| | The Daily Insider
Afternoon News & Headlines
Thursday, January 31, 2002
4:00pm ET | |
| • | NFL’s 30-Second Super Bowl Spot To Promote The Value Of Its Players |
| • | Nike Hopes Tiger’s Pebble Beach Test Drive Leads To Long-Term Use |
| • | John Henry Convinced Red Sox Fans Will Support Team, Ticket Hike |
| • | Subway Agrees To Sponsor Winston Cup, While Kmart Shies Away |
| • | Lanny Wadkins Moves Into CBS’ PGA Tour Booth Full-Time |
| • | Buzzer Beaters/Articles Of Interest/Daily Stat/Channel Surfing |
NFL TO AIR 30-SECOND SPOT TOUTING VIRTUES OF ITS PLAYERS
By Terry Lefton, Editor-at-Large, The Sports Business Daily
Just a few years after two of its players were involved in murder cases, the NFL is using 30 seconds of Super Bowl airtime -- the most expensive in the world -- to tell people its players are solid citizens. In a 30-second spot due to air at halftime of Sunday’s game, head shots of 19 players in rapid fire succession make the point that they are not only NFL players, they are members of the community as well. The spot, from Y&R, N.Y., begins and ends with a player saying, “I am a player in the National Football League” and attempts to establish that there are NFL players who make a difference off the field as well as on. The players used include Giants DE Michael Strahan, Giants RB Tiki Barber, Redskins CB Darrell Green, Chiefs TE Tony Gonzalez, Bucs S John Lynch and DT Warren Sapp, former Ravens DT Tony Siragusa and Redskins DE Bruce Smith. They speak directly into the camera, saying:
| | I am a player in the National Football League.
But that is not who I am. I play to win.
But that's not all that drives me. My dream is to be Super Bowl Champion.
But that is not my only goal. You see me as a player.
I wish you would see me as a person as well. I am member of a community.
Dedicated to making a difference in people's lives. I am a player in the National Football League. |
The players assembled in January in Queens, NY, for the shoot. NFL Senior VP/Marketing & Entertainment John Collins: “We’re showing that our players are people who contribute off the field and that is something our fans need to know and see” (THE DAILY).
TIGER TAKES NIKE CLUB FOR TEST DRIVE AT PEBBLE BEACH TODAY
Tiger Woods used the Nike forged driver today at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, the first step in what the company hopes will be a complete shift to Nike equipment by the golfer. Woods has been working with Nike equipment for months, but he made the decision to use this driver just minutes before teeing off. Nike Product Category Dir Mike Kelly: “We are obviously excited that he’s decided to test our product. … Now that he has begun the testing process, hopefully he will switch completely” (GOLF WORLD BUSINESS, 1/31).
HENRY SAYS BOSTON FANS WILLING TO PAY MORE FOR A WINNER
Red Sox co-Owner John Henry, after the team earlier this week announced that the average ticket price would increase 7.4% next season, keeping it the highest priced ticket in MLB, told the AP this afternoon the increase is part of “the problem with having the smallest facility in the majors. There is incredible demand.” Henry added, “I think the fans are more interested in whether they have a competitive team than in whether or not they're paying a little more.” Henry also “reiterated that he hopes to renovate Fenway Park, but he's open to other ideas, including a downtown stadium.” Henry: “We're going to spend the next four to six months exploring renovation, seeing if that's feasible” (AP, 1/31).
WILL JARED GET A CAR? SUBWAY SPONSORS WINSTON CUP RACE
Subway Restaurants today announced a deal to become the title sponsor of the February 24, 2002 NASCAR Winston Cup Series event at the North Carolina Speedway in Rockingham, NC. The race, which will be called the Subway 400, will be the second event on the Winston Cup schedule, and will air live on Fox (THE DAILY).
Meanwhile, THATSRACIN.com reports that Kmart, which filed for federal bankruptcy protection last week, “has suspended its sponsorship of two Winston Cup race teams, as well as its presenting sponsorship of the Daytona 500.” The cars, driven by Joe Nemechek and Todd Bodine, are Fords that belong to Haas-Carter Motorsports. Kmart CEO Charles Conaway: “We regret that we will not be able to support our NASCAR Kmart racing program this year as we had hoped” (THATSRACIN.com, 1/31).
PGA TOUR VET LANNY WADKINS ASSUMES FULL-TIME SLOT FOR CBS
Lanny Wadkins will join CBS Sports’ golf announcing team full-time when he replaces retiring analyst Ken Venturi in July. Wadkins contributed to the Network's golf coverage in ’01, serving as an analyst at five tournaments as well as the PGA Championship (THE DAILY).
SKECHERS FILES SUIT AGAINST L.A. GEAR OVER SHOE PATENTS
The L.A. TIMES reports that Skechers U.S.A. “claims in a lawsuit that L.A. Gear used its design for Sport Energy and other sneakers for a competing line of less expensive footwear.” The Manhattan Beach-based company said that it “has patents for the athletic sneaker, popularized with ads featuring pop singer Britney Spears, as well as Sport Noogies and Sport Gators shoes,” and claims that L.A. Gear “is using Skechers' logo and likeness to confuse shoppers” (L.A. TIMES, 1/31).
AHL ALL-STAR CLASSIC ANNOUNCES BROADCAST SCHEDULE
The AHL today announced its broadcast schedule for the ‘02 Assante & Baker Hughes AHL All-Star Classic, to be held February 13 and 14 in St. John's, Newfoundland. The AHL All-Star Skills Competition will be broadcast live on the Empire Sports Network and on Rogers Sportsnet in its East, West and Pacific regions, while the AHL All-Star Game will be available live in nearly 90 million households on ESPN2 and Rogers Sportsnet (THE DAILY).
BUZZER BEATERS
ESPN's coverage of Jennifer Capriati's victory in the Australian Open finals on Friday averaged a 2.32/(1,994,000 HHs). Meanwhile, Thomas Johansson's victory over Marat Safin on Saturday averaged a 1.2/(994,785 HHs) (ESPN).
Octagon announced today that it has been appointed by the ITF to produce programming for the Davis and Fed Cup matches. Octagon will produce thirteen 52-minute programs, each featuring highlights of the matches (THE DAILY).
ESPN.com reports that NY Athletic Commissioner Ray Kelly -- who's also the N.Y. police commissioner – said today that he “will abide by Nevada's decision not to reinstate” Mike Tyson’s license to fight. Tyson reportedly will “apply for a license to fight heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis at Staples Center [in L.A.] sometime this spring” (ESPN.com, 1/31).
The Duracell Coppertop Super Bowl Poll revealed on Wednesday that, of the 1,015 adults polled between January 23-27, nearly one-third (32%) of the people watching the game would rather have the remote control at their side than in the hands of their spouse or significant other. The survey also reveals that nearly half (45%) of Super Bowl viewers plan to switch to anther channel during the game, and that many already have a specific show in mind (THE DAILY).
Enrique Iglesias and Sean “P Diddy” Combs have been added to the lineup of performers at the NBA All-Star Read to Achieve Celebration on Saturday, February 9. Britney Spears and Alicia Keys are already scheduled to appear (THE DAILY).
National Weather Service forecasters expect a strong storm to move through northern UT beginning February 8, the day the Winter Olympics are to begin. Extended forecasts “call for snow … with temperatures in the low- to mid-30s,” though temperatures “probably will drop to the mid-20s” by the time the opening ceremony begins (AP, 1/31).
The DESERET NEWS reports that some “early birds received their first taste of Olympic brightness Wednesday morning when the Olympic Rings display went for a test run.” The five rings are on the west face of Twin Peaks, on the east bench of the valley. Composed of 1,850 lights, the rings will shine nightly from 6:00pm MT to midnight MT, February 6 through February 24 (DESERET NEWS, 1/31).
U.S. figure skater Michelle Kwan will be featured on the cover of the February 9 issue of TV Guide, the magazine’s Olympic preview issue (THE DAILY).
TONIGHT’S EVENTS
Yankees manager Joe Torre will receive the Thurman Munson Award at the 22nd Annual Thurman Munson Awards Dinner at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in N.Y., which benefits the Association for the Help of Retarded Children (THE DAILY).
Fans can skate with NHL Hall of Famers as part of this weekend’s NHL All-Star events at the “Heroes of Hockey Skate with the Greats,” from 4:00-5:30pm PT at the Center Ice Rink at the L.A. Convention Center (THE DAILY).
Meanwhile, RBC Financial Group and the NHL Alumni Association will host the 2nd Annual NHL Alumni All-Star Awards Dinner at the Wilshire Grand Hotel in L.A. from 6:30-10:00pm PT (THE DAILY).
IN OTHER NEWS……..
Verizon Communications posted a $2B Q4 loss “amid costs to cut jobs and repair networks damaged by the Sept. 11 attacks,” and said that it “expects its 2002 profits to be in line with Wall Street expectations” (REUTERS, 1/31).
America West Airlines reported a $60.9M net loss today for Q4 ‘02, a period that “saw a sustained slump in travel after the Sept. 11 attacks.” The airline said the loss amounted to $1.81 per share. The company lost $41.7M, or $1.24 a share, a year earlier (REUTERS, 1/31).
TODAY’S ARTICLES OF INTEREST
CBS SportsLine’s Rick Horrow concludes his three-part series analyzing the business of the NFL with a look at the specifics of Sunday’s patriotic Super Bowl.
The N.Y. TIMES’ Thomas George on Patriots Owner Robert Kraft’s long-standing relationship with the team.
The BOSTON HERALD’s Steve Buckley on the difference between Kraft’s relationship with former Patriots coach Bill Parcells compared to current coach Bill Belichick.
The HARTFORD COURANT’s Alan Greenberg says Kraft has matured since the Patriots’ last Super Bowl in ’97.
The New Orleans TIMES-PICAYUNE’s Jeffrey Meitrodt on various breeds of Super Bowl ticket scalpers.
The L.A. DAILY NEWS’ Kevin Modesti on remembering the XFL.
The L.A. TIMES’ Lonnie White on Willie O’Ree, the NHL’s first black player, and the current state of the color barrier
See The Daily Insider’s Articles Of Interest section for more sports business-related links.
THE DAILY STATS: BILLBOARD CHARTS
The following lists Billboard Magazine's top-selling CDs for the week ending January 24 (BILLBOARD, 2/9):
| RK | ALBUM | ARTIST | LABEL |
| 1) | Drive | Alan Jackson | Arista Nashville |
| 2) | Weathered | Creed | Wind-up |
| 3) | [Hybrid Theory] | Linkin Park | Warner Bros. |
| 4) | Word of Mouf | Ludacris | Disturbing Tha Peace |
| 5) | Silver Side Up | Nickelback | Roadrunner |
| 6) | Pain is Love | Ja Rule | Murder Inc. |
| 7) | Stillmatic | Nas | Ill Will |
| 8) | 8701 | Usher | Arista |
| 9) | M!ssundaztood | Pink | Arista |
| 10) | "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" | Soundtrack | Mercury (Nashville) |
CHANNEL SURFING
ESPN will air men’s college basketball, Purdue-Indiana, at 7:00pm ET.
ESPN2 will air men’s college basketball, Maryland-Virginia, at 7:00pm ET.
TNT will air Celtics-Raptors at 8:00pm ET.
ESPN will air men’s college basketball, Duke-UNC, at 9:00pm ET.
ESPN Classic’s “SportsCentury” will profile John Elway at 8:00pm ET.
Cowboys RB Emmitt Smith, Redskins LB LaVar Arrington and the stars of MGM’s “Rollerball” will be on ESPN’s “Unscripted.”
HBO will air “Inside The NFL” at 8:00pm ET.
A&E’s “Biography” continues its football week with a profile of Vince Lombardi at 8:00pm ET.
E!’s “True Hollywood Story” will profile the TV show “The Price Is Right” at 8:00pm ET.
HEADLINERS
Here are tonight’s headline guests on the following talk shows:
| “The Late Show” | Merv Griffin |
| “The Tonight Show” | Ben Stiller |
| “The Late Late Show” | Tenacious D |
| “Late Night” | Pamela Anderson |
If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please let us know at:
dailyinsider@sportsbusinessdaily.com
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