As TCM prepares for its sixth annual Classic Film Festival in Tinseltown later this month, the network has significantly bolstered its sponsorship roster for the event.

DirecTV and The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures have joined key returnees Delta Air Lines, Citi and Bonhams as official partners of the TCM Classic Film Festival, scheduled from March 26 through March 29 and themed “History According to Hollywood.”

Attendees – there are three different packages, Spotlight, Essentials and Classic -- can watch an extensive lineup of great movies, appearances by legendary stars and filmmakers, presentations and panel discussions and special events.

As an official partner, the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures will support the opening night 50th anniversary gala presentation of The Sound of Music (1965) and attendant party. In addition, the Academy's Margaret Herrick Library will supply rare archival photography to Club TCM as well as a presentation of Hollywood Home Movies: Treasures from the Academy Film Archive. Randy Haberkamp, managing director, Preservation and Foundation Programs for the Academy, will also present Return of the Dream Machine (1902-1913), which will feature hand-cranked projection of 35mm prints from cinema’s earliest years, including a color tinted version of George Méliès’ A Trip to the Moon (1902), the Edison Co.'s The Great Train Robbery (1903), D.W. Griffith’s A Corner in Wheat (1909),and Lois Weber’s split-screen thriller Suspense (1913), with live musical accompaniment by Michael Mortilla.

For its part, the DBS leader will sponsor the “DirecTV Lounge” in the lobby of the TCL Chinese Multiplex 6. There, festival attendees will be able to unwind, charge their devices and update their social media statuses. They can also learn about DirecTV’s services and offerings.

"Our long-standing partners - Delta, Citi and Bonhams – have been instrumental in contributing to the success of the festival and I’m thrilled to have them back on board along with new partners the Academy Museum and DirecTV,” said Genevieve McGillicuddy, vice president of brand activation and partnerships at TCM. “We’re extremely thankful for the invaluable contributions that all our partners bring each year and look forward their involvement in this year’s festival.”

TCM has also reached an agreement with  Sephora to serve as the official sponsor of the screening of Roman Holiday at the El Capitan Theater, while Monster Electronics is the official partner for all live orchestra events at the festival. That includes the world premiere restorations of Steamboat Bill Jr. (1928) and The Grim Game (1919) along with offering an onsite sweepstakes for festival attendees.

The service also raised a glass with Bogart’s Gin and ABK Beer - the official spirits partner of the festival.

Deal terms were not disclosed.

TCM, in recognition of Delta’s status as an original festival partner and their increasing annual support each year of the event, has named the airline an exclusive Founding Partner of the TCM Classic Film Festival. As the official airline partner of the TCM Classic Film Festival, Delta provides air travel for many of the festival's VIP guests. This year, it will also be the exclusive sponsor for the “Live from the TCM Classic Film Festival” event with Sophia Loren on Saturday, March 28 at the Ricardo Montalban Theater in Hollywood.

“We have been very pleased to build long-term relationships with a number of great partners,” said McGillicuddy. “Our partnership with Delta not only provides travel for many of our special guests, but also the opportunity to present several key programs with high-profile talent.”

Returning for its third year as a lead partner, Citi is the official card of the 2015 TCM Classic Film Festival. In addition to an exclusive festival pass pre-sale for Citi cardmembers, attendees who use their Citi card to purchase festival passes will receive an exclusive gift when they arrive at the event. Citi will also host an exclusive preview event on the eve of the festival for its cardmembers and serve as the presenting sponsor of poolside screenings at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel.

“We also work closely with Citi to create not only special perks for festival pass holders who purchase their pass with a Citi card, but to develop events that will also support their Private Pass program,” said McGillicuddy.

International auctioneer Bonhams is now in its fourth year with the festival and will provide items to be exhibited in Club TCM, the central gathering point for festival attendees. Bonhams will also host a valuation session for festival attendees in the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. Additionally, it will sponsor such notable films as Lawrence of Arabia (1962), Limelight (1952), A Man for All Seasons (1966) and On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969)

McGillicuddy said following their first year of sponsorship in 2013 TCM launched a co-branded auction with Bonhams.  “In what is becoming a tradition at the festival, Bonhams auction house offers the opportunity for festival-goers to learn more about their personal collectibles at our annual valuation event held at the festival. Each year, we find rare items, often tying back into our programming.”

She pointed to a screening of Le Mans, where a collector brought in a racing jacket Steve McQueen wore in the film. Last year, another collector brought in Hattie McDaniel's original contract for Gone With The Wind, which screened at the festival later that day. 

TCM host and film historian Robert Osborne will once again serve as official host of the TCM Classic Film Festival, with the network’s Ben Mankiewicz also introducing various events. The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, which has a longstanding role in movie history and was the site of the first Academy Awards ceremony, is the official gathering place for the festival, and is offering special rates for festival attendees. Screenings and events during the festival also will be held at the TCL Chinese Theatre IMAX, the TCL Chinese 6 Theatres and the Egyptian Theatre, as well as other Hollywood venues.

With the Old West, Medieval England and Ancient Rome serving as touchpoints, the 2015 festival will center on "History According to Hollywood," and how -- rightly or wrongly – Tinseltown has shaped how we view and remember the past.  

Green Bay + 2.5 versus Detroit. Seattle -5 against Denver. Roger Goodell will remain commissioner when the NFL kicks off its 2015 season, -300.

That’s some of the action in Las Vegas this weekend surrounding pro football, the latter following the beleaguered commissioner’s  press conference in New York Friday afternoon, where he again admitted his mistake in the handling of the Ray Rice disaster and said the league was taking steps to examine, amend the personal conduct policy.

“Unfortunately, in the past few weeks, we have seen all too much of the NFL doing wrong, that starts with me,” said Goodell. Pledging that he would take steps to ensure this wouldn’t happen again, Goodell said he plans to meet this week with player union representatives, NFL Players Association executive director Demaurice Smith, coaches, owners and outside experts to examine the league’s personal conduct policy.

The assembled press corps, smelling blood, wanted much more. CNN’s Rachel Nichols was in attack mode, while TMZ announced that it got a copy of Rice’s Revel elevator KO of his fiancé, now wife, Janay, with just one phone call, before querying how the league with all its power and prowess came up empty. Goodell replied: “I can’t explain how you got the information, only you can.”

Goodell said he’s never thought of resigning and that he believes he has the support of the owners.

His performance was in parts arrogant, dismissive and defensive.  Attempting to remain on his talking points, Goodell’s 45-minute pitch fell flat – like a punctured pigskin.  Watching on NFL.com, he looked overmatched, He was not a confident, much less a sympathetic, figure.  Did his pitch win your business?

ESPN piled on afterward, with an "Outside The Lines" report indicating that Baltimore Ravens ownership and executives knew of the elevator blow by blow, and they asked for two-game suspension leniency for Rice. The club said the report was rife with errors and it will address them later this week, following the Cleveland game.

As to the odds on Goodell, Vegas seems confident that he will continue to be the NFL's leader.

Yet, there are so many external factors beyond his control.  The league’s internal investigation may be so much window dressing, but news organizations may uncover more smoking gun(s) about when the league and Goodell found out about tape No. 2.

More episodes of domestic violence, child beatings, drugging or worse would keep Goodell’s shoes to the fire. It can’t be pleasant to have to wake up and hope there aren’t more NFL entries on the police blotter.

With Wes Welker and others having sustained multiple head injuries, another blow, especially accompanied by a preening DB standing over his fallen prey that ends a career, would exacerbate the league’s longer-term problems.

Or worse yet, a player takes a hit and just doesn’t get up.

While P&G’s Crest has pulled out of a league-wide Breast Cancer Awareness Month initiative in light of the domestic violence issues, other major sponsors have rebuked the NFL for its follies, but have not hurt the shield’s wallet by reducing or pulling schedules.  If A-B, Pepsi or Verizon and the like decide to take their dollars elsewhere, then…But remember that mass GRPs are hard to come by.

Conducted before Friday’s press conference, a NBC News/Marist poll found that while 53% of Americans surveyed “disapprove of the NFL's handling” of the events of the pass few weeks, 85% said it “will not affect how much football they watch.”  Moreover, only 30% though Goodell should resign.

Should multiple marketers pull their schedules or viewers leave in droves, then Goodell’s reign and his $44 million annual salary would be in serious trouble.

Failing that, the smart money says Goodell keeps his job.