Call Sheet #252: Could the N.F.L. Draft Leave New York? Newfronts Compete for TV Ad Spend, Moet's Derby Plans

BIZBASH CALL SHEET — #252 — Friday, 04.27.12

++ Sponsored by Event Leadership Institute ++

Compiled today by Beth Kormanik and Anna Sekula in New York
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THIS WEEKEND'S CALENDAR
FRIDAY: White House Correspondents' Association's Dinner pre-parties in Washington
SATURDAY: White House Correspondents' Association's Dinner in Washington

* INCOMING *

1. DRAFT DODGING TOWN: Could the N.F.L. move its annual draft event to another city? The league’s commissioner Roger Goodell says not just yet. http://sbn.to/IAq9O7

Meanwhile, the top picks in the draft met with select groups of fans in Google+ Hangouts. "From a marketing and fan engagement perspective, the Hangouts make sense all around. For the teams, a Hangout is a great way to reward loyal supporters. For the newly minted N.F.L. players, a Hangout will go a long way toward raising local visibility and popularity as well as showing off charm and personality to potential endorsers. Typically hidden behind helmets, face-masks, and pads, football players stand to benefit from something like a public video chat even more than other pro athletes." Mashable: http://on.mash.to/IdWnAS

2. NEWFRONTS WOO ADVERTISERS: Last week's presentations from digital media giants such as AOL, Google, and Hulu show how the new technologies are competing with broadcast and cable outlets. The New York Times: "The goal of the NewFronts, or new upfronts, is to encourage marketers and agencies to spend more money on digital ads, either by increasing budgets or shifting to online media some of the estimated $70 billion a year that is spent on television commercials. Ad spending for online video has been growing strongly, but still totals, by most estimates, less than $2 billion a year." http://nyti.ms/K6FK9m

3. DEBATING EVENT ETHICS: By serving as M.C. of the Grammys on the Hill, which is sponsored by the Recording Academy, did NBC Capitol Hill reporter Luke Russert cross an ethical line? The event in Washington on Wednesday night was cosponsored by the lobbying group the Recording Industry Association of America and honored political figures including Congressman Howard L. Berman, who is also on the committee that shapes copyright and trademark law. The Washington Post: "The boundary between appropriate and inappropriate can be hard to define, especially in a city where journalists, politicians, lobbyists, and advocates of all types frequently find themselves at the same social events." http://wapo.st/JtWLXB

4. DERBY TOAST: Moët & Chandon announced a partnership with the 2012 Kentucky Derby as the first champagne to be aligned with “The Greatest Two Minutes in Sports.” As part of the sponsorship, the brand will introduce a champagne toast to competitors before the start of the 11th race and create limited-edition commemorative Kentucky Derby-inspired minis available at the Moët & Chandon bars at Churchill Downs. Through a philanthropic initiative, dubbed the “Sign for the Roses,” the champagne house will donate funds to the Churchill Downs Incorporated Foundation for every celebrity signature made on a six-liter bottle. Events for the spring meet begin this Saturday; the race itself is May 5. Press release: http://yhoo.it/IJSzRh

5. CORPORATE AIR TRAVEL GROWING: U.S. airlines are seeing a surprising growth in demand, pointing to first-quarter results that paint a positive picture for the coming year. According to Bloomberg BusinessWeek, one key factor to this is the rise in corporate travel bookings, with companies "sitting on a record cash pile of $1 trillion and…eager to stimulate new business." http://buswk.co/IIwVzU

++ A WORD FROM OUR SPONSOR: EVENT LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE ++

The Event Leadership Institute is proud to provide the most progressive training and education for event planners in the industry, through on-demand video classes, biweekly webinars, white papers as well as interviews with industry leaders. www.eventleadershipinstitute.com

* SITE VISIT *

From editor in chief Chad Kaydo in Washington: Got a tour of the new Occasions Caterers HQ inside the former Ottenberg Bakery in northeast D.C. with co-founder and creative director Eric Michael on Thursday. With 55,000 square feet, three tasting rooms, a showroom for rentals, and kitchen space for days (15,000 square feet)—well, I can't imagine how many caterers wouldn't fill up with envy during a visit. As Occasions marks its 25 years in business, Michael reports swift business in a market relatively unscathed by recent economic troubles that have plagued so many other places. Occasions will cater the MSNBC party after the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner Saturday.

* THE WEEK IN EVENTS *

Here’s a look at 10 highlights from our event coverage this week, including Boston's vertical fashion show, a tailgate party for Univision Deportes in New York, a 1940s-style U.S.O. bash in Palm Beach, and Toronto's futuristic Massive Party. http://bizba.sh/IuWrae

* LOCAL NEWS *

COAST TO COAST: Bacardi announced “+ Fest,” a 10-city launch party for Bacardi+, an upscale 8 percent-ABV flavored adult beverage. The simultaneous events will feature rising bands and DJs on May 4. While the rum brand named the city list and artist lineup, the venues will remain secret until the day of the show and then announced on Facebook.

BOSTON: Commonwealth Shakespeare Company will host its Cinema Italiano-inspired gala Saturday at Mandarin Oriental Boston.

Coup, a lifestyle magazine, hosts its launch party tonight at Moska in Cambridge. Amy Kimball is the planner.

CHICAGO: Columbia College Chicago's four-block Manifest street festival is May 4. The event showcases the work of more than 2,000 students with poetry slams, fashion design, singer showcases, and more.

Epicurious will host "Epicurious Entertains Chicago" May 5-6 at the Illuminating Company. With select events benefitting the Greater Chicago Food Depository, the weekend includes a flower arranging class from Mike Hines, kids' cooking classes, and more.

CANstruction, a design-and-build competition that benefits the Greater Chicago Food Depository is May 10. The competition allows 20 teams of local architects, designers, and engineers to create structures using canned goods. All of the canned goods then are donated to the Greater Chicago Food Depository.

DALLAS: Meeting Professionals International announced its Recognizing Industry Success and Excellence Award winners who will be honored July 29 at the group's World Education Congress in St. Louis.
 
LAS VEGAS: The Latin Grammy awards will take place at Mandalay Bay Events Center on November 15 and will air live in the U.S. on the Univision. This marks the fifth time that the show will be held in Vegas.

Las Vegas' annual P.G.A. Tour event, the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open, is slated to return in October. Paragon Gaming C.E.O. Diana Bennett will be the keynote speaker for the annual women's day luncheon on October 2. golflasvegasnow.com: http://bit.ly/ItNUqx

At a big moment for electronic music, Insomniac announced it will launch the inaugural EDMbiz conference prior to Electric Daisy Carnival June 8-10. The conference will be held June 5-7, as part of EDC Week at the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.

Will Rogers Motion Picture Pioneers Foundation honored Jeffrey Katzenberg with the Pioneer of the Year award Wednesday at Caesars Palace during CinemaCon. Jack Black served as M.C.

Las Vegas Sands Corporation has reported industry-record-breaking financial results. Press release: http://on.mktw.net/KeJII8

Bud Light Lime "Lime-a-Rita" will celebrate its recent launch with a poolside Cinco de Mayo party at Mandalay Bay, with host Maria Menounos.

Former race-car driver Jason Vince is the newest account manager with Vegas-based Origin Event Planning.

LOS ANGELES: The Wilshire Grand Hotel, which closed in December, reopened Thursday for the start of a massive liquidation sale of its entire contents, including furnishings from 928 guest rooms. The sale is expected to bring $2 million.

The Alzheimer's Association will host a breakfast fundraiser, "A Reason to Hope," May 1, at the InterContinental Los Angeles in Century City. http://bit.ly/K73R7Y

ISES L.A. will present a fashion show with looks from Wildflower Linens owner and designer Youngsong Martin at Elevate Lounge May 23.

On May 2, David Myers will offer a tasting for media and other invited guests at the Century, his new Century City restaurant slated to open late this year.

Plácido Domingo, the Eli and Edythe Broad general director of L.A. Opera, announced that Christopher Koelsch has been appointed president and C.E.O. of the company, effective September 15.

Mixed-use space Royal/T plans to expand its programming with a series of events, exhibits, partnerships, and pop-ups beyond its walls. Owner Susan Hancock also announced the Culver City location will close in August.

Local event listings from Masterplanner: http://masterplanneronline.com/losangeles

MIAMI: The Locust Project's 10th Spring Fling fund-raiser is April 28 in Miami Beach. Inspired by Arabian Nights, the event will have a silent art auction.

The Florida Heart Research Institute's Heart of a Chef fund-raiser is April 29 at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden in Coral Gables.

NEW YORK: Time Inc. released its second annual list of the 10 NYC Startups to Watch for 2012, which will be recognized May 7 during Internet Week.

The 2012 World Science Festival will return for its fifth year May 30-June 3. Press Release: http://bit.ly/JD7UJd

Tommy Hilfiger has hired former Louis Vuitton marketing exec Heather Vandenberghe as senior vice president of marketing and communications for the Americas, a new post.

Local event listings from Masterplanner: http://www.masterplanneronline.com/newyork

ORLANDO: The American Pie Council/Crisco National Pie Championships are today through Sunday at the Caribe Royal All-Suite Hotel and Convention Center. Nearly 200 volunteers will taste and judge more than 800 pies from amateur, professional, and commercial bakers. For the public, the council hosts the Great American Pie Festival tomorrow and Sunday in Celebration.

The Festival of Chocolate takes place today through Sunday at the University of Central Florida Arena. The event will include chocolate-making and cake-decorating competitions with local pastry chefs, hands-on classes, kids activities, and more than two dozen vendors.

TORONTO: The new Four Seasons Hotel Toronto is currently accepting reservations from October 1 onward. The luxury hotel and residence is expected to open this summer.

In a New York magazine interview, chef David Chang said that the Toronto Momofuku restaurant, located in the Shangri-La Toronto hotel, will open July 28. The three-story restaurant will have a different concept on each floor. Chang said he plans to be in town for the Toronto International Film Festival in September. http://bit.ly/IauKFc

WASHINGTON: The first AT&T Nation's Football Classic did not have the economic impact organizers expected, generating nearly $3.5 million in spending over the September 10 weekend rather than the $6 million predicted. But the game at RFK Stadium will continue. The Washington Examiner: http://bit.ly/I9qlGq

YOUR NEWS: What are you doing? Tell us: [email protected]. 



With contributions from Jenny Berg in Chicago, Alesandra Dubin in Los Angeles, Mitra Sorrells in Orlando, Carla Warrilow in Toronto, and Anna Sekula, Beth Kormanik, and Rose Chevalier in New York.

BizBash Call Sheet is the must-read daily digest of event industry news from BizBash.com. 

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