| | The Daily Insider
Afternoon News & Headlines
Tuesday, July 2, 2002
4:00pm ET | |
| • | Reilly's Life Now Entails Dealing With Sammy Sosa Tiff |
| • | ESPN Sees Boffo Ratings In June Thanks In Part To World Cup & MLB |
| • | NCAA Sets Locations For '03 & '04 Frozen Four, Regionals |
| • | Nike Sues Vikings' Culpepper Claiming Breach Of Contract |
| • | While In Milwaukee, Check Out Baseball-Themed Museum Exhibit |
| • | Buzzer Beaters/Daily Stat/Articles of Interest/In Other News/Channel Surfing |
REILLY WRITES OF STEROID DEBATE WITH AN ANGRY SOSA
SI's Rick Reilly posts details of his interview earlier this week with Cubs RF Sammy Sosa on CNNSI.com. Sosa become angry when Reilly gave him the address and phone number of LabCorp, a lab about 30 minutes away from Wrigley Field that tests for steroids. After Reilly suggested Sosa get tested, Sosa replied, "Why are you telling me to do this? You don't tell me what to do." Reilly writes, "I tried to explain that I wasn't telling him to do it, I was just wondering if he didn't think it would be a good move for him and the game. ... Maybe Sosa feels he would undermine his union's bargaining power if he had himself tested. But when I asked him if that's why he didn't want to do it, he again mentioned, rather crisply, 'You're not my father.' No, but if I were, I'd tell him to get tested. And I'd say it to Barry Bonds and anybody else who says he cares about the game. If they've got nothing to hide, why wait?" (CNNSI.com, 7/2).
ESPN RECORDS STRONGEST JUNE EVER
ESPN and ESPN2, boosted by World Cup, MLB and French Open coverage, saw ratings and viewership increase to record levels in the month of June. ESPN's total day audience was up 36% vs. June '01, and ESPN2's was up 58%. ESPN also reported its most-viewed month of June ever, and ESPN2 experienced the most-viewed month in the network's history, pushing ESPN2 to its most-viewed quarter ever.
On average for the month, ESPN earned a 0.68/ (584,000 HHs) Nielsen cable rating, up 31% in ratings and 36% in HHs from the 0.52/ (429,000 HHs) average last June. ESPN2 averaged a 0.30/ (251,000 HHs), up 43% and 58%, respectively, from a 0.21/ (159,000 HHs) in June '01. Among male viewers 18-34, ESPN's rating rose 38% and ESPN2's was up 112%.
ESPN's primetime audience was up 47% over '01 (711,000 to 1,044,000) and ESPN2's was up 32% (331,000 to 437,000). ESPN's primetime rating was up 39% (0.87 to 1.21) and ESPN2's up 21% (0.43 to 0.52) (THE DAILY).
NCAA SELECTS SITES FOR '03 & '04 HOCKEY TOURNAMENTS
The NCAA today announced the selection of its two additional regionals hosts for the '03 and '04 Div. I Men's Ice Hockey championships. With the expansion of the field from 12 to 16 teams beginning in '03, the committee needed to select two additional sites.
The '03 Northeast and West regions will be held March 28 and 29, while the East and Midwest regionals will be held March 29 and 30. The '03 Men's Frozen Four, already sold out, will be held April 10-12 at the HSBC Arena in Buffalo.
In '04, the Northeast and West regionals will be held March 26 and 27, while the East and Midwest regionals will be held March 27 and 28. The '04 Men's Frozen Four will be held April 8-10 at the FleetCenter in Boston (THE DAILY).
| 2003 |
| Region | Site |
| Northeast | Worcester Centrum Centre; Worcester, MA |
| East | Dunkin Donuts Center; Providence, RI |
| Midwest | Yost Ice Arena; Ann Arbor, MI |
| West | Mariucci Arena; Minneapolis, MN |
| |
| 2004 |
|
| Northeast | Verizon Wireless Arena; Manchester, NH |
| East | Pepsi Arena; Albany, NY |
| Midwest | Van Andel Arena; Grand Rapids, MI |
| West | World Arena; Colorado Springs, CO |
| |
SALE & PELLETIER, CORSON & TUCKER SIGN ENDORSEMENT DEALS
Hockey equipment and apparel company CCM today announced a long-term partnership agreement with '02 Gold Medal figure skating champions Jamie Sale and David Pelletier. The partnership will focus on the recreational and figure skating market. Meanwhile, CCM has developed a new logo that will be featured on both skate products and packaging (THE DAILY).
NV-based beverage company D'Angelo Brands announced that Maple Leafs LW Shayne Corson and C Darcy Tucker have signed on to endorse a range of D'Angelo beverages. The two will appear in ads and make personal appearances supporting D'Angelo's juices and drinks (THE DAILY).
FAN LEADS NATIONWIDE BOYCOTT OF MLB GAMES
The ARIZONA REPUBLIC reports that former AZ St. Univ. Management Professor Ross Reck "will lead a nationwide boycott" of MLB games on July 4. Reck: "If there is a 5 to 6 percent drop [in attendance], it will make them nervous." In addition to Reck's boycott, there are other efforts "in the works for July 11 and Aug. 1 as fans attempt to do something they have never accomplished before: Become a force in labor negotiations" (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 7/2).
BUZZER BEATERS
Nike has sued Vikings QB Daunte Culpepper "claiming that he breached a contract by signing with rival Reebok" without allowing Nike to match the offer (BLOOMBERG NEWS, 7/2).
The AP reports that the NCAA today extended the Univ. of MN's four-year probation "by two years and cut one women's basketball scholarship for violations under former coach Cheryl Littlejohn." But the women's program "escaped the `death penalty,' a two-year shutdown that could have been imposed under NCAA rules for repeat violators" (AP, 7/2).
MetroStars D Steve Jolley and his wife Pilar today launched the Just Jolley Charitable Foundation to raise money for charity and for a scholarship fund tied to the College of William & Mary. The Foundation is currently auctioning on eBay two autographed Clint Mathis U.S. national team jerseys (THE DAILY).
ESPN Auctions presented by eBay starting July 4 will include auctions featuring experiences and items from ESPN X Games VIII, Michael Jordan's Flight School Basketball Camp, ESPN Outdoors and The ESPY Awards (THE DAILY).
USA TODAY reports that NBA players and coaches will host "an international grass-roots basketball camp," Basketball without Borders, this week in Istanbul for 12-to-14-year-olds (USA TODAY, 7/2).
The N.Y. Cycling Championship announced today that its event, presented by BMC Software, will be televised locally by ABC on Sunday, August 4. Among those expected to compete are Lance Armstrong and Olympic Gold Medalist Marty Nothstein. The Threshold Sports-produced race benefits the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (THE DAILY).
FL-based recreational products manufacturer Torpedo Sports today agreed in principal to become the exclusive U.S. marketer and distributor of the Vic Hockey brand (THE DAILY).
TODAY'S ARTICLES OF INTEREST
BASEBALL AMERICA's Alan Schwarz conducts an extensive Q&A with MLB President & COO Bob DuPuy and an extensive Q&A with MLBPA Exec Dir Don Fehr.
FLORIDA TODAY's David Jones reports on veteran NASCAR Winston Cup drivers grumbling about the success of the series' younger stars.
The LAS VEGAS SUN's Dean Juipe comments on pregnancies in the WNBA.
The L.A. TIMES' Grahame Jones on '06 FIFA World Cup Germany Organizing Committee President Franz Beckenbauer.
The INDIANAPOLIS STAR's Sekou Smith recounts the story of a '77 telethon that saved the Pacers.
The AKRON BEACON JOURNAL's Chris Tomasson profiles former Cavaliers GM Wayne Embry.
In part three of a three-part series, the PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER's Frank Fitzpatrick comments on the National Wrestling Coaches Association Title IX lawsuit.
The PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER's Fitzpatrick on the lack of female ADs.
See The Daily Insider's Articles Of Interest section for more sports business-related links.
TONIGHT'S EVENTS
An exhibit titled "Big League Pitching: The Marketing of Major League Baseball" is now open at the William F. Eisner Museum of Advertising & Design in Milwaukee (THE DAILY).
Phillies announcer Harry Kalas will be in attendance for the unveiling of the Keystates Chrysler Jeep "Harry and Whitey Dual Bobbing Head Doll" in front of the Phillies dugout at 4:30pm ET (THE DAILY).
The Mariners will give away the Ichiro MVP Bobblehead dolls to children ages 14 and younger before their game against the Royals (THE DAILY).
IN OTHER NEWS…
MEDIAWEEK reports that Ziff Davis Media today "pulled the plug on Yahoo Internet Life, a 5-year old monthly Web guide that perhaps best personified the boom and bust years of the Internet bubble." Around 35 staffers, including Editor-in-Chief Barry Golson and Publisher Diane Silberstein, have lost their jobs. The August issue will be its last (MEDIAWEEK.com, 7/2).
The Salt Lake Tribune's Marty Renzhofer will "lose his TV columnist and reporter position and be moved to a general rewrite job with less pay and fewer responsibilities" after it was discovered that his article on HBO's documentary about the '72 Olympic basketball championship game, ":03 From Gold," was plagiarized (SALT LAKE TRIBUNE, 6/30).
THE DAILY STAT: LYCOS' MOST-SEARCHED ATHLETES
The following are the most-searched athletes by Lycos search engine users for the week ending June 29 (Lycos).
| RK | | ATHLETE |
| 1) | | Anna Kournikova |
| 2) | | Daniela Hantuchova |
| 3) | | David Beckham |
| 4) | | Allen Iverson |
| 5) | | Darryl Kile |
| 6) | | Michael Owen |
| 7) | | Jelena Dokic |
| 8) | | Michael Jordan |
| 9) | | Landon Donovan |
| 10) | | Martina Hingis |
| |
CHANNEL SURFING
Saints OT Kyle Turley and comedian D.L. Hughley will be on ESPN's "Mohr Sports" at 8:00pm ET.
ESPN Classic's "SportsCentury" will profile Sugar Ray Leonard at 8:00pm ET.
Dodgers P Eric Gagne, D'Backs manager Bob Brenly, boxer Fernando Vargas and actors Morris Chestnut and Bow Wow will be on FSN's "Best Damn Sports Show Period."
A&E's "Biography" will profile John and Abigail Adams at 8:00pm ET.
E!'s "True Hollywood Story" will profile Sharon Tate at 8:00pm ET.
HEADLINERS
Here are tonight's headline guests on the following talk shows:
| "The Late Show" | Natalie Portman (r) |
| "The Tonight Show" | Ben Affleck (r) |
| "The Late Late Show" | Val Kilmer (r) |
| "Late Night" | Aretha Franklin (r) |
If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please let us know at:
dailyinsider@sportsbusinessdaily.com
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