekend, a $5 upper level ticket will be available for the Bears' Saturday game against Central Arkansas and the women's game on Sunday against Arkansas-Little Rock. Fans are encouraged to bring non-perishable food items for collection for a Salvation Army food drive.

Current season ticket holders also may purchase additional individual-game tickets.

Call the box office at 836-7678 for more information.

Source: MSU

Arena Football League To Suspend Play In 2009?

The Arena Football League, which has grown steadily in popularity and fan attendance during the past decade, is expected to cancel what would have been its 23rd season in 2009, according to multiple media reports.

The Rocky Mountain News reported Wednesday that league officials are expected to make the announcement before the end of the week. The Kansas City Star later reported that Pete Likens, communications director for the Kansas City Brigade, said the AFL players' union agreed late Tuesday to the decision.

"It's pretty much a done deal to suspend the 2009 season and work toward a single entity-league," Likens said, according to The Star. "We plan to start up again in 2010."

The league, which has been seeking ways to improve its financial footing, said Tuesday it still is not ready to announce a long-term plan. On Tuesday, the release of the 2009 schedule was delayed for the third time, and the league also put off its dispersal draft and the start of free agency.

In a statement released Wednesday, the AFL said: "Despite rumors and reports to the contrary, all AFL teams are continuing to work towards ArenaBowl XXIII. As it has previously stated, the AFL continues to work on long-term structural improvement options.

"Some of the options may impact the 2009 season. There is currently no timetable for an announcement of any kind. We remain grateful to our fans for their enthusiasm and patience."

The AFL's New Orleans franchise folded despite being near the top of the league in attendance the past two seasons. Saints owner Tom Benson, who also owned the VooDoo, said the decision was based on "circumstances currently affecting the league and the team."

The AFL has endured an offseason of uncertainty. No replacement has been named for longtime commissioner David Baker, who abruptly resigned in July two days before the ArenaBowl championship game.

Sports Business Journal reported in October that AFL owners had approved a tentative deal with Platinum Equity, in which the company would invest up to $100 million and assume management control of the league. That deal, however, has yet to be completed, and there are no guarantees of an AFL bailout. A message seeking comment was not immediately returned by Platinum Equity.

The arenafootball2 league, the official development league of the AFL, said it will continue to operate as usual and will play in 2009 -- its 10th anniversary season. The af2 operates entirely on its own and is not directly affected by the AFL's current situation.

The Kansas City Brigade has operated the last three seasons in Kansas City, playing at Kemper Arena for two seasons before moving into the new Sprint Center in 2008.

Source: Rocky Mountain News & KC Star

Illinois Governor Fed Charges Include Cubs Blackmail

The arrest of Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich has uncovered alleged charges related to public funding for Wrigley Field in Chicago.

According to the criminal complaint, the public funding was being used as a threat to get the Tribune Company to fire journalists who weren't friendly to Blagojevich.

From the government's criminal complaint against Gov. Blagojevich (some paragraph breaks added):

13.... b. Defendants Rod Blagojevich and John Harris, together with others, offered to, and threatened to withhold from, the Tribune Company substantial state financial assistance in connection with Wrigley Field, which assistance Rod Blagojevich believed to be worth at least $100 million to the Tribune Company, for the private purpose of inducing the controlling shareholder of the Tribune Company to fire members of the editorial board of the Chicago Tribune, a newspaper owned by the Tribune Company, who were responsible for editorials critical of Rod Blagojevich ....

69. Intercepted phone calls reflect that Rod Blagojevich and John Harris, together with others, are corruptly using and threatening to use the powers of Rod Blagojevich’s office as Governor of the State of Illinois to exert financial pressure on the owners of the Tribune Company, the parent corporation of the Chicago Tribune newspaper, to fire Chicago Tribune editorial board members who were responsible for editorials sharply critical of Rod Blagojevich’s actions as Governor and, among other things, calling for his impeachment.....

72. On the evening of November 3, 2008, Rod Blagojevich talked to Deputy Governor A. Rod Blagojevich stated that he was concerned about possibly being impeached in the Spring and that the Chicago Tribune will be “driving” the impeachment discussion. Rod Blagojevich asked Deputy Governor A to check to see if the Tribune has recently “advocate[d]” that he be impeached. In fact, the Chicago Tribune recently had published editorials critical of Rod Blagojevich.

73. In another call between Rod Blagojevich and Deputy Governor A that occurred a short time later on November 3, 2008, Rod Blagojevich and Deputy Governor A discussed an editorial from the Chicago Tribune regarding the endorsement of Michael Madigan and calling for a committee to consider impeaching Rod Blagojevich. During the call, Rod Blagojevich’s wife can be heard in the background telling Rod Blagojevich to tell Deputy Governor A “to hold up that f*****g Cubs s**t... fuck them.” Rod Blagojevich asked Deputy Governor A what he thinks of his wife’s idea. Deputy Governor A stated that there is a part of what Rod Blagojevich’s wife said that he “agree[s] with.” Deputy Governor A told Rod Blagojevich that Tribune Owner will say that he does not have anything to do with the editorials, “but I would tell him, look, if you want to get your Cubs thing done get rid of this Tribune.”

Later, Rod Blagojevich’s wife got on the phone and, during the continuing discussion of the critical Tribune editorials, stated that Tribune Owner can “just fire” the writers because Tribune Owner owns the Tribune. Rod Blagojevich’s wife stated that if Tribune Owner’s papers were hurting his business, Tribune Owner would do something about the editorial board. Rod Blagojevich then got back on the phone. Rod Blagojevich told Deputy Governor A to put together the articles in the Tribune that are on the topic of removing Rod Blagojevich from office and they will then have someone, like John Harris, go to Tribune Owner and say, “We’ve got some decisions to make now.”

Rod Blagojevich said that “someone should say, ‘get rid of those people.’” Rod Blagojevich said that he thinks that they should put this all together and then have Harris or somebody go talk to the Tribune owners and say, “Look, we’ve got decisions to make now ... moving this stuff forward (believed to be a reference to the IFA helping with the Cubs sale) ... someone’s gotta go to [Tribune Owner], we want to see him ... it’s a political fuckin’ operation in there.” Deputy Governor A agreed and said that Harris needs to be “sensitive” about how he does it.

Rod Blagojevich said there is nothing sensitive about how you do it and that it’s “straight forward” and you say “we’re doing this stuff for you, we believe this is right for Illinois [and] this is a big deal to [Tribune Owner] financially” but what Rod Blagojevich is doing to help Tribune Owner is the same type of action that the Tribune is saying should be the basis for Rod Blagojevich’s impeachment. Rod Blagojevich said Tribune Owner should be told “maybe we can’t do this now. Fire those f******s.”

Deputy Governor A suggested that Rod Blagojevich say, “I’m not sure that we can do this anymore because we’ve been getting a ton of these editorials that say, look, we’re going around the legislature, we gotta stop and this is something the legislature hasn’t approved. We don’t want to go around the legislature anymore.” Rod Blagojevich agreed and said that he wants Harris to go in and make that case, “not me.” Deputy Governor A agreed and said that he likes it. Rod Blagojevich asked Deputy Governor A to put the list of Tribune articles together....

76.... Rod Blagojevich stated that “our recommendation is fire all those f******g people, get ‘em the **** out of there and get us some editorial support.”

Source: Various

NFL Cuts 150 Jobs

The economic downturn continues to affect the world of sports.

The NFL will cut 150 jobs, or "more than 10 percent of its headquarters staff", in the next sixty days due in part to the crumbling economy. The cuts will affect "its staff of 1,100 in New York, NFL Films in New Jersey and production facilities in Los Angeles."

The league also announced the cancellation of a preseason game in China.

The NFL "will fall at least $50 million short of projected revenue" for this fiscal year, which began on April 1 and will end on March 31.

Source: NFL

Arena Football League In Trouble?

There are a number of reports out that the Arena Football League is in deep financial trouble. The Denver Post reported that the league could dissolve unless it gets financing by Dec. 19.

Last week, AFL officials said they were working on a long-term solution.

More to follow.

Source: Denver Post

Cubs Parent Company Tribune Files For Bankruptcy

Media conglomerate Tribune Co. filed for bankruptcy protection Monday, as the owner of the Chicago Tribune, the Los Angeles Times, the Chicago Cubs and other properties tries to deal with $13 billion in debt.

The Chicago Cubs and Wrigley Field are not included in the petition.

Severe reductions in advertising this year because of the recession have put pressure on the Chicago-based company. Most of its debt comes from the complex transaction in which the company was taken private by real estate mogul Sam Zell last year.

Although the next major principal payment isn't due until June, analysts say Tribune has been in danger of missing lender-imposed financial targets.

Tribune made the filing Monday in bankruptcy court in Delaware.

Source: Associated Press

PGA Lining Up New Sponsors As Autos, Banks Struggle

PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem has held discussions with energy, retail and environmental companies to replace some struggling auto and financial sponsors of the U.S. golf tour if needed.

The PGA, which operates the main professional U.S. golf tours, depends on corporate sponsors such as U.S. automaker General Motors to help support its tournaments.

However, the turmoil in the auto and financial services sectors has left the sport vulnerable to a loss of marketing and advertising dollars.

"There are a number of companies clearly cutting back on their sports marketing budgets. We anticipate some of those kind of conversations," Finchem told the Reuters Media Summit in New York on Wednesday.

"We've got to assume and prepare for some slippage, and prepare for some replacement there."

Finchem said the PGA had already held a wide range of discussions with companies about adding new sponsors or expanding existing deals if necessary.

Finchem said Toyota Motor Corp, the world's largest automaker, could be one candidate for a bigger marketing presence in U.S. golf, while others could come from industries that "have performed relatively well during the downturn".

Such sectors include energy, the environment and retail, and Finchem mentioned the world's largest retailer Wal-Mart may be one company that could broaden its role.

Finchem said ticket and other sales remained "reasonably robust" in 2008, but it is unlikely to be able to sidestep "a pullback in spending in the branded area, advertising area -- those things come home to roost" in a downturn.

He said advertising and public relations budgets were often the first trimmed by corporations in recessions, although Finchem added that in the past the PGA Tour has come through any cutbacks "reasonably well".

Source: Reuters

University Of Tennessee System Discussing Athletics Cuts

University of Tennessee trustees today discussed eliminating athletic programs, providing more courses online and changing the way tuition is calculated as options for cutting the UT budget by up to 15 percent.

The trustees also were told that administrators already are putting in place a program to provide counseling to employees who lose their jobs.

About 70 percent of UT’s costs come from payroll and benefits, officials said, so it is probable that 70 percent — perhaps more — of imminent budget cuts will come through layoffs, furloughs or other personnel actions. Already, UT has abolished 174 vacant job positions.

The UT trustees’ Committee on Effectiveness and Efficiency met in Nashville for the discussion, though it made no recommendations. UT President John Petersen said he hopes to present Gov. Phil Bredesen with a budget-cutting plan by mid-January.

Among options discussed were:

-- Cutting the athletic programs at UT-Martin and UT-Chattanooga, which are subsidized by taxpayer dollars. The state provides about $3.9 million per year for athletics at Martin and about $4.3 million at Chattanooga, officials said. At UT Knoxville, the cost of all athletic programs is covered money from revenue-producing football and basketball programs.

Source: Knoxville News Sentinel

Report: Honda To Quit Formula One, Citing Economy

Honda will quit Formula One on Friday.

The Japanese company hopes to sell its team, which costs $400 million a year to run, but is prepared to close the team early in 2009 if no buyer is found.

Sources told BBC Sport the team were "optimistic" they would continue, but no investor had yet been found.

However, according to the Reuters news agency, team bosses Ross Brawn and Nick Fry fear Honda could close the Brackley-based team within weeks.

According to a Reuters source, Brawn and Fry told a meeting of the Formula One Teams' Association: "They have a month to find a buyer, otherwise they are closing the team."

Honda appointed Brawn, the man who masterminded seven world titles for Michael Schumacher, as their team principal ahead of the 2008 season.

Honda, who recently cut road vehicle production as a response to the global economic crisis, is expected to make an announcement regarding the team's future on Friday.

A notoriously expensive sport in which to compete, teams have spent recent months in intensive discussions over cost-cutting measures.

However, Honda are considered a major player within Formula One, bankrolling more than 800 staff at the team's Northamptonshire base with the largest budget in the sport.

Source: BBC

Petty Enterprises Merging With Gillett-Evernham?

Petty Enterprises is in discussions to merge its storied franchise with Gillett Evernham Motorsports, The Associated Press has learned.

Multiple people familiar with the talks told the AP on Thursday that the two teams were discussing a deal that would merge Petty's famed No. 43 Dodge with GEM to become a four-car operation. They requested anonymity because the negotiations are ongoing.

Petty, the team founded by seven-time series champion Richard Petty, has no full-time sponsorship lined up for next season. The team fields its flagship No. 43 for 2000 NASCAR Cup champion Bobby Labonte and a second car that Chad McCumbee and Kyle Petty shared this season. Kyle Petty was expected to have a minimal role — if any — with the organization next season.

Drew Brown, a spokesman for Gillett Evernham, said the team would not comment on any potential merger with another team. But it's no secret that majority owner George Gillett Jr. has canvassed the industry looking for a partner that would help his team expand from three cars to the NASCAR maximum four cars.

Gillett is believed to have had earlier discussions with Toyota teams Bill Davis Racing and Michael Waltrip Racing, as well as Ganassi. Earlier this year he terminated an agreement with Robby Gordon that would have brought Gordon into his organization as a fourth car.

As potential deals failed to develop, Gillett turned his attention to struggling Petty Enterprises. Richard Petty in June sold majority interest of the family-run team to private equity firm Boston Ventures, which assumed day-to-day control of the 60-year-old operation.

But the new leadership has yet to put Petty Enterprises on solid footing, largely because the economic crisis has made sponsorship very difficult to secure. Numerous teams have reduced their staffs since the Nov. 18 season finale, and Petty laid off 30 employees last month.

Now, if a merger with Gillett goes through, a team that has been in NASCAR since 1949 may cease to exist as it has been known.

Source: Associated Press

Forbes: Knicks Most Valuable NBA Team Again

For the fourth straight year, and despite front office and player turmoil, the New York Knicks are the NBA’s most valuable team.

The Knicks are worth $613 million, according to Forbes’ latest rankings, an increase of 1 percent over their 2007 value. Throughout the past year, the franchise has made many headlines off the court, ranging from former team president Isiah Thomas being found guilty in a sexual harassment lawsuit to guard Stephon Marbury’s feud with management and coach Mike D’Antoni.

For the fourth consecutive year, the Los Angeles Lakers are ranked second by Forbes, at $584 million, up from $560 million.

Rounding out the top five are the Chicago Bulls at $504 million; the Detroit Pistons at $480 million; and the Cleveland Cavaliers at $477 million.

The biggest change in value belongs to the Portland Trail Blazers, who increased by 21 percent to $307 million. They still rank only 20th out of 30 franchises.

Also showing a huge increase are the NBA champion Boston Celtics, up to $447 million from $391 million.

The biggest drop in value hit the New Jersey Nets, who fell 13 percent to $295 million, 26th overall. The Nets have had delays in their plans to build and move into a new arena in Brooklyn.

Below the Nets are the Memphis Grizzlies ($294 million), New Orleans Hornets ($285 million), Charlotte Bobcats ($284 million) and Milwaukee Bucks ($278 million).

The average team value is $379 million.

Forbes ranked the value of franchises in the other major pro sports earlier this year. The Dallas Cowboys topped the NFL at more than $1.6 billion, the New York Yankees led baseball at over $1.3 billion and the Toronto Maple Leafs led the NHL at $448 million.

Source: Forbes

AL MVP Pedroia Gets $40.5 Million Deal

The Red Sox wasted no time locking up American League MVP Dustin Pedroia with a six-year, $40.5 million contract, with an option for 2015, that takes them through three arbitration and two free-agent seasons.

It is one of the four biggest non-arbitration deals ever, along with the contracts given to Hanley Ramirez, David Wright and Ryan Braun.

Generously listed at 5-foot-9, Pedroia has quickly piled up a huge stack of hardware. Besides being named the AL's MVP, he also won a Gold Glove and a Silver Slugger this offseason. He was the 2007 AL Rookie of the Year and capped off that season with a World Series ring.

Pedroia led the AL in hits, runs and doubles in helping the Red Sox win the wild-card berth. He batted .326 with 17 home runs and 83 RBIs and also stole 20 bases.

The deal demonstrated how much the Red Sox value Pedroia's production, energy and leadership at a middle-of-the-field position.

That it got done this quickly shows how much Pedroia loves playing in Boston, and that he prefers playing to dickering over arbitration and free-agent dollars. His favorite phrase is "it's all about winning."

And he means it.

Source: Peter Gammons

Bad Economy? WNBA's Houston Comets Fold

The team that won the first four WNBA championships is disbanding.

The Houston Comets will be shut down because new owners could not be found for the team.

Houston Rockets owner Leslie Alexander sold the team to Houston businessman Hilton Koch last year. The WNBA took over the franchise earlier this year.

League president Donna Orender said a new owner needed to be in place before the end of the year if the Comets wanted to stay in business. The sluggish economy slowed that process and Orender announced the franchise will fold.

"It's a sad day for me personally and, of course, for the city of Houston," former Comets Coach Van Chancellor told KPRC Local 2 Sports Monday evening. "We had a terrific run and I really feel for the fans who won't have the Comets in town to support anymore."

The Comets were one of the original teams when the WNBA debuted in 1997 and won the league's first four championships under the leadership of Chancellor on the bench and the combination of Sheryl Swoopes, Tina Thompson and Cynthia Cooper on the floor.

Orender said there is no indication that any of the league's other 13 franchises are in any trouble.

Source: KPRC Houston

Leagues Do Well On Black Friday

The sports leagues did pretty well on Black Friday. The NBAStore.com and the NBA Store in New York City had its best Black Friday sales ever.

The NBAStore.com and NBA Store had a combined sales increase of 38 percent as compared to last year. The best selling item was a Chris Paul jersey.

The NFL reports that sales on its NFLShop.com were also a record high for Black Friday and the site's third highest grossing day ever. The top four best selling items since Thanksgiving all involved New York: Favre jerseys were No. 1, a Giants hooded sweatshirt was No. 3, while Eli Manning jerseys were fourth.

In an interesting side note, the new quarterback for the Packers, Aaron Rodgers, placed 25th on the jersey sale list while Tony Romo of the Cowboys was second.

Source: Various

Got An Extra $3 Million? Super Bowl Ads Available

Turns out that rapid Super Bowl ad buying recorded in September has slowed down significantly. NBC says it has eight 30-second spots still available during Super Bowl XLIII in Tampa on Feb. 1.

NBC, broadcaster of the 2009 game, says about 59 spots during the game have been spoken for and are running about $3 million each. That’s up from about $2.7 million last year. But the company also told the Associated Press it is negotiations for the remaining spots.

Regular Super Bowl advertiser General Motors announced in September it would skip the Super Bowl. FedEx Corp., Garmin Ltd. And Salesgenie.com are also not buying ads this time.

Monster Worldwide, however, which hasn’t bought an ad since the 2004, game will be back and competing with ads from CareerBuilder.com. Probably not a bad spend, given how many people have lost their jobs and are looking for work.

Source: NBC

Bundesliga Passes Barclays Premiership For Total Shirt Sponsorship Income

The Bundesliga may no longer regularly produce Champions League finalists, and their national team bowed to Fabio Capello's resurgent side in Berlin six days ago, but Germany has edged ahead of England in one increasingly significant league table - the value of its shirt sponsorship.

Figures released today show that the Bundesliga has overtaken the Barclays Premier League as the league with the largest total income from shirt sponsorship, and that Bayern Munich are ahead of Manchester United in having the single most valuable shirt sponsorship deal.

However, this shift in power is only partly a consequence of German top-flight clubs becoming more attractive billboards for sponsors. SPORT+MARKT's tenth annual European Jersey report explains that the economic climate and the drop in the exchange rate of the pound against the euro have been largely responsible for reducing the value of English sponsorship deals relative to those of the top European clubs - even though the contracts have not been renegotiated.

It also helps to explain why the overall level of shirt sponsorship across the six main European leagues has dropped for the first time, from €405.3million (about £344.2million) in 2007-08 to €393.2million this season.

“Due to the weak British pound, Bayern Munich beat Manchester United to the title of the most valuable jersey deal,” Hartmut Zastrow, the executive director of SPORT+MARKT, said. “The main reasons why the Bundesliga now generates higher income from jersey sponsorships than the Premier League lies in [clubs] lacking jersey partners and the current weakness of the British currency. The sponsor of West Ham United, XL airlines, went bankrupt, West Bromwich Albion have yet to find a partner and Aston Villa now bears the logo of a charity organisation on its jersey.

“The Bundesliga is the winning league in this jersey report after slipping behind the English FA Premier League last season. For the first time revenue from jersey sponsorship in the Bundesliga exceeds the €100million mark. No other league has reached such a consistency of sponsorship deals for all teams.”

At the other end of the scale, a dip in revenues in Spain has meant that it has almost been caught by the Dutch Eredivisie. “It is astounding that a small league like the Eredivisie reaches the same level as the Primera División in terms of jersey sponsorship,” Zastrow said.

In the early days of sponsorship, shirts tended to bear the names of beers and electronics manufacturers. Nowadays, financial institutions such as AIG, Manchester United's sponsor, lead the way in Europe, followed by travel and tourism companies and betting outlets such as bwin, whose name adorns the jerseys of Real Madrid and AC Milan. Telecommunications do not make the top three sectors despite the presence of T-Home and Samsung on the shirts of Bayern and Chelsea respectively.

However, that is expected to change. “As contracts are fixed over a long period of time, the Jersey report proves that sport sponsorship is not affected by the financial crisis - yet,” Zastrow said. “Instead of a decrease in sponsorship value, we expect a shift of sectors amongst sport sponsors.”

SPORT+MARKT also expects England to regain its pre-eminence. “If the currency or the teams that are lacking a paying sponsor recover, the Premier League will top the ranking again next season,” Gareth Moore, the international sales director, said.

Source: The Times UK

Seats Going Fast At New Dallas Cowboys Stadium

The faltering economy has humbled many American icons this year, but not the Dallas Cowboys.

The team announced Monday that it has sold nearly 85 percent of the season tickets for next year's inaugural season in Arlington and that the remaining tickets are now available to the general public. The sales figures seem to back up owner Jerry Jones' financial decision to charge record-high seat options, which cost as much as $150,000.

About 9,500 of the 61,000 seats are still available after nearly a year of sales, said Cowboys spokesman Brett Daniels. He said the economy is probably having an effect, but it's hard to quantify.

"Certainly we're aware of the economic uncertainty in the marketplace, but at the same time, the fans view this as a long-term commitment," Mr. Daniels said. "This isn't a one-year decision. This is a 20- or 30-year commitment that they are making, and so I think that has an impact on their thought process."

Monday's announcement coincided with the opening of season ticket sales to the general public. Previously, season tickets for the new $1.1 billion stadium were only available to current season ticket holders or fans who paid for a spot on a waiting list.

The stadium's 80,000-seat capacity comes from the 61,000 reserved, club and loge seats as well as suites and standing-room-only tickets in the end zones. Temporary seats and additional standing-room-only tickets in the end zones could boost that to at least 100,000.

Sean Pate, a spokesman for ticket reseller StubHub.com, said the 85 percent mark for season ticket sales is impressive, but it shouldn't be a surprise. He said that this year the team has been the hottest NFL ticket on his company's Web site and is regularly at the top in ticket demand.

Combine that with the lure of a new stadium, Mr. Pate said, and the team has a strong sales pitch.

"The stadium itself for a number of years is the attraction," he said. "It's the place to be. It's the cool factor."

Mr. Pate said the Arizona Cardinals were able to sell out their new stadium despite a poor record and long playoff drought.

The Cowboys also revealed Monday that 240 of the stadium's 300 suites have been sold. The Cowboys originally planned to build 200 suites but increased that number this year in response to strong sales.

Those suites originally cost $100,000 to $500,000 annually and require 20-year contracts. Mr. Daniels said most of the remaining suites are priced between $150,000 and $350,000.

For season tickets, the one-time seat options for remaining tickets cost between $4,000 and $150,000. Ticket prices range from $89 to $340 per game.

Many of the cheapest seats have sold out for the 2009 season. All of the upper-deck corner seats, which cost $59 per game and don't require a seat license, are gone. Some of the other upper-deck seats, as well as many in the end zone, have also sold out. Club and loge seats are still available in every price range.

"They are pretty evenly dispersed across the reserved seats and the club," Mr. Daniels said about the available tickets.

He said the team hasn't calculated what percentage of Texas Stadium season ticket holders bought seats in the new stadium.

He said the team's plans to expand season ticket sales to the general public by the last half of this season is on schedule. That gives the Cowboys until late next summer to reach its goal of selling out the stadium with season tickets.

It's not clear whether any single-game tickets will be available through the Cowboys.

"We still have nine months to go before our opener, and we're down to this few tickets," Mr. Daniels said.

Source: Dallas Morning News

Woods, GM End Sponsorship Agreement

General Motors Corp. agreed to discontinue a marketing accord with Tiger Woods, the world’s top-ranked golfer, at year’s end as plummeting sales spur cost cuts at the automaker.

Woods, 32, endorsed GM products including Buick for the past 9 years. He had been under contract through 2009, Pete Ternes, a spokesman for the Detroit-based automaker, said today.

The need for “budget efficiencies during a difficult economy” contributed to the decision, according to a statement from GM, which is seeking to cut U.S. marketing expenses by 20 percent. Sales of Buick vehicles dropped 24 percent through the first 10 months of this year, outpacing the 20 percent decline for all of GM’s cars and light trucks.

Sales of Buick vehicles in the U.S. plunged 58 percent to 185,791 units from 1999 to 2007, more than any other GM brand in the period. Sales of the 105-year-old Buick brand peaked in 1984 at 941,611, according to trade publication Automotive News.

Woods made $122.7 million in on-course earnings and endorsements last year, according to Golf Digest magazine. GM posted almost $73 billion in losses since 2004.

GM will continue sponsoring the Buick Invitational in California and Buick Open in Michigan indefinitely, said Ternes. The company is the largest and original PGA Tour sponsor, according to Buick’s Web site.

GM gained 53 cents, or 17 percent, to $3.59 at 4:01 p.m. in New York Stock Exchange composite trading. That was GM’s biggest percentage increase since Oct. 13.

Source: Bloomberg

Mets and Citigroup Still Confirmed For Naming Rights

Mets fans can rest easy. Citigroup and the New York Mets have confirmed that their record 20-year, $400 million naming rights deal for the team’s new ball park, set to open for the 2009 baseball season, is still on. Not that Citi could wiggle out of the deal anyway.

On Sunday, the struggling bank won a $326 billion bailout from the federal government. But the Mets deal was signed in 2006, when times were flush for Citi, or at least when the extent of its troubles was harder to see.

To be sure, handing over $20 million a year to the National League baseball team is a drop in the bucket compared to the magnitude of the bailout, but even the bank seems to be having second thoughts about the deal’s value.

Millions of fans and television spectators will be regularly reminded of how much Citi spent to name the baseball field, before ultimately turning to the government to be rescued. Probably not be the branding Citi intended for when it signed the deal.

Here is what CFO Gary Crittendon had to say about it Monday on CNBC:

“That was a decision made in a different time. We have binding legal agreements… I don’t think it’s an issue.”

So let’s follow the money here: The government gives funds to Citigroup, who is now better able to make an annual payment to the Mets. Sounds a bit like a new taxpayer subsidy for the Mets, who are already receiving government subsidies for building their stadium.

Source: Reuters

Half Now, Half When The Dow Hits 10,000

Tough economic times call for creative promotions.

Enter the Reno Bighorns who came up with a season ticket promotion that ties the payment plan to the performance of the stock market. The NBA development league team is rolling out what they are calling their "Wall Street" financing plan.

Under this plan, buyers will be allowed to pay half their balance now and the remaining half on the day the Dow Jones reaches 10,000 or by Nov. 15, 2009, whichever comes earlier. The dow closed Thursday at 7,552.

The plan is available for new season ticket buyers purchasing courtside seats, club seats and center seats. Team officials believe they are the first team in professional sports history to tie a ticket plan to the Dow Jones Industrial Average.

Source: Reno Bighorns, CNBC

Dodgers Give Name To New Spring Site; White Sox Will Share Facility

The Dodgers and White Sox announced Thursday that their new joint venture Spring Training facility in Glendale, Ariz., will be called "Camelback Ranch."

The 141-acre site is located on Camelback Road just west of the Loop 101. The $80 million baseball facility includes more than 118,000 square feet of Major and Minor League clubhouse space, 13 full baseball fields and three half-fields. The site will feature walking trails, landscaped grounds and an orange grove. There will also be two ponds and a fully stocked lake between the Dodgers and White Sox facilities.

The shared stadium, which will be the focal point of the complex, is the largest in the Cactus League with a capacity of 13,000, which includes 3,000 lawn seats, 12 luxury suites, a party deck and a center-field rotunda entrance.

The Dodgers and White Sox announced plans to move to the Glendale site two years ago, but the White Sox received final clearance only earlier this week when they bought out the remaining three seasons of a contract to train in Tucson, Ariz., for $5 million. The White Sox had been sharing a complex with the Arizona Diamondbacks since 1998 after relocating from Sarasota, Fla.

In addition to serving as the Spring Training home of the White Sox and Dodgers, the campus will become the home for all Dodger Minor League operations throughout the year, including the team's Arizona League entry and Fall Instructional League team. The White Sox also will use Camelback Ranch in Glendale as the home for their Fall Instructional League.

The teams are currently looking for naming rights in the region of $1 million per season for the facility.

Source: MLB

Wizards Get Tax Break To Start New Stadium

The Wizards’ new soccer-specific stadium took one major step toward reality Thursday.

The Missouri Development Finance Board approved $30 million in tax credits toward The Trails development in southeast Kansas City. That clears the way for the LANE4 Property Group and the Wizards’ ownership group, OnGoal LLC, to begin demolition of the old Bannister Mall site and start construction of a $1 billion mixed-use project.

The centerpiece of the project will be the $100 million soccer stadium, seating 18,500, scheduled to open late in the 2010 Major League Soccer season or for the start of the 2011 season.

“It’s a really big day for us,” said Robb Heineman, chief executive officer of OnGoal and president of the Wizards. “It’s huge for us to have this out of the way to make sure the project comes together.

OnGoal is investing about 71 percent of the capital required for the project, which will include the stadium, 12 tournament-quality soccer fields, 590 hotel rooms, 1.13 million square feet of mixed-use retail, 1.7 million square feet of office space and 18,249 parking spaces. Public taxing districts will provide the additional 29 percent, mostly through TIFs.

There are still some details remaining before the wrecking ball hits Bannister Mall, including the purchase of the Sears building, Heineman said.

He also conceded the current economic climate “may impact us a little bit … if you look at the broad credit markets right now, they’re not great.

The Wizards, founded in 1996 by the late Lamar Hunt, played their first 12 seasons at Arrowhead Stadium before taking up temporary residence at CommunityAmerica Ballpark this season for all but one home game that was played at Arrowhead.

Last year, the club moved into a privately financed, $3 million state-of-the-art training center in Swope Park, just minutes from the site of the new stadium project.

Of the 13 other MLS franchises, eight play in soccer-specific stadiums, and the New York Red Bulls have broken ground on a new facility in Harrison, N.J. The Wizards will remain at CommunityAmerica Ballpark, which seats 10,385 for soccer, until the new stadium is completed in 2010.

Source: Kansas City Star

REPORT: Pinkel Close To Long-Term Contract Extension

Missouri officials have told The Kansas City Star they’ll have no comment today but anticipate being able to announce early next week a contract extension for Missouri football coach Gary Pinkel.

For some time now, the extension of Pinkel’s contract has been a foregone conclusion, despite speculation that Pinkel was high on Washington’s list to replace Ty Willingham.

MU athletic director Mike Alden had an athletic department staffer call The Star on Friday that he would be making no immediate comment.

“We could have something early next week,” athletic department spokesperson Chad Moller said.

MU’s acknowledgement of the situation dovetailed with sources telling The Star, ESPN’s Pat Forde and others that a new agreement was imminent.

Reportedly, the agreement -- which would boost Pinkel’s compensation to $2.5 million a year -- is in the hands of attorneys.

Pinkel currently is under contract through 2012 at $1.85 million a year. That currently is fourth in the Big 12 Conference behind Mack Brown of Texas ($2.8 million), Bob Stoops of Oklahoma ($2.65 million) and Mark Mangino of Kansas ($2.3 million).

Pinkel’s new contract would move him back ahead of Mangino in compensation into third in the Big 12.

While Pinkel will be back at Missouri, his offensive and defensive coordinators may not. Multiple sources list offensive coordinator Dave Christensen as the leading candidate as head coach at Wyoming. Toledo officials have spoken with defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus about the Toledo head job.

Source: Kansas City Star

SOLD OUT! No Room At The Q For Arkansas-MSU

The first ever basketball game at the new JQH Arena in Springfield on the campus of Missouri State University is officially sold out according to my sources.

MSU will face the Arkansas Razorbacks on Saturday night, Nov. 22 in a 7:15 pm tipoff with 11,000-plus in attendance at the $67 million facility.

Standing room only tickets go on sale at 4 pm on Saturday afternoon. The game will be broadcast locally on KTXR-FM 101.3 and Mediacom cable.

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Chiefs Playing In Front Of Empty Seats?

The Chiefs have lost 19 of their last 20 games, dating to last season, and that has tested the faith of many fans, and they are showing it by not attending games.

The team announced last Sunday that more than 74,000 tickets had been sold for the 30-20 loss to the New Orleans Saints. But thousands of seats were empty on that sunny afternoon. Similar scenes at other home games have caused worry at Arrowhead Stadium that fans are losing interest in paying to watch a team that, as recently as five years ago, needed a waiting list to accommodate ticket demands.

Things are different this season. The team has sent out notices that tickets — even premium lower-level seats — were available days before five of the six home games so far, including Sunday against Buffalo. The team has booked famous musicians to sing the national anthem and offered ticket discounts. Still, most of this season’s home games have threatened to fall short of sellouts, a rarity among NFL teams.

“We need to continue to give them a show,” said Bill Newman, the team’s senior vice president for administration. “We knew that, during a rebuilding period, we needed to do all we could to be competitive. What we didn’t see coming was this economic downturn. It’s taking its toll, as well as the team’s performance.”

The online ticket brokerage StubHub.com offered dozens of tickets for the Buffalo game at $12 each and less. The team’s lowest price for an individual seat was $35, already a discount.

On Tuesday, the Kansas City shopping region on Craigslist.org was swarmed with 55 posts offering tickets to Sunday’s game as low as $15 per seat. Some sellers threw in parking passes, and one was so desperate that he offered to trade his tickets for goods.

Source: Kansas City Star

Pujols Part Of MLS Ownership Bid

St. Louis Soccer United, a group committed to bringing a Major League Soccer expansion franchise to the St. Louis metropolitan area in 2011, today announced that St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols has joined the proposed St. Louis ownership group.

Pujols, one of the most popular athletes in the history of St. Louis sports, was named on Monday as the Most Valuable Player in the National League, marking the second time in four years that he has earned the league’s highest honor. Earlier this year, Pujols was named the 2008 recipient of the prestigious Roberto Clemente Award, which honors the Major League Baseball player who combines outstanding play on the field with devoted work in the community.

“I am very proud and excited to join the effort to bring Major League Soccer to the St. Louis area,” Pujols said. “This means a lot to me and my family, as we all love soccer and we believe in MLS.

“Plus, this is something that will be great for our community, especially our youth. I strongly encourage St. Louis business leaders and sports fans to join me in this effort. St. Louis is an unbelievable sports town and we’ll be a great city for Major League Soccer.”

St. Louis Soccer United submitted a formal bid for an MLS expansion team to the league on Oct. 15. SLSU chairman Jeff Cooper, who will be at MLS Cup this weekend in Carson, Calif., said other investors with Pujols in the still-growing ownership group will be announced in the weeks ahead.

An MLS team in St. Louis would play in a new soccer-specific stadium in suburban Collinsville, Ill., located just 10 minutes from downtown St. Louis.

Source: St Louis Soccer United

New Cowboys Stadium Gets Final Four In 2014

The NCAA says the men's basketball Final Four will be played at the new Dallas Cowboys stadium in Arlington in 2014.

It's also awarded the 2016 men's Final Four to Houston. Those games will be played at Reliant Stadium, home of the Houston Texans.

The 2012 Final Four will be played at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, with finals awarded to Atlanta's Georgia Dome in 2013 and the Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis in 2015.

They were chosen from 10 bids submitted in June. Also competing to host the tournaments were Detroit, Minneapolis, Phoenix and St. Louis.

Source: NCAA

DHL Pulling Out Of US & MLB?

DHL may end its sponsorship of the Atlanta Braves following the Deutsche Post AG unit’s withdrawal from the U.S. express-delivery market.

“They have indicated a desire to terminate,” Derek Schiller, executive vice president for sales and marketing for the Braves, said in an e-mail. “We are currently evaluating their sponsorship.”

Major League Baseball will hold talks with DHL about the future of its partnership, and Cincinnati Reds executives are scheduled to meet with the company tomorrow.

“As we do with all of our partners, we stay abreast of their business situations and how it relates to our partnerships,” MLB spokesman Matt Bourne said. “We’re discussing DHL’s situation with them.”

Company and baseball officials declined to disclose terms of the agreements.

DHL has said it will continue its MLB partnerships even after it fired 14,900 workers and closed three-quarters of its outlets because it failed to compete with United Parcel Service Inc. and FedEx Corp. in the U.S. It will only focus on international deliveries in the U.S.

“We have made no changes with regard to our baseball sponsorships,” company spokesman Jonathan Baker said in an e- mail yesterday. “Given the change in strategic direction to focus on our international services in the U.S. market, we will be examining these in conversations with our partners.”

DHL in 2005 signed a three-year agreement with Major League Baseball to sponsor the sport’s monthly and annual “DHL Delivery Man” awards for relief pitchers. The company extended its partnership in March 2007 through the 2010 season and sponsors at least six clubs (Reds, Giants, Red Sox, Dodgers, Indians, Braves). DHL also sponsors the All-Star Fan Fest that includes exhibits and player autograph sessions.

Source: Bloomberg

BCS Moves To ESPN In 2011

The Bowl Championship Series is moving to ESPN from FOX starting in January 2011 (following the 2010 regular season).

ESPN and the BCS announced the deal on Tuesday. It includes exclusive television, radio, digital, international and marketing rights for the Fiesta, Orange and Sugar Bowls from 2011-2014 and the BCS title game from 2011 to 2013.

The Rose Bowl will continue to be televised on ABC through 2014 under a separate, previous contract. The Rose Bowl is also slated to host the 2014 title game.

ESPN is currently available in 98 million American homes. The current BCS deal with Fox Sports expires after the 2010 games.

The games will also be carried on ESPN Radio and ESPN Deportes Radio. Digital Media rights include operation of the official BCS Web site and the opportunity to simulcast the games online at ESPN360.com and on ESPN Mobile TV for mobile devices.

ESPN International will distribute and televise the BCS matchups around the world through networks and syndication, including on the re-branded ESPN America in Europe (known as NASN until Feb. 2009). In addition, ESPN has the right to televise BCS games on ESPN Deportes, the U.S. Spanish-language sports network.

"The BCS will thrive on ESPN," ESPN president George Bodenheimer said. "Our slogan is 'College Football Lives Here' and the BCS will now top college football's best regular-season and studio coverage, the sport's top awards shows, Bowl Week and other national championships all carried on our family of networks. This is a proud day for ESPN and an exceptional day for this great sport and its passionate fans."

"We are tremendously pleased to reach an agreement with ESPN and feel that the BCS games from 2011 to '14 will be in good hands," said BCS commissioner John Swofford, who is also the commissioner of the ACC. "With the continued growth of technology and the depth of coverage that ESPN gives to the college football fan on all its platforms during the regular season, this postseason partnership is a natural fit."

ESPN is available in just over 98 million U.S. homes, which is 86 percent of all households with televisions, according to Nielsen. Swofford expects that number to grow by 2011. Of the people who watched the BCS title game on Fox last season, 95 percent had cable or satellite, ESPN said.

Information from The Associated Press is included in this report

Source: ESPN

Fresh Off World Series Appearance, Rays Raise Prices

The Tampa Bay Rays, coming off their first-ever playoff appearance (and World Series berth), have slightly raised individual ticket prices for the 2009 season.

Rays president Matt Silverman said Monday that about 70-percent of the single-game tickets will increase by $1 (for example, upper deck goes from $9 to $10 for regular game, from $14-16 for prime pricing). But in an effort to bolster their season-ticket base - the "lifeblood" of any baseball team - Silverman said the club is also increasing the discount for season ticket holders (up to 35 percent).

Silverman said the club is cognizant of the struggling national economy, but felt - especially with the continued free parking for cars with four or more, and the ability to bring in food and drink - it still makes the Rays tickets one of the most affordable in major league baseball.

"In order to continue fielding a team that makes the entire Tampa Bay region proud, our family of season ticket holders has to grow," Silverman said. "The pitch to a season ticket holder is an easy one; sit in the best seats, support your home team, and enjoy considerable savings off individual ticket prices."

Most everything else at Tropicana Field will remain the same; vehicles with four or more passengers can park for free, you can still bring in your food and drink, the upper-deck tarp will remain.

Source: St Petersburg Times

Johnson Wins Third Straight; "Pink Slip Monday" arrives

The ’08 NASCAR season closed Sunday with Jimmie Johnson cementing his legacy with a record-tying third straight Cup title as ABC earns a 3.6 overnight rating for the Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami, down slightly from '07.

But most of the talk in the garage over the weekend revolves around off-the-track issues, as hundreds of job cuts are expected as part of "Pink Slip Monday." The magnitude of the layoffs, which will hit even the most successful teams, remains to be seen, but some believe the number of jobs lost could exceed 1,000.

There seems to be an acknowledgment among drivers and owners that teams have operated beyond their means for the past decade, and everyone is scrambling to adjust to the harsh economic realities.

In addition to the imminent layoffs, NASCAR's testing ban is sure to save millions of dollars for teams, and in the wake of Johnson's continued dominance, may help level the playing field.

Whoops, Mark Cuban Accused by SEC of Insider Trading

The Securities and Exchange Commission has accused Dallas Mavericks owner and dot-com billionaire Mark Cuban with insider trading for selling 600,000 shares of an Internet search engine company prior to an impending stock offering.

The Commission's complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, alleges that in June 2004, Mamma.com invited Cuban to participate in a stock offering after he agreed to keep the information confidential.

Cuban knew that the offering would be conducted at a discount to the prevailing market price and that it would be dilutive to existing shareholders, the SEC said in a statement.

Cuban then told his broker to sell Cuban's entire position in the company, the SEC alleged. Mamma.com's stock price opened at $11.89 after the offering was announced, a decline of more than 9 percent.

According to the complaint, Cuban avoided losses in excess of $750,000 by selling his stock prior to the public announcement of the offering.

Cuban is expected to fight the charges.

Mark Cuban is a billionaire entrepreneur and is also the chairman of HDNet, an HDTV cable network.

In 2005, Mamma.com acquired desktop search company Copernic Technologies. In 2007, the combined company changed its name to Copernic [CNIC], which trades publicly on the Nasdaq.

Source: Associated Press