Closing Bell, January 18, 2002

LEONSIS, HELTON SPEAK AS SPORT SUMMIT WRAPS IN N.Y.

The 24^th International Sport Summit at the Marriott Marquis in N.Y. wrapped up today, and the keynote presentations featured Leisure Intelligence Group President Richard Luker, Capitals Owner & AOL Vice Chair Ted Leonsis, McCann-Erickson Vice Chair Mark Dowley and NASCAR President Mike Helton.

Leonsis said of the Capitals' Web site: "We truly developed a local hockey community and a portal, driven by e-commerce and tickets – 60% of our season tickets and individual tickets are sold online – not the phone, not the salesman, not TicketMaster. We've also given everyone who's a Washington Caps season ticket holder a plan number, like it's a bank. They can get into their own account; if they need tickets for some friends, they get first access. If they sent their check in and want to know if we received it, they can do that. It literally gives them a view into the account."

McCann-Erickson's Dowley said, "What we're seeing now for the first time – and really this has happened in the past six-eight weeks – is actually that the networks are coming to us more saying, 'We don't have this sport anymore,' or 'We're seeing ratings declines, what do you want to do? What do your clients want to do? What do you want to produce with us, and own a stake in with your clients and the agency and the property in terms of media? What exactly do you want people to see? What are your clients looking for? We're tired of throwing darts at the board and guessing that this is going to be a great male 18-24 show … and the show bombs, and your advertisers don't want to buy it.'" Dowley: "The paradigm is really changing, because the dollars have gotten more restricted, the risks have gotten greater in terms of ratings, so there's going to be much more of a symbiotic relationship between the brand marketer, the advertiser or the media agency, the content provider and the network."

NASCAR's Helton said, via research, "We learned that there are now 75 million NASCAR fans in the country, and that's up 12 million from the year before. But what's more important, of that 75 million, hardcore fans [defined as one who watches as much as 9 hours of NASCAR programming a week] grew from 30 million to 40 million. The reason it's important to us is that as we've gone out and grown the sport, reached new levels in the sport, it was very important to us not to lose our core base." Helton added that fans in the 18-34 and 18-49 demos grew 40% in '01. Helton said NASCAR's fan base in the Northeast "grew the most. … The Northeast was a critical area, and the Midwest became a critical area from both television and from the first year of being able to go to Chicago and Kansas City. Thos local live appearances were critical for the boost. Folks that went to the races for the first time went back home and said, 'Hey, that's a pretty big deal. I'm going to watch it on television'" (THE DAILY).

POUND PROMOTED TO IOC PANEL ADDRESSING SIZES, COSTS

The AP reports that former IOC VP Dick Pound "is getting a new high-profile role with the IOC a month after being replaced as the Olympics' powerful marketing chief." Pound will head a new commission "charged with coming up with ways to reduce the spiraling size and cost of the Olympics." Pound said that he "received a fax Friday from [IOC President] Jacques Rogge confirming his appointment as chairman of the panel, formally called the Olympic Games Study Commission" (AP, 1/18).

CUBS HAPPY TO BE A PART OF MEMORABLE CHICAGO WEEKEND

The CHICAGO TRIBUNE reports that Cubs officials "aren't upset their annual fan convention will be upstaged Saturday by the return of Michael Jordan and a [Bears] playoff game at Soldier Field." Cubs VP/Marketing & Broadcasting John McDonough: "It will be a historic, epic day in Chicago sports history. It's funny that a baseball team will play a part, considering it's January." The team expect "as many as 15,000 fans at the Chicago Hilton and Towers each day this weekend" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 1/18).

GOIN' FOR BROKER: REDS ANNOUNCE TIX PRICES AT NEW BALLPARK

Reds COO John Allen today announced ticket prices for '03, the club's first season at the new 42,000-seat Great American Ball Park. Allen: "From the very beginning, the Reds organization made a commitment to our fans and the taxpayers that we would have a tiered pricing structure in Great American Ball Park. We feel the prices announced today meet our objectives." The ballpark's 14 different ticket prices range from the $5 Outer View Level seats to the $175 Diamond seats (THE DAILY).

CART PRESIDENT'S SON INJURED IN PRIVATE TESTING ACCIDENT

David Pook, son of CART President Chris Pook, "has been injured in a private testing accident at Phoenix International Raceway." David Pook was transported to nearby Good Samaritan Hospital in Phoenix, where he remains "in critical condition in the Intensive Neurological Care Unit with a clean fracture of his second cervical vertebra." However, Pook is "conscious and talking, and is in good spirits" (CRASH.net, 1/18).

BUZZER BEATERS

Blue Sky Golf was recently awarded a license for a line of Budweiser golf merchandise. Blue Sky plans to introduce an exclusive line of core golf accessory products at the '02 PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando (THE DAILY).

The Portland OREGONIAN reports that the 17th version of Nike's Air Jordan "comes packed in a metallic silver briefcase, complete with CD-ROM with behind-the-scenes footage of how the shoe was developed." This packaging could contribute to the shoe's $200 asking price, which is "25 percent higher than last year's model" (Portland OREGONIAN, 1/18).

The Lynx will introduce a Teen Advisory Board for the '02 WNBA season, which will serve as an opportunity for MN teens to have input in some of the issues that face the Lynx organization (THE DAILY).

WEEKEND EVENTS

Friday

The Pacers will hold "Tony Gwynn Appreciation Night" for their 7:00pm ET game against the Pistons at Conseco Fieldhouse. Gwynn will address fans from 4:15-4:45pm ET, and will sign autographs from 5:00-6:00pm ET (THE DAILY).

Saturday

Mystics F Chamique Holdsclaw and G Markita Aldridge will lead a team of WNBA and local basketball players in the 13^th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Women's Basketball Tournament, scheduled for 10:30am and 1:30pm ET at Anacostia High School in Washington, DC (THE DAILY).

Comcast SportsNet will host "Meet the Phillies 2002" at King of Prussia Plaza at 12:00pm ET. Phillies manager Larry Bowa and various Comcast SportsNet on-air personalities are scheduled to attend (THE DAILY).

The Coyotes will host "Elvis Night," celebrating Elvis Presley's birthday, during the 7:00pm PT game against the Sabres at America West Arena (THE DAILY).

Sunday

Epic performing artists Highway 9 will perform live following the NLL NJ Storm home game versus the Philadelphia Wings at 1:00pm ET (THE DAILY).

The AHL Philadelphia Phantoms will hand out a pair of thunderstick noisemakers to the first 1,000 children in attendance as part of the Comcast Network's "CN8 Night" (THE DAILY).

IN OTHER NEWS….

Nielsen//NetRatings' Internet ratings report for the month of December '01 revealed that the number of female Internet users at home grew at a faster clip than the overall Internet population, jumping 9% in December '01 from a year ago. The total Internet population grew at a rate of 6% year-over-year (THE DAILY).

The AP reports that Somali-American community leaders called for a boycott of "Black Hawk Down," charging the new movie "depicts their African homeland's people as savages and could create a backlash against refugees who fled to the United States" (AP, 1/18).

THE DAILY STAT: NBDL ATTENDANCE & NFL PLAYOFF RATINGS

The following presents NBDL announced attendance through January 17, 2002 (THE DAILY):

The following compiles ratings for last year's second round of the NFL Playoffs (THE DAILY):

CRITICS WEIGH IN: “BLACK HAWK DOWN” & “SNOW DOGS”

This week, critics fawn over Ridley Scott's brutal "Black Hawk Down," but dog (or completely avoid) Cuba Gooding Jr.'s romp in the "Snow":

Movie
	Black Hawk Down	Snow Dogs
Chicago Sun-Times		Not reviewed
L.A. Times		Not reviewed
N.Y. Times
USA Today
Washington Post

CHANNEL SURFING

FRIDAY

ESPN will air men's college basketball: Charlotte-South FL at 7:00pm ET, and Memphis-Southern MS, at 9:00pm ET.

ESPN2 will air Friday Night Fights at 9:00pm ET.

ESPN2 will air early rounds of the '02 Australian Open at 11:30pm ET.

SATURDAY

ESPN will air NFL Countdown at 11:00am ET.

NBC will air either Lakers-Spurs or Wizards-Bulls (regional) at 1:00pm ET.

ABC will air the fourth round of the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic at 3:00pm ET.

ESPN will air early rounds of the '02 Australian Open at 4:00pm ET.

Fox will air the NFC Divisional Playoffs, Eagles-Bears, at 4:30pm ET.

ESPN2 will air auto racing's '02 Chili Bowl at 8:00pm ET.

CBS will air the AFC Divisional Playoffs, Raiders-Patriots, at 8:00pm ET.

ESPN2 will air early rounds of the '02 Australian Open at 10:00pm ET.

Actor Jack Black will host NBC's "Saturday Night Live," with musical guest The Strokes, at 11:30pm ET.

SUNDAY

ESPN will air NFL Countdown at 11:30am ET.

CBS will air the AFC Divisional Playoffs, Ravens-Steelers, at 12:30pm ET.

ESPN2 will air women's college basketball, VA-Duke, at 1:00pm ET, and Vanderbilt-GA at 3:00pm ET.

ESPN will air early rounds of the '02 Australian Open at 2:00pm ET.

ABC will air the final round of the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic at 3:00pm ET.

Fox will air the NFC Divisional Playoffs, Packers-Rams, at 4:00pm ET.

ESPN2 will air Senators-Red Wings at 7:00pm ET.

ESPN will debut three hours of original programming, dubbed "The Block," at 8:00pm ET.

ESPN will air "The Season: Arizona Football – Part I" at 10:00pm ET.

ESPN2 will air early rounds of the '02 Australian Open at 10:00pm ET.

If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please let us know at:
dailyinsider@sportsbusinessdaily.com

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