Another Name for The Billboard ... Ratings for Team USA-Canada Strong ... Panthers Back on Wednesday

The Panthers send me plenty of e-mails regarding numerous things going on at their arena in Sunrise, but sometimes, they must just take my name off the list.

Like on Friday. So sorry this 'news' is a little late.

Here's the press release from the team's website:

Sunrise Sports & Entertainment announced today that BankAtlantic renamed The BankAtlantic Center to The Jay-Z Center for 24 hours in support of the national kickoff of Jay-Z’s BP3 Tour on Saturday Feb. 20th.
 


The concert marks the opening of the famed artist’s 23-stop spring tour, which also includes concerts in New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles. 
 


“BankAtlantic wanted to extend Jay-Z a warm Florida welcome from Florida’s Bank by offering to rename the BankAtlantic Center for one night only. BankAtlantic Center is proud to be the home of Jay-Z’s national tour launch and is looking forward to a spectacular performance that will set the bar for the tour.” said SSE President & COO, Michael Yormark. “His incredible performance in front of a sold-out crowd further represents the BankAtlantic Center’s ability to thrill South Florida entertainment fans with a diverse array of concerts and events.”

By all accounts it was a good show by Jay-Z -- and a great get for the Jay-Z Billboard Center.

Here is a link to Adrian Ruhi's review of the show, the set list and photos from the show.

Word is, the Panthers went all out to get this show over their rivals from Miami at AmericanAirlines Arena. I would not be surprised if this was thrown into the contract as a perk to help seal the deal.

Wonder what they are doing for this weekend's Jimmy Buffet show?

Maybe they could name the place after Buffet's beer -- Land Shark Arena? Land Shark Center? Land Shark Stadium?

Nah, no one would ever go for that one.

-- Since construction began in 1996, the Sawgrass arena has been called, at one time or another:

Broward County Civic Arena; National Car Rental Center; Office Depot Center; BankAtlantic Center; Jay-Z Center.

Some names, of course, lasted longer than others.

-- The ratings for Sunday night's Team USA-Canada game were huge both in the States (despite being sent all the way over to MSNBC) and in Canada.

According to The Toronto Star, the "game became the most-watched sports broadcast in Canadian history, with an average of 10.6 million people sharing in the national angst."

Here in the States, the game was watched by more than 7 million people -- a little more than the Stanley Cup Finals averaged each night last season.

Panthers Tomas Vokoun and Dennis Seidenberg each have at least one more game in Vancouver. Vokoun backstops the Czechs tomorrow against Latvia and Seidenberg's German team's play comes to an end as they face Roberto Luongo and Canada.

-- The Panthers Olympic break is about over.

The team (minus Vokoun and Seidenberg and I'm sure one or two others) will be back at Incredible Ice in Coral Springs on Wednesday at 2 p.m. That practice, as well as the other ones leading up to the March 2 return in Atlanta, are also open. After Wednesday, the team is scheduled to go at 10 a.m.

Come see your favorite current Panthers while you can. They all might not be around all that long.

The roster freeze ends March 1.

Comments

[Big Slap Shot Bob]

LOL. Nice, GR, but so true. It's going to be a very interesting weekend for the Panthers.

What an awesome Olympics it's been for hockey. I really enjoyed the Russia-Czech game on top of yesterday's mega game.

[JoeSchmoe]

"They all might not be around all that long."

Bull. Sexton is all talk.

[season ticket holder since day one]

it will be interesting to see what happens, I for one am not holding my breath as I have seen it all through the years,

I believe that action speaks louder than words so far no action by the new owners only words

[JimH]

I wonder if the team will throw caution to the wind and try for Cheechoo when he's called back up. It's not every day you can get a former Richard trophy winner on reentry waivers. Maybe the Panthers would go for him at half price.

[FLA Kittens]

Countdown to the great purge begins on Wednesday for both Rochester and Panthers. I'm adding Buffalo Sabres to the list of possible trading partners since they were at the last Amerks game...

Forget Cheechoo, it will be Vokoun's teammmate Jagr. ROFL

[Eric]

I do have a strong feeling that we will have the SAME roster in a week. I do not think many will bite for our players. I think there will be much more action on Draft day.

[JimH]

Kittens, if we could land Jagr (ha!) I'll start going to games again. He'd probably be happy with all the other Czechs on the team and would do wonders for someone like Repik. There's just no bloody way this team would pony up the cash for him.

[Saskpantherfan]

Hey GR, what do you make of these Vokoun for Huet rumors?

[FLA Kittens]

We can only wonder what NBC is thinking when they banish all the hockey games to MSNBC. People hate NBC's coverage of the Olympics because it is all fluff and cut outs most parts at night. They should keep the fluff on MSNBC, and put live hockey games on NBC at night.

Some are stating that NBC banishing hockey to MSNBC could be the end of NHL's involvement in the Olympics (they are showing NHL Players for free and put them on MSNBC????) Come on!!

JimH, if the Panthers were smart, they would have their scouts at the Olympic games to find possible free agent signings for the summmer. It beats watching video all day long. Especially since FLorida will sound sweet to the european league players, until they are here and meet Yormack and Co.

[zenator]

The Panthers are not going to blow up their young nucleus on offense of Horton, Weiss, Booth, Frolic, but will try to trade Reinprecht, Olesz and Stillman. On defense, Garrison and Ellerby will be ready next year so 2 D-men must go probably Seids and Leopold. Vokoun is safe, at least, until the off-season. Any that is my opinion.

[Eric]

I still think that one of the 4--Weiss, Horton, Booth or Frolik will have to go. I don't think that we will get much in return for what else we have, and Sexton does not want to confront an angry mob by not making a major move.