| | The Daily Insider
Afternoon News & Headlines
Wednesday, January 23, 2002
4:00pm ET | |
| • | NHL Draws On The Power Of Sun To Promote Web Site |
| • | Mayor Wines And Dines CART Execs In Hopes Of Landing St. Pete Race |
| • | Stadium Requirement Forces Scotland To Bring Ireland Aboard For Bid |
| • | Aspen Day-Trippers Now Offered Overnight Options |
| • | WNBA's Success A Surprise To One of League's Stars |
| • | Buzzer Beaters/In Other News/Daily Stat/Channel Surfing |
NHL HARNESSES POWER OF SUN TO DRIVE WEB TRAFFIC
The NHL and Sun Microsystems today announced that Sun will be the official technology partner of the NHL and NHLPA. The technology and marketing agreement intends to enhance the online fan experience for the 8 million visitors per month to NHL.com. The technology partnership will expand the NHL's Web site audience to new users through the delivery of real-time game data and scores to wireless devices and interactive TV users. The phrase, "Powered By Sun Microsystems," currently exists on NHL.com (THE DAILY).
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman also confirmed during a conference call this afternoon to announce the deal with Sun that he is under contract with the league through the '07-08 season. Bettman: "I don't think this is the forum to be discussing this, but I am under contract through 2008. It was finalized some time ago" (AP, 1/23).
MAYOR CATERS TO CART IN EFFORT TO LURE RACE TO ST. PETE
St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Baker made a presentation on Tuesday to CART's executive board, which is expected to put "the final stamp of approval on" a potential St. Petersburg Grand Prix. CART President Chris Pook said, "It's subject to the board and the owners all agreeing, but if we can open up the season here, that would be fantastic. I'm going to recommend it to the board." A vote to approve the race, however, "is not on the board's agenda this week," and their next meeting is scheduled for February 19 (ST. PETERSBURG TIMES, 1/23).
SCOTLAND RECRUITS IRELAND FOR JOINT SOCCER BID
The AP reports that the Scottish government today "backed a proposal for a joint bid with Ireland to stage soccer's 2008 European Championship." Scotland, which originally planned to bid alone for the event, approached Ireland "after the Union of European Football Associations decided bidders must have eight 30,000-seat stadiums instead of six" (AP, 1/23).
SKIERS OPT FOR OVERNIGHTS WHEN HITTING ASPEN SLOPES
The ASPEN TIMES reported that Stay Aspen-Snowmass added a $299 overnight option to the $99 round-trip Ski Plane deal they unveiled last month. The one-day excursions, which "bring skiers and boarders in first thing in the morning and return them to Denver at the end of the day," are "now being marketed seven days a week." However, Stay Aspen-Snowmass President Bill Tomcich said that both "local lodge owners and travelers have clamored for a similar deal that includes an overnight stay" (ASPEN TIMES, 1/22).
LISA LESLIE SURPRISED AT WNBA'S LEVEL OF SUCCESS
The LAS VEGAS SUN quotes Sparks C Lisa Leslie on her exceeded expectations regarding the WNBA: "From the beginning, I assumed it would be a summer league where they would open the gym and let people sit on one side. I didn't know we'd be in uniforms and playing in the arenas that we play in. For me, it (exceeded) my expectations of what the WNBA would be" (LAS VEGAS SUN, 1/23).
BUZZER BEATERS
Wheaties unveiled a special-edition Black History Month package honoring Hank Aaron during a ceremony at Turner Field in Atlanta today (AP, 1/23).
Upper Deck is teaming up with Yahoo! Auctions to offer sports fans and collectors the opportunity to bid on authentic Tiger Woods autographed memorabilia beginning Friday, January 25, 2002, at the following link (THE DAILY).
Carbite Golf will introduce two new wedge lines, the ABS Insert Series and the Basic Series, at the '02 PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, FL, January 24-27 (THE DAILY).
Cast Alloys Inc., a private Carlsbad company and a major U.S. supplier of steel and titanium golf club heads, "has closed its manufacturing operations in Tijuana, leaving about 1,880 factory workers and managers without work" (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 1/23).
The ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS reports that the Univ. of MN Gophers "lost their normal home court for Sunday's game" against Indiana when a sprinkler main "broke on Saturday and damaged the floor of the Sports Pavilion." They will play Sunday's game in the Williams Arena (ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS, 1/23).
TODAY'S ARTICLES OF INTEREST
The L.A. DAILY NEWS' Tom Hoffarth profiles the best and worst in L.A.'s TV sportscasters as part of a four-part series of the best and worst of L.A. sports media.
The HOUSTON CHRONICLE's David Barron on Houston's dream to host the 2012 Olympics.
The L.A. TIMES' Helene Elliott on the lawsuit filed by short-track speedskater Rusty Smith, accusing a teammate of conspiring to fix a race to keep Smith off the Olympic team.
The CHICAGO SUN-TIMES' Lacy Banks on how the NBA has become an equal-opportunity employer.
A BUSINESS FIRST OF LOUISVILLE editorial on the Hornets opting for New Orleans over Louisville.
ESPN.com's Darren Rovell on how NFL agents prepare their clients for the pros.
See The Daily Insider's Articles Of Interest section for more sports business-related links.
IN OTHER NEWS……..
Coca-Cola Enterprises today reported a net loss for full-year '01 of $324M, or 75 cents per common share (THE DAILY).
CBS President Leslie Moonves tapped Lifetime Exec VP/Entertainment Dawn Tarnofsky-Ostroff to be the new president of UPN today. Her new duties will begin February 11 (MEDIAWEEK.com, 1/23).
The BOSTON HERALD, in a review of Fox's new show "That '80s Show," which debuts tonight at 8:00pm ET, suggests that Red Sox co-Owner Tom Werner "spent too much time arranging to purchase the [team] and not enough time developing his latest sitcom." The HERALD gives the show's first episode a one-star review (BOSTON HERALD, 1/23).
CBS on Tuesday said that seven major companies have signed on as "integrated marketing partners" for the next installment of "Survivor," set to premiere February 28th. The list of sponsors includes Reebok, Visa, Adolf Coors, General Motors and Masterfoods USA (REUTERS, 1/22).
A film company has bought the screen rights to a biography of former N.Y. Mayor Rudy Giuliani. The movie will be based on political correspondent Andrew Kirtzman's "Rudy Giuliani: Emperor of the City." Kirtzman "recently inked a deal with Five Mile River Films for an undisclosed sum" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 1/23).
TONIGHT'S EVENTS
The LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL reports that Univ. of NV-Las Vegas marketing assistant Ben Chulick "expects at least 5,000 people for" tonight's UNLV-Air Force women's basketball game at the Thomas & Mack Center after free tickets "were distributed at various schools" and to customers at Vons and Port of Subs restaurants. The team's last home game, on January 12, drew a season-high crowd of 2,379 (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 1/23).
Padres Owner John Moores will host a fundraising reception at his Rancho Santa Fe, CA, home for Ward Connerly, the "head of the American Civil Rights Coalition and sponsor of the Racial Privacy Initiative." Tickets are $500 a person, or $750 a couple (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 1/23).
THE DAILY STAT: ATHLETIC FOOTWEAR
The following lists the average price of athletic footwear for '01, plus a comparison to listed prices for '00, as calculated by the National Sporting Goods Association (THE DAILY):
| Average Price Paid for Sport Footwear |
| |
| 2001 | 2000 | Change From
2001 vs 2000 |
| Hunting Boots | $65.13 | $64.43 | 1.10% |
| Golf Shoes | $61.86 | $60.97 | 1.50% |
| Cycling | $56.96 | $51.00 | 11.70% |
| Trail Running Shoes | $56.39 | $57.23 | -1.50% |
| Basketball Shoes | $54.92 | $57.16 | -3.90% |
| Volleyball Shoes | $53.72 | $54.67 | -1.70% |
| Jogging/Running | $50.31 | $50.36 | -0.10% |
| Hiking Shoes/Boots | $47.85 | $47.54 | 0.70% |
| Track Shoes | $47.28 | $48.68 | -2.90% |
| Cross Training Shoes | $47.01 | $48.27 | -2.60% |
| Football | $46.51 | $47.23 | -1.50% |
| Skateboard Shoes | $44.60 | $42.27 | 5.50% |
| Aerobic Shoes | $42.68 | $41.25 | 3.50% |
| Fitness | $42.60 | $42.99 | -0.90% |
| Walking Shoes | $42.26 | $42.16 | 0.20% |
| Baseball/Softball | $40.92 | $40.65 | 0.70% |
| Cheerleading | $36.25 | $39.09 | -7.30% |
| Bowling Shoes | $35.94 | $31.74 | 13.20% |
| Soccer Shoes | $35.35 | $34.22 | 3.30% |
| Tennis Shoes | $32.89 | $33.19 | -0.90% |
| Boat/Deck | $30.09 | $31.03 | -3.00% |
| Gym Shoes/Sneakers | $27.57 | $27.04 | 2.00% |
| Sport Sandals | $24.36 | $23.88 | 2.00% |
| Water Sport | $14.26 | $13.93 | 2.40% |
|
| Average Price | $40.17 | $40.32 | -0.40% |
| |
| SOURCE: National Sporting Goods Association, Mount Prospect, IL |
CHANNEL SURFING
ESPN's "SportsCentury" will profile Packers QB Brett Favre at 7:30pm ET.
ESPN2 will air men's college basketball, Maryland-Wake Forest, at 7:30pm ET.
ESPN will air Sharks-Red Wings at 8:00pm ET.
TNT will air Knicks-Raptors at 8:00pm ET, and Lakers-Clippers at 10:30pm ET.
ESPN2 will air the '02 Australian Open Women's Semifinals at 9:30pm ET.
ESPN Classic's "SportsCentury" will profile Jimmy Connors at 8:00pm ET.
NHL Panthers coach Mike Keenan will be on ESPN's "Unscripted."
Wizards F Kwame Brown and Bulls F Eddy Curry will be on FSN's "The Last Word."
Redskins WR Michael Westbrook will be on FSN's "The Best Damn Sports Show Period."
Keith Olbermann will guest host CNN's "The Point" at 8:30pm ET, and will premiere his series of essays for "NewsNight with Aaron Brown" at 10:00pm ET.
A&E's "Biography" will profile Marvin Gaye at 8:00pm ET.
E!'s "True Hollywood Story" will profile Martha Stewart at 8:00pm ET.
NBC will air "The Bush White House: Inside the Real West Wing," hosted by Tom Brokaw, at 8:00pm ET.
HEADLINERS
Here are tonight's headline guests on the following talk shows:
| "The Late Show" | Gwyneth Paltrow (r) |
| "The Tonight Show" | Robin Williams |
| "The Late Late Show" | Steven Weber (r) |
| "Late Night" | Nathan Lane |
If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please let us know at:
dailyinsider@sportsbusinessdaily.com
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