JAKKS to Release WEC and Pride Action Figures

Toy maker JAKKS Pacific Inc. said Tuesday it had signed licensing agreements with two mixed martial arts organizations to launch a line of action figures and play sets.

The line is expected to be launched in spring of 2010, and will be based on fighters of the World Extreme Cage Fighting and PRIDE organizations, said the Malibu toymaker. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

WEC and PRIDE are members of the Ultimate Fighting Championship organization, which is owned and operated by Zuffa LLC., a Las Vegas sports promotion company. Mixed martial arts is a full contact combat sport that allows wide variety of fighting techniques from various martial arts.

"As the world leader in fighting action figure toys, we plan on dominating the mixed martial arts collector action-figure arena," said JAKKS Pacific Chief Operating Officer Stephen Berman in a statement.

Harley-Davidson Signs Sponsorship Deal with Milwaukee Brewers

Harley-Davidson has signed a major new sponsorship deal with the Milwaukee Brewers that will include the addition of a new seating area to Miller Park.

As part of the new deal, which was announced Tuesday morning at Miller Park, a 42-seat elevated seating area will be added in left-centerfield. It will be called the “Harley-Davidson Deck” and feature Harley-Davidson motorcycles built into the decor. The new seating area will be added prior to the 2009 season.

Members of Harley Owners Group (HOG) will receive discounted tickets, which will include food buffet and two complementary beverages, to the deck for all games. Tickets for groups and individuals for the new deck will be made available first to HOG members before being sold to the general public.

The Brewers also announced that admission to the seating area will be through a new gate that will be constructed called “Gate H-D.” It will be located behind centerfield. Any HOG member, no matter where they are sitting, can enter through the gate and park in a new motorcycle parking lot the team is building.

As part of the agreement, Harley will also get LED signage, ticket deals and in-game promotions. Starting with tonight’s game against the New York Mets, a game ball will be delivered via a Harley-Davidson motorcycle prior to the first pitch of each home game.

“This is one of the most comprehensive (sponsorship) deal in Brewers history,” said Rick Schlesinger, Brewers’ vice president of business operations. “This is a partnership that not only brings the Milwaukee Brewers and Harley-Davidson together, it will also benefit fans coming to Miller Park.”

Mark-Hans Richer, Harley-Davidson’s chief marketing officer, said the sponsorship was about local support and national outreach.

“With the Brewers, we’re creating reasons for our owners to ride to Milwaukee all summer, and building passion with young adults as well as strongly diverse national audiences through TV broadcast exposure,” Richer said.

Breaking News: UFC Will Make a Major Announcement Regarding Couture

BREAKING NEWS:

UFC has announced they will be holding a conference call this afternoon at 3:00 PM EST to make a major announcement.


The announcement is expected to be that Randy Couture has come to terms on a contract and will make his UFC return to fight Brock Lesnar. If so, he will be facing off against the former WWE champ on November 15 in Portland, Oregon.

UEFA Extends Partnership with Sony

UEFA has extended its sponsorship agreement with Sony Europe for the UEFA Champions League for the period between 2009 and 2012.

Sony Europe is the second of six official sponsors whose agreement with UEFA has been announced for the 2009-2012 period in European club football's most prestigious competition. With the renewal of this agreement, Sony will continue a partnership which started in 2006.

"We are extremely pleased that such a global player has chosen to extend its agreement with UEFA and the UEFA Champions League," said UEFA marketing director Philippe Le Floc'h. "The UEFA Champions League continues to be a very valuable platform for our sponsor partners and we are sure it will provide Sony with excellent opportunities to connect with the fans and further strengthen their brand identity."

"We are excited to be able to announce our continued sponsorship," said Sony Europe vice-president marketing communications Ben Moore, "as we see the UEFA Champions League as the ideal platform on which to be able to demonstrate the full capabilities of our HD products."

2009 Grey Cup: Canada's Game

The 2009 Grey Cup Festival committee unveiled the 2009 Grey Cup Festival brand to a sold-out crowd at McMahon Stadium on Monday. Members of the Department of National Defence, the R.C.M.P., Stampeders alumni and amateur football players helped to unveil the brand in a special halftime presentation.

"It's a uniquely Canadian tradition and celebration of our culture," said Stamps president Scott Ackles. "Fans all come together, no matter what their team colours, to celebrate the great game of Canadian football and the national pride that comes with it. This is the essence of what our festival brand will capture."

The Grey Cup championship and festival has become an annual tradition for fans, stretching Canada's largest one-day sporting event into a week-long celebration. In 1948, Calgarians began the great tradition, when they made the trek across the country and took over Toronto with a party atmosphere that had never been seen before. The Stampeders went on to capture their first Grey Cup championship that week with a 12-7 win over Ottawa.

"Calgarians can take pride in adding an element of grandeur to the game which has made it the great celebration it is now," stated chair of the 2009 Grey Cup Festival committee Malcolm Kirk. "Stamps fans rode horses into the lobby of the Royal York Hotel, hosted pancake breakfasts on the steps of Toronto's City Hall, and created parades and festivities wherever they went. And that is going to be at the forefront of our celebrations next November."

Fans are encouraged to visit 2009greycupfestival.com and register to receive 2009 Grey Cup festival event and ticket information and email updates.

"In 2009 Calgary will host the best Grey Cup Festival that has ever been staged in the 61-year history of the festival", stated president of the 2009 Grey Cup Festival Greg Albrecht. "Our Grey Cup Festival staff, volunteers, committee and corporate partners will ensure a fantastic event that will leave a lasting legacy for the city and the province".

Toronto Varsity Blues Football Ends 7 Year Losing Streak

For the first time in nearly seven years, The Toronto Varsity Blues football team can celebrate a victory.

Andrew Lomasney hit a 32-yard field goal with 21 seconds left to lift the Blues to a stunning 18-17 win over the Waterloo Warriors on Monday night, ending Toronto's 49-game losing streak. The Blues hadn't won a game since beating the Windsor Lancers 13-11 on Oct. 13, 2001.

The Blues lost last year's season opener 42-17 to the Warriors, kicking off a season which saw the OUA doormats lose all eight of their games by an average of more than 29 points. The Varsity Blues' best chance at ending the streak last season came against York, when Stephen Grochot's 36-yard field goal with 40 seconds left gave the Lions a 21-20 win.

Blues quarterback David Hamilton ignited the comeback Monday night. Down 17-8 with 2:39 left in the fourth quarter, Hamilton found receiver Drew Meerveld on a 29-yard touchdown pass, and the ensuing convert cut the deficit to two. Toronto then stopped the Warriors (0-1) with enough time to march down the field, setting up Lomasney's game-winning kick in front of 2,562 fans at Varsity Centre.

Hamilton finished 13-of-27 for 189 yards with one TD and one interception for the Blues (1-0), who haven't reached the playoffs since 1995.

In other CIS action Monday, it was: Queen's 35 McMaster 11; and Laurier 15 Guelph 13; and Western 35 Ottawa 31.

At Toronto, punter-running back Mark Stinson added a three-yard touchdown run in the second quarter and a single to open the scoring late in the first.

The game was marred by sloppy play on both sides, with both teams losing three fumbles apiece.

Quarterback Evan Martin was nearly unstoppable for Waterloo, completing 21 of 30 passes for 375 yards and a pair of touchdown strikes to Joshua Svec. Martin's 53-yard touchdown pass to Svec to end the third quarter gave the Warriors a 17-8 lead.

Randy Couture Back with UFC?

Reigning UFC heavyweight champion Randy Couture could return to the UFC before the end of the year as part of an out-of-court settlement.

Couture resigned from the UFC two months after a third-round TKO victory over Gabriel Gonzaga in August 2007.

Unconfirmed reports suggest that now Couture could return for UFC 91 on November 15 in Portland - either in a co-promoted bout against Emelianenko, or the UFC's own marquee heavyweight Brock Lesnar.

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