| | The Daily Insider
Afternoon News & Headlines
Wednesday, May 15, 2002
4:00pm ET | |
| • | ESPN's "Sunday Night Baseball" Ratings Up From Last Year |
| • | Nelson's Bone Fragments Become Latest Keepsake Up For Bid |
| • | Minor League Baseball Draws Near-Record Crowds For April |
| • | Texans Ink Human Resources Agreement With Ceridian |
| • | Maurice Greene Puts Different Shoes On The Other Foot |
| • | Buzzer Beaters/In Other News/Tonight's Events/Daily Stat/Channel Surfing |
ESPN SUNDAY BASEBALL TELECASTS BOAST RATINGS INCREASES
ESPN's "Sunday Night Baseball" telecasts are enjoying a 25% increase in total households compared to the first six games of '01. The telecasts are averaging a 1.84 Nielsen rating (1,589,000 HHs) versus a 1.55 (1,267,000 HHs) last year, a 19% increase. Also, ESPN2's games are up 67% in household impressions, averaging a 0.69 rating compared to a 0.45 last year (THE DAILY).
MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL NABS SECOND-HIGHEST APRIL CROWDS
Minor League Baseball attracted more than 5.4 million fans to its games in April, reaching the second highest total in the 101-year history of the organization. Total attendance for the 1,712 games played was 5,458,802, an average of 3,189 fans per game. The figures represent a decline of 5.4% from last year, but an increase over all other years (THE DAILY).
MARINERS' JEFF NELSON A CHIP OFF THE OLD AUCTION BLOCK
ESPN.com reports that fragments from Mariners P Jeff Nelson's elbow "went up on eBay on Tuesday" after a radio show host convinced him to put them up for auction. Nelson, who had surgery last Friday to remove the chips, said, "I brought them around the clubhouse with me on Saturday and I said that I should put them on eBay and all the guys started laughing." The first bid was $250 and "the price is climbing" (ESPN.com, 5/15). The current bid price is $1136.
FEDEX SERVES UP SPONSORSHIP DEAL FOR FRENCH OPEN
FedEx Express signed a five-year agreement with the French Tennis Federation to become an official sponsor of the French Tennis Open. The deal entitles FedEx Express to a number of core sponsorship rights beginning with this year's tournament at Roland Garros (THE DAILY).
TEXANS GET RESOURCEFUL WITH CERIDIAN AGREEMENT
Ceridian today announced an agreement with the Texans to provide human resource services to the team through the company's eSource, a Web-enabled solution that includes integrated HR/payroll, time and labor management, and self-service options. As part of the agreement, Ceridian also will handle COBRA administration for the Texans (THE DAILY).
BUZZER BEATERS
REUTERS reported that world 100-meter record-holder Maurice Greene "has switched shoe companies and will now wear Adidas." adidas global sport marketing manager Spencer Nel said Greene had signed through '05, making it "the biggest track and field contract we at Adidas have ever entered into" (AP, 5/14).
Dr. Heinz Buehlmann told a Swiss radio network today that Martina Hingis "may have to give up tennis because of joint injuries." Hingis is "suffering severe pain in her feet, left knee and left hip, which had forced her to stop training." She will have tests this week to determine whether the problems will force her to retire (AP, 5/15).
The Spartanburg HERALD-JOURNAL reported that Chiefs first-round draft pick and former Dorman H.S. football player Ryan Sims gave $100,000 to his old school "in exchange for the naming rights to the [school's] baseball stadium, which he named after his father, Ronnie Sims" (Spartanburg HERALD-JOURNAL, 5/14).
TODAY'S ARTICLES OF INTEREST
FLORIDA TODAY's David Jones on upcoming labor and TV issues that could affect the long-term viability of the WNBA.
Westwood One Metro Networks' Evan Weiner writes a column in NEWSDAY on the likelihood of a N.Y. Super Bowl and a proposed Manhattan stadium for the Jets.
The WASHINGTON POST's Kenneth Bredemeier examines the financial viability of prospective Angels Owner Donald Watkins.
The Newark STAR-LEDGER's Sid Dorfman on the thug mentality of NHL enforcers.
The JACKSONVILLE BUSINESS JOURNAL's Devan Stuart on former Jaguars Senior VP Michael Huyghue's decision to recently open Axcess Sports & Entertainment.
The TALLAHASSEE DEMOCRAT's Jack Corcoran on ACHL Founder Bill Coffey's recent decision to own the league's Tallahassee franchise.
See The Daily Insider's Articles Of Interest section for more sports business-related links.
TONIGHT'S EVENTS
Bidding for the decorated five-foot high fiberglass tulips designed for the 50th anniversary of the Canadian Tulip Festival will conclude with a live auction from 6:00-7:00pm ET at the Ottawa City Hall. Tulips from the Senators, CFL Renegades and Triple A Int'l League Lynx are available for bid (THE DAILY).
The Class A Kannapolis (NC) Intimidators will formally retire the number 3 prior to tonight's game in honor of team ownership partner Dale Earnhardt. Cal Ripken Jr. will be on hand to present the retired jersey to the Earnhardt family (THE DAILY).
NASCAR's Tony Stewart will sign copies of his book "True Speed: My Racing Life" at a Home Depot in north Charlotte from 6:00-8:00pm ET (THE DAILY).
Former Astros players Terry Puhl, Craig Reynolds and Glenn Wilson will take turns as guest analysts for an inning during FSN SW's 7:00pm CT Phillies-Astros game from Astros Field (THE DAILY).
Sharks fans can watch FSN's live broadcast of the team's Game 7 against the Avalanche on the Jumbotron at Compaq Center. The arena will open at 5:30pm PT for the 6:30pm PT faceoff (SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, 5/14).
IN OTHER NEWS…….
The Walt Disney Co. disclosed today in its quarterly report that the IRS will audit the company's tax returns from '93-95, and that auditors have indicated they will challenge some of the company's tax positions (AP, 5/15).
REUTERS reports that Campbell Soup's Q3 net income "fell 21 percent, as it spent more to market and improve its products." The company posted net income of $96M, or $0.23 a share, compared with $122M, or $0.30 a share, a year earlier. Campbell shares were trading at $27.52, up 0.95%, in late afternoon trading (REUTERS, 5/15).
Gray Communications Systems today reported that its Q1 net loss "widened but said it expected a gradual recovery in the advertising market" (REUTERS, 5/15).
Marvel Enterprises said today that it "swung to a first-quarter profit on a big jump in sales from toys, comic books and paperbacks." The company also said it expects the recently launched Spider-Man movie to "boost earnings over the next two years" (AP, 5/15).
THE DAILY STAT: PRIMETIME NIELSEN RATINGS
The following lists the final Nielsen ratings for the top ten primetime shows for the week of May 6-12. Also provided are Nielsen ratings averages season to date for the nets' primetime coverage (USA TODAY, 5/8).
| TOP TEN PRIMETIME NIELSEN RATINGS FOR MAY 6 - MAY 12 |
| RK | PROGRAM | NET | DAY | RAT/SHR | VIEWERS
(IN MILLIONS) |
| 1) | ER | NBC | Thu | 18.6/30 | 28.7 |
| 2) | CSI | CBS | Thu | 16.5/25 | 27.1 |
| 3) | Friends (8:00pm) | NBC | Thu | 15.4/26 | 24.3 |
| 4) | Friends (8:30pm) | NBC | Thu | 13.2/21 | 20.5 |
| 5) | Law & Order | NBC | Wed | 13.0/22 | 19.8 |
| 6) | Everybody Loves Raymond | CBS | Mon | 12.5/19 | 19.5 |
| 7) | Survivor: Marquesas | CBS | Thu | 12.2/20 | 20.8 |
| 8) | Will & Grace (9:00pm) | NBC | Thu | 11.5/17 | 18.1 |
| 9) | West Wing | NBC | Wed | 11.3/18 | 17.3 |
| 10) | Law & Order: SVU | NBC | Fri | 11.2/20 | 17.3 |
| NIELSEN AVERAGES SEASON-TO-DATE |
|
| NBC | 8.8 |
|
| CBS | 8.1 |
|
| ABC | 6.3 |
|
| Fox | 5.7 |
|
| UPN | 2.7 |
|
| WB | 2.5 |
CHANNEL SURFING
TNT will air NBA Conference Semifinals, Hornets-Nets, at 7:00pm ET.
ESPN's "SportsCentury" will profile Mario Lemieux at 7:30pm ET.
ESPN will air NHL Conference Semifinals, Sharks-Avalanche, at 9:30pm ET.
ESPN2 will air Mets-Dodgers at 10:00pm ET.
A&E's "Biography" will profile Frank Gifford at 8:00pm ET.
E!'s "True Hollywood Story" will profile action star Jean-Claude Vam Damme at 8:00pm ET.
Fox will air "Magic's Biggest Secrets Finally Revealed" at 8:00pm ET.
AT&T Chair & CEO Michael Armstrong will appear on PBS' "Charlie Rose" at 11:00pm ET.
HEADLINERS
Here are tonight's headline guests on the following talk shows:
| "The Late Show" | Alec Baldwin |
| "The Tonight Show" | Reese Witherspoon |
| "The Late Late Show" | Laura Innes |
| "Late Night" | P. Diddy |
If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please let us know at:
dailyinsider@sportsbusinessdaily.com
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