The Boston Red Sox Sign a Multi-Year Contract Extension With Tickets.com
Agreement to include ProVenueMobile(TM) ticketing and Primary Ticket Auctions
Tickets.com, a leading global provider of integrated ticketing solutions, announced that it has signed a multi-year contract extension with Major League Baseball’s Boston Red Sox. With the regular season underway, the seven-time World Series Champions head into 2009 with enhanced ticketing functionality for their fans and their organization. The renewal encompasses Tickets.com products including ProVenueMobile(TM), Tickets@Phone(R), Primary Ticket Auctions, and Automated Kiosks.
“We’re proud of our company’s long association with the Red Sox,” said Larry Witherspoon, chief executive officer, Tickets.com. “I’m pleased that we have the opportunity to serve the club with website mobilization and other upgrades this year. Our goal is to help the franchise score wins in brand differentiation, fanbase expansion, and customer service so that they can concentrate all their efforts on playing a successful season.”
The Red Sox will go live with ProVenueMobile this season, making them the third MLB franchise on the Tickets.com client roster to implement the product after the Oakland A’s and Milwaukee Brewers. ProVenueMobile enables full-circle, branded ticket transactions to be made 24/7 from any mobile phone model directly through the client’s mobilized website. To further maximize the potential of ProVenueMobile, the Boston Red Sox will simultaneously adopt the proprietary Tickets@Phone technology from Tickets.com into its suite of ticketing solutions. Tickets@Phone functionality allows customers to digitally receive unique bar-coded tickets on their mobile phone for a 100% mobile, secure, paperless–and green–ticket buying experience.
Other consumer friendly additions to the Boston Red Sox ticketing service agreement include enhanced functionality through Tickets.com technology via Automated Kiosks and Primary Ticket Auctions for select games. Both features increase the avenues through which patrons can acquire tickets. Automated Kiosks provide a convenient, easy way to get tickets without waiting in long box office lines; Auctions can serve as a fair means to acquire premium seats to key sold-out games. Other MLB teams employing Primary Auctions include the A’s, the Cubs, the Giants and the Tigers.
“Extending our relationship with Tickets.com gives me total confidence that we will be providing state-of-the-art functionality for our fans,” said Mike Dee, chief operating officer, Boston Red Sox. “With technology like ProVenueMobile, game attendees will have more options and ease of use than ever before.”
Source: Tickets.com
Recession Fouls Basketball Superstar – A Player’s Loss is Collectors Gain
There are times when a team transcends the game and steps over the boundaries of the sports pages and into the consciousness of a nation.
It could be argued that the Chicago Bulls during the mid 1990′s was such a team – so well known that even people who never opened an issue of Sports Illustrated could name the starting lineup.
The “repeat the three-peat” wins of the NBA finals of ’96, ’97, and ’98 created a cadre of basketball superstars and characters and set the bar at a new high for the next generation of players. Now a little piece of that victory is up on the auction block. In a testament to the far reach of the recession, former Bulls guard and assistant coach to the Sacramento Kings, Randy Brown, has declared bankruptcy, and his three championship rings will be for sale to the highest bidder via online auction at WestAuction.com.
The Chicago Bulls of the mid ’90s has been considered one of the best teams ever to set foot on a court, and Brown’s role – both as guard and as a team player – was integral. Brown, who made a name for himself in Sacramento as a solid and hard-working assistant coach to the Kings, was well liked by players and fans alike. His focus and ability to help players get the most out of their training was a mainstay during the team’s recent trouble and instability.
Yet these hard financial times have impacted everyone, and Brown is no exception. “It’s a tough situation,” says Dennis West, of West Auctions, the company charged with auctioning the rings. “Randy seems like a really good guy, and he was a great player. However, these are tough times for a lot of people from a variety of backgrounds. People are making difficult financial decisions, and for some that means bankruptcy.” With bankruptcy rates rising rapidly across the nation, you can expect many more auctions in the future.
Brown’s three championship rings are expected to hit the auction block at WestAuction.com on May 19. The bid will start at $19,000 – a bargain in the world of sports collectables.
For more information visit http://www.westauction.com/.
Former TCU Star Robert Henson Drafted by Washington Redskins
Henson Married to Daughter of Bishop T.D. Jakes, Pastor of Dallas-based Church The Potter’s House
Robert Henson, former football standout from Texas Christian University, was drafted by the NFL in the 6th round Sunday by the Washington Redskins. Henson, an outside linebacker for the Horned Frogs and first team Mountain West Conference selection, was excited to be picked by the Redskins.
“It is truly a dream come true,” said Henson who celebrated with his wife Sarah, family and friends at the home of father-in-law Bishop T.D. Jakes. “I’ve dreamed of this moment from the first day that I started playing football, and I can’t believe that this day is finally here.”
Henson, who was honorable mention his first three years at TCU, said the Redskins will teach him all three linebacker positions as well as consider him for special teams play.
Speaking to Redskins personnel, Henson told them, “I’m ready to work.”
Bishop T.D. Jakes was moved not so much by the fact that his son-in-law was drafted, but by the amount of work it took for him to get there.
“Robert has been through so much and worked so hard, I am so proud of him, not just for being a football player, but for being a man,” said Bishop Jakes.
Henson, no stranger to adversity and struggles during his lifetime, became emotional when he recalled conversations he shared with his now deceased brother, Nicholas Sterling, about his chances of playing football at the highest level. “My brother and I would spend hours sitting on our porch talking about me being drafted and playing in the NFL and now this day is here and I am so excited.”
Henson finished his career at TCU with 270 tackles and 4 interceptions. He married Bishop Jakes’ youngest daughter, Sarah, in June of 2008.
“Words cannot express how happy I am for my husband,” said Sarah Jakes-Henson.
Source: The Potter’s House of Dallas
Technogym VARIO: a Revolution in the gym
From June a revolution in Europe’s Best Gyms: the First Equipment to Loose Weight at Your Pace
The cardio revolution is landing in Europe’s best gyms! Vario, the ultimate Technogym concept allowing you to loose weight by choosing your favourite movement. Forget exhausting running sessions of endless bike rides, VARIO is the first cardiovascular equipment following your stride and automatically adapting to the desired movement: from the classic vertical step to a simple walk as well as a long stride.
Vario world preview was be held at FIBO – the most important European trade show for fitness and wellness equipment – in Essen (Germany) from April 23rd to April 26th. Vario will be available in the best clubs across Europe starting from June.
A real revolution since the machine dynamically adapts to the user. Legs movement automatically adjusts the equipment trajectory offering each user the most suitable stride: in this way VARIO reduces fatigue and at the same time guarantees the maximum caloric expenditure.
VARIO is easy to use, offers a natural movement that requires no adjustment and simply follows each user’s stride. Due to its simplicity and naturalness VARIO is suitable both for the young person looking for a dynamic and fun experience as well as the elderly user that simply wants to take a stroll without loading their joints.
The elegant design ensures that VARIO integrates effortlessly with all the other products in Technogym’s EXCITE line. Like all the products in Technogym’s EXCITE line, VARIO features the most innovative training programs: from the simple QUICK START used to access a free workout, to programs with time, distance or calorie goals, as well the most sophisticated constant heart rate programs.
VARIO is the latest piece of equipment that no Fitness & Wellness Club can do without and its versatility means that it is also ideal for beauty farms, hotels, company gyms and private homes.
Source: Technogym SpA
Colorado to Host 7th Annual Churchill Cup
The Churchill Cup will take place in Colorado this summer, marking the first time North America’s premier XV-a-side rugby tournament has been staged solely in the United States.
This year will see the USA Eagles, Canada, England Saxons, Ireland A, Argentina Jaguars and Georgia play doubleheaders at Infinity Park in Glendale – the first municipally-owned rugby-specific stadium in North America – on June 6, 10 and 14.
These pool stages will be followed by a tripleheader finals day at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, home of Colorado Rapids Major League Soccer side, on June 21.
“The Churchill Cup continues to be a valuable part of our international season, offering top class international competition, as well as allowing us to showcase international rugby to new audiences in the United States,” said Nigel Melville, Chief Executive Officer of USA Rugby.
“We are delighted to play at two great facilities in Infinity Park and Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. This will give the Churchill Cup and rugby in general a great platform in a wonderful sporting city and help us achieve our objective to grow the sport.”
Mike Dunafon, Mayor Pro-Tem of the City of Glendale, said: “We are proud to host the Churchill Cup pool matches in Glendale. It has been our vision to bring international rugby competitions to Glendale and the metropolitan Denver area. We look forward to showcasing Infinity Park.”
Terry Burwell, Churchill Cup Tournament Director, added: “The Churchill Cup goes from strength to strength and is now established in the international rugby calendar.”
“This will be the seventh Churchill Cup and we are pleased to add Denver and Glendale to the eight other cities in Canada and the USA who have hosted the tournament since it started in 2003. With the tournament being based solely in one state for the first time we hope that we can build a following throughout the pool stages, culminating in a bumper crowd on finals day.”
KieAnn Brownell, President of the Metro Denver Sports Commission, added: “We believe that rugby fits strategically with our overall objectives and is a sport that our city will embrace and support. We also feel that we can provide significant value to the Churchill Cup both in terms of building the brand and growing the sport in Denver and the U.S.”
Dick’s Sporting Goods Park Senior Director of Venue Operations Allison Hamilton concluded: “We are very excited about our role in hosting the Churchill Cup during its first time to be played in Colorado. Between Dick’s Sporting Goods Park and Infinity Park, rugby fans will have an opportunity to experience this wonderful event in two world-class facilities.”
The 2008 Churchill Cup finals were played at Toyota Park in Chicago and attracted more than 9,000 fans. In front of a bumper crowd, the England Saxons beat Scotland A 36-19 to retain the main trophy, while Ireland A and Canada won the Plate and Bowl with 33-8 and 26-10 victories over Argentina A and USA, respectively. In 2009, Georgia has replaced Scotland A from last year’s line-up.
Tickets for Churchill Cup matches will be on sale to the public starting on Friday, May 1, at 10am for as little as $15 and are available online at http://www.tickethorse.com/EventDetail.aspx?eid=260&vid=7 or via phone by calling 1-866-461-6556.
The games will be broadcast live on SkySports in the UK and Setanta in North America.
Churchill Cup 2009
Pool A
Canada
Georgia
Ireland A
Pool B
Argentina Jaguars
England Saxons
USA
Fixtures (kick off times local)
Saturday June 6
Infinity Park, Glendale
England Saxons v Argentina Jaguars (2.15pm)
Canada v Georgia (4.30pm)
Wednesday June 10
Infinity Park, Glendale
Canada v Ireland A (4.30pm)
USA v Argentina Jaguars (7pm)
Sunday June 14
Infinity Park, Glendale
USA v England Saxons (1pm)
Georgia v Ireland A (3.30pm)
Sunday June 21
Dick’s Sporting Goods Park
Churchill Cup finals (12.05pm, 2.30pm, 4.45pm)
Churchill Cup background
The Churchill Cup is an alliance between the English Rugby Football Union (RFU), Rugby Canada and USA Rugby.
The tournament was launched in 2003 and aims to develop and grow the sport of rugby union across Canada and the USA.
It is named after former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, who shared close ties with the United States – his mother was American – and with Canada during the Second World War.
With support from the International Rugby Board, as part of their Rugby World Cup-funded strategic initiatives, the tournament has grown in success since 2003 when 5,000 people attended to watch the three Alliance nations in Vancouver.
In 2008, when the tournament was played in Canada and the USA, the finals day in Chicago attracted almost 9,000 spectators.
Since its introduction, both men’s and women’s teams from England, the USA and Canada have participated although since 2005 it has been a men only event.
Invitational sides from Argentina, Ireland, Scotland and New Zealand have all participated, while there was also a women’s competition in 2003 and 2004.
www.churchillcuprugby.net
Source: Infinity Park