The Daily Insider
Afternoon News & Headlines
Thursday, September 6, 2001
4:00pm ET
| • | A Whole New Game: Las Vegas Bowl Grabs New Title Sponsor |
| • | Sweet Home Alabama? Univ. Of AL Gets Letter From NCAA |
| • | Run For The Border: CART To Host Race In Mexico City In ‘02 |
| • | Rawlings Announces Disappointing Financial News |
| • | Venator Locks In 3Q Estimates |
| • | Buzzer Beaters |
SEGA SPORTS TO TITLE SPONSOR THE LAS VEGAS BOWL
Video game company Sega Sports announced today that it has inked a two-year title sponsorship deal with the Las Vegas Bowl. Sega will be incorporated into the official bowl logo and receive signage, program advertising, VIP packages and other in-game promotional elements. The Sega Sports Las Vegas Bowl will be televised Christmas Day on ABC (THE DAILY).
UNIV. OF AL RECEIVES LETTER OF INQUIRY FROM THE NCAA
The AP reports that the Univ. of AL (UA) "received official word from the NCAA Thursday detailing alleged rules violations in the Crimson Tide football program." The letter of inquiry comes after months of investigation by the NCAA, and "is similar to a grand jury indictment." UA faces penalties "including probation, a reduction in scholarships, a bowl ban and loss of postseason revenues." The NCAA investigated UA over "allegations that an Alabama booster paid $200,000 to a high school coach in Memphis, TN, in return for the coach sending a star player to Alabama" (AP/YAHOO, 9/6).
CART TO HOST RACE IN MEXICO CITY IN ‘02
CART announced today it has reached agreement with Mexico-based Corporacion Interamericana de Entretenimiento to hold a race in Mexico City beginning in ’02. The deal is for five years at $4M annually, the most of any CART North American event. The race marks the return of CART to Mexico City, where it has not raced since 1981. A date for the event, which will be held on the road course at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, has yet to be announced (THE DAILY).
RAWLINGS EXPECTS EARNINGS TO FALL BELOW EARLIER ESTIMATE
Rawlings Sporting Goods announced Thursday that despite an expected profit in FY ’01, the company predicts earnings will be below prior estimates. Rawlings, manufacturer of the official ball of MLB and other sports equipment, said ’01 sales would be flat with last year while gross margins are projected to be beneath last year’s level. At presstime, shares of Rawlings were at $3.80, down $0.45 (THE DAILY).
VENATOR EXPECTS TO REACH 3Q EARNINGS ESTIMATES
REUTERS reports that Venator Group Inc. today "said sales in the first month of the third quarter are running above expectations and the company expects to meet earnings estimates for the third quarter and the full year." Venator CFO Bruce Hartman, on the financial news: "We are encouraged by our strong sales results in both the United States and international markets" (REUTERS/YAHOO, 9/6).
At presstime, shares of Venator were at $17.83, up $0.18 (THE DAILY).
BUZZER BEATERS
MLB Advanced Media announced today that it has chosen NEXL to provide managed services for www.mlb.com (THE DAILY)….AutoNation’s 26 "Maroone" dealerships in South FL kicks off its corporate sponsorship of the Univ. of Miami athletic department by giving away 3,000 tickets to the Hurricanes home opener Saturday against Rutgers Univ. (THE DAILY)….Actor Burt Reynolds, a former football player at FL State Univ., will narrate the 10-part series "Rites of Autumn," an in-depth look at the history and tradition of college football, next month on ESPN (AP, 9/6)…. Bober Associates, Inc. announced today that it signed a rep deal with LPGA Tour member, broadcaster and analyst Kay Cockerill (THE DAILY)….Canadiens C Saku Koivu will require chemotherapy for abdominal cancer and will likely miss the upcoming NHL season (AP, 9/6).
IN OTHER NEWS: The AP reports that the Houston Chronicle has cut 127 jobs "as it contends with an industrywide downturn in advertising" (AP/BOSTON GLOBE, 9/6)….Motorola Inc. eliminated 2,000 jobs on Thursday "as a result of the continuing slump in the telecommunications industry." The company has cut "more than 20 percent of its work force since last December" (AP/BOSTON GLOBE, 9/6).
THE DAILY STATS
$7.75 – The hourly pay for ballboys at the U.S. Open
| MORE INFO FROM FORBES VALUATIONS |
Today's "Back of the Book" in THE DAILY featured the latest NFL franchise valuations from Forbes. The following lists the teams with the highest increase in Forbes’ valuations since '98. The average increase since '98 was 62%.
|
| RK | TEAM | % +/- | | RK | TEAM | % +/- |
| 1) | Patriots | 108% | | 6) | Buccaneers | 68% |
| 2) | Redskins | 98% | 7) | Chargers | 68% |
| 3) | Cowboys | 80% | 8) | Titans | 66% |
| 4) | Jaguars | 70% | 9) | Ravens | 65% |
| 5) | Broncos | 69% | 10) | 49ers | 65% |
CHANNEL SURFING
NFL Referees Association negotiator Tom Condon will be on "The Last Word."
ESPN will air College Gameday at 7:00pm ET followed by the Indiana-North Carolina St. football game at 7:30pm ET.
ESPN’s coverage of the PGA Tour’s Bell Canadian Open began at 2:00pm ET.
The "Fox Family Game of the Week" is Indians-Red Sox.
USA Network’s coverage of the U.S. Open begins at 7:00pm ET and will feature a mixed doubles match followed by the Hewitt-Roddick men’s quarterfinal match.
TNT’s delayed coverage of the Goodwill Games will feature figure skating, track and field and boxing at 8:00pm ET.
ESPN2 will air the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Kroger 200 at 8:00pm ET.
ESPN2 will air the Texas A&M-Wyoming football game at 10:00pm ET.
ESPN Classic’s "SportsCentury" will profile John McEnroe.
A&E’s "Biography" will profile The Love Boat.
The MTV Video Music Awards airs at 8:00pm ET.
HEADLINERS
Here are tonight’s headline guests on the following talk shows:
| "The Late Show" | Tim Robbins |
| "The Tonight Show" | Tom Hanks |
| "Late Night" | Tom Selleck |
| "The Late Late Show" | Vin Diesel (r) |
| "Larry King Live" | Anne Heche |
If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please let us know at:
dailyinsider@sportsbusinessdaily.com
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