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Friday, December 16, 2011
Two different kinds of drug violations hit baseball and football
With both mainstream and social media pushing the boundaries of innocence until proven guilty, the drug violations associated with Ryan Braun and Willie Hurd cast a pall this week over both baseball and football.
Friday, December 16, 2011
NFL broadcast revenues to grow 60 per cent in new contract round
Nine-year contract extensions with CBS, Fox and NBC will generate a 60 per cent spike in national broadcast revenues for the National Football League in the period leading to 2022.
Friday, December 16, 2011
Pronger added to list of NHL players out with concussion injuries
The NHL is reeling from a string of concussions to its star players, including continuing symptoms that have sidelined Sidney Crosby and news Thursday that Chris Pronger is out for the season.
Friday, December 9, 2011
Bell and Rogers team up to acquire 75% of MLSE
In a blockbuster deal featuring two of Canada’s telecom giants, Bell Canada Enterprises and Rogers Communications are acquiring 37.5% each of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment.
Friday, December 9, 2011
NHL plans to usher in new conference alignment
The NHL’s Board of Governors voted 26-4 in favour of a radical realignment of the 30-team league into four conferences based largely on geographical position and time zone commonality.
Friday, December 9, 2011
Pujols has immediate impact on Angels’ ticketing and merchandising
Within 24 hours of formally announcing the free agent signing of Albert Pujols, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim were already reaping the benefits of his star power.
Friday, December 2, 2011
Grey Cup ratings respectable despite western skew and lack of last-minute drama
Despite two teams from western Canada and the lack of the kind of last-minute drama, the Grey Cup produced respectable television numbers for TSN and RDS.
Friday, December 2, 2011
Toronto Maple Leafs repeat at top of Forbes list of NHL franchises
With fans appreciating the best on-ice start in years, stakeholders of the Toronto Maple Leafs were cheering the fact the club continued to be regarded as the highest-valued in the NHL by Forbes.com.
Friday, December 2, 2011
Some NHL coaches out of work as NBA players head back to work
Paul Maurice of the Carolina Hurricanes and Randy Carlyle of the Anaheim Ducks were fired and Bruce Boudreau fired and hired in a week in which the NHL coaching carousel showed the tough side of the business of hockey.
Friday, November 25, 2011
CFL on TSN ramps up for Grey Cup TV ratings spotlight
With TSN second only to CTV in Canadian TV ratings each of the past two Sundays, the network is ramping up for the 99th Grey Cup, typically the most-watched sports show of the year in Canada.
Friday, November 25, 2011
Return of Sidney Crosby gives NHL good boost, but more so in Canada
The long-awaited return of superstar Sidney Crosby to the Pittsburgh Penguins was a big boost for the NHL in terms of media attention, especially in Canada where the game is king.
Friday, November 25, 2011
Equity deal with Fuse Science could be turning point for Tiger Woods
New sponsorships with Fuse Science and Rolex could prove to be turning points in the comeback of golf superstar Tiger Woods, whose impact on and off the course has waned since the end of 2009.
Friday, November 18, 2011
Both sides losing as pro basketball suffers through NBA lockout
The NBA lockout will cost both sides in the dispute hundreds of millions of dollars but the biggest loser may be the sport itself in terms of its position in the North American and global landscapes.
Friday, November 18, 2011
Penn State scandal continues to grow into a multi-media monster
The biggest scandal in the history of Penn State University – and one of the biggest in North American sports history – continued to roil on the strength of aggressive journalism and heavy social media traffic.
Friday, November 18, 2011
Major League Baseball moves the Houston Astros to the AL
In a week of product and marketing changes to come on line in 2012 and 2013, Major League Baseball confirmed it is moving the Houston Astros from the National League to the American League.
Friday, November 12, 2011
Vancouver Canucks dominate local sport business performance survey
The Vancouver Canucks of the NHL were in a league of their own in our second Champions of The Sport Market sport business performance survey of sports media, marketing leaders and management experts.
Friday, November 4, 2011
Chelsea FC embraces Right To Play in jersey partnership
Following in the sport philanthropic footsteps of FC Barcelona, Chelsea FC has embraced Right To Play in a partnership built on brand awareness on their Champions League jersey kit.
Friday, November 4, 2011
VPD targets 60 in first wave of riot charges
After 138 days, the Vancouver Police Department filed 163 recommended charges against 60 people connected to the Stanley Cup riots on June 15th.
Friday, November 4, 2011
Los Angeles Dodgers to be sold out of bankruptcy protection
Embattled team owner Frank McCourt reached an agreement with Major League Baseball to allow the Los Angeles Dodgers to be sold out of bankruptcy at the earliest possible opportunity.
Friday, October 28, 2011
Cardinals-Rangers in first World Series Game 7 since 2002
After a slow start on the TV ratings front, Major League Baseball has its ultimate Fall Classic showcase: A Game 7 in the World Series for the first time in nine years.
Friday, October 28, 2011
NBA lockout: From pessimism to optimism in one week
Optimism is rising rapidly on several fronts that momentum on NBA collective bargaining negotiations could lead to an agreement that saves most, if not all, of the league’s 82-game season in 2011-’12.
Friday, October 28, 2011
Canadian Stacey Allaster gets five-year extension at WTA Tour
The Women’s Tennis Association voted unanimously to provide Chair and CEO Stacey Allaster with a five-year contract extension on the eve of this week’s WTA Tour championships in Istanbul, Turkey.
Friday, October 21, 2011
World Series TV ratings show small dip from last year’s record low
Although St. Louis continues to prove it is one of the best baseball markets in the U.S., national audiences
for the 2011 World Series of Major League Baseball dipped in game 1 Wednesday
.
Friday, October 21, 2011
IndyCar remembers “Lionheart” Wheldon after crash tragedy
Memorials in St. Petersburg, Florida, and Indianapolis and tributes at Talladega, Alabama, and elsewhere
will remember Izod IndyCar racing star Dan Wheldon, who died last Sunday in a fiery crash at Las Vegas.
Friday, October 21, 2011
NBA lockout brings out the worst in collective bargaining
After three days and 30 hours of fruitless negotiations broke off Thursday, the two sides in the NBA lockout
remained badly divided over the division of revenues and the structure of the salary cap system.
Friday, October 14, 2011
NBA lockout begins cannibalizing regular season games
With the two sides far apart on many issues, NBA Commissioner David Stern was forced to cancel the first two weeks of the 2011-’12 regular season as the NBA lockout extended to four-and-a-half months.
Friday, October 14, 2011
BoSox compensation is the issue in Epstein’s move to Chicago Cubs
All that is holding back the formal announcement of Theo Epstein’s move from the front office of the Boston
Red Sox to that of the Chicago Cubs is the issue of compensation for breaking the last year of his contract.
Friday, October 14, 2011
Small markets constraining MLB post-season TV ratings
The smaller the national audience, the more ratings hinge on local market size and penetration and that’s
why Major League Baseball is struggling this post-season, especially in the NLCS.
Friday, October 7, 2011
NHL Face-off 2011 ushers in big year for the business of hockey
With a new team in Canada, one still under league ownership, a new CBA to negotiate around the corner
and fighting and head shots under scrutiny, NHL Face-off 2011 is ushering in a big year for the business of
hockey.
Friday, October 7, 2011
NBA cancels pre-season as lockout continues and begins to take toll
Unless there’s substantive progress this weekend, NBA Commissioner David Stern stands poised to cancel
the first two weeks of the 2011-’12 regular season.
Friday, October 7, 2011
One on one, NFL early season tackles MLB post-season in TV ratings
Even the lure of the pinstripes wasn’t enough to overshadow a very ordinary Monday Night Football game
in the battle for television viewers this week.
Friday, October 7, 2011
Mercedes-Benz drives new Superdome stadium naming rights
Only a near-term Super Bowl hosting opportunity can justify the alignment of a premium car maker like Mercedes Benz with the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, one of the poorest Metro markets in the U.S.
Friday, September 30, 2011
Refurbished BC Place re-opens with the return of the BC Lions
The $563 million renovation of BC Place ushers in a new era for the stadium beginning tonight when the BC Lions take on the Edmonton Eskimos in Canadian Football League action in Vancouver.
Friday, September 30, 2011
As season ends for LA Dodgers, team bankruptcy heats up
On a week in which baseball saw two wildcard races end in spectacular fashion, the LA Dodgers continued
to make headlines as their bankruptcy case heated up just as their season ended.
Friday, September 30, 2011
Sportsnet magazine launch marks re-branding of network
When Sportsnet magazine hit the newsstands yesterday, it hit with the new look, feel and shorter name of the Canadian sports television network. Rogers Sportsnet is now Sportsnet. Period.
Friday, September 23, 2011
After TIFF debut, Moneyball opens at theatres today
The story of how the Oakland Athletics used baseball analytics to turn the small-market, cash-poor franchise into a perennial American League contender – an unlikely Hollywood movie adaptation – opens in theatres today.
Friday, September 23, 2011
Conference re-alignment shakes up U.S. college football
Television contracts, national exposure and money are the trigger points behind conference realignment and shuffling in U.S. college football, leaving many to wonder what it means for smaller schools and their programs.
Friday, September 23, 2011
New Winnipeg Jets make their debut in pre-season play
The second coming of the Winnipeg Jets made its debut Tuesday night at the MTS Centre, defeating the Columbus Blue Jackets 6-1 in their first pre-season exhibition game.
Friday, September 23, 2011
Tennis Canada to get a big boost by hosting France in Davis Cup
Hosting 2011 Davis Cup World Group semifinalist France in the opening round of next year’s competition will be a significant marketing opportunity for Tennis Canada, the sport’s governing body.
Friday, September 16, 2011
Record 107 million tune in for NFL’s 2011 Kickoff Weekend
An NFL record of 107.4 million television viewers tuned into the biggest opening weekend ever to give CBS, ESPN, FOX and especially NBC plenty to celebrate in terms of ratings.
Friday, September 16, 2011
NBA lockout appears headed for lost games
As has been expected from the outset, the NBA lockout appears headed for lost games and potentially months of standoff between the owners and the league’s players after unproductive talks this week.
Friday, September 16, 2011
Gaglardi stalking horse for bankrupt Dallas Stars of NHL
Tom Gaglardi is poised to become the latest Vancouver-based owner of an NHL hockey franchise as he prepared this week to file a stalking horse bid to buy the Dallas Stars out of bankruptcy auction.
Friday, September 9, 2011
KHL to rebuild Locomotif Yaroslavl in aftermath of air crash tragedy
The Locomotif Yaroslavl franchise, decimated by Wednesday’s Russian air crash, will be rebuilt to compete
in this year’s Kontinental Hockey League season, the KHL announced Thursday.
Friday, September 9, 2011
NFL Kick Off 2011 ushers in new season with a thriller
The NFL rebounded from its four-month lockout by kicking off the 2011 season in style, with an entertaining
win by the defending Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers Thursday night at Lambeau Field.
Friday, September 9, 2011
Bell Media to team up with CBC in 2014/2016 Olympic bids
Bell Media is teaming up with the CBC and Radio-Canada to bid for Canadian broadcast rights to the Sochi
2104 and Rio 2016 Olympics.
Friday, September 2, 2011
Belak’s death spurs calls for hockey to revisit violence and fighting
The suicides of Wade Belak and Rick Rypien and drug overdose death of Derek Boogard has generated hitherto unseen levels of scrutiny on the level of violence in the NHL, including the very place of fighting.
Friday, September 2, 2011
Failed anticipation of size of drunken crowds elevated Vancouver riots
The leading problem causing the 2011 Vancouver hockey riots was that “a great many people arrived early and great numbers were drunk when they arrived”, says an independent review of the June incident.
Friday, September 2, 2011
Boston Red Sox reach 700 consecutive sellouts at Fenway Park
The number one active sellout streak in North American professional sport will reach 700 consecutive games tonight when the Boston Red Sox host the Texas Rangers at iconic Fenway Park.
Friday, August 26, 2011
Timeline for Sidney Crosby’s return to NHL action still in doubt
Eight months after suffering not one but two head shots, the timetable for the return to play by NHL
superstar and marquee attraction Sidney Crosby remains unclear.
Friday, August 26, 2011
NFL: More security, less tailgating and alcohol in wake of shootings
Increased security and limits on tailgating parties and in-stadium alcohol sales are among the measures
introduced in the immediate aftermath of NFL fan violence last week in San Francisco.
Friday, August 26, 2011
UEFA sends out “alarmist” message on financial state of soccer
Club bankruptcies, high debt to equity ratios and player strikes are among the “red lights flashing” for
European soccer because of the sport’s financial problems, according to UEFA President Michel Platini.
Friday, August 19, 2011
Rypien’s sudden death likely to heighten player support programs
The sudden death of NHLer Rick Rypien will likely heighten player support programs offered by the league and the players’ union, especially in the areas of behavioural health and substance abuse.
Friday, August 19, 2011
University of Miami probe could change NCAA as we know it
“Serious and fundamental change” in U.S. college sports could be in the offing as a result of an NCAA probe into Ponzi scheme connections with the University of Miami’s football program.
Friday, August 19, 2011
NHL’s commitment to R & D a good sign for its “consumers”
The NHL convened GMs and top young prospects to its research and development camp for two days in Toronto this week, testing out new rules and tweaks to the game and the league’s on-ice product.
Friday, August 12, 2011
Rogers Cup introduces new combined, one-week format
The Rogers Cup tennis championships this week introduced a new, combined one-week format, with the men in Montreal and the women in Toronto and the reviews were mixed.
Friday, August 12, 2011
Cleveland Indians to host Ohio State-Michigan hockey game
The first outdoor hockey game in the state of Ohio will be hosted at Progressive Field by the Cleveland Indians of Major League Baseball, January 15th of 2012.
Friday, August 12, 2011
Martin Rennie to become third coach of Whitecaps FC
The Vancouver Whitecaps FC will be hoping it is third-time lucky when it comes to Martin Rennie, who will take over as the team’s head coach in its sophomore season next March.
Friday, August 5, 2011
Islanders’ bid for new arena rejected by taxpayers
Nassau County voters rejected a $400 million plan to replace aging Nassau Coliseum, home of the National Hockey League’s New York Islanders.
Friday, August 5, 2011
NBA strikes a Stern tone in player lockout
The NBA lockout took on a decidedly litigious and negative tone – call it ugly – as the NBA filed two lawsuits against the NBA Players Association and Billy Hunter predicted a cancelled season.
Friday, August 5, 2011
Fox Sports files injunction against LA Dodgers media rights sale
The bankruptcy of the Los Angeles Dodgers has started to further fray the club’s business relationships, with Fox Sports filing an objection over the prospect of media rights sales as part of the process.
Friday, July 29, 2011
NFL and NFLPA return to football with 10-year CBA in place
A 10-year Collective Bargaining Agreement is in place after the NFLPA followed in the footsteps of NFL owners in approving the new deal in time to protect the 2011 regular season.
Friday, July 29, 2011
Alomar, Gillick and Van Horne earn their Hall of Fame stripes
It was Canada’s best week ever in Cooperstown, as Roberto Alomar, Pat Gillick and Dave Van Horne joined the National Baseball Hall of Fame Tuesday.
Friday, July 29, 2011
Adam Hadwin gives Canada something to cheer about
Canada is still looking for its first Canadian Open golf champion since 1954 but thanks to Adam Hadwin, it has a new hope to follow on the PGA Tour.
Friday, July 29, 2011
The Tour de France goes Down Under with Cadel Evans
Former mountain biker Cadel Evans became the first Australian to win the Tour de France, the world’s most prestigious road race, last Sunday.
Friday, July 22, 2011
CBA ball firmly in players’ court as NFL owners ready to go
Although NFL owners approved a new Collective Bargaining Agreement proposal Thursday, the ball is firmly in the hands of the players, who must now decide on whether to approve the new 10-year deal.
Friday, July 22, 2011
Clarke raises the bar and brand of Northern Ireland golf
Northern Ireland’s Darren Clarke held off two Americans to win the 140th British Open, further strengthening the brand equity the small country holds in the world of golf.
Friday, July 22, 2011
European soccer summer tour gives MLS big promotional boost
The likes of Manchester United, Real Madrid and FC Barcelona are giving MLS fans a summertime bonus and helping to draw more traditional European soccer fans to the North American league.
Friday, July 15, 2011
Clemens mistrial yet another high-profile error by US attorneys
For the second time in three months, a high-profile steroid era court case ended in a mistrial after the defence lawyers for Roger Clemens received their wish for a mistrial after a costly mistake by the prosecution.
Friday, July 15, 2011
Molson wins NHL sponsorship rights but Labatt picks up three clubs
NHL beer sponsorship rights are back in the hands of Molson Coors after the Ontario Court of Appeals dismissed the complaints of the league’s former sponsor, Labatt Breweries.
Friday, July 15, 2011
Honda Indy Toronto TV ratings could signal revival in Canada
In an indication that IndyCar format racing may be back on the upswing in Canada, the Honda Indy Toronto created a buzz on the airwaves with its largest national TV audiences in 14 years.
Friday, July 15, 2011
Jeter milestone a boost for himself and the Yankees brand
In what some described as the biggest sports collectible craze since Baltimore Orioles shortstop Cal Ripken Jr. broke Lou Gehrig’s consecutive game streak, Derek Jeter reached 3,000 career hits last Saturday.
Friday, July 8, 2011
Pyeongchang gets third time lucky to win 2018 Winter Games
More than 10 years of persistence has finally paid off for Pyeongchang, South Korea, winner of the rights to host the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in its third time trying. And the vote wasn’t even close.
Friday, July 8, 2011
Wimbledon consolidates U.S. TV rights on ESPN
The NBC peacock that graced the Wimbledon championship finals last weekend and the previous 42 years -- will be replaced next year by the speed letter graphics synonymous with sports cable giant ESPN.
Friday, July 8, 2011
Roger Clemens faces the uncomfortable spotlight of perjury trial
Former all-star pitcher Roger Clemens this week began the process of the perjury trial that could forever tarnish his career, if not land him in prison for lying before a congressional committee investigating drug use in baseball.
Friday, July 8, 2011
Rise of Roller Derby ushers in first World Cup in Toronto
A major newspaper feature this week and its first-ever World Cup this December in Toronto are marking the revival of Roller Derby in Canada and in countries like France, Germany, Britain and Japan.
Friday, July 1, 2011
NBA joins NFL in lockout mode
As suggested last week, two leagues – the NFL and now the NBA – are in overlapping lockouts, a 1st in North America and only the second time two leagues have been in concurrent labour stoppages.
Friday, July 1, 2011
Bankruptcy puts LA Dodgers and Major League Baseball on collision course
Embattled Los Angeles Dodgers owner Frank McCourt and Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig are on a collision course after the club filed for bankruptcy protection Monday.
Friday, July 1, 2011
CFL kick-off and NHL free agent frenzy make for July 1st fireworks
The CFL kick-off and the beginning of the free agent negotiation period in the NHL have tongues wagging north of the border on Canada Day, one of the calendar’s most interesting dates for Canadian sport fans.
Friday, June 24, 2011
Vancouver Canucks take five of 16 trophies at NHL Awards
The Vancouver Canucks to a man would trade them all in for the Stanley Cup, but the team dominated the 2011 NHL Awards by winning five of 15 trophies presented Wednesday night in Las Vegas.
Friday, June 24, 2011
NBA and NHL teams restock their cabinets in entry drafts
Two Canadians going in the first round made the 2011 NBA Draft a notable one for Canadian basketball on the eve of another draft, the NHL Draft slated for today and tomorrow.
Friday, June 24, 2011
NFL and NBA searching for collective bargaining solutions
For the first time ever, two leagues – the NFL and NBA – could find themselves in simultaneous and overlapping lockouts, unless a new NBA collective bargaining agreement is struck by Thursday, June 30th.
Friday, June 24, 2011
Rory McIlroy and New Kids rebrand golf
A stunning, record-setting US Open victory has minted Ireland’s Rory McIlroy as the heir apparent to Tiger Woods and breathed new life into the golf industry in Europe and around the world.
Friday, June 24, 2011
ESPN The Magazine rates Canucks as top Canadian franchise
Ticket affordability held back Canada’s NHL teams in the “Ultimate Standings” released last week by ESPN The Magazine, but it didn’t prevent the Vancouver Canucks from topping Canada’s eight major pro teams in the survey.
Friday, June 17, 2011
Stanley Cup Game 7 most-watched NHL game ever
A seven-game Stanley Cup Final between a Canadian team and an Original Six brand meant record television ratings and revenues for the CBC, with an average of 8.76 million viewers for Game 7.
Friday, June 17, 2011
ESPN on ABC brings in 24 million viewers for NBA Finals clincher
ESPN on ABC’s broadcast of the Dallas Mavericks’ 105-95 Game 6, series-winning victory over the Miami Heat generated an average audience of 23.9 million Americans, the network’s biggest audience in 10 years.
Friday, June 17, 2011
“Secret talks” raise optimism around new NFL labour agreement
Some NFL observers were pointing to a July 4th timeline for a new collective bargaining agreement for the $9 billion a year business that is top-tier pro football in the U.S.
Friday, June 17, 2011
ESPN The Magazine rates Packers as best North American franchise
Today’s “Best in Sports” issue of ESPN The Magazine rates the Green Bay Packers of the NFL as North America’s best pro sports franchise in a ranking of the 122 teams in the four major leagues.
Friday, June 10, 2011
Stanley Cup TV rules in Canada; NBA Finals dominate the U.S.
As a week of seven consecutive championship games rolled out – four in the NHL and three in the NBA – hockey proved to be king in Canada while basketball dominated the U.S. television market.
Friday, June 10, 2011
Winnipeg begins to build its new NHL hockey business
With 13,000 season tickets sold and committed to for five years, True North Sports & Entertainment began to flesh out its new NHL franchise by hiring Kevin Cheveldayoff as its first General Manager.
Friday, June 10, 2011
Sportsnet Magazine to launch this fall
Rogers Communications announced Thursday it will launch a national bi-weekly sports magazine this fall and brand it Sportsnet to leverage Rogers Sportsnet’s five channels, two radio stations and sportsnet.ca.
Friday, June 10, 2011
UEFA Champions League TV ratings show big spike in U.S.
Shifting the UEFA Champions League Final to a weekend date has been a boon for television ratings in the U.S. and elsewhere around the world but has seen some contraction among European viewers.
Friday, June 3, 2011
Top-tier hockey returns to Winnipeg in first NHL relocation in 14 years
In the National Hockey League’s first relocation since 1997, the Atlanta Thrashers will become Winnipeg’s NHL entry next season, 15 years since the old Jets were themselves relocated to Phoenix.
Friday, June 3, 2011
Stanley Cup Final faces off with North American TV audience of 10M
An average audience of 10.2 million television viewers watched Game 1 of the NHL’s Stanley Cup Final between the Vancouver Canucks and the Boston Bruins, making it one of the most-watched NHL games of all time.
Friday, June 3, 2011
Sepp Blatter re-elected by acclamation as FIFA President
Despite at least two countries calling for a postponement of Wednesday’s FIFA elections, incumbent President Sepp Blatter was re-elected by acclamation amidst a massive corruption and bribery scandal.
Friday, June 3, 2011
American Airlines flies high with NBA Finals
American Airlines is flying in this year’s NBA Finals where no corporate partner has ever before, covering an entire North American sport playoff series with arena naming rights deals in both Miami and Dallas.
Friday, May 20, 2011
Chicago boasts top "bull" market in NHL and NBA
The Chicago Buzlls' record on and off the court during the 2010-'11 NBA regular season made them the best-performing franchise in the 30-team league and among the 60 franchises in the NBA and NHL.
Friday, May 13, 2011
Winnipeg waits while Coyotes get reprieve and Atlanta looks for buyers
Winnipeg continues to play a game of wait and see – and nervous anticipation – after Glendale gave the Phoenix Coyotes a one-year lifeline and the Atlanta Thrashers continued to look for local investors.
Friday, May 13, 2011
Canadian Tire to acquire Forzani's SportChek and company
Canadian Tire ramped up its domestic presence and capacity for expansion this week by proposing a $771 million acquisition of the Forzani Group, owners of SportChek, Sport Mart and other sports retail stores.
Friday, May 13, 2011
FIFA corruption allegations come in month before elections
Corruption allegations made this week could have consequences for both FIFA President Sepp Blatter and challenger Mohammed Bin Hammam, along with Qatar's 2022 World Cup organizing committee.
Friday, May 13, 2011
NFL players looking for at least $707 M in damages against league
The NFL's locked-out players are looking for at least $707 million US to remedy their dispute with the league over $4 billion in broadcast revenues.
Friday, May 6, 2011
UFC's growth rubbing off on boxing's approach to new media
Just one week after UFC 129 set attendance and box office records at the Rogers Centre in Toronto, boxing is upping the ante of its new media offerings in the Manny Pacquaio-Shane Mosley bout tomorrow night.
Friday, May 6, 2011
Grizzlies-Thunder showdown a tale of two relocated NBA teams
Memphis and Oklahoma City both made history with NBA playoff series wins last week and are sparking sport business storylines this week as two relocated teams squaring off in the second round.
Friday, May 6, 2011
Goodell huddles with NFL fans on Chiefs' conference call
During a call with Kansas City Chiefs fans Thursday, National Football League commissioner Roger Goodell reiterated the league wants to resume negotiations with players locked-out since March 11th.
Friday, April 29, 2011
Newton goes #1 in NFL Draft amidst bizarre labour context
When antitrust lawsuit plaintiff Von Miller followed #1 Cam Newton to become the second pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, a tearful hug of Commissioner Roger Goodell said it all about the league's bizarre labour situation.
Friday, April 29, 2011
NHL and NBA television ratings score big on cable and over-the-air
Record and near-record cable television ratings for the NBA (nationally on TNT) and NHL (especially regionally on networks such as NESN in New England) highlighted big playoff opening rounds for both leagues in both countries.
Friday, April 29, 2011
UEFA Champions League appears headed to a rematch of 2009 final
With Manchester United and FC Barcelona in control of their UEFA Champions League semifinals, the two iconic soccer brands appear headed for a rematch of their 2009 final match, won by Barca.
Friday, April 22, 2011
LA Dodgers fall to direct control by Major League Baseball
With its existing ownership consumed by the bitter divorce of Frank and Jamie McCourt and related financial challenges, Major League Baseball has taken control of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Friday, April 22, 2011
NHL ups its US TV game with 10-year $2 B deal with NBC Comcast
The NHL tripled revenues associated with its US national television deals this week by announcing a 10-year extension with NBC and Versus valued at $2 billion US.
Friday, April 22, 2011
NFL stars offer support to lesser-paid teammates during lockout
Star players such as Larry Fitzgerald and Tony Gonzalez are offering to help lesser-paid teammates as the NFL lockout continues ahead of judge Susan Nelson's key ruling on the players' injunction next week.
Friday, April 22, 2011
With casino plan shelved, Pavco to focus on BC Place renovation
With the City of Vancouver rejecting the proposed casino expansion that was to be part of the redevelopment of BC Place, Pavco said it will focus instead on completing the stadium renovation.
Friday, April 15, 2011
Stan Kroenke assumes control of London's Arsenal
New controlling shareholder Stan Kroenke met with Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger Thursday, an important procedural step in his takeover of the English Premier League club.
Friday, April 15, 2011
NFL returns to mediation with players
Court-ordered mediation sees the NFL and its locked-out players in Minneapolis this weekend after more than a month off from the negotiations that broke off March 11th.
Friday, April 15, 2011
NBA's Sacramento Kings pitching to become Anaheim Royals
Although Sacramento is making a late pitch to keep the Kings in the California state capital, the team's owners were making a different pitch Thursday: Relocation to Anaheim this fall.
Friday, April 15, 2011
Bonds lawyers petition to have obstruction verdict tossed
Lawyers for Barry Bonds, ruled to be guilty of obstruction of justice in the only clear verdict arrived at by his San Francisco jury, have asked that the one verdict be dismissed.
Friday, April 15, 2011
Canucks repeat at head of NHL's franchise-performance class
The Vancouver Canucks are the best-performing hockey business in the National Hockey League for the second straight year according to the Composite Power Rankings compiled by TheSportMarket.biz.
Friday, April 8, 2011
Judge urges NFL and NFLPA to return to negotiating table
With Judge Susan Richard Nelson urging them to do so, both NFL owners and NFLPA players indicated a willingness to mediate their differences, although they haven't yet agreed on a place to do so.
Friday, April 8, 2011
Negotiations to begin on $450 M downtown arena in Edmonton
Edmonton City Council voted in favour of beginning negotiations with the ownership of the Edmonton Oilers to help build a new $450 million downtown arena for the NHL hockey club.
Friday, April 8, 20110
IOC welcomes women's ski jumpers to Sochi 2014
They did not get it done in time for Vancouver 2010 and Canada, but the IOC has signaled the green light for the inclusion of women's ski jumpers at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games.
Friday, April 8, 2011
Barry Bonds perjury trial goes to jury deliberation
After taking just 12 days of trial hearings, the fate of Barry Bonds is now in the hands of the 12-member jury who began deliberations today over the fate of baseball's all-time home run king.
Friday, April 1, 2011
Giants visit LA while Yankees open with first-ever March game
While the San Francisco Giants opened in LA, the New York Yankees posted a 6-3 win over the Detroit Tigers Thursday at Yankee Stadium in the first-ever March season opener in the Bronx, part of Major League Baseball’s opening day to the 2011 season.
Friday, April 1, 2011
Upsets create a "2-in-5.9 million" NCAA Final Four
Upsets along the way have created an NCAA Final Four of "haves" (UConn and Kentucky) and "have nots (Butler and VCU) in a final weekend that was a mere "2-in-5.9 million" on ESPN's fantasy pool.
Friday, April 1, 2011
Cricket diplomacy highlights India-Pakistan World Cup semifinal
Their respective nations stood still Wednesday, long enough to notice that the ICC Cricket World Cup facilitated the first meeting in more than a year between the Prime Ministers of India and Pakistan.
Friday, April 1, 2011
London 2012 completes construction of Olympic Stadium
London 2012 announced Wednesday that it had completed construction of the Olympic Stadium, an 80,000-seat venue which came in at $781 million, $16 million under budget.
Friday, March 25, 2011
Whitecaps kick off MLS expansion on big league note
Top tier North American professional soccer returned to Vancouver in style last Saturday as the Whitecaps FC doubled Toronto FC 4-2 before a sellout crowd of 22,592 and an average national television audience of 289,000 on TSN.
Friday, March 25, 2011
Bonds trial completes week one with MLB opening day next week
With Major League Baseball’s Opening Day for the 2011 season less than a week away, the first week of the perjury trial of former slugger Barry Bonds concluded with testimony from one of the world's foremost experts in detecting performance-enhancing drug use among athletes.
Friday, March 25, 2011
Coyotes continue to win on-ice while in ownership limbo off-ice
The Phoenix Coyotes will stay at least a little longer in Arizona, thanks to a strong late-season rally which has all but clinched the desert dogs a playoff spot while the City of Glendale and the Goldwater Institute continue their legal, political and PR wrangling over Matt Hulsizer’s bid to buy the team.
Friday, March 25, 2011
Major League Soccer is North America’s most diverse league
Not surprisingly, Major League Soccer has taken up the global game’s mantlepiece in North America and has taken over official status as the continent’s most diverse major pro sports league in 2011.
Friday, March 18, 2011
City of Glendale beginning to plan for life after the Coyotes
For the first time publicly, the City of Glendale earlier this week appeared to be planning for life after the Phoenix Coyotes, with council discussing a contingency plan involving minor league hockey at Jobing.com Arena.
Friday, March 18, 2011
NHL takes first step with five-point concussion plan
Responding to media, corporate and public pressure to take action on head shots and concussions, the NHL used its general manager meetings in Boca Raton, Fla. to announce a five-point plan to begin to deal with the issue.
Friday, March 18, 2011
Upsets create media and Internet buzz around NCAA hoops
Upsets Thursday by #13-seeded Morehead State of Kentucky and #12 Richmond ushered in the main draw of the 2011 NCAA basketball championships with a media buzz befitting the tagline March Madness.
Friday, March 18, 2011
Whitecaps FC become Vancouver’s second biggest sport property
When they kick off their franchise opening game in Major League Soccer Saturday at Empire Field, the Vancouver Whitecaps FC will immediately move into second-place among the market’s biggest sport business properties.
Friday, March 18, 2011
Golf industry swinging for recovery from 2008-‘09 recession
The golf industry – which accounts for a more than $80 billion dollar sector in North America alone – is slowly but surely angling towards a recovery and re-balancing of the supply-and-demand disconnect created by real estate-driven golf courses of the last decade..
Friday, March 11, 2011
It’s lights out for the NFL CBA as NFLPA decertifies
With talks breaking down at 1 pm ET, the NFLPA decertified today, setting the stage for the first NFL work stoppage in 24 years.
Friday, March 11, 2011
NHL marred by bad week of PR by commissioner Gary Bettman
From the struggling Phoenix Coyotes to head shots to Air Canada, it was not a good week of public relations for National Hockey League commissioner Gary Bettman.
Friday, March 11, 2011
MLS club gifts stadium naming rights to cancer-fighting foundation
Eschewing corporate naming in the range of about $1 million per year, Sporting Kansas City of Major League Soccer is gifting its stadium naming rights to cyclist Lance Armstrong’s Livestrong Foundation.
Friday, March 11, 2011
Canucks set to reach 350 consecutive sellouts in playoff opener
The Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League will reach 350 consecutive home game sellouts at Rogers Arena (and General Motors Place before it) when they open the playoffs at home next month.
Friday, March 4, 2011
NFL and NFLPA consider extending CBA negotiations
With a George Washington University student using a yellow homemade sign to urge the National Football League owners and the NFL Players Association to avoid a lockout and "Don't Make Me Watch Hockey," the two sides elected Thursday to extend CBA negotiations and keep the current collective bargaining agreement in place for at least an additional 24 hours.
Friday, March 4, 2011
The Fighter becomes among top-10 Oscar sport movies of all time
Winning a second Oscar made the boxing movie The Fighter one of the top-10 sport movies of all time, at least according to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Friday, March 4, 2011
Canada awarded 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup of soccer
Canada will host the top two dozen countries in women’s soccer when it brings the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup to at least six Canadian host cities.
Friday, February 25, 2011
NHL marks Heritage Classic success with biggest-ever beer deal
Molson Coors and MillerCoors have signed an integrated $375 million sponsorship deal with the National Hockey League to make Molson Canadian the official beer of the league while ensuring promotional rights for Coors Light in several U.S. markets.
Friday, February 25, 2011
Anthony deal underscores competitive conundrum for NBA
With the Carmelo Anthony trade another example of the rich getting richer and the smaller markets marginalized, the NBA appears in dire need of a new competitive formula in its next Collective Bargaining Agreement.
Friday, February 25, 2011
Youngest-ever winner Bayne kick starts new NASCAR campaign
Trevor Bayne gave NASCAR and its fans something special to talk about after the 20-year-old won the Daytona 500 to kick start the new Sprint Cup season and cause a good bump in the TV ratings for FOX.
Friday, February 25, 2011
Raonic stokes the fire of fan and media interest for Canadian tennis
The remarkable run of young Canadian tennis player Milos Raonic has created a volume and pitch of tennis coverage and fan engagement in Canada not felt since the top-10 days of Carling Bassett in the early 1980s and top-20 career of Helen Kelesi in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Friday, February 25, 2011
The Fighter wins record eight Golden Sporties
The Fighter was named best picture in The Sport Market Movie Awards for 2011, winning a record eight Golden Sporties as it came through as the undisputed heavyweight of sport movies in the past year.
Friday, February 18, 2011
Stern’s comments on NBA’s Hornets raise Vancouver possibilities
In a podcast interview with Bill Simmons of ESPN.com, NBA commissioner David Stern admitted that both relocation and even contraction of the New Orleans Hornets have been considered.
Friday, February 18, 2011
Bettman avoids public debate with Lemieux over NHL discipline
National Hockey League commissioner Gary Bettman said Thursday he will not debate Pittsburgh Penguins owner Mario Lemieux over league discipline.
Friday, February 18, 2011
AC Milan owner Berlusconi facing trial for sex charges
Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who doubles as the owner of AC Milan of the Italian Serie A soccer club, is facing trial on sex charges.
Friday, February 11, 2011
As projected, Super Bowl XLV sets new TV audience record
Super Bowl XLV lived up to expectations by delivering record audiences in the U.S., Canada and around the world as the Green Bay Packers won the showdown of heritage brands against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Friday, February 11, 2011
NHL’s southern U.S. teams continue to struggle on local television
While Canada’s National Hockey League franchises continue to boast record regional television ratings on Rogers Sportsnet, Reseau des Sports (RDS) and split signal feeds on TSN, Sun Belt teams continue to struggle on local television.
Friday, February 11, 2011
LA Galaxy forming strategic alliance with Tottenham Hotspurs
Already planning to build a new billion-dollar NFL stadium in Los Angeles, AEG is building a strategic alliance around London’s Olympic Stadium with Tottenham Hotspurs of the Barclays English Premier League.
Friday, February 11, 2011
Concussion doctors Echlin and Taylor top list of sport influencers
The placement of Dr. Paul Echlin and Dr. Charles Tator at the top of the Globe and Mail’s Power 50 list of the most influential people in sports in Canada underlines the rising significance of the issue.
Friday, February 11, 2011
Vancouver 2010 marks first anniversary of opening ceremonies
One year to the day today and one year tomorrow to the date, the first anniversary of Vancouver 2010 brings back many golden memories for Canadians and the international sport community – and, unfortunately, one tragedy.
Friday, February 4, 2011
Farmers Field naming rights announced for LA’s unbuilt NFL stadium
While Super Bowl XLV will kick off Sunday in team-named Cowboys Stadium, Anschutz Entertainment Group’s naming rights deal with Farmers Insurance is part of a big pitch to the NFL for a new franchise for Los Angeles.
Friday, February 4, 2011
Liverpool sets new English transfer record for Fernando Torres
Liverpool FC’s record-breaking transfer fee of 50 million pounds Sterling or $81.5 M US paid by Chelsea FC to acquire striker Fernando Torres highlighted the last day of the transfer window in European soccer.
Friday, February 4, 2011
NHL All-Star Game and NFL Pro Bowl draw strong TV ratings
The new format of the NHL All-Star Game and the timing of the NFL Pro Bowl helped both events draw terrific television ratings last Sunday in an unusual back-to-back doubleheader of all-star showcases.
Friday, January 28, 2011
Super Bowl TV record on target after NFL conference championships
With an average national US audience of 51.9 million viewers for its NFC conference championship game and a record 54.9 million for the AFC, the NFL appeared poised to set a new ratings record for the Super Bowl.
Friday, January 28, 2011
New fantasy league format drives interest in NHL All-Star Weekend
Columns in USA Today and dozens of U.S. newspapers and high levels of social media traffic around the NHL All-Star Weekend appear to demonstrate that the league has generated interest in its new “fantasy league” approach.
Friday, January 28, 2011
Quebec City arena project shaping up to be public-private partnership
The proposed $400 million arena project in Quebec City has been the subject of considerable debate as the federal government continues to weigh its options and private investors step into the mix.
Friday, January 21, 2011
With Crosby sidelined, Gretzky weighs in on NHL debate about head shots and concussions
With the issue in the spotlight since hockey Sidney Crosby has been out with a concussion, Wayne Gretzky joined the chorus of those assessing the NHL’s approach to head shots.
Friday, January 21, 2011
NFL reaches new TV ratings threshold with Jets-Patriots playoff
The NFL and rights holder CBS both won big alongside the New York Jets in Sunday’s post-season action, with the Jets’ upset win over the New England Patriots setting an all-time high for divisional playoffs.
Friday, January 21, 2011
The Fighter lands two punches at start of movie awards season
Christian Bale as Dick Eklund and Melissa Leo as his mother landed best supporting actor wins at the Golden Globes presented last Sunday by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, giving The Fighter and the sport movie genre a big boost.
Friday, January 14, 2011
Guardian 30 Project another example of new era of NHL marketing
In a marketing initiative that targets 12-to-18s and 18-to-34s while still appealing to the Marvel Comics nostalgia held by 35-to-54s, the NHL is creating an Internet and social media buzz with the Guardian 30 Project it is presenting with Stan Lee.
Friday, January 14, 2011
Johnson is 22nd manager fired this season in English soccer
Gary Johnson became the 22nd manager to be fired from employment in the top two divisions of English professional soccer this season, causing Sir Alex Ferguson of Manchester United to bemoan the “impatience” of foreign owners.
Friday, January 14, 2011
Vancouver and Portland add to inaugural rosters at MLS Super Draft
The Vancouver Whitecaps FC chose the upside of youth in selecting 17-year-old Omar Salgado, a 6’4”, 170-pounder from El Paso, Texas and a member of the U.S under-20 national team, with the first pick in the MLS Super Draft Thursday, leaving Portland to draft top-ranked player Darlington Nagbe.
Friday, January 14, 2011
Sportsnet Radio rebranding a sign of more to come
In yet another example of the emerging Telecom marketing wars in Canada, Rogers Communications announced Wednesday a rebranding for its two wholly-owned sports radio stations in Toronto and Calgary.
Friday, January 14, 2011
Ivor Wynne the latest Canadian stadium to undergo renovation
The City of Hamilton and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League will apparently not go very far for the new home of the CFL franchise: Current home Ivor Wynne Stadium appears poised for a renovation.
Friday, January 7, 2011
World Juniors gold medal game a ratings winner for TSN
It was a disappointing loss for Canada, but Russia’s remarkable 5-3 comeback win in Wednesday’s gold medal game in Buffalo was a ratings winner for TSN, drawing the all-sports networks’ biggest-ever audience..
Friday, January 7, 2011
NHL Winter Classic TV ratings fend off rain and college football
Sidney Crosby plus Alex Ovechkin plus the home of the six-time Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers: It all added up to a winner at the box office and the ratings meter for the 2010 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic.
Friday, January 7, 2011
Seahawks division title puts NFL playoff structure under scrutiny
A 16-6 win last Sunday by the Seattle Seahawks over the St. Louis Rams not only put the 7-9 team into the NFL post-season, it sparked renewed debate on the NFL’s playoff structure in general and seeding system in particular.
Friday, January 7, 2011
Alomar Hall of Fame induction good for baseball in Puerto Rico – and Canada
Roberto Alomar’s induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame is not only a boost for Puerto Rican baseball, it’s good for the Toronto Blue Jays and baseball in Canada. |
