News

All Things Live Acquires Busker Artist Agency In Belgium

Posted: 22 Jan 2021, 10:14 am

Belgium?s local booking agency Busker Artist Agency joins the fast-growing network of All Things Live.

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Week Of 01/21/2021

Posted: 21 Jan 2021, 4:20 pm

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Glastonbury Festival Canceled Again

Posted: 21 Jan 2021, 1:34 pm

Glastonbury, the U.K.'s most famous music festival, won't take place this year. After being forced to cancel what would have been then 50th anniversary of the iconic event in 2020 because of COVID-19, promoters Emily and Michael Eavis today announced that 2021 'will be another enforced fallow year for us."

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Voices Of Live: X Alfonso Discusses His Return To Recorded Music, Cuba And Fusion

Posted: 21 Jan 2021, 1:00 pm

X Alfonso has walked a unique path in the music industry. Son of Carlos Alfonso and Ele Valdés ? founders of the influential Cuban band Síntesis ? he grew up to front that band and has since established himself as a unique artist in his own right.

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Asia News: Inside K-Pop, Livestreams, Green Day

Posted: 21 Jan 2021, 12:00 pm

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Australia News: Concert Series, Vaccination Requirement, New Fests & More

Posted: 21 Jan 2021, 11:00 am

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Live In The Time Of COVID-19: Streaming Concerts For Thursday, January 21

Posted: 21 Jan 2021, 8:00 am

Concerts requiring mass, in-person gatherings have come to a halt thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, but a germ can't stop the music.

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â€˜You Gain Freedomâ€™: DEAG Founder Peter Schwenkow On Delisting His Company

Posted: 21 Jan 2021, 3:29 am

It's quiet in DEAG's Berlin headquarters these days. Usually packed with some 100 employees, there haven't been more than three people at the office at any one time since April.

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Rock & Roll Presidents: Jimmy Carter, Inaugurations & Live Musicâ€™s Return To The White House

Posted: 20 Jan 2021, 8:00 pm

Today, as Joseph Biden is sworn in as the 46th President of the United States surrounded by some 15,000 troops, in a situation as tense and fraught as any time in American history, we may be finally returning to something approaching normalcy, especially if seen through the all-inclusive lens of music performance. It's something former President Jimmy Carter understood well.

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3,000-Cap The Factory To Open In St. Louis

Posted: 20 Jan 2021, 6:01 pm

The Factory, an independent, 3,000-capacity venue, is scheduled to open in St. Louis, Mo., later this year.

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Elton John, Ed Sheeran, Roger Waters Slam UKâ€™s â€˜Shamefulâ€™ Failure On EU Touring Rules

Posted: 20 Jan 2021, 2:37 pm

Dozens of U.K. music stars including Elton John, Ed Sheeran and conductor Simon Rattle say musicians have been ?shamefully failed? by the British government, which has left them facing post-Brexit restrictions on touring in the European Union.

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Lil Wayne, Kodak Black Get Clemency Along With Roc Nation CEO Desiree Perez

Posted: 20 Jan 2021, 9:00 am

Two rappers were among the entertainment figures included in a list of 140 people who were pardoned or had their sentences commuted by President Donald Trump in a last-minute clemency flurry early Wednesday. But the news was not as good for one hopeful celebrity.

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Live In The Time Of COVID-19: Streaming Concerts For Wednesday, January 20

Posted: 20 Jan 2021, 8:00 am

Concerts requiring mass, in-person gatherings have come to a halt thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, but a germ can't stop the music.

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Building Back Live: The Stages Of Save Our Stages

Posted: 20 Jan 2021, 12:00 am

The formation of the National Independent Venue Association itself was almost as unlikely as the situation that quickly took hold in March 2020. Never before was the patchwork network of thousands of independent nightclubs, theatres and other venues across the country forced to work together on more than a cursory level ? and never before did they have to contemplate their own collective survival, because of things completely out of their control.

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Fortress Festival Cancels 2021 Edition, Unveils New Venue

Posted: 19 Jan 2021, 5:53 pm

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused another event to cancel in 2021 ? Fortress Festival in Fort Worth, Texas.

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C3 Produces Field Of Flags For Presidential Inauguration: Exclusive

Posted: 19 Jan 2021, 4:10 pm

Powerhouse promoter C3 Presents brought its services to the U.S. Capitol this week, creating an art display of 200,000 U.S. flags on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., for the 46th presidential inauguration.

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New Orleans Jazz Fest Moves To October

Posted: 19 Jan 2021, 3:33 pm

New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival presented by Shell has announced it is moving to Oct. 8-17 this year, with details about the lineup coming in the spring.

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Building Back Live: The Stages Of Save Our Stages

Posted: 19 Jan 2021, 2:06 pm

The formation of the National Independent Venue Association itself is almost as unlikely as the situation that quickly took hold in March 2020. Never before was the patchwork network of thousands of independent nightclubs, theatres and other venues across the country forced to work together on more than a cursory level ? and never before did they have to contemplate their own collective survival, because of things completely out of their control.

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Jazmine Sullivan, Eric Church, H.E.R. To Sing At Super Bowl

Posted: 19 Jan 2021, 2:00 pm

R&B star Jazmine Sullivan and country singer Eric Church will join forces to sing the national anthem at the next month?s Super Bowl, where Grammy-winning singer H.E.R. will perform ?America the Beautiful.?

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CTS Eventim's TicketOne Fined â‚¬10M By Competition Watchdog In Italy, Appeals

Posted: 19 Jan 2021, 1:51 pm

CTS Eventim, which operates its ticketing business under the TicketOne brand in Italy, has been fined by the country's anti-trust agency Autorità Garante della Concorrenza e del Mercato (AGCM).

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Guest Post: Behind-The-Scenes Event Workers Forgotten By Congressional Support

Posted: 19 Jan 2021, 1:36 pm

In this business, if you don?t notice us, that means we?re doing our jobs well. At Fireplay, we design and produce live shows, events and tours that fans will never forget ? productions that are so captivating you lose yourself in them. We work to put on unforgettable performances that are so seamless it would never occur to you that hundreds of people are working in the background to coordinate logistics, address obstacles, and solve problems to ensure each and every show runs flawlessly. And we?ve done that, successfully, for some of the biggest names in the business.

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Rough Trade NYC To Relocate Store, Close Venue

Posted: 19 Jan 2021, 1:11 pm

Rough Trade NYC, the record store and 250-cap concert venue in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn, N.Y., is closing its current location with plans to relocate the store.

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Kareem Abdul-Jabbar urges public to get COVID-19 vaccine

Posted: 19 Jan 2021, 12:23 pm

By NBA

The NBA?s leading all-time scorer has taped a message that will be aired Monday during broadcasts of games on the MLK Jr. holiday.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has revealed that he received the COVID-19 vaccine and is encouraging others to consider doing the same.

The Basketball Hall of Famer and NBA?s leading all-time scorer has taped a short message that will be aired beginning Monday during broadcasts of games played on the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday. The video shows Abdul-Jabbar receiving a vaccine.

?We have to find new ways to keep each other safe,? he said.

Abdul-Jabbar is 73, within the guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention about vaccine eligibility.

Those guidelines suggest that priority for receiving the vaccine should go to health care personnel, those living in long-term care facilities, front-line essential workers, those over the age of 65 and people ?with underlying medical conditions? that increase their vulnerability to COVID-19.

Abdul-Jabbar revealed in a magazine article last month that he?s had prostate cancer, leukemia and heart bypass surgery.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has said the league will ensure that its players and teams wait until their turn comes to be vaccinated and will not ?jump the line.?

The Los Angeles Clippers announced late last week that the LA Forum will serve as a large-scale vaccination site starting Tuesday, and Detroit forward Blake Griffin is part of a commission in Michigan trying to stress the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine.

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The post Kareem Abdul-Jabbar urges public to get COVID-19 vaccine appeared first on Green Sports Alliance.

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Live Nation Acquires Veeps Livestreaming Platform

Posted: 19 Jan 2021, 12:00 pm

Live Nation has acquired a majority stake in Veeps, a ticketed livestream platform custom-built for artists that has hosted shows by artists including Brandi Carlile, Pete Yorn, Liam Payne, Rufus Wainwright and many others since fully rolling out in 2020.

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Building Back Live: RESTART Act As The Next Frontier

Posted: 19 Jan 2021, 11:15 am

When Congress passed the $900 billion federal aid package for individuals and businesses adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, it marked a significant victory in the industry?s fight for its survival, as the aid package included the $15 billion Save Our Stages Act, which provided grants to independent venues, agents, managers, promoters and other businesses in the entertainment industry.

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Building Back Live: NITO Celebrates SOS But â€˜Still A Long Way To Goâ€™

Posted: 19 Jan 2021, 11:00 am

The passage of the Save Our Stages Act, which includes $15 billion in grants for shuttered venue operators, is a major victory for many facing immediate closure and whose businesses were forced to a halt in 2020. With such little government support for the last nine months, the fact it passed at all was a surprise to many.

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Building Back Live: It Takes An Ecosystem

Posted: 19 Jan 2021, 10:45 am

Robert F.X. Sillerman faced a packed ballroom during the Concert Industry Consortium (the precursor to Pollstar Live!) at L.A.?s Century Plaza Hotel in February 1999 and bluntly told the crowd, ?In the words of Godzilla, size is good. Size matters.?

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Gene Simmons Talks Sylvain Sylvain And The New York Dolls

Posted: 19 Jan 2021, 9:00 am

KISS and the New York Dolls were both products of a creative but fractured scene in 1970s New York City. While the bands' ethos could not have been more different, Gene Simmons spoke with Pollstar about the passing of Sylvain Sylvain of the New York Dolls, and about the scene in general. And, of course, about KISS.

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Scruff Of The Neck U.K. To Launch Streaming Channel With Twitch

Posted: 19 Jan 2021, 8:16 am

Manchester, England-based music company Scruff of the Neck announced a partnership with Twitch, where it will present live performances, interviews and other content going forward.

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Live In The Time Of COVID-19: Streaming Concerts For Tuesday, January 19

Posted: 19 Jan 2021, 8:00 am

Concerts requiring mass, in-person gatherings have come to a halt thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, but a germ can't stop the music.

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James Tones Joins Mother Artists As Agent In The U.K.

Posted: 19 Jan 2021, 6:02 am

Mother Artists, the new management company and live agency launched by siblings Mark Bent and Natasha Gregory (formerly Bent), announced their first hiring: James Tones, who previously booked artists at Paradigm Talent Agency.

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Citi Field Among Latest Stadiums to Be Used As a Mass COVID-19 Vaccination Site

Posted: 15 Jan 2021, 6:21 pm

By Joseph Salvador

Citi Field is the latest sports stadium to be used as a vaccination site, New York City Mayor Bill del Blasio announced.

“This is going to be fantastic. This is going to help so many people get vaccinated,? said de Blasio. ?We welcome Queens residents. We welcome all New Yorkers. We even welcome Yankees fans. There is no discrimination.?

The home of the Mets will be a 24/7 vaccination site that will serve 5,000 to 7,000 people a day starting the week of Jan. 25.

Citi Field is just the latest stadium to join the country’s massive vaccination drive that’ll include multiple stadiums and ballparks across the country.

Here are some of the other stadiums and venues being used for vaccinations:

? On the West Coast, the Oakland A’s RingCentral Coliseum, the 49ers Levi?s Stadium and the Los Angeles Dodgers’ home, Dodger Stadium, are expected to become vaccination sites. Petco Park and Cal Expo are two other California-based ballparks that could be used as sites as well.

? Down south, Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium?the same one that just hosted the 2020 college football national championship?will offer 1,000 appointments a day for COVID-19 vaccinations.

? The Arizona Cardinals’ State Farm Stadium started offering vaccinations Monday.

Read the Sports Illustrated article here

The post Citi Field Among Latest Stadiums to Be Used As a Mass COVID-19 Vaccination Site appeared first on Green Sports Alliance.

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The Red Way points to sustainability

Posted: 12 Jan 2021, 9:45 pm

By Liverpool FC

Liverpool FC is launching a brand-new initiative which illustrates how the club is contributing to a more sustainable future.

The Red Way is an easy way to understand how the club is contributing to a better future for Reds to come by pulling together all of its sustainability-related activity under one initiative.

Our People
Our Communities
Our Planet

We've launched a brand-new initiative which illustrates how the club contributes to a more sustainable future… #TheRedWay pic.twitter.com/blwhsM2Wsx

— Liverpool FC (@LFC) January 12, 2021

The club?s contributions to sustainability centre around three distinct pillars.

Our People ? reflecting how the club enables the people it works with to broaden their skills and knowledge, and make a positive difference

Our Communities ? the extensive work undertaken by the club?s Red Neighbours initiative and LFC Foundation, both locally and further afield

Our Planet ? how the club is making a positive difference in the way it impacts the environment

LFC has also become a signatory to a UN initiative called Sports for Climate Action, which aims to unify sports organisations to play their part in creating a more sustainable future by adhering to five key principles on climate action.

Andy Hughes, the club?s managing director, said: ?As a club we take our responsibilities for the people we work with, our communities and our planet seriously and that is clear from the amount of sustainability work that has been going on around the club for a long time.

?By launching The Red Way, we are bringing all of that activity under one umbrella so that we can illustrate to our supporters and the people we work with what sustainability is, why it?s important, and how we?re helping to tackle key issues.?

Some of the ways the club is contributing to a more sustainable future include:

Our People

Encouraging staff to volunteer to help local communities, totalling 432 hours in the 2019-20 season.

Professionally training 26 staff to become mental health first aiders.

Our Communities

In the 2019-20 season, LFC Foundation delivered more than 7,000 sessions to nearly 20,000 unique participants.

Across the last three seasons, the club?s Red Neighbours initiative has facilitated the donation of 37.5 tonnes of food to the North Liverpool Foodbank, supporting 12,500 individuals or families across the city.

Our Planet

Growing vegetables in a local allotment the size of a football pitch, which are served at Anfield on matchdays.

Offsetting 435 tonnes of CO2, enabling the club to become carbon neutral for its direct activities.

Encouraging biodiversity by planting 635 new trees and 6,000 plants at the club?s new AXA Training Centre.

An online hub has been created for The Red Way, which will enable supporters to find out more about the work the club undertakes across each of the three pillars and can be found by visiting www.liverpoolfc.com/TheRedWay.

Read the original announcement here

The post The Red Way points to sustainability appeared first on Green Sports Alliance.

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Future Legends Welcomes Northern Colorado Pro Soccer Team to Complex

Posted: 12 Jan 2021, 12:17 pm

By Future Legends

Northern Colorado Football Club, United Soccer League expansion team to play in Windsor

WINDSOR, Colo. — Future Legends Complex is proud to announce the residence of Northern Colorado Football Club (NoCo FC), which will play in United Soccer League?s (USL) League One. The club is majority-owned by the Katofsky family and Future Legends ownership group, who are the lead developers and co-founders of Future Legends Complex. With its inaugural season set for 2022, Northern Colorado FC will play in a state-of-the-art multi-purpose professional sports stadium at Future Legends Complex, a new 118-acre sports and entertainment facility that is now under construction and set to open in spring 2022.

Northern Colorado FC will join USL League One and play against teams across the country, with their first season tentatively running from March through October 2022. The club joins newly announced club Central Valley Fuego FC, which will also begin play in 2022.

?Northern Colorado is the heartbeat of sports and outdoor recreation. We could not have chosen a better place to bring professional soccer and baseball, and could not be more proud and humbled to be welcomed into this community,? Northern Colorado FC Owner and Future Legends CEO Jeff Katofsky said. ?USL?s League One provides professional soccer that is competitive and entertaining, and we?re thrilled to join a group of phenomenal teams.?

A full team brand, name, and logo will be developed and announced in the coming months, with the input of local soccer fans and community members. NoCo FC aims to connect the team with the unique community landscape that Northern Colorado has to offer.

?It?s an exciting day for League One,? said USL Senior Vice President Steven Short. ?Under the leadership of the Katofsky family and the talented staff at the Future Legends Sports Complex, Northern Colorado FC will be a strong addition to the League One family and we look forward to seeing all that they can accomplish in our growing league.?

Apart from a multi-purpose professional stadium to house Northern Colorado FC and the Northern Colorado Owlz, Future Legends Complex will be a sports, entertainment and retail destination in Northern Colorado, with more than 20 outdoor fields and diamonds, a four-acre bubble dome with turf and hardcourt inside, dorm-style lodging for tournament participants, hospitality options, restaurants and other amenities on-site.

Since its launch in 2017, United Soccer League?s (USL) League One has quickly become the fastest growing professional soccer league in North America. USL League One aims to bring professional soccer to fans in communities across the country and currently comprises 15 teams, 12 of which will take the field for the 2021 season while Northern Colorado FC (2022), Central Valley Fuego FC (2022), and Fort Wayne FC (2023) will join the league in the coming years.

Competing in communities with populations between 150,000 and one million residents, League One has brought the professional game to millions of people who previously had no access to a local professional soccer club. As the nationally-sanctioned third division of American soccer, League One is focused on launching new clubs in diverse markets that possess strong local ownership groups, a proven appetite for the sport, and stadiums that properly showcase soccer?s unique ability to unite communities and use the sport as a vehicle for good.

Please visit NoCoFC.com for more information about Northern Colorado FC, USL League One, to sign up for eNewsletter, submit ticket interest, and more. Follow the club on social media at @NoCoUSL on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

About Future Legends Complex

Future Legends Complex, located in Northern Colorado, is the premier destination for sports and events. Opening fully in spring 2022, Future Legends is a 118-acre sports complex designed to host guests for major sports tournaments, events, leagues, and more. An hour north of Denver, Future Legends features a professional stadium, multiple baseball diamonds, multi-purpose fields, indoor bubble sports arena, lodging, retail and more, as Colorado?s elite sports facility for players of all ages and skill levels. Future Legends is located at 801 Diamond Valley Drive in Windsor, CO. Follow @FLComplex on Twitter, @FutureLegendsComplex on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn for updates, or subscribe to Future Legends eNewsletter at FutureLegendsComplex.com/Newsletter.

Read the original press release here

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Cleaning Accreditation Helps Sports Venues Operate Confidently Amid Pandemic

Posted: 11 Jan 2021, 8:20 pm

By ISSA

With the 2020-2021 NBA season underway and more professional and college sporting events welcoming fans or planning to in the near future, it?s essential that these venues have a strategic approach to cleaning for health and safety. The GBAC STAR Facility Accreditation Program from the Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC), a Division of ISSA, has garnered adoption across major sports venues in the United States, including 13 accredited NBA arenas, to safely allow in-arena attendance.

?We are thrilled that so many professional sports venues are taking the necessary steps to prioritize cleaning, disinfection, and infection prevention,? said GBAC Executive Director Patricia Olinger. ?Maintaining safe facilities is crucial for protecting athletes, coaches, employees, and fans as they travel to these events.?

Achieving GBAC STAR accreditation means that a facility knows how to prepare, respond, and recover from infectious disease outbreaks and biohazard situations. Organizations must fulfill 20 program elements and re-accredit annually.

To date, 13 NBA arenas have achieved GBAC STAR and 11 others are in the process of securing accreditation. In addition to NBA arenas, team venues for the NFL, NHL, MLB, and MLS also have achieved GBAC STAR accreditation.

For example, tonight?s 2021 College Football Playoff National Championship, featuring the Ohio State University Buckeyes and the University of Alabama Crimson Tide, is taking place at the Miami Dolphins? Hard Rock Stadium, a GBAC STAR-accredited facility. Other notable GBAC STAR-accredited stadiums and arenas include the STAPLES Center in Los Angeles; AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas; Oracle Park in San Francisco; and Banc of California Stadium in Los Angeles.

The full listing of venues?including hotels, convention centers, airports, offices, and many other facilities?that have achieved or committed to GBAC STAR is available on the GBAC STAR Facility Directory at gbac.org/directory.

?Facilities that commit to GBAC STAR put extensive time and effort into developing plans that prioritize health and safety,? added ISSA Executive Director John Barrett. ?We applaud these sports venues and the growing roster of facilities of all types worldwide that have demonstrated their commitment to cleanliness by pursuing and achieving GBAC STAR accreditation.?

Hear from Olinger and Steve Arehart, GBAC director of program development, about how GBAC STAR has helped Hard Rock Stadium prepare for events such as tonight?s championship game here.

Learn about the STAPLES Center?s experience with GBAC STAR.

For more information about GBAC STAR facility accreditation, visit gbac.org/star.

Read the original press release here

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Portland Timbers & Thorns Launch Carbon Offset Program via Team Store

Posted: 11 Jan 2021, 2:19 pm

The Portland Timbers & Thorns have partnered with the Bonneville Environmental Foundation (BEF) to launch their Clean Sheet Carbon Offset Program via their Team Store, PTFC Authentics. Upon checkout from their cart, fans will see the option at the top of their screen to contribute a customizable amount towards offsetting the carbon emissions from their order.

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Sharks forward Gabriel has new skates designed in theme of equality

Posted: 6 Jan 2021, 6:56 pm

By Dan O’Leary

In spirit of Hockey is for Everyone, 27-year-old shows off equipment supporting causes

In the spirit of Hockey is for Everyone, San Jose Sharks forward Kurtis Gabriel has some new skates.

The team shared a photo of the the 27-year-old forward showing off his new skates on Sunday.

Gabriel, who famously scored a game-winning goal for the New Jersey Devils after deciding to keep Pride Tape on his stick for the actual game during the team’s Hockey is for Everyone Night back in Feb. 2019, has adorned each skate with messages of equality. The boots were designed by Guby Customs.

“(Gabriel) was very involved in the design,” said Peter Gubernator, the Montreal-based artist and proprietor of Guby Customs. “Working with Kurtis was just easy. I do all sorts of equipment, I’ve done a tennis racket, guitars, but skates are what i really enjoy working on because I love hockey. I love playing it and I love watching it.”

Gabriel also shared a video showing the various features of each skate. One has a rainbow flag and rainbow heel with the phrase “love is love” across the back. The other features the Black Lives Matter logo and the words “hope,” “empathy” and “change” written on the back. He also posted a lengthy written statement.

Gabriel was also seen wearing a Pride facemask in a video the Sharks shared during training camp.

“Kurtis saw my work on Instagram and contacted me with this idea and I was all for it,” said Gubernator, who said he worked on two pairs of skates for Gabriel. “It’s an important message.”

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Red Sox hire Smith, first Black female coach

Posted: 5 Jan 2021, 8:01 pm

By Ian Browne

The Red Sox have hired Bianca Smith as a Minor League coach, making her the first Black woman to serve as a coach in the history of professional baseball.

A report first surfaced in The Boston Globe last week that the Red Sox were adding Smith to their organization, and the club officially welcomed her via a tweet on Monday:

?The opportunity is amazing,? Smith said in an interview on MLB Network?s Hot Stove program on Monday. ?I?m still wrapping my head around it. I probably won?t really have it sink in until I?m actually there.

“I think it?s a great opportunity also to kind of inspire other women who are interested in this game. This is not really something I thought about it when I was younger. I kind of fell into it being an athlete. So I?m excited to get that chance to show what I can do.?

Earlier this offseason, the Marlins named Kim Ng their new general manager, making her the first woman to hold that title in the four major sports in North America.

The 29-year-old Smith is currently the assistant coach and hitting coordinator at Carroll University in Wisconsin, a role she has held since 2018. Before that, Smith worked at Case Western Reserve University as director of baseball operations from 2013-17 and had a stint as assistant coach at University of Dallas in ?18.

She will start her Red Sox career based at the club?s player development facility in Fort Myers, Fla., and will work mainly with position players.

Smith played softball at Dartmouth College, graduating in 2012.

While Smith has a strong background in the biomechanical and analytic sides of baseball, she looks forward to getting the chance to broaden her expertise with the Red Sox.

?As the hitting coordinator, I run all of our technology side for hitting at Carroll,? said Smith. ?The number of different resources that the Red Sox have as far as tech goes, I?m really excited to get my hands on that and learning the different metrics and being able to dive deeper into what I currently have is pretty exciting.?

Smith previously did internships in the baseball operations departments of the Texas Rangers and Cincinnati Reds.

The Red Sox are expected to make Smith available in a Zoom call with the media later this week.

Read the original announcement here

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Becky Hammon Becomes 1st Woman to Be Acting Head Coach in NBA History

Posted: 31 Dec 2020, 5:44 pm

By Jenna Ciccotelli, Bleacher Report

Mike Ehrmann/Associated Press

San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich was tossed from the team’s game against the Los Angeles Lakers Wednesday night after getting charged with two technical fouls with less than four minutes remaining in the first half, and assistant coach Becky Hammon made history, becoming the first woman to serve as head coach in the NBA regular season.

“Obviously it’s a big deal,” she said postgame, per ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. “It’s a substantial moment.”

She previously served as the acting head coach for the Spurs back in the NBA bubble, when she led the team through a 113-92 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks in one of their exhibition games.

The Spurs hired the Colorado State and WNBA alum in 2014 as she became the first woman to serve as a full-time assistant coach. She took over the franchise’s summer league program in 2015, leading the Spurs to a Las Vegas Summer League championship, and also worked as the summer league head coach in 2016 and 2019.

Hammon’s historic debut nearly came last season, when Popovich was thrown out against the Portland Trail Blazers, but he clarified postgame that Tim Duncan got the nod as acting head coach.

San Antonio apparently has a history of noteworthy ejections. In April 2019, Popovich was thrown out against the Denver Nuggets just 63 seconds into the game?the fastest ejection in NBA history.

The Spurs fell to the Lakers on Wednesday, 121-107.

Read the original article here

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DC United appoint Danita Johnson as head of business operations, making her first Black president in MLS

Posted: 28 Dec 2020, 8:55 pm

By Pardeep Cattry

D.C. United is making a new addition to its leadership group, announcing Tuesday that Danita Johnson would join the club as its president of business operations. Johnson marks a milestone as the first Black president of an MLS club, and the third woman to hold such a role in the history of the league.

Johnson joins the club from the Los Angeles Sparks of the WNBA, where she was the president and chief operating officer. During her time with the Sparks, the team led the league in corporate sponsorship dollars earned and also saw a 50% increase in ticket sales from 2014 to 2017.

?After conducting a thorough search process, we are confident that Danita Johnson is the right person to lead our business and help take our club to new heights,? said Jason Levien, co-chairman and CEO of D.C. United in a team release. ?Throughout her career, Danita has demonstrated the ability to develop a positive and inspiring work culture, and she has done a tremendous job connecting with the communities in which she has lived and worked. We are thrilled that she has agreed to join us at this critical moment in D.C. United’s trajectory.?

Prior to the Sparks, Johnson was with the WNBA’s Washington Mystics and Detroit Shock and the NBA’s Los Angeles Clippers, as well as the NBA G League’s Bakersfield Jam over her 15-year career in sports.

“I?ve learned a lot from my time with the WNBA, especially the Los Angeles Sparks organization,” Johnson said in a club statement. “It is my belief that establishing a winning culture off the field impacts every aspect of the business, from fan interactions to community engagement, and I am committed to doing just this for one of the most storied and decorated clubs in American soccer history.”

Johnson will begin her new role with D.C. in January.

Read the original announcement here

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Virginiaâ€™s History, Resorts and Culture Make it an Attractive Meetings Destination

Posted: 24 Oct 2019, 5:00 am

Virginia’s history, resorts and culture make it an attractive meetings destination in 2019. Read to discover the state’s best-in-class venues and other group offerings.