CA: Governor cashing in on Rolling Stones (For $100,000, party&get 'A Bigger Bang' w/ aRnold)

Here's the ticket: a private evening rockin' the night away with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger during the kickoff of the Rolling Stones' "A Bigger Bang'' U.S. tour on Aug. 21 at Boston's Fenway Park.

Here's the bottom line: $10,000 a pop to get in on a private preconcert reception and front-and-center seats to watch the show -- or $100,000 to sit with the governor in his luxury box.

The eyebrow-raising event is one of a cluster of glitzy fundraisers the star-power governor will headline in the next few weeks as he seeks to arm his campaign fund with $50 million in preparation for the Nov. 8 special election -- which will determine the fate of his political agenda and, observers say, his chances for re-election in 2006.

Marty Wilson, the governor's chief fundraiser, said Wednesday that Schwarzenegger has planned about half a dozen state events and other fundraisers coast to coast this month and next.

"We have a very ambitious finance plan that will go a long way to helping us meet our overall fundraising goals -- and be in a position to fund our television campaign this fall,'' Wilson said Wednesday.

The Rolling Stones benefit, limited to 40 lucky fans, comes thanks to a donation of a rare block of center-stage seats and a luxury box to the group's 2005 tour kickoff -- courtesy of mortgage lender and mega-political donor Ameriquest. The company, based in Orange, is the lead sponsor of the Stones' 2005 tour and has written $1.5 million in checks to Republican Schwarzenegger's campaign coffers to date.

In political circles, where competitive fundraisers are continually inventing new ways to vacuum up cash, the unusual Stones benefit looks like a first.

I didn't see this reported on FR but the Stones are lined up to Monday Night Football to promote their new album.

It takes alot of balls to insult half of the United States who voted for Bush and expect Joe-Sixpack to watch Monday Night Football with the Rolling Stones headlining.

'Monday Night Football' To Roll With The Stones

by Wayne Friedman, Tuesday, Aug 9, 2005 8:00 AM EST

TAKING MUSIC BRANDED ENTERTAINMENT TO harder-hitting levels, the NFL will team with the Rolling Stones in creating a season-long marketing effort for ABC's "Monday Night Football."

The marketing campaign should help boost the Stones' Sept. 6 release of their new album, "A Bigger Bang." Major music artists--more than ever--are looking for TV marketing tie-ins to help boost slumping music sales.

Video from the Stones' concert tour appearance in Detroit will be featured during the Sept. 8 prime-time telecast "NFL Opening Kickoff 2005," which is a one-hour ABC special to run before the season opener between the New England Patriots and the Oakland Raiders.

Other Stones video footage will run throughout the 2005 season.

This is ABC's last big marketing push for "Monday Night Football"--which has, in recent years, lost the network around $500 million per season.

In 2006, "MNF" will move to ABC sister network, ESPN. That cost the cable sports network $8.8 billion for an eight-year deal. NBC will get the lone broadcast prime-time NFL package of games for Sunday night, to also start in 2006. NBC agreed to pay $600 million a year for six years.

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