http://blogs.trb.com/sports/custom/business/blog/ This blog is dedicated to understanding the business of sports and enhancing the enjoyment of the games, teams and athletes in South Florida and throughout the sporting world. en Copyright 2013 Fri, 08 Feb 2013 13:06:28 -0500 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/ http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss For anyone arranging a group outing to a Miami Heat game, getting the gang to the arena just became easier via a bus service operated by Fox Sports Florida. The Heat Fan Express, which debuted earlier this month, carries groups of up to 55 to AmericanAirlines Arena in a luxury motorcoach decked out with Heat graphics and branding. When a group purchases a block of tickets from the Heat they get the ride on the bus at no additional charge. “Who wouldn’t want to go to the game with group of people and pay the regular cost of tickets without parking,” said Jason Finder, Fan Express coordinator for FSF. The maiden voyage carried 36 kids and adults from Holy Temple Christian Academy in Fort Lauderdale to the Heat-Bobcats game on Feb. 4. ]]> http://blogs.trb.com/sports/custom/business/blog/2013/02/heat_fan_express_good_deal_for.html http://blogs.trb.com/sports/custom/business/blog/2013/02/heat_fan_express_good_deal_for.html Miami Heat Fri, 08 Feb 2013 13:06:28 -0500 http://bit.ly/Vote4DolphinsLogo. The winning design will be announced on Feb. 11. The winner will receive $499, and the logo will be sent to Dolphins owner Steve Ross, according to a spokesperson for San Francisco-based 99designs. ]]> http://blogs.trb.com/sports/custom/business/blog/2013/02/cast_vote_in_unofficial_dolphi.html http://blogs.trb.com/sports/custom/business/blog/2013/02/cast_vote_in_unofficial_dolphi.html Miami Dolphins Tue, 05 Feb 2013 21:09:30 -0500 With the Miami Dolphins say they will not be raising prices for season-tickets in 2013. Season-tickets went on sale Monday as the home-and-away opponents for 2013 were finalized, including a visit by the newly crowned Super Bowl-champion Baltimore Ravens. Dates will be set in April. The price in the general bowl remains the same, averaging $34 per ticket for the upper bowl and as low as $75 a game for the lower bowl. Purchasers have the option to pay over seven interest-free installments. http://blogs.trb.com/sports/custom/business/blog/2013/02/dolphins_not_raising_seasontic.html http://blogs.trb.com/sports/custom/business/blog/2013/02/dolphins_not_raising_seasontic.html Miami Dolphins Mon, 04 Feb 2013 15:47:56 -0500 The biggest challenge of the upcoming baseball season may be the one facing JeffreyGroup, the marketing and communications agency hired this week to help repair the Miami Marlins’ tattered image. “We plan to help the team communicate effectively with each of its key stakeholders, including media, community leaders, partners and, most importantly, loyal fans,” said Mike Valdes-Fauli, President of JeffreyGroup. http://blogs.trb.com/sports/custom/business/blog/2013/01/marlins_seek_professional_help.html http://blogs.trb.com/sports/custom/business/blog/2013/01/marlins_seek_professional_help.html Miami Marlins Wed, 30 Jan 2013 14:31:29 -0500 The Miami Dolphins managed to gain support from Miami-Dade County politicians for stadium renovations despite the lingering sour taste about the Marlins’ ballpark deal that got the mayor recalled. Winning a favorable vote from state legislators for a sales tax rebate and tourist tax increase will be more challenging. Once again, timing is not on the Dolphins’ side. They will be making their pitch in the upcoming legislative session during a time that Republican governors in several states are pushing for greater reliance on state sales taxes than personal income tax for operating revenue. Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal is leading the charge to repeal his state’s personal and corporate income taxes and compensate with higher sales taxes. Similar debates are taking place in Nebraska and Kansas, and the approach of taxation on consumption rather than income has become a conservative agenda nationwide. That is, of course, already the status quo in Florida where there is no state income tax. Now the Dolphins are asking a Republican-controlled legislature in Tallahassee that lately has not been receptive to helping out pro sports teams for a significant chunk of sales tax money. http://blogs.trb.com/sports/custom/business/blog/2013/01/getting_state_salestax_money_a.html http://blogs.trb.com/sports/custom/business/blog/2013/01/getting_state_salestax_money_a.html Miami Dolphins Tue, 29 Jan 2013 14:45:25 -0500 SUNRISE That wasn’t double vision fans were experiencing in Club Red during Thursday’s Florida Panthers game against Ottawa. It was just twin sports franchise bosses Michael and Brett Yormark sharing the view of the game at the BB&T Center. As usual, Michael was working on closing a deal. But the Panthers president and COO didn’t need to apply hard-sell tactics to convince brother Brett to buy two memberships to the new premium club overlooking center ice at the BB&T Center. “It’s an easy sell, and he’s going to pay rack rate, no discounts,” Michael Yormark said. Although Brett runs a team based 1,200 miles away, he figures he’ll get enough use of the memberships which go for about $16,500 a year for access to all events at the BB&T Center. The CEO of the Brooklyn Nets has a home in Boca Raton and spends considerable time in South Florida. “It’s affordably priced, they’ve created a nice value proposition with the all-inclusive [aspect] and all events,” said Brett, who brought about 40 of his key personnel from the Nets and their new arena, the Barclays Center, for a two-day strategic think tank in South Florida. The Barclays Center has a super-exclusive club known as the Vault, with 11 private floor-level suites that go for $550,000 a year. Jay-Z, a Nets part-owner, had a hand in the design. ]]> http://blogs.trb.com/sports/custom/business/blog/2013/01/yormark_twins_have_panthers_ne.html http://blogs.trb.com/sports/custom/business/blog/2013/01/yormark_twins_have_panthers_ne.html Florida Panthers Fri, 25 Jan 2013 15:35:07 -0500 Dolphins owner Steve Ross has no plans to move the team, but stadium renovations are essential to the future of the franchise in South Florida, team CEO Mike Dee said Tuesday. During an appearance on the Keith Sims Show on 640 Sports, Dee reiterated Ross’s comments to Sun Sentinel columnist Dave Hyde that his interest in attempting to buy the company managing the proposed stadium in Los Angeles is a venture separate from the Dolphins. “On his watch the Dolphins would never be relocated,” Dee said. Dee used the question about whether Dolphins fans should be concerned the long-term stability of the team as a bridge to address the importance going ahead with the $400 million renovation of Sun Life Stadium that was proposed last week. Ross vowed to pay more than half the cost of modernizing the stadium. The team is seeking public money through a sales tax rebate on goods and services generated at the stadium, as well as 1-cent hike in hotel bed taxes in Miami-Dade County. Dee said that if financial support does come from Miami-Dade, the county would get preference in plans for hosting Super Bowls and college championship games. http://blogs.trb.com/sports/custom/business/blog/2013/01/dee_dolphins_not_moving_but_st.html http://blogs.trb.com/sports/custom/business/blog/2013/01/dee_dolphins_not_moving_but_st.html Miami Dolphins Tue, 22 Jan 2013 12:00:47 -0500 Caught between the spectacle of the college football championship and talk about the push for stadium improvements to remain viable as a Super Bowl host is another event getting overshadowed this week that is enhancing South Florida’s big-event reputation. The Eclipse Awards are horse racing’s Oscars, and the spotlight is on Broward County for the gala presentation Saturday night at Gulfstream Park as well as related events. While it won’t match the 30,000 visitors who spent $25 million in Broward for the BCS National Championship, the Westin Diplomat in Hollywood is packed with horse-racing royalty from around the country. “We’ll have a full house of more than 500 people [for the ceremony]. Many of those individuals are relatively affluent. They’ll be staying two to three days here in the South Florida area and shopping and entertaining themselves here for the next several days,” said Keith Chamblin, senior executive producer of the awards. Obviously, a welcome post-holiday boost for tourism, but also a rare opportunity for racing fans. http://blogs.trb.com/sports/custom/business/blog/2013/01/eclipse_awards_connect_with_ra.html http://blogs.trb.com/sports/custom/business/blog/2013/01/eclipse_awards_connect_with_ra.html horse racing Thu, 17 Jan 2013 13:18:40 -0500 A sellout appears likely for the return of hockey in South Florida. As of Thursday morning, fewer than 1,000 tickets were available for the Florida Panthers-Carolina Hurricanes opener Saturday night at BB&T Center in Sunrise. Fewer than 75 tickets remained unsold in the lower bowl. Opening night will feature the raising of the Southeast Division championship banner prior to the game. Every fan in attendance will receive a commemorative mini-banner and other fan-friendly promotions are planned. Doors will open at 6 p.m. Saturday with the puck dropping at 7:30. Ticket are available at Ticketmaster.com or by calling 954-835-PUCK. http://blogs.trb.com/sports/custom/business/blog/2013/01/fewer_than_1000_tickets_remain.html http://blogs.trb.com/sports/custom/business/blog/2013/01/fewer_than_1000_tickets_remain.html Florida Panthers Thu, 17 Jan 2013 10:36:18 -0500 For those in need of a hockey fix, there are a couple of ways to get one for free to see the Florida Panthers this season. Team President Michael Yormark has launched a contest on Twitter in which two lower bowl tickets will be awarded prior to each Panthers home game during the regular season. Just answer trivia questions and retweet @PanthersYormark using the hash tag #7thman for automatic entry. Winners will sit with Yormark for part of the game and have an opportunity to ask questions and discuss matters relating to the Panthers. In addition, Panthers tickets are being awarded this weekend to randomly-selected fans at Duffy’s Sports Grill locations throughout South Florida. Ratification of the new labor agreement by the players' association is expected later Saturday, and the Panthers are expected to being a 48-game regular season on Jan. 19 at the BB&T Center. http://blogs.trb.com/sports/custom/business/blog/2013/01/free_florida_panthers_tickets.html http://blogs.trb.com/sports/custom/business/blog/2013/01/free_florida_panthers_tickets.html Florida Panthers Sat, 12 Jan 2013 11:14:23 -0500 The same day it was revealed that former linebacker Junior Seau was suffering from degenerative brain disease when he committed suicide, Bernie Kosar said he has finally found some relief from the numerous concussions he suffered in football. Kosar, the former Miami Hurricanes and Miami Dolphins quarterback, held a news conference near Cleveland to talk about treatments he has been receiving from a doctor near Tampa that he called “a gift from God.” The treatments by Dr. Rick Sponaugle, which involve intravenous and oral medication intended to increase blood flow to the brain, have dramatically reduced the headaches, mental buzzing and insomnia that Kosar said he has endured for more than a decade. A radio interview in early December, in which Kosar was incoherent and emotional, raised concerns about his well-being. After undergoing 15 treatments as the Sponaugle Wellness Institute, Kosar said he feels 20 years younger. He said he was speaking out in hope that other athletes suffering from head trauma can get help. “I actually think there are hundreds if not thousands of guys dealing with issues and pain that I was describing, and I think many of them are losing hope,” Kosar said. http://blogs.trb.com/sports/custom/business/blog/2013/01/kosar_treatments_in_florida_he.html http://blogs.trb.com/sports/custom/business/blog/2013/01/kosar_treatments_in_florida_he.html NFL Fri, 11 Jan 2013 12:00:52 -0500 The man who made Key Biscayne a force in the tennis world is bringing his creative expertise to golf. Butch Buchholz, founder of the Sony Open Tennis tournament, has been named tournament chairman for the World Golf Championships-Cadillac Championship at Trump Doral on March 6-10. "I am thrilled to be associated with a world-class event like the World Golf Championships-Cadillac Championship and look forward to reconnecting with South Florida business and golf communities,” Buchholz said in a statement. “The Cadillac Championship is truly a jewel of an event featuring one of the best fields in golf and one of the game’s best and most recognizable title sponsors in Cadillac.” Buchholz, 72, a member of the International Tennis Hall of Fame, played on the U.S. Davis Cup team and rose as high as the No. 5 amateur player in the world. But he is best as an event organizer. In 1985, he founded the Lipton Championships in Delray Beach and built the event, now known as the Sony Open Tennis and staged on Key Biscayne, into the largest tennis tournament in the world outside of the four Grand Slam events. ]]> http://blogs.trb.com/sports/custom/business/blog/2013/01/sony_tennis_founder_buchholz_j.html http://blogs.trb.com/sports/custom/business/blog/2013/01/sony_tennis_founder_buchholz_j.html Golf Thu, 10 Jan 2013 12:15:24 -0500 Bob Baumhower played for two of the greatest football coaches: Bear Bryant at Alabama and Don Shula with the Miami Dolphins. The former standout defensive lineman expects Alabama coach Nick Saban to cement his place as the top coach in this era of college football. A victory in Monday’s BCS National Championship would give the Crimson Tide their third title in four years and Saban’s fourth overall. “Alabama is probably in a lot better shape physically than they were at the end of the year. With the offensive line they’ve got and the experience they’ve got. If they can establish the running game they ought to be able to win the game,” Baumhower said during a pre-BCS seafood fest he co-hosted with former teammate and fellow restaurateur Kim Bokamper at Bokamper’s in Miramar. “But this is a special Notre Dame team. It’s good to have Notre Dame back in college football where they are. Obviously, I’m pulling for Alabama to get it done with their running game and be able to wear these guys down.” ]]> http://blogs.trb.com/sports/custom/business/blog/2013/01/baumhower_bama_has_might_exper.html http://blogs.trb.com/sports/custom/business/blog/2013/01/baumhower_bama_has_might_exper.html BCS Championship Mon, 07 Jan 2013 15:55:18 -0500 Rudy Ruettiger knows all about underdogs. The poplar movie “Rudy” depicted how he overcame limitations and long odds to realize his dream of playing for Notre Dame. Ruettiger is in South Florida to watch his alma mater face Alabama in Monday’s BCS National Championship, and he likes the Fighting Irish’s chances. “It comes down to one thing, Notre Dame is hungry, [more than] 20 years they haven’t been here. So they’ve got that heart, and they’re the underdog,” Ruettiger said Saturday at Bokamper’s Sports Bar and Grill in Miramar. “I think the underdog has the edge. He’s got that extra fight.” Ruettiger says the 1993 film, in which he was portrayed by Sean Astin, endures because of its inspirational message. He talked about how he helped lift the spirits of the family of a Sandy Hook shooting victim. “The mother got on the phone and she said it gave us the strength and courage to move on. Those are why the movie is worth it, those moments,” Ruettiger said. He noted another cinematic angle to the BCS showdown. “When I arrived at the airport a guy says, ‘Hey, it’s Rudy vs. Forrest Gump.’ Remember, Forrest Gump played for Alabama. It’s funny how people connect all that. It’s fun,” Ruettiger said. ]]> http://blogs.trb.com/sports/custom/business/blog/2013/01/ultimate_underdog_rudy_likes_n.html http://blogs.trb.com/sports/custom/business/blog/2013/01/ultimate_underdog_rudy_likes_n.html BCS Championship Sun, 06 Jan 2013 11:35:08 -0500 Former Miami Dolphins teammates and now restaurateurs Kim Bokamper and Bob Baumhower will get the good times rolling for the BCS Championship as hosts of the Alabama Gulf Seafood Tailgating Party at Bokamper’s Sports Bar and Grill in Miramar on Saturday from 1-5 p.m. Baumhower (pictured above), who has a chain of restaurants in Alabama, and Bokamper were teammates on the Dolphins “Killer B’s” defense in the 1970s and '80s. Guests include Rudy Ruettiger, the Notre Dame underdog and inspiration for the movie “Rudy,” as well as former Alabama and Dolphins players Dwight Stephenson, Tony Nathan and Don McNeal. Admission is free to attend the event, featuring autograph signings, music by Southern Rock Society and panel discussions, including tips on preparing Alabama Gulf seafood by Baumhower’s corporate chef Steve Zucker. ]]> http://blogs.trb.com/sports/custom/business/blog/2013/01/bokamper_baumhower_host_bcs_se.html http://blogs.trb.com/sports/custom/business/blog/2013/01/bokamper_baumhower_host_bcs_se.html Miami Dolphins NCAA Fri, 04 Jan 2013 16:47:57 -0500