| | The Daily Insider
Afternoon News & Headlines
Tuesday, March 5, 2002
4:00pm ET | |
| • | NBC Finalizes Agreement With AFL To Carry Games Beginning in '03 |
| • | Ears To You, Michelle: Bronze Medalist Kwan Signs On With Disney |
| • | Reebok Backs Rucker Park Tournament, A Fixture Of Nike's New Campaign |
| • | Orange Bowl Committee Strongly Considering Dropping Annual Parade |
| • | Online Singles Vote Lecavalier “Hottest” NHLer On Ice |
| • | Buzzer Beaters/In Other News/Daily Stat/Channel Surfing |
NBC ANNOUNCES AFL PROGRAMMING AGREEMENT TODAY
As reported by Terry Lefton in THE DAILY today, the AFL and NBC officially announced their TV deal this afternoon at a press conference with NBC Sports Chair Dick Ebersol, NBC Sports President Ken Schanzer and AFL Commissioner David Baker. NBC will not pay the league a rights fee, but instead will provide heavy promotion and a share of ad revenue. NBC receives the rights to the games, as well as a share of any franchise sale over $12M. The deal will begin in February '03 with a minimum of four regional Sunday afternoon broadcasts each week. NBC has committed to a 22-week schedule, including playoffs, for the next two seasons. The net also holds a series of four-year renewal options, in perpetuity. Any renewal will extend the original terms of the agreement. Schanzer: "This is the kind of deal that we have been talking about for the past four years. … We hope this is the model that we're going to do in the future." Ebersol, on the precedent he perceives is being set for the industry by this deal: "[It is] a wonderful first step for the business, not just for NBC, as a way out of the valley of losses and write-offs that have dominated our business so much of the last three or four years."
Ebersol: "What (the AFL wants) most out of us are marketing and production, which are the two things I think we do best. I think we know how to launch and market better than any other operation in the business when it comes to taking care of your partners." Baker: "For the AFL, what we're excited about is that we develop a relationship with a legendary brand-builder (in NBC) … and one of the all-time great story-tellers in Dick Ebersol" (THE DAILY).
IT'S A KWAN WORLD, AFTER ALL: SKATER INKS DEAL WITH DISNEY
Walt Disney Studios Marketing & Synergy President Michael Mendenhall announced today that Michelle Kwan will serve as a spokesperson for The Walt Disney Company for the next three years. In the past, Kwan has starred in Disney and ABC television specials, and has contributed to several figure skating-related books published by Disney. Mendenhall: "Our consumers and guests will enjoy seeing this immensely popular young skater in person and on television at various Disney events. These will range from the opening of new facilities to book signings, charitable events, ice skating events, guest appearances on original programming and at our ESPN Zone events, and at product promotions" (THE DAILY).
REEBOK PUTS ITS MONEY WHERE NIKE'S AD CAMPAIGN GOES
Nike's latest advertising campaign features Raptors G Vince Carter in Rucker Park, NY, but it's Reebok who will serve as title sponsor of the Entertainer's Basketball Classic (EBC) Rucker Park Tournament. EBC CEO Greg Marius: "We are tired of other footwear companies 'biting' on the tournament and imitating the true Rucker Park experience. Reebok's keeping it real by financially backing us." The tournament will run this year from June to August (THE DAILY).
MONEY-LOSING ORANGE BOWL PARADE IN JEOPARDY
The Ft. Lauderdale SUN-SENTINEL reports that the Orange Bowl Committee, which stages the annual college football match-up, the parade and other events during a festival each winter, is giving "strong consideration" to dropping the parade. The parade is "under scrutiny because it loses hundreds of thousands of dollars a year and hasn't been on sound footing since 1995, when the Orange Bowl's contract with NBC, which televised it, expired" (Ft. Lauderdale SUN-SENTINEL, 3/5).
GART SPORTS Q4 PROFITS BOOSTED BY OSHMAN'S ACQUISITION
REUTERS reports that Gart Sports today announced its Q4 earnings "climbed 69 percent, boosted by its acquisition of Oshman's Sporting Goods." Denver-based Gart reported net income of $11M, or $0.95 a share, "excluding costs from the Oshman's buy, compared with $6.5 million, or 82 cents a share, in the year-earlier period, excluding a tax benefit" (REUTERS, 3/5).
Gart was trading at $27.89 in late-day trading, a 3.33% increase (THE DAILY).
GADZOOKS! RETAILER TO PROMOTE SUPERCROSS SEASON
Gadzooks announced today a five-market agreement with EA Sports Supercross and Clear Channel Entertainment's motor sports division. Gadzooks will promote the '02 supercross season in all store locations, with a concentration in five markets: New Orleans, Houston, St. Louis, Detroit and Dallas (THE DAILY).
MATCH.COM USERS SAYS LECAVALIER SO HOT, HE'S COOL
Lightning C Vincent Lecavalier has been named "Hottest Single On Ice" by more than 3,300 voters logged on to the online dating site, Match.com. Lecavalier was the contest's clear winner with 32% of the vote. Rangers C Petr Nedved came in second with 28% of the vote, while Flames C Rob Niedermayer came in third with 19%. Match.com has partnered with NHL Member Clubs and Ticketmaster for "Match.com Ice-Breakers," an event series for singles (THE DAILY).
BUZZER BEATERS
LiquidSeats has signed a multiyear agreement with eBay that will give the auction site's 42 million registered users access to the live-event tickets posted on LiquidSeats' StubHub Network, which includes Web sites affiliated with pro sports teams and media companies (THE DAILY).
The Magic and Sunshine Network today announced a multi-year extension of their television agreement, which will continue through the '04-05 season. Sunshine will receive telecast rights to a minimum of 42 regular season Magic games, two preseason contests and available playoff games (THE DAILY).
The AP reports the NBA draft will be held at MSG in N.Y. for the second straight year. This year's draft will be held at The Theater in the Garden the night of June 26 and televised by TNT (AP, 3/5).
Diamond Vision Systems, a division of Mitsubishi Electric & Electronics USA Inc., will install an LED large-scale video display screen at Yankee Stadium this spring. The 25-foot by 33-foot screen will be ready for Opening Day '02 (THE DAILY).
TODAY'S ARTICLES OF INTEREST
The Montreal GAZETTE's Jack Todd on the difficult transition of returning to NHL-style hockey after the Winter Games.
The SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS' David Pollak profiles Sharks GM Dean Lombardi.
The INDIANAPOLIS STAR's Cecil Harris on the NBA's practice of hiring minority coaches.
The WASHINGTON POST's Michael Leahy on Michael Jordan playing after knee surgery.
The IDAHO STATESMAN's Chadd Cripe on the CBA and its return to ID.
The HOUSTON CHRONICLE's Joseph Duarte on MLB's history – and future – in South FL.
The HOUSTON CHRONICLE's Duarte on Orlando's history with MLB.
The K.C. STAR's Howard Richman on the "hottest" golf equipment for '02.
See The Daily Insider's Articles Of Interest section for more sports business-related links.
TONIGHT'S EVENTS
ESPN's Jeremy Schaap will accept the '01 John Steadman Award of Excellence in honor of his father, Dick Schaap, at the 24th Annual Ed Block Courage Awards in Baltimore, MD (THE DAILY).
The Wild will honor former game announcer Al Shaver in a pregame ceremony, during which the team will name its press box in his honor (ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS, 3/4).
The N.Y. POST reports that Fred Hickman, Michael Kay, Bobby Murcer and Suzyn Waldman – the "faces on the new YES Network" – will take part in a seminar on sports broadcasting at the Museum of Television and Radio in N.Y. (N.Y. POST, 3/5).
IN OTHER NEWS…..
REUTERS reports that the U.S. film industry "trimmed the average cost of making and marketing a film by about four percent to $78.7 million from $82.1 million last year." Meanwhile, the number of people entering movie theaters "rose to nearly 1.5 billion, a 5 percent rise from 2000 and the highest total since 1959" (REUTERS, 3/5).
THE DAILY STAT: LYCOS SEARCHES FOR MINOR LEAGUE HOCKEY
The following details the top searched minor league hockey teams in 2001 (LYCOS).
| RK | | MINOR-LEAGUE HOCKEY TEAM |
| 1) | | Manitoba Moose |
| 2) | | Philadelphia Phantoms |
| 3) | | Indianapolis Ice |
| 4) | | Providence Bruins |
| 5) | | Chicago Wolves |
| 6) | | Hershey Bears |
| 7) | | San Diego Gulls |
| 8) | | Houston Aeros |
| 9) | | Trenton Titans |
| 10) | | Manchester Monarchs |
In other minor league hockey news, tomorrow's issue of THE DAILY will present to-date '01-02 AHL attendance.
CHANNEL SURFING
ESPN will air the Horizon League men's college basketball tournament final, IL Chicago-Loyola Chicago, at 7:00pm ET.
ESPN2 will air the Big East women's college basketball tournament final, Boston College-Connecticut, at 7:30pm ET.
TBS will air Magic-Pacers at 8:00pm ET and Timberwolves-Sonics at 10:30pm ET.
ESPN will air the Sun Belt men's college basketball tournament final, LA Lafayette-W. KY, at 9:00pm ET.
ESPN2 will air the Mid-Continent men's college basketball tournament final, IUPUI-Valparaiso, at 9:30pm ET.
ESPN Classic's "SportsCentury" will profile Carl Yastrzemski at 8:00pm ET.
Cubs RF Sammy Sosa will be on ESPN's "Unscripted."
Expos OF Jose Canseco will be on FSN's "The Last Word."
A&E's "Biography" will profile Ted Bundy at 8:00pm ET.
HBO will air "REAL Sports with Bryant Gumbel" at 8:00pm ET.
HEADLINERS
Here are tonight's headline guests on the following talk shows:
| "The Late Show" | Regis Philbin (r) |
| "The Tonight Show" | Denis Leary |
| "The Late Late Show" | Sir Ian McKellen (r) |
| "Late Night" | Julia Louis-Dreyfus |
If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please let us know at:
dailyinsider@sportsbusinessdaily.com
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