Morning State Sports Briefs: Bradley Center to sell naming rights
Wisconsin Sports-- After years of opposition, Milwaukee’s Bradley Center is getting its first corporate name. Arena officials joined the Bucks and the metro Association of Commerce this morning in announcing that the facility will now be called the “BMO Harris Bradley Center.” It’s a six-year naming rights deal that takes effect immediately.
MILWAUKEE - After years of opposition, Milwaukee’s Bradley Center is getting its first corporate name. Arena officials joined the Bucks and the metro Association of Commerce this morning in announcing that the facility will now be called the “BMO Harris Bradley Center.” It’s a six-year naming rights deal that takes effect immediately.
The amount was not disclosed – but with other sponsorships, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel said it would be around $18-million that the arena and its clients would share. It’s a change-of-heart for the family of the late Jane Bradley Pettit, who donated $93-million to build the arena in 1988. Arena officials tested public response to naming rights four years ago – and many Milwaukeeans and basketball fans were adamantly against it. And Bradley’s daughter-and-son, Lynde and David Uihlein, said it would degrade their mother’s gift. But they announced their change of position this morning, saying the naming rights would ensure the continued viability of the Bradley Center, and would help ensure the Bucks’ success in Milwaukee. Tim Sheehy, head of the commerce association, called it a “terrific addition” to the city – and he said the partnership would be a great fit for his group. Bradley Center board chair Marc Marotta said the financial support would help extend the life of the 24-year-old arena, which is among the oldest in the NBA. Among other things, it’s also the home of Marquette University men’s college basketball, the Milwaukee Admirals’ hockey team, and Arena Football’s Milwaukee Mustangs. An estimated one-and-a-half million people attend Bradley Center events each year.
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A few winners were declared in the Green Bay Marathon, which was cut short yesterday after a warm-and-humid morning sent about 20 runners to the hospital. David Tuwei of Coon Rapids Minnesota won the men’s race with an unofficial time of two-hours, 27 minutes, and 11 seconds. Organizers gave him the three-thousand-dollar first prize. Geofrey Terer won the men’s half-marathon in 1:05:03. Dorcus Chesang won the women’s half-marathon in 1:15:07. And Leah Thorvilson of Little Rock Arkansas unofficially won the women’s full marathon, with a time of 2:45:25. That was after the race had been officially stopped. Many runners ignored orders to quit and kept going until the end.
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Steve Stricker of Madison is still at Number-eight in the new World Golf Rankings released this morning. Stricker did not play in the Byron Nelson Championship over the weekend. The only Wisconsin player in the tournament, Jerry Kelly of Madison, made it through just three rounds – and he dropped four spots in the World to 151. Pewaukee native Mark Wilson fell one spot to 34th. The top eight spots in the World Rankings are unchanged from a week ago, and Rory McIlroy is still at Number-One.
In the Fed-Ex Cup point totals, Wilson remains 13th. Stricker fell one spot to 21st. And Kelly dropped five places to 123rd. Jason Dufner, who won the Byron Nelson tournament, moved into the top spot in the Fed-Ex standings. The previous Number-One, Hunter Mahan, slipped to second.
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Carlota Oganda of Spain won a 36-hole qualifier in Fontana yesterday for this summer’s U.S. Women’s Open. The 21-year-old Oganda is a rookie on the Ladies’ European Tour. She fired a seven-under-par 139 for her two rounds, 11 strokes better than second-place Numa Gulyanamitta of West Lafayette, Indiana. Gulyanamitta earned the second-and-last qualifying spot by winning a one-hole playoff over third-place Aimee Neff of Carmel Indiana. Neff will be an alternate, along with Kirby Dreher of Marion Iowa who scored a 153. Carly Werwie of Kenosha was the top Wisconsin player at 157. The Women’s Open will be played at Blackwolf Run in Kohler July fifth-through-eighth.
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SCORES
In the Midwest League…
Wisconsin 7, Kane County 4
Beloit 4, Burlington 2
Quad Cities 10, Clinton 6
Cedar Rapids 5, Peoria 4
Lake County 2, Lansing 1 in 11 innings
South Bend 6, West Michigan 1
Dayton 7, Great Lakes 6
Fort Wayne 4, Bowling Green 3
Tags: wisconsin sports, sports, proam
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