Human Kinetics News

Winners and Losers--May 17, 2013

Fri, 17 May 2013 07:29:00 +0000

**MLB is being criticized for banning pink bats without Louisville Slugger logos on Mother’s Day. **The family of late NHL player Derek Boogaard has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the league. **Fast food chain Zaxby’s has signed sponsorship deals with 25 universities as it attempts to brand itself as “The Official Chicken of College Sports.”

Kings Saga REALLY Over

Fri, 17 May 2013 03:40:00 +0000

Following the recommendation of the NBA’s relocation committee, the league’s Board of Governors voted 22-8 against moving the Sacramento Kings to Seattle. While current Kings owners the Maloof family still must reach a formal deal to sell the team to Vivek Ranadive’s group, the league’s vote ends any chance of the team moving to Seattle next season. With the team staying in Sacramento, the city will contribute $250 million to a new arena for the Kings.

NBA Draft Lottery

Fri, 17 May 2013 03:37:00 +0000

One of the unique features of the NBA Draft relative to other pro sports leagues is the lottery, which deters teams from intentionally trying to get the worst record by not guaranteeing them the top pick. While the system is weighted to give the worst team the best chance at receiving the first selection, since 1990, only three teams with the worst record have actually won the lottery.

Barclays-USC Unique Partnership

Fri, 17 May 2013 03:34:00 +0000

Here’s a sports marketing partnership you don’t see everyday. The Barclays Center has signed a marketing deal with the University of Southern Cal for brand exposure during home football games at L.A. Memorial Coliseum. The three-year deal is worth in the low to mid-six figures annually, and gives Barclays Center a hospitality presence of the West Coast.

Zaxby's Enters the College Sports Landscape

Fri, 17 May 2013 03:28:00 +0000

Fast food chain Zaxby’s has signed sponsorship deals with 25 universities as it attempts to brand itself as “The Official Chicken of College Sports.” The schools that are partnering with Zaxby’s – including Alabama, Florida, and North Carolina – are concentrated in the Southeast, which is where most of the restaurant’s stores are located. Zaxby’s has 570 locations across 13 states.

Economic Impact in OKC

Fri, 17 May 2013 03:25:00 +0000

To the naysayers who contend that professional sports teams and facilities don’t make significant contributions to local economic impact, look no further than the Oklahoma City Thunder. Research done by the city’s Convention and Visitors Bureau found that the team this season generated $64 million for greater OKC. The Thunder also have a strong affect on civic pride.

Bust, Boom, and Hope: May 13, 2013

Mon, 13 May 2013 04:47:00 +0000

**Chicago Cubs owner Tom Ricketts is threatening to move the team to a new ballpark if a planned Wrigley Field renovation falls through. **Levi Strauss has purchased the naming rights to the San Francisco 49ers’ new $1.2 billion stadium. **TBS will air both men’s basketball Final Four semifinal games in 2014 and 2015, marking the first time the games will be televised on cable.

Recession-proof a good fitness routine

Sun, 12 May 2013 14:10:00 +0000

Build a home gym with as little as $100

Bust, Boom, and Hope: May 7, 2013

Sun, 12 May 2013 04:43:00 +0000

**NBA TV viewership during the regular season was down from the record-setting 2011-12 campaign for all networks that broadcast games. **The NHL can expect to generate up to $180 million in revenue from the six outdoor games it plans to hold next season. **Porsche signed Maria Sharapova to a three-year endorsement deal, making the tennis star the car company’s first-ever global ambassador.

The Players Championship: Come One, Come All to the TPC Sawgrass Carnival

Fri, 10 May 2013 09:06:00 +0000

Golf Channel and NBC must be thrilled. Deep into the second day of The Players Championship, arguably golf’s “fifth major,” with an attendant star-studded international field and golf’s heftiest purse--$9.5 million, with the winner pocketing over $1.7 million. Tiger Woods and Sergio Garcia atop the leaderboard, Lee Westwood and Rory McIlroy not far behind. A controversy—V.J. Singh, his use of verboten deer antler spray, and the “humiliated” golfer suing the PGA Tour.