| | The Daily Insider
Afternoon News & Headlines
Tuesday, November 20, 2001
4:00pm ET | |
| • | Expos Proceed With Lease Negotiations Despite Contraction Rumors |
| • | Call For Olympic Confidence Heard In Greece |
| • | CO Ski Resorts To Entice Thanksgiving Travelers With Coupons |
| • | Annika Sorenstam Discusses LPGA Issues During CNBC’s “Power Lunch” |
| • | Cleveland Media Barking Praise For Browns Coach Butch Davis |
| • | Buzzer Beaters/Daily Stat/Channel Surfing |
REPORT HAS EXPOS WORKING ON A LEASE DESPITE CONTRACTION
The AP cites a Montreal La Presse report stating that the Expos "are negotiating a new lease on Olympic Stadium despite uncertainty about the team's future." The current lease expires November 30, and a "meeting was held last week between the team and the provincial government board that operates the domed stadium" (AP, 11/20).
GREEK OLYMPIC LEADER TRIES TO BUILD UP CONFIDENCE
The AP reports that Greece’s Olympic Planner, Culture Minister Evangelos Venizelos, "appealed to Greeks on Tuesday to believe in their ability to manage the 2004 Summer Games." Venizelos urged Greeks to stop "stereotyping themselves" as unable to handle an Olympics (AP, 11/20).
CO SKI RESORTS TO OFFER VOUCHERS TO VISITORS THIS WEEK
The DENVER POST reports that CO ski resorts "are gathering employee recruits to canvass" Denver Int’l Airport over the Thanksgiving holiday and greet travelers with "coupons for discounted travel into any Colorado airport through next season." Staff will be handing out vouchers good for $50 off United Airlines tickets valued between $350 and $524. Coupons for $100 off tickets valued at more than $525 also will be given to travelers. The coupons are valid for a year and can be used for tickets into any Colorado airport (DENVER POST, 11/20).
ANNIKA SORENSTAM TALKS SPONSORSHIPS, FUTURE OF LADIES GOLF
LPGA Tour player Annika Sorenstam appeared on CNBC’s "Power Lunch" this afternoon and said of the LPGA Tour is "trying very hard" to increase its brand recognition. Sorenstam: "We are not as big as the PGA. But on the other hand, golf is growing very much. Hopefully, there are women that want to play golf. I know personally that there are a lot of junior girls that want to play golf. The game will grow on the ladies’ side." Sorenstam added, "I think marketing is a key. … It’s tough when you are not on TV every week; then [viewers] don’t see you. … And companies want to be associated with the LPGA because there are some great players, some great ladies. That’s what we are hoping, and hopefully that will happen in the next few years."
Asked if her on-course success this year will lead to an increase in sponsorship opportunities, Sorenstam replied, "I think so, definitely. … There are more companies that are interested. Because it’s not just being on the golf course hitting golf balls. There is so much more around it." Noting a deal she has with Microsoft for an Internet golf game, Sorenstam added, "Those are things that we’ll look for in the future, associations and moving on further than just the golf course" ("Power Lunch," CNBC, 11/20).
BUZZER BEATERS
Last summer's Wimbledon championships made a profit of $46.4M, an increase of $1.3M from ‘00. The profit "goes to the Lawn Tennis Association for development of the sport at the grass roots level" (AP, 11/20).
Nike Manager for Austria Martin Kerscher confirmed that the sportswear and equipment company "is to set up a new Nike Only retail chain in Austria," with the first outlet "scheduled to open in the early summer of 2002" (JUST-STYLE.com, 11/20).
An editorial in today’s Cleveland PLAIN DEALER states it "has now been obvious for weeks" that the hiring of Browns coach Butch Davis was "a masterstroke," and that because of "his leadership, this franchise’s future is brighter than at any time in at least the last 15 years" (Cleveland PLAIN DEALER, 11/20).
Mariners RF Ichiro Suzuki "became only the second rookie" to win a MVP Award, "narrowly beating" Jason Giambi for the AL honor today. Suzuki earned 11 first-place votes and 289 points in balloting by the BWAA, while Giambi earned eight first-place votes and 281 points (AP, 11/20).
The AUGUSTA CHRONICLE reports that today's 11:00 am ET contest between the ECHL Augusta Lynx and Pee Dee Pride was the "first experience with the coolest game on ice" for area school children, as the newspaper and the Lynx teamed up to offer a crash course in the game of hockey, dubbed "Hockey 101" (AUGUSTA CHRONICLE, 11/20).
CNN/SI has released its fourth annual "Turkeys Of The Year" award today. The winners are listed on cnnsi.com. A selection of the winners, as noted by CNN/SI’s John Donovan (THE DAILY):
- Turkey of 2001: Nate Newton, "virtually (hack, hack!) smoking the competition…"
- MLB Commissioner Bud Selig, who "started off-season labor talks by vowing to axe two teams."
- Ally McBeal Ads and Fox: "Talk about someone who needs some Turkey."
- Mavericks Owner Mark Cuban, for his "TV show. No Emmy. Just a Turkey."
TONIGHT’S EVENTS
The D’Rays will host about 100 homeless men and women at a holiday dinner this evening at Tropicana Field (THE DAILY).
Mavs G Michael Finley is asking fans to make donations to the North Texas Food Bank during tonight’s home game against the Sonics at 7:30pm CT. Donations (up to $10,000) will be matched by Finley (THE DAILY).
Four current and four former NFL Giants players will meet with a total of 275 N.Y. firefighters and their children today at Giants Stadium at 4:00pm ET for "FDNY/Giants Football Experience." The event, which lasts until 6:00pm ET, will include football drills, tours of the field, press box and locker room, and an autograph session (THE DAILY).
The 76ers will assist the Local 22 Firefighters stuff Holiday food baskets today, which will be delivered to widows of fallen firefighters in the Philadelphia area (THE DAILY).
IN OTHER NEWS…
AAA "predicts that 30 million Thanksgiving travelers – a record 87% of those going on a trip of 50 miles or more – will choose to drive because of fears of flying" following the September 11 attacks (AP, 11/20).
THE DAILY STAT: BILLBOARD’S TOP ALBUMS
| The following lists Billboard Magazine's top-selling CDs for the week (BILLBOARD, 11/24):
|
| Rank | | Album | Artist | Label |
| 1 | | Britney | Britney Spears | Jive |
| 2 | | Echoes | Pink Floyd | Capitol |
| 3 | | Invincible | Michael Jackson | Epic |
| 4 | | Escape | E. Iglesias | Interscope |
| 5 | | A Day Without Rain | Enya | Reprise |
| 6 | | The Great Depression | DMX | Def Jam |
| 7 | | The Hits | Backstreet Boys | Jive |
| 8 | | Silver Side Up | Nickelback | Roadrunner |
| 9 | | The Road Less Traveled | George Strait | MCA |
| 10 | | Pain Is Love | Ja Rule | Def Jam |
| |
CHANNEL SURFING
ESPN will air the first semifinal of the Maui Invitational, South Carolina-Duke, at 7:00pm ET.
ESPN2 will air Avalanche-Rangers at 8:00pm ET.
TBS will air Hornets-Wizards at 8:00pm ET.
TNT will air PGA Grand Slam Golf, First Round at 8:00pm ET.
ESPN will air the second semifinal of the Maui Invitational, Ball St.-UCLA, at 9:30pm ET.
MLB Commissioner Bud Selig will be on FSN’s "The Last Word."
HBO's "Real Sports" will include an interview with Louisville men's basketball coach Rick Pitino, and former Cowboys WR Michael Irvin.
Dennis Rodman will be on "The Tonight Show" with Jay Leno.
Giants LF Barry Bonds and Rams WR Torry Holt will be on "Unscripted."
The History Channel profiles "Egypt: Behind the Pyramids" at 9:00pm ET.
A&E’s "Biography" will profile Martha Stewart at 8:00pm ET.
NBC will air "Jennifer Lopez In Concert" at 8:00pm ET.
E!’s "True Hollywood Story" will profile the TV classic "Dynasty" at 8:00pm ET.
HEADLINERS
Here are tonight’s headline guests on the following talk shows:
| "The Late Show" | Julia Roberts |
| "The Tonight Show" | Dennis Rodman |
| "The Late Late Show" | Eric McCormack |
| "Late Night" | Ed Burns |
If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please let us know at:
dailyinsider@sportsbusinessdaily.com
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