1. 'GRID GIRLS' PHASED OUT OF FORMULA 1 EVENTS: Formula One races will no longer feature “grid girls” and “podium girls,” who cheer before and celebrate after with drivers, respectively, it announced Wednesday. Associated Press: “‘We feel this custom does not resonate with our brand values and clearly is at odds with modern day societal norms,’ said Sean Bratches, F1′s managing director of commercial operations. ‘We don’t believe the practice is appropriate or relevant to Formula One and its fans, old and new, across the world.’ At previous F1 races, women dressed in uniform would walk out onto the grid shortly before the start and then stand in front of each driver’s car, holding up the driver’s number. Women would also stand alongside the winner on the podium after the race. The changes also apply to other motorsports series—such as F2—that take place on GP weekends. F1 is owned by Liberty Media, which completed its takeover from former commercial rights holder Bernie Ecclestone in January 2017.” http://bit.ly/2nv6CIF
2. HOW ORGANIZERS PRODUCED THE PUPPY BOWL: A few hours before Super Bowl LII airs live from Minneapolis on NBC Sunday night, the Puppy Bowl will return for its 14th edition on Animal Planet. This year’s event, geared toward dog lovers and those who don't care for football, took four days to shoot last October—and will feature its first sloth referee. Los Angeles Times: “A major ratings draw and social media magnet, the event promotes pet adoption—all the ‘players’ are non-professionals from 48 shelters around the country. Despite its popularity, the vast majority of ‘Puppy Bowl’ devotees probably have little idea of the intense effort behind producing the two-hour show and crafting a story around the unpredictable participants. ‘The challenging part is you just can't produce animals like people,’ explains Simon Morris, the showrunner of ‘Puppy Bowl’ for the past three years. He previously worked with more complicated two-legged subjects on shows like Bravo's ‘Real Housewives of Atlanta’ spinoff ‘Don't Be Tardy’ and appreciates that puppies are, by comparison, drama-free. The creative process begins in the summer, when producers reach out to shelters in search of puppies who will be 12 to 22 weeks old when the game films in October (spoiler alert: it's not live). The goal is not just to get a wide range of sizes and breeds, but to draw from as many shelters in as many states as possible. … As the show has grown in popularity and evolved from pop culture curiosity into cherished tradition, producers continue to look for new ways to up the ante. This year's game will be played in a brand-new ‘stadium’ and include barnyard animal cheerleaders, a sloth referee and a kitty halftime show inspired by Justin Timberlake. The first ever ‘Dog Bowl,’ featuring mature canines in need of homes, will air on Saturday night.” http://lat.ms/2DG9q0u
3. HULU WILL LET SUBSCRIBERS PERSONALIZE LIVE OLYMPIC CONTENT: Hulu has launched a personalized Olympics program in its Live TV app, which will let users pick and choose the events they'd like to track when the Games kick off later this month. TechCrunch: "The company hasn’t officially announced the new feature, but the option to track your favorite Olympics events pops up when you launch the app today, allowing you to pick from various events like figure skating, ski jumping, snowboard, luge, alpine skiing and many others. The company had earlier explained that it would soon debut a personalized dashboard for the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Games, which would allow Hulu Live TV subscribers an easier way to track the activity at the Olympics, including not just the events, but also other content, like medal ceremonies, news, highlights, and more. The new feature, which pops up one time per profile, is straightforward and simple to use. In the app, Hulu presents a list of the events with a little icon representing a sport. To track the event, you just click the plus sign ('+') to follow it on Hulu. There’s also now a new section called 'Olympics Preview,' where Hulu already has some Olympics-related videos available. This includes highlights from the Sochi 2014 games, background on the U.S. Olympics team, and a PyeongChang Preview, among other things.The ability to customize the content arising from a large-scale event like the Olympics is a differentiator for Hulu in the battle with rival streaming services including on-demand competitors like Netflix and Amazon, as well as the newer live TV services like Sling TV, YouTube TV, DirecTV Now and others." http://tcrn.ch/2Eu5b5b
* INDUSTRY NEWS *
EventOps, an online tool for streamlining event management, has appointed Michael Fuller chief strategy officer.
* LOCAL NEWS *
BLOOMINGTON, MINNESOTA: Sugar Factory will open its 22nd location at the Mall of America this summer. The full-service American restaurant will seat 120 in its main dining room, and also include its signature candy store, an ice cream shop, and a coffee shop.
BOSTON: Public relations and marketing firm DPA Communications has expanded its leadership team to include its first partner, Lisa Bell.
LOS ANGELES: AARP the Magazine will host its 17th annual Movies for Grownups Awards on February 5 at the Beverly Wilshire. Attendees will include Helen Mirren, Mark Hamill, and Gary Oldman, and event proceeds will benefit A.A.R.P. Foundation, which works to end senior poverty.
Food event Cochon555 will be held on March 11 at the Viceroy Santa Monica Hotel.
For information on upcoming events in Los Angeles, visit Masterplanner: http://www.masterplanneronline.com/losangeles
MIAMI/SOUTH FLORIDA: Pride Fort Lauderdale’s “Love Pride” celebration will take place February 11 on Fort Lauderdale Beach. The event will be headlined by singer and songwriter Estelle and actress, singer, and flamenco guitarist Charo.
Global lifestyle and hospitality brand Nikki Beach Worldwide has promoted Lucia Penrod to C.E.O.
NEW YORK: CNN anchor Don Lemon will host the Ellie Awards, the national magazine awards for print and digital media, March 13 at Cipriani Wall Street.
The 15th edition of Brooklyn Designs, the borough’s design event that showcases furniture, lighting, accessories, and technology, will take place May 12-13 at the Brooklyn Museum.
The third annual Panorama music festival, taking place July 27-29 at Randall’s Island Park, has announced its lineup. Headliners include Janet Jackson, The Weeknd, and The Killers.
For information on upcoming events in New York, visit Masterplanner: http://www.masterplanneronline.com/newyork
TORONTO: The Museum of Contemporary Art will open May 26. The museum’s first exhibition will be "Believe," featuring works from 15 local and international artists.
WASHINGTON, D.C.: Washington Business Journal: “D.C.-based UrbanStems launched as a one-city flower delivery startup. Just in time for Valentine's Day 2018, it's going national. The company … raised more than $14 million in venture capital, and expanded to Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York City and Austin, is now available to the continental United States.” http://bit.ly/2rVzlf3
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With contributions from Claire Hoffman in Los Angeles and Beth Kormanik, Michele Laufik, and Ian Zelaya in New York.
BizBash Daily is the must-read digest of event industry news from BizBash.com.
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