OCTOBER INDUSTRY NEWS
2009 USA Hockey Southeastern District Tournament Set For Alabama
DECATUR, Ala.—USA Hockey’s 2009 Southeastern Dictrict Tier I and II Tournament will be held March 12-15, 2009, at Von Braun Center in Huntsville and at the ice complex at Point Mallard Park in Decatur. The tournament will attract more than 800 players ages 9-18 on 48 teams.
New Host Named For “ESPN Outdoors Saltwater Series”
BRISTOL, Conn.—Jose Wejebe, longtime host of “Spanish Fly” on ESPN2, is the new host of “ESPN Outdoors Saltwater Series” on ESPN2. The show will include live coverage of the tour’s six events and will air on Sunday mornings beginning in April 2009. Wejebe will continue to host “Spanish Fly” as well.
World Sport Chicago Announces New Focus, Logo
CHICAGO—Officials with World Sport Chicago have announced a “broader and bolder focus” on amateur sports in Chicago. The organization will continue to support Chicago’s bid for the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games, including creating opportunities for Chicago youth and developing a model for establishing sports in an urban environment—not only in Chicago but in other urban areas in an effort to expand the reach of youth Olympic and Paralympic sports programs. With the new focus also comes a new logo and website, www.worldsportchicago.org.
Dwayne Wade To Promote McDavid Sports Medicine
WOODBRIDGE, Ill.—2008 Olympic Gold Medalist and professional basketball player Dwayne Wade is the official “face” of McDavid sports medicine equipment, which includes medical products and protective gear for professional, collegiate and recreational athletes. Wade has used McDavid products for the past three years. After a string of injuries, Wade returned to the court wearing the McDavid HexPad for support. Wade is assisting McDavid in the development of new HexPad technology.
New Message Board Available To NASC Members
CINCINNATI—The National Association of Sports Commissions (NASC) has added a new message board to its online member services. The message board, at www.sportscommissions.org, is designed to be a networking tool for members to communicate with fellow members and to exchange best practices.
U.S. Open Champion To Work With Feed The Children
OKLAHOMA CITY—Two-time U.S. Open Golf Champion Lee Janzen will travel to various national and international regions as a representative of Feed the Children. Janzen will accompany Feed the Children Founder/President Larry Jones in a multi-year agreement to raise awareness of hunger issues worldwide. Since 1979, Feed the Children has served needy children and their families in 118 countries.
Nautique Updates Crossover Series
ORLANDO, Fla.—Correct Craft Inc., manufacturer of Nautique Boats, has designed an all-new Crossover Nautique 216V for 2009. The new crossover model includes transom underwater docking lights; Nautique smart pod-helm; indigo blue LED illumination in the helm gauges, glove box and hull side pockets; a redesigned stainless steel windshield; and other features. Options for 2009 include Flight Control Tower 3 with integrated spinner board racks and 180-degree rotating speakers.
BASS Announces Plans For Tournament Series
BRISTOL, Conn.—The 2008 Junior Bassmaster World Championship (JWC) will be held Nov. 8 on Geary County State Lake in Junction City, Kan. Twelve JWC anglers will compete for a $5,000 scholarship to be awarded in two categories, ages 11-14 and ages 15-18. The JWC will be streamed live at www.bassmaster.com. In conjunction, the Bassmaster CastingKids National Championships will be held the same day at Junction County High School. Twelve kids will compete for a $5,000 scholarship to be awarded in two categories, ages 7-10 and ages 11-14.
In other BASS news, the BASS Club World Championship has been discontinued with the 2008 championship. The final championship was held Oct. 9-11 on Fort Gibson Lake in Wagoner, Okla. BASS officials expect the change will allow them to better focus on grassroots events with direct qualifying avenues into the Bassmaster Classic.
Youth Soccer Tournament Set For Raleigh
RALEIGH, N.C.—The Capital Area Soccer League (CASL) will hold two shootout events and two showcase events in the CASL visitraleigh.com National Soccer Series presented by Chelsea Football Club. The girls’ shootout will be played Nov. 8-9; the boys’ shootout on Nov. 15-16; the boys’ showcase on Nov. 21-23; and the girls’ showcase on Dec. 5-7. The four tournaments are expected to bring 1,000 teams of players ages 11-19 to the Raleigh area.
ESPN Outdoors Announces Rescheduled Saltwater Series
BRISTOL, Conn.—The 2008 ESPN Outdoors Saltwater Series has been revised after its first two events were cancelled due to weather conditions. The six-tournament series kicked off with the Mercury Redbone Series Baybone Celebrity Tournament, Oct. 3-5 in Key Largo, Fla., and will finish with Don Gurgiolo Sailfish Classic Redbone @ Large, Dec. 12-14 in Islamorado, Fla. The complete schedule is available at www.espnoutdoors.com. The series will be televised on ESPN2 on Sundays in April 2009.
Paddle Florida Returns In November
LAKE CITY, Fla.—On Nov. 8-15, approximately 200 paddlers are expected to participate in Paddle Florida II, a 93-mile canoe and kayak camping adventure beginning at the Stephen Foster State Folk Culture Center in White Springs and finishing in Brandford. The paddlers will average 13 miles each day before camping along the banks of the Suwanneee River. Registration is under way at www.paddleflorida.org.
BEAUMONT, Texas—The Christus Pro/Celebrity Classic presented by Motiva will be held Dec. 14 at Ford Arena in Beaumont. The event, originally scheduled for Sept. 13, had to be rescheduled due to Hurricane Ike. Tickets purchased for the original date will be honored.
New Half-Marathon Sponsored By McDonald’s
RICHMOND, Va.—A new half-marathon in Richmond, Va., will be sponsored by McDonald’s. The new McDonald’s Half-Marathon will be held in conjunction with the SunTrust Richmond Marathon and NTELOS 8K on Nov. 15. Approximately 5,000 runners are expected in the inaugural McDonald’s Half-Marathon, with 15,000 in all three races combined.
Wide World Of Sports Complex To Take New ESPN Name
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla.—Officials with Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex have announced that the complex will be re-named ESPN Wide World Of Sports as part of the ESPN re-branding announced earlier in the year. A timeframe for the renaming was not disclosed. Along with the renaming of the sports complex, Disney Sports and ESPN have created a signature ESPN Rise Sports Festival, to be held July 18-25, 2009, at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. The event will be televised live on ESPNU and ESPN websites.
New USOC Chairman Appointed
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.—The U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) Board of Directors has selected Larry F. Probst III as its new chairman. Probst, who was appointed to the board as an independent director in September, was unanimously elected for a four-year term during a board of directors’ conference call on Oct. 2. He replaces outgoing USOC Chairman Peter Ueberroth. Probst assumed chairman duties during the 2008 Olympic Assembly, held Oct. 8-12 at the Hilton Hotel located in the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
U.S. Lacrosse National Convention To Feature Cal Ripken Jr.
BALTIMORE—The 2009 U.S. Lacrosse National Convention will feature Cal Ripken as the keynote speaker. The convention is scheduled for Jan. 16-18, 2009, at the Baltimore Convention Center. Ripken will deliver the keynote address on Jan. 16. More than 5,000 coaches, officials and lacrosse enthusiasts are expected to attend the convention. Registration is under way at www.uslacrosse.org.
U.S. Sailing To Hold Annual Meeting in Florida
PORTSMOUTH, R.I.—U.S. Sailing will hold its annual meeting Oct. 15-19 in St. Petersburg, Fla. The annual meeting will include a seminar on Oct. 15 to explain the rules changes that will take effect Jan. 1, 2009; a reception on Oct. 16 at St. Petersburg Yacht Club; and an Olympic Forum and the awards dinner on Oct. 17. It also will offer a final opportunity for U.S. Sailing members to vote for members of the board of directors.
FIVB Releases New Rules
LAUSANNE, Switzerland—The International Federation of Volleyball (FIVB) Rules Commission has released its new rules changes, which are explained on the organization’s website, www.fivb.org. The rules include the optional increase in the number of players in a roster (from 12 to up to 14) for FIVB and world events for senior players; the option to add a second libero to a squad of more than 12 players; and other changes. The FIVB also has agreed on the continental quotas for Junior and Youth World Championships.
USBC Names New Department Director
ARLINGTON, Texas—The U.S. Bowling Congress (USBC) has named Chance Spann as director of interactive content. He will report to Pete Tredwell, vice president of media. Spann’s duties will include leading the organization’s website, www.bowl.com, and creating new interactive ventures for bowling.
