MLB Network

In this episode of “Cubes,” we tour the headquarters of MLB Network, which is the former home of MSNBC, in Secaucus, New Jersey. The impressive space, which is also home to MLB Productions, features multiple studios, a vast library of archival footage, and an indoor baseball field, complete with dugouts, stands, and a digital scoreboard. The place will be buzzing over the next few weeks as the network is set to air more than 150 hours of live coverage of the 2011 MLB postseason.

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Launch a social media campaign that will build your brand and deliver results in our online Social Media Marketing Boot Camp starting June 7. Speakers include Abigail Cusick (Bravo Digital), Gregory Galant (Sawhorse Media), Alex Leo (Thomson Reuters Digital), Jim Tobin (Ignite Social Media), and many more. Read the reviews.

Sponsors Capital One and Castrol Edge will once again present the ESPY Awards from the Nokia Theatre at L.A. Live in Los Angeles.

Along with co-presenting the show, both companies will serve as co-presents of the nomination show, ESPY voting, and an individual award – the Capital One Cup, recognizing excellence in collegiate athletics, and the Castrol EDGE “NFL Strongest Performance” award.

EA Sports, Gatorade, GMC, Hennessy, MGD64 and SuperCuts return as associate sponsors and newcomers include Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey, K-Swiss, HP and 20th Century Fox.

The ESPY’s “Vault of Secrets” pre-party will once again be sponsored by Hennessy and MGD64 returns as presenting sponsor of the official ESPY’s Post Party.

The 2011 ESPY’s airs live July 13 at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reigning NBA Finals MVP Dirk Nowitzki of the Dallas Mavericks threw out the first pitch over the weekend at a Rangers game and acquitted himself quite well. He didn’t groove one down the middle like President Bush in the 2001 World Series, but he definitely looked better than the Wizards’ John Wall, whose recent first-pitch effort at a Nationals game left a bomb crater in front of the pitcher’s mound.

New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick was in midseason form Tuesday at the NFL owners meetings in New Orleans.

Prior to their meetings on Tuesday, the NFL asked all 32 head coaches to meet with the media during a one-hour breakfast. Care to take a guess as to who skipped the breakfast?

“Sorry I overslept this morning,” Belichick told the Boston Herald. When the surly coach was told he missed a good breakfast, Belichick responded by saying, “One thing they can do is feed us. Do I look under nourished?” Read more

Molson Canadian and the NHL signed a deal that will make the brew the official and exclusive beer sponsor of the league for seven years starting with the 2011-2012 season.

“This partnership with Molson Coors and MillerCoors will be groundbreaking for the NHL and our fans,” John Collins, NHL chief operating officer, said in a release. “Molson Canadian is an iconic brand with a rich hockey heritage and Coors Light has a track record of connecting with sports fans in innovative and effective ways. The combination of unprecedented support of our clubs and TV rightsholders with activation across the NHL’s comprehensive portfolio of marketing and media assets will create great opportunities for both brands.”

(One interesting tidbit from the release: “According to a Simmons Market Research study, NHL fans are younger, more educated, more affluent, and access content through digital means more than any other sport.”)

The full note is after the jump.

Read more

Michael Vick sure is getting a lot of air-time these days (and endorsements).

One person thinks ESPN (and, presumably, other networks that cover the quarterback) should promote better treatment of dogs since they are spending so many minutes talking about Vick.

I watch or listen to ESPN Radio’s Mike and Mike in the Morning every day it’s on and today is no exception. Just a minute ago they were talking about Vick and the Eagles. It would be great if they could get their vaunted research department (Russel Baxter if you follow the show) to dig up a dog-related stat and share that every time they mention Vick. A very simple thing to do and it would go a long way to reaching an audience that hasn’t been as sensitive to the dog issues that we, as a society, have created in our country.

Now we’re not against dogs or the human treatment of animals or anything along those lines. But that is a patently absurd suggestion.

(H/T Sports Media Watch)

Mark Quenzel will join the NFL Network as senior VP of programming and production.

The former senior VP of programming and production will work under NFL Network president Steve Bornstein, who also (wait for it) previously worked at the Worldwide Leader.

Quenzel had been EVP of park strategy and management at Six Flags Entertainment Corp.

The NFL Network scored a hit with its broadcast of the NFL Draft in April. On Thursday, finishes up its seven-week countdown of the top 100 players

Great news for frequent flyers who find themselves traveling on Sunday.

JetBlue Airlines will add the NFL Sunday Ticket to its existing DirecTV in-flight free package starting on Oct. 3.

In order to make room for the Sunday Ticket, some of the existing 36 free channels will be replaced on game days to ensure that every Sunday NFL game during the regular season is made available.

Did I mention for free?

Instead of watching that episode of Jersey Shore on MTV for the third time, you will be able to keep track of your favorite team 30,000 feet in the air.

JetBlue Airlines are the official airlines of the New York Jets and the Buffalo Bills.

I was Team Virgin America, but the addition of the Sunday Ticket might force me to reconsider the next time I’m booking a flight.

Oh good, it’s time to talk about Super Bowl advertisements again.

The USA Today reports that Pepsi will jump back into the ring, promoting Pepsi Max – which is struggling against Coke Zero – with three ads. Last year, the brand chose to go the online route and avoiding splurging on the most-watched game in television history. Mistake.

The brand will offer a reward for consumer-created ads that (synergy alert!) finish high in USA Today‘s Super Bowl Ad Meter. Last year, Snicker’s Betty White ad finished first, followed by the Doritos’ human collar spot.

Fox has sold more than 90 percent of its available slots for the February game, much better than last year when multiple brands opted out due to economic reasons and the network was forced to hold a last-minute sale for its remain inventory.

(H/T Fang’s Bites.)