| NASCAR is naming its top trophy after its first family, announcing that the Bill France Cup will be awarded to the champion of the NASCAR Cup Series, beginning in this season. The renamed trophy pays tribute to Bill France Sr., who founded NASCAR in 1947, as well as his son, Bill France Jr who served as the sanctioning body’s chief executive from 1972 to 2003. The Bill France Cup, created by Jostens, will maintain the size and shape of last year’s championship trophy and will feature outlines of the 24 NASCAR Cup Series racetracks that comprise the 2020 season schedule. The trophy design will be updated as the race schedule evolves, and new tracks are introduced to NASCAR Cup Series competition. “As the sport ushers in a new era, it’s fitting that my father’s name is associated with the highest mark of excellence in our sport,” said Jim France, NASCAR Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “My father and brother’s vision for NASCAR has been realized, many times over, as millions of fans follow and engage each week with the best racing in the world.”
PROGRAMMING
TNT will, for the first time, serve up its exclusive presentation of the NBA All-Star Game 2020 with commercial-free coverage coinciding with the NBA’s newly formatted, untimed fourth quarter on Sunday. Additional special elements during TNT’s presentation will include a Los Angeles Lakers-themed tribute to Bryant within the virtual shot clock – displaying a combination of gold and purple accents at 24 seconds and eight seconds remaining on the clock during the fourth quarter, representing Bryant’s jersey numbers. TNT will also honor the late Bryant throughout NBA All-Star 2020 with a variety of production elements, features and tributes.
Speaking of which, the NBA announced that Jennifer Hudson will perform a special tribute to the late Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and their seven friends that tragically passed away on Jan. 26. Hudson’s performance will open the night ahead of player introductions for the NBA All-Star Game. The league also unveiled a lineup of performers that will join previously announced Chance The Rapper, Common, and Chance’s brother and fellow rap artist Taylor Bennett, throughout the weekend, including Chaka Khan singing the U.S. national anthem and Tenille Arts singing the Canadian national anthem. At halftime, Chance The Rapper will take the stage with Lil Wayne, DJ Khaled and rapper Quavo.
FOX Sports is expanding its NASCAR XFINITY Series broadcast booth this season, announcing that Tony Stewart will join FOX NASCAR play-by-play announcer Adam Alexander and driver analyst Clint Bowyer to call the seres race at Talladega Superspeedway on April 25, marking Stewart’s first race broadcast in the FOX Sports booth. Kurt Busch will team with younger brother Kyle Busch to call the April 4 action at Bristol Motor Speedway. To kick off the new NASCAR XFINITY SERIES season, 2012 Cup Series champion Brad Keselowski calls the season opener with Alexander and Bowyer on Saturday at 2:30p on FS1.
The XFL will crown its champion in Houston. The new league, along with the Harris County – Houston Sports Authority and the University of Houston named the city and TDECU Stadium on the U of H campus as the home of the league’s first championship game on April 26. The game will feature the league’s champions from the East and West divisions and be televised nationally by ESPN at 3p.
ONE Championship unveiled its initial 2020 event schedule for the second half of the year, with more events set to be announced at another date. The organization has also introduced the all-new ONE Infinity Series, offering three World Championship bouts, with a minimum of 12 World Champions in action, Super Fights, A-list celebrities, and more. The first event in this series, titled ONE Infinity 1, will feature a bout between ONE Flyweight World Champion Adriano “Mikinho” Moraes and ONE Flyweight World Grand Prix Champion Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson as the main event. “It is my pleasure to introduce ONE Infinity Series, the world’s apex brand for martial arts events. ONE Infinity Series is a cut above anything available anywhere on the planet,” said Chatri Sityodtong, Chairman and CEO of ONE Championship. “Comprising the biggest events of the year, these blockbusters represent the very best ONE Championship has to offer in terms of world championship talent, star power, martial arts skill, entertainment value, and historical importance.”
Jeremy Roenick will not be returning to NBC Sports after his suspension for making inappropriate comments about coworkers, according to multiple reports on Wednesday. Roenick announced the end of his tenure at the company via a video posted on Twitter. “I’m very disappointed and angry today I will not be returning to NBC,” Roenick said. “I’m also grateful that I’ve had the opportunity to share my love, my passion and my knowledge of the game with millions of people, millions of fans.”
The BMW Championship is heading to Caves Valley Golf Club outside Baltimore in 2021, marking the first time the PGA Tour has held a tournament in the Baltimore area since 1962. The second of three postseason events, the BMW annually features a 70-man field.
GOLF Channel’s Feherty is back for a 10th season starting Feb. 24, where he will welcome Henrik Stenson, 2016 Open champion and silver medalist at the 2016 Rio Games, for the season premiere episode. In addition to Stenson, the initial run of guests (airing Monday nights at 9 p.m. ET) will include fellow major champions Gary Woodland and Suzann Pettersen, along with ESPN anchor Scott Van Pelt and financial executive Charles Schwab:
ESPN is set to present all six matches of the 2020 SheBelieves Cup, featuring the United States Women’s National Team, along with Japan, England and Spain and competing in a round-robin format from March 5-11. Matches will air across multiple networks – ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNEWS and ESPN3 – and stream live on the ESPN App. U.S. Soccer on ESPN is presented by Volkswagen; and Deloitte is the “Halftime Report” presenting sponsor. Sebastian Salazar and analyst Julie Foudy will provide commentary for USA matches. Play-by-play commentator Jonathan Yardley will handle the remaining matches, joined by analysts Lori Lindsey and Cat Whitehill who will split analyst roles on the three non-U.S. matches.
The NFL locked in multiple locations for events dedicated to the NFL Draft in Las Vegas this year. The celebration – at the NFL Draft Red Carpet, NFL Draft Main Stage and NFL Draft Experience – will include free immersive activities and live entertainment and performances. The NFL Draft Main Stage will be constructed next to the Caesars Forum and will also host daily performances by headlining acts throughout the Draft. Located adjacent to the NFL Draft Main Stage, the NFL Draft Experience presented by Oikos Triple Zero will serve as a free, three-day football festival highlighted by interactive games, the Vince Lombardi Trophy, autograph sessions, brand activations, giveaways and the NFL Shop presented by Visa. Caesars Forum, meanwhile, will play host to Selection Square, while the NFL Draft Red Carpet will be constructed on the famed Fountains of Bellagio. |
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SPONSORSHIP & PROMOTION
Ahead of the Daytona 500, NASCAR and Verizon announced a multi-year partnership to modernize 12 NASCAR-owned racetracks and designed to offer race fans, drivers and teams improved connectivity to enhance the at-track experience. The partnership designates Verizon as the Official Wireless Telecommunications and 5G Mobility Partner of NASCAR, as well as the Official At-Track Wi-Fi Partner of 12 NASCAR-owned racetracks. As part of this agreement, Verizon will work with NASCAR to upgrade its in-venue wireless communications service, starting with delivering improved Wi-Fi service in 12 racetracks, over the next three years. “There’s nothing like the thrill and excitement of attending a NASCAR race and now there are more ways than ever to capture and share that experience,” said Craig Neeb, executive vice president and chief innovation officer, NASCAR. “Partnering with Verizon will offer fans the benefits of reliable in-venue connectivity as we usher in a new era for our sport.”
PPG is continuing its run with Team Penske across both NASCAR’s and IndyCar’s, announcing an extension to serve as the primary Team Penske sponsor for numerous races during the 2020 Season in NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series, and NTT IndyCar Series.
Monumental Sports & Entertainment and Mahindra, a global multinational corporation operating in 22 industries across 100 countries, cemented a deal to become an Official Partner of the Washington Wizards (NBA) and Washington Capitals (NHL). As part of the global partnership, Mahindra will receive in-arena television network advertisements, Wizards courtside LED rotational and LED basket stanchion signage, a static, on-camera Capitals’ dasherboard and will serve as a Capitals’ Military Appreciation Night participating partner.
DIGITAL, DATA & TECH
DraftKings locked in expanded partnerships with three NBA franchises, making DraftKings an official partner of the Boston Celtics, Philadelphia 76ers, and Indiana Pacers. All three partnerships include the use of official team marks and logos, in addition to various branding options. The partnership with the Pacers makes DraftKings the Official Daily Fantasy Sports and an official Sports Betting Partner of the team where DraftKings will offer unique experiences for customers, including a VIP “Fantasy Camp” opportunity and “Honorary Team Captain Presentations”.Per the agreement with the 76ers, DraftKings is now the exclusive and Official Daily Fantasy Partner – and a sportsbook and online casino partner – of the Philadelphia 76ers. As part of the partnership, along with traditional marketing and promotional opportunities, DraftKings will offer VIPs a “Court of Dreams” excursion allowing them an all-access, inside look at the 76ers’ training complex, in addition to season tickets and suites for hospitality and promotional use. The Celtics deal focuses solely on Daily Fantasy Sports, naming DraftKings as the team’s Official Daily Fantasy Sports Partner.
The XFL and The Action Network entered into a sports betting content partnership. As part of the collaboration, The Action Network will now become a preferred source of XFL betting analysis and information and will provide sports betting content for the league’s website at XFL.com. Throughout the season, The Action Network will develop multiple content features – including daily news from across the league, analysis of games and player performances, as well as expert picks and projections for both The Action Network and XFL platforms. The Action Network’s talent will also appear in XFL’s betting-related content.
ESPORTS
World of Warcraft Esports laid out its 2020 plans, announcing changes to both Arena World Championship (AWC) and Mythic Dungeon International (MDI), including a move to YouTube as part of the company’s overarching deal with the platform. For the AWC, teams with the most points after all four North American and European cups will be invited to compete in the AWC Battle for Azeroth Finals. There, the eight best teams in the world will compete for a share of the $500,000 prize pool—the largest AWC Prize Pool to date. The first AWC Tournament Series in Shadowlands will host two crucial competitive seasons with online cups and two in-person tournaments, including a mid-series LAN and a finals event which would occur in the Summer, similar to the Battle for Azeroth Finals this year. Mythic Dungeon International returns for its second year, with divisions that now feature The European and Asian division that includes players from Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Korea, China, and Taiwan and The Americas division that includes players from the Americas, Australia, and New Zealand. The finals will have teams competing for their share of a massive $300,000 prize pool.
Forbes reports that Ronda Rousey will join Facebook Gaming in an exclusive deal to stream games beginning this month. Rousey’s first stream will begin at 6p on Feb. 18 where she will play Pokémon Sword and Shield, with all proceeds from the stream going to relief efforts for the Australian bushfires.
ELEAGUE – in partnership with the National Basketball Players Association and Take-Two Interactive – detailed plans to host a NBA 2K20 esports tournament with four NBA players set to compete for a donation to their charity of choice. The tournament – ELEAGUE | NBA 2K20 Throwdown presented by SNICKERS – will feature Zach LaVine of the Chicago Bulls, Rudy Gobert of the Utah Jazz, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder and Cam Reddish of the Atlanta Hawks as competitors. The winner of the single-elimination throwdown will earn a $10,000 donation for the charity of his choice. ELEAGUE will live stream coverage of the action-packed event from the House of Blues in downtown Chicago, beginning today at 1p. Additionally, TBS will televise an hour-long feature show highlighting the tournament’s most exciting parts later that evening, beginning at midnight.
INDUSTRY & ROSTER MOVES
REP1 Baseball has reached an agreement to acquire Peter E. Greenberg and Associates out of New York City. The move will boost REP1 Baseball to repping over 60 Major League players under its management, including Edwin Encarnacion, Luis Severino, Ronald Acuna Jr., Rafael Devers, Eloy Jimenez, Starling Marte, Dee Gordon, Freddy Galvis and Giovanny Urshela, and over 150 rising Minor League standouts. REP1 will maintain its headquarters in Southern California where it is constructing a full-service sports training facility fit with world class sports science and physical therapy components.
The United Soccer League entered an exclusive partnership with global sports marketing agency Lagardere Sports to bring to market the international broadcasting rights for the USL Championship and USL League One for the 2020-22 seasons. “We’re excited to partner with the United Soccer League and help expand the reach of the USL Championship and USL League One competitions globally,” said Dennis Spencer, Lagardere Sports Senior Vice President, Media. “There is an insatiable appetite for soccer content around the world and we look forward to leveraging our experience in marketing both premier global soccer properties and top sports broadcast rights to help the USL reach more fans outside the U.S.”
TickPick hired marketing veteran Jim Halliday as the company’s first chief marketing officer. In this role, Halliday will oversee TickPick’s overall marketing operations and lead efforts to promote the company’s unique no hidden fees model to more consumers of live events.
THE MAIN EVENT
Sunday offers a double billing of the Daytona 500 on FOX at 2:30p while the NBA All-Star Game gets underway on TNT/TBS at 8p. |
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Measurement & Data Conference
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On This Day
1957: The Fort Wayne Pistons announce a move to Detroit.
In the Know
Which league awards the Art Ross trophy to the player who leads the league in points? (Email [email protected] with your answer and be sure to include your name, company and city).
Answer to Our Last Sports Trivia Question
Who is the all-time career leader in HRs for the Detroit Tigers? Answer: Al Kaline. Kudos: Phyllis McQuillan-MSG Networks/NY; Denis Barry-CBS Stations/ NY; Pete Gautieri-A&E Networks/NY; Cory Angerthal-AMC Networks/NY; Mike May-PHIT America/Wellington; Mike Seidel-CSI Sports/Jersey City; Bill Graff-beIN SPORTS/Miami; John Kukla-KDFW/KDFI/Dallas; Joe Lyons-ESPN/Dallas; Andy Pittman-TAMU/College Station; Greg Moloznik-GLM Media/Scottsdale; David Hauptman/Denver; Rick Pike-InterMedia Advertising/Woodland Hills; Tom Moore-Kalt Productions/LA; David Westberg-SAG-AFTRA Credit Union/Burbank |
MANAGER, AD SALES MARKETING
Crown Family Networks
NYC
Dvlp 360-degree advertiser-driven mktg programs while ensuring our brand value proposition, network voice & pgrmng priorities anchor every proposal. 3-5yrs ad sales mktg or related field. Flawless att to detail a must. Full info HERE (2/28)
AD SALES MARKETING COORDINATOR >>
Crown Media Family Networks/NYC: Responsible for supporting the Ad Sales team with client communication materials, event coordination, advertiser sponsorship opportunities, premiums and promotions. Min 2 yrs exp mktg or advertising at an entertainment co. Full info HERE (2/28)
SALES SERVICE SUPERVISOR >>
A+E Networks/NYC: Responsible for training of all new SSR’s, responding to system issues & questions from users & reinforce all Policies & Procedures necessary to provide the best possible customer service to both internal and external client. Full Info HERE (2/28)
SR ANALYST, RESEARCH >>
Warner Media/NYC: Track/analyze/report advertising trends & dvlpmnts, especially as they are projected to affect ad sales. 3+yrs relevant work exp incl linear, digital & social media mktplace knwldg. V-Lookups, Index-Match, Pivot Tables, Data Connections/Queries, etc.; VBA/Macros a +. Full info HERE (2/27)
DIRECTOR, DIGITAL CONTENT >>
INSP/Charlotte NC: Oversees all website & digital content initiatives. Proven successful exp mngng creative digital-first content, creating websites & digital properties a must as well as . proven track record showing strong growth. 5+yrs exp leading mngmnt of a website property. Relo pkg avail. Full info HERE (2/26)
SALES DIRECTOR >>
VENN/NYC/LA: Entrepreneurially minded self-starter to come in & help drive rev through brand partnerships. Passion for media biz & 5+ yrs track record of success as individual contributor in media sales. Familiarity w/digital & linear media landscape, technologies, platforms & brands. Full info HERE (2/26)
SALES PLANNER >>
VENN/NYC/LA: Passionate self-starter to play key role in our revenue org to help drive our business forward. Partner w/sales team to create proposals, presentations & media plans to bring to mkt. 2+ yrs track record of exp in similar role at media co. Familiarity w/dig & linear landscape. Full info HERE (2/26)
INTEGRATED MARKETING MGR >>
VENN/NYC: Ideal candidate will work cross-functionally with Sales & Prod to ideate/oversee execution of breakthrough creative opps for brand partners across Media, Content and Experience. Must be creative thinker & problem solver. Track record of success in similar role at media company, working with video and experiential assets. Full info HERE (2/26)
DIRECTOR, PRICING STRATEGY & INVENTORY >>
Pluto TV/NYC: Play a meaningful role in Ad Sales driving revenue growth through improved yield. Partner w/SVP of Nat’l Ad Sales & other key ad sales execs within the org. 8-10yrs in a pricing, plan’g or revenue operations dept specializing ad sales @ linear ntwk or online video digital publisher. Full info HERE (2/26)
WRITER PRODUCER EDITOR >>
NBCU Entertainment/Universal City CA: Talented Writer/Producer/Editor brilliant at crafting promos & trailers as they are social & digital videos, with a keen ability to tell different types of stories on diff platforms. Min 3 yrs brdcst network or ent cable network exp on-air promo as a writer/prod/editor. Full info HERE (2/25)
SPECIALIST, MUSIC & MEDIA CLEARANCES >>
MLB Network/Secaucus NJ: Resp to help ensure that assigned media content & products, whether licensed, library, stock or original are cleared for air. 1- 3 years’ work exp at a TV, Film, Licensing or Media Company. Full understanding of music licensing is req’d. Full info HERE (2/25)
DIRECTOR MEDIA RELATIONS >>
FX Networks/NY: Resp for launching/sustaining new & returning shows, planning/executing goal-focused PR campaigns, contributing to the advancement of PR objectives, and cultivating media support and awareness of FX Networks. Min 7 yrs exp in media/PR – previous exp in TV, network or studio a + Full info HERE (2/21)
SALES ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE >>
(NBC/TLMD Chicago): Primarily responsible for delivering sales revenue, as well as cultivating and developing new advertisers for the station’s multi-platform properties. Min 3 yrs exp in sales and/or marketing roles start-up, media company exp. Full info HERE (2/21)
SR DIRECTOR, CONSUMER MARKETING >>
INSP/Charlotte NC: Relocation package offered. Responsible for leading INSP’s consumer mktg strategy, campaign dvlpmnt & executional oversight to effectively drive awareness, reach, and ratings for all off-channel initiatives.7-10 yrs exp ent, brand mktg, ad cable/streaming. Full info HERE (2/21)
PR MANAGER >>
MAGNOLIA/NYC: Looking for an energetic PR Manager under the new JV with Chip and Joanne Gaines. Must be ready for hands on, fast paced, high pressure environment. Looking for a talent driven, creative PR pro with prior media/tv experience. Must have at least 3+ yrs of new talent experience. Full info HERE (2/19)
RESEARCH MANAGER >>
HGTV/NYC: HGTV is looking for a strong Research Manager for their linear insights team. Will be driving all brand/industry related reporting for the net while presenting and providing insight to managing teams. Must have 5+ yrs exp in tv research and leadership/supervisory role. Full info HERE (2/19)
DIR, DIGITAL AND SOCIAL MEDIA >>
TV ONE/Silver Spring, MD: Seeking individual to direct and implement the content/marketing strategy for TV One’s digital platforms, including website, social media, apps and mobile. Must be a detailed-oriented multi-tasker with previous entertainment television network exp. Full info HERE (2/19)
DIR, ENDEAVOR ANALYTICS (IMG MEDIA & EVENTS) >>
Endeavor/NY: seeking a Dir to lead our business data and analytics team for the IMG Events portfolio. This role partners with brand mktg, growth mktg and finance to dev strategic rev plans that drive growth. Must be passionate about growing and dev a team that promotes an insights-driven, data culture. 7 yrs exp in advanced analytics and 5yrs exp leading data teams. Full info HERE (2/18)
AD SALES PLANNER >>
Tennis Channel/NYC: Support sales team & their accts to maximize sales efficiencies, increase revenue & enhances customer srvc. Embrace all plan’g, prep/fulfillment related tasks that take place pre-& post-sale for the Ad Sales team. 2-4 yrs exp in media sales plan’g or agency buying is req’d. Full info HERE (2/18)
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE>>
PAC-12/SF: seeking candidate who will engage with advertisers and their associated agencies to sell sponsorship and advertising across Pac-12 Networks media and sponsorship assets. 3-5yrs of media sales or ad agency exp working on media planning or client/adv relations. Sponsorship sales exp required. Full info HERE (2/18)
SALES PLANNER>>
PAC-12/SF: Seeking individual to create sales proposals for integrated marketing/media campaigns that include balancing linear, digital, and sponsorship assets. Serve as the primary contact for accounts and create and dev ongoing business relationships with clients/ad agencies. 1-2yrs of sales planning, ad agency buying/planning, or other relevant exp. Full info HERE (2/18)
SUPERVISOR/AMD, OUT OF HOME>>
EVERGREEN TRADING/NY: Seeking candidate to lead Out of Home media strategy, development, analysis and execution across Evergreen’s portfolio of clients, while at the same time managing media vendor investments and a high caliber staff. Min 5yrs of media planning & buying exp with a focus in OOH. Full info HERE (2/18)
GROUP MEDIA MANAGER, LOCAL INVESTMENT>>
EVERGREEN TRADING/NY: Seeking individual to supervise local broadcast staff and negotiate spot broadcast buys by negotiating, placing, and maintaining all broadcast buys, merch and promo within boundaries of specific market list. Min 6yrs of local broadcast buying exp including 1yr in supervisory capacity. Must include exp in buying top 15 mkts. Full info HERE (2/18)
DIR, MEASUREMENT STRATEGY AND DATA ANALYTICS >>
NBCUniversal/NY: Bravo and Oxygen Digital is seeking an individual to help drive the growth and evolution of its suite of products across digital platforms. Ideal candidate must have 5+ yrs exp in analytics implementation with a knwl of client-side dev in JavaScript, native mobile apps and front-end debugging. Full info HERE (2/17) |
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