| | The Daily Insider
Afternoon News & Headlines
Thursday, February 7, 2002
4:00pm ET | |
| • | Reebok Inks Jason Richardson In Time For NBA All-Star Events |
| • | Rogers AT&T Wireless Dials Up Marketing Deal With NBA |
| • | Betting On Sports Events, From Super Bowl To Horses, On The Rise |
| • | Cracking Down On Counterfeit Peddlers In Boston |
| • | Eight U.S. Athletes Selected To Carry September 11 Flag Into Ceremony |
| • | Buzzer Beaters/Articles Of Interest/Daily Stat/Channel Surfing |
WARRIORS' RICHARDSON TO ENDORSE REEBOK DURING ALL-STARS
Reebok announced today that Warriors rookie G Jason Richardson will endorse Rbk, Reebok's new footwear and apparel collection for young men and women. Richardson will wear the XBeam Franchise in white/silver (release date April 5) during the '02 NBA.com Slam Dunk competition, as well as in the 'Got Milk?' Rookie Challenge on Saturday (THE DAILY).
MARKETING DEAL TIES ROGERS AT&T WIRELESS WITH THE NBA
The NBA has entered into a three-year marketing agreement with Rogers AT&T Wireless and Rogers Video. Rogers AT&T Wireless becomes the official wireless service provider and Rogers Video the official video rental store of the NBA in Canada. Initiatives involved in the agreement include television advertising and promotions – including Rogers AT&T Wireless' involvement in grassroots events coast-to-coast – and the use of player images and NBA logos in Rogers AT&T Wireless and Rogers Video national advertising and promotions (THE DAILY).
NIKE INVOLVED IN PAIR OF COPYRIGHT LAWSUITS
A French court today "convicted Nike of copyright breach" and ordered the company and its distributors to pay French firm Presto damages of US$520,000 for using the company's name on Nike Air Presto shoes and T-shirts (REUTERS, 2/7).
Meanwhile, Nike filed suit in Federal Court in OR against Sega of America Dreamcast and its advertising agency, Leagas Delaney, for copyright infringement and unfair competition concerning Nike's "Frozen Moment" ad. The suit alleges Sega's new advertisement for its new game "NBA 2K2" is a virtual scene-by-scene reenactment of Nike's "Frozen Moment" ad (THE DAILY).
VEGAS BOOKS TALLY RECORD NUMBER OF SUPER BOWL WAGERS
The LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL reports that NV sports books "attracted $71 million in wagers on the Super Bowl, the largest total since 1998 and the third-largest in state history." The NV Gaming Control Board released unaudited figures Wednesday that showed "a combined $71,513,304 was wagered in the state's 151 sports books" on Super Bowl XXXVI. Sports books won $2,331,607, or 3.3%, which was "the smallest win and lowest hold percentage since 1998" (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 2/7).
U.S. THOROUGHBRED HANDLE SETS RECORD AT $14B
The Louisville COURIER-JOURNAL reports that, despite a recession and the September 11 terrorist attacks, Americans "set a record for betting on thoroughbred racing last year." According to The Jockey Club, which gathers racing statistics, the total amount bet in the U.S. rose 1.6% to nearly $14.6 billion from '01. Purses also have been rising nationally, as $1.07B "was given to owners last year, an increase of 3.6 percent against 2000" (Louisville COURIER-JOURNAL, 2/7).
BREAKDOWN OF SUPER BOWL MVP VOTE SPLITS AMONG THREE
The 15 members of the media who voted on Super Bowl XXXVI MVP selected Patriots DB Ty Law (5-1/2 votes) over K Adam Vinatieri (5 votes) and QB Tom Brady (4 votes). However, the 4 fan votes from Superbowl.com, which account for 20% of the total vote, went to Brady. Brady narrowly defeated Vinatieri and Law in the online balloting, as all three of them were separated by approximately 5,000 votes. The online vote was enough for Brady to be named MVP (THE DAILY).
NHL POSTS SLIGHT RATINGS INCREASE FOR ALL-STAR TELECAST
Saturday's 52nd NHL All-Star Game on ABC posted a 1.8/5 national Nielsen rating, which is up 6% from last year's 1.7/5 (THE DAILY).
In other NHL news, ESPN2 announced today that it will present NHL RULES! on Monday, February 11 at 8:00pm ET for the Avalanche-Bruins game. ESPN Coordinating Producer Larry Kristiansen: "The unique format of utilizing a game telecast to explain the rules and nuances of hockey will provide an opportunity for fans to learn more about the game before the Olympics get into full swing" (THE DAILY)
BUZZER BEATERS
Figure skater Todd Eldredge and ice hockey Gold Medalist Angela Ruggiero "were among eight U.S. athletes picked Thursday to carry the ground zero flag into the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics" (AP, 2/7).
The Melbourne AGE reports that Australian athletes "have been warned not to buy Valentine's Day roses from florists outside Winter Olympic village for fear of biochemical terrorist attacks." Athletes also have been warned they will be "on the first plane out of the city if they are caught breaching security measures" (Melbourne AGE, 2/8).
The USTA formally announced a four-year extension of its U.S. Davis Cup team sponsorship agreement with AIG. The category-exclusive sponsorship in the insurance category began in July '99 and continues through '05 (USTA).
The HOUSTON CHRONICLE reports that Comets F Sheryl Swoopes will make her return to basketball tonight, playing for the Houston franchise in the new National Women's Basketball League. Swoopes missed the Comets' '01 season with a left knee injury (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 2/7).
Boston and NFL authorities yesterday "counted up 2,500 bogus Patriots T-shirts that were seized from hawkers caught pitching the counterfeit souvenirs" for $5-10 apiece during Tuesday's Super Bowl parade in Boston. Four men were caught with counterfeit items, and private detective Andrea Powers, who was hired by the NFL, said that it "was up to the [NFL] to determine whether to pursue trademark infringement cases against the counterfeiters" (BOSTON HERALD, 2/7).
The ARIZONA REPUBLIC reports that Gateway will sponsor a golf minitour in AZ, which will "get under way in June with 15 events spread across the summer and a purse of $2.5 million." Approximately 120 golfers have paid the $17,500 entry fee for all 15 events. Purses will range from $140,000 to $200,000 for the tour championship (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 2/7).
Dodge has signed on to be the title sponsor of the '02 WCHA Final Five, to be held March 14-16 at Xcel Energy Center. As part of the partnership, Dodge will present the WCHA 50th Anniversary video clips that will be played in-arena during tournament games (THE DAILY).
TICKETS.com sold over 1.4 million tickets for the Winter Games, with a record $64M totaled from Internet sales (THE DAILY).
Skip Barber, who founded the Houston-based Pennzoil-Quaker State Company over 25 years ago, will appear in a series of 30-second commercials for Quaker State that will air on ESPN and FSN, as well as on national network television in '02 (THE DAILY).
TONIGHT'S EVENTS
The NHL Kings will hand out U.S. Olympic bobblehead dolls to the first 10,000 fans attending the team's home game against the Hurricanes (THE DAILY).
The Bruins will hold their fourth annual Boston Bruins Charity Auction at 7:00 pm ET at the Sports Club/LA in Boston. The team will offer a live and silent auction featuring sports memorabilia, with proceeds benefiting the Ace Bailey Children's Fund at New England Medical Center (PROVIDENCE JOURNAL, 2/6).
The Vikings' "Arctic Blast VII" snowmobile rally begins today and is expected to draw the most riders in its six-year history. The contest, which features 30 current and former Vikings players and cheerleaders, benefits the Viking Children's Fund (THE DAILY).
The ECHL Grrrowl will honor their one-millionth fan at one of the next two home games, either tonight or Saturday. The fan will be recognized by the team, and will receive a Grrrowl prize pack including season tickets for life (THE DAILY).
TODAY'S ARTICLES OF INTEREST
The PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER's Marcia Gelbart profiles Swirling Silks, an AL-based company that produces banners for the Olympics & NBA.
The DENVER POST's Mark Kiszla on the cost of attending the Opening Ceremonies for the '02 Games.
The BOSTON GLOBE's Chris Reidy on Olympic marketers' attempts to stand out from the crowd.
The ST. LOUIS POST DISPATCH's Dan Caesar holds a Q&A with NBC Sports' Bob Costas.
The CINCINNATI ENQUIRER's Tim Sullivan on the mix of sports and patriotism.
ESPN.com's Jayson Stark discusses the teams MLB might consider for contraction.
The N.Y. TIMES' Edward Wong on the schools in the State Univ. of NY system moving into Division I College Athletics.
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 31 (BILLBOARD, 2/16):
| 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) | | No More Drama | Mary J. Blige | MCA |
| |
CHANNEL SURFING
ESPN will air an "Olympic SportsCentury" profile of Dorothy Hamill at 4:30pm ET
ESPN will air men's college basketball: Illinois-Michigan, at 7:00pm ET, and Seton Hall-Pittsburgh at 9:00pm ET.
ESPN2 will air Oilers-Blues at 7:30pm ET, and Hurricanes-Kings at 10:30pm ET.
TNT will air Spurs-Raptors at 8:00pm ET.
ESPN Classic's "SportsCentury" will profile Dan Jansen at 8:00pm ET, and Jim Craig at 8:30pm ET.
Patriots RB Antowain Smith and DT Richard Seymour will be on ESPN's "Unscripted."
Boxers Vernon Forrest and Bernard Hopkins will be on FSN's "The Last Word,"
HBO will air "Inside the NFL" at 8:00pm ET.
E!'s "True Hollywood Story" concludes "Thin Ice Week" with a profile of Rudy Galindo at 8:00pm ET.
A&E's "Biography" will profile Gladys Knight at 8:00pm ET.
Matt Damon will guest star on NBC's "Will & Grace" at 9:00pm ET.
HEADLINERS
Here are tonight's headline guests on the following talk shows:
| "The Late Show" | Alan Jackson |
| "The Tonight Show" | Jon Bon Jovi |
| "The Late Late Show" | LL Cool J |
| "Late Night" | Rebecca Romijn-Stamos |
If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please let us know at:
dailyinsider@sportsbusinessdaily.com
The Closing Bell provides an afternoon recap of the latest news and headlines each Monday through Friday at approximately 4:00pm ET. If you would like to sign up for an e-mail alert to the Closing Bell, go to My Account and personalize your e-mail alert options.
