San Diego Dragonlets To Breathe Fire on
Women’s Polo Fields
Flutie Flakes, which hit local store shelves shortly after quarterback Doug Flutie signed with the San Diego Chargers in March, have taken on a new look.
After Flutie joined the team, the flakes were immediately stocked on Longs Drug store shelves, but boxes showed Flutie in a Buffalo Bills uniform.
Now, the boxes show Flutie in the Chargers blue-and-gold thunderbolt jersey and the cereal has a new name , Super Charged Flutie Flakes.
“I’ve had great success in my first years with new teams,” Flutie said, referring to Grey Cup championships with Calgary and Toronto in the Canadian Football League, and an NFL playoff appearance his first year in Buffalo. “We’re all hoping for a great first year with the Chargers, and also with Super Charged Flutie Flakes in the fight against autism in San Diego.”
This is the fourth edition of the breakfast cereal that has been a fan phenomenon since its introduction in 1998. Nearly 3 million boxes of the cereal, candy bars and fruit snacks have been sold in the western New York and New England markets since the products were first introduced.
Half of Flutie’s proceeds go to the Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism.
Flutie and his wife, Laurie, established the foundation in honor of their son, Doug Jr., who was diagnosed with autism at age 3.
The foundation awards annual grants to nonprofit organizations that provide services for children with autism and to organizations that conduct research on the causes and effects of autism.
Through the contributions from Flutie Flakes and other sources, more than $3 million has been raised for the foundation.
The cereal is also available at Wal-Mart, Albertsons and Ralphs stores. Also coming to area stores just in time for the Chargers regular season is the Flutie Flakes Candy Bar. The candy is expected to be in stores Sept. 8.
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Polo, Anyone?:
As one inaugural season ends for the first professional women’s soccer league and its local franchise, the San Diego Spirit, another season is set to begin for women’s polo.
The United States Women’s Polo Federation, or the USWPF, recently announced formation of the league with 12 teams , one of which will be the San Diego Dragonlets.
Representatives in the league’s Atlanta office said they are looking at several potential playing sites for the team, including the San Diego Polo Club in Del Mar and the Lakeside Polo Club in the East County.
Financial details of the team or league were not available. Shawn Dennis, the league’s vice president of sponsorships, said information regarding financial backing and local sponsorships will be available in the coming weeks.
Kimberly Carr-Cavallo, the league’s president and commissioner, said the mission of the league is to innovate women’s polo and bring it to the forefront of premium sports.
“We believe the league will be a key contributor to the American viewing public’s growing infatuation with equestrian sporting events such as the (Kentucky) Derby.”
Other teams will play in Atlanta (Firetails); Los Angeles (Golden-wings); Charlottesville, Va. (Violet-tails); Chicago (Red Skimmers); Dallas (Forktails); Lexington, Ky. (Blue Skimmers); Long Island (New York Meadowhawks); Scottsdale (Sanddragons); Seattle, Wash. (Jewelwings); Palm Beach (Rubyspots); and Washington, D.C. (Darners).
The regular season will run from late November through April.
Green, Green, The Grass Is Green:
San Diego-based Eagle Greens, installer of synthetic putting greens, recently merged with Scottsdale, Ariz.-based Southwest Greens to become the company’s California arm. Eagle Greens will officially become Southwest Greens of Southern California, effective Sept. 1.
Under the agreement, Southwest Greens will offer its products in San Diego, Orange, Los Angeles and Riverside counties.
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Scott Griggs, owner of Eagle Greens, was one of the original founders of Southwest Greens in Scottsdale. He left the company in 1996 to start Eagle Greens in San Diego.
Last year, Eagle Greens installed 125 artificial putting greens and posted revenues of $650,000. Griggs expects revenues in excess of $1 million this year.
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In The Broadcast Booth:
The San Diego Sockers, a local indoor soccer team, recently signed a broadcast agreement with KSDO Radio 1130 and Radio Unica 1040. Both stations will broadcast every game live in its entirety.
The Sockers play from August through November.
The deadline for the next SportsBiz column is Thursday, Aug. 30. Send related items to dward@sdbj.com.
