| | The Daily Insider
Afternoon News & Headlines
Thursday, October 10, 2002
4:00pm ET | |
| |
| • | German Soccer Legend Acquires Worldwide TV Rights To '06 World Cup |
| • | Senators And Sabres To Open Season Tonight Without Capacity Crowd |
| • | Univ. Of TX-Univ. Of OK Matchup Expected To Bring 80,000 Fans To Dallas |
| • | A-Rod's $3.9M Donation To Univ. Of Miami To Kick Off Stadium Renovation |
| • | AFL Releases '03 Schedule, Up To Regional 70 Games To Be Aired On NBC |
| • | Buzzer Beaters/In Other News/Articles Of Interest/Daily Stat/Channel Surfing |
KIRCHMEDIA CREDITORS AGREE TO BUY-OUT OF SPORTS RIGHTS BIZ
The AP reports that German soccer legend Guenter Netzer today acquired the worldwide TV rights to the '06 World Cup as well as the Bundesliga, Germany's top soccer league, by "making the winning bid" for Switzerland-based KirchSport. Netzer's financial backing comes from former adidas Chair & CEO Robert Louis-Dreyfus. Both sides "refused to name a price," but reports out of Germany place the group's bid around US$300M (AP, 10/10). The deal is expected to close early next week (FINANCIAL TIMES, 10/10).
SENATORS EXPECT 2,000 EMPTY SEATS FOR TONIGHT'S HOME OPENER
The OTTAWA SUN reports that the Senators "expect to have at least 2,000 empty seats tonight" for their '02-03 home opener against the Devils. If will be the first time since '96 that the team will open "to a less-than-capacity crowd." The Senators are "also in danger of having the lowest turnout ever for an opener at the Corel Centre" (OTTAWA SUN, 10/10). As of presstime, the Senators had 2,500 tickets available for tonight's game (THE DAILY).
Meanwhile, the BUFFALO NEWS reports that as of late Tuesday night, the Sabres had sold 10,118 seats for tonight's home opener against the Islanders. Capacity of HSBC Arena is 18,690 (BUFFALO NEWS, 10/10).
VISITORS EXPECTED TO SPEND $18-21M IN DALLAS FOR TX-OK GAME
The DALLAS MORNING NEWS reports that about 80,000 fans are "expected to flood into Dallas" starting tonight for Saturday's Univ. of TX-Univ. of OK football game at the 71,000-seat Cotton Bowl. Visitors this weekend are expected to spend $18-21M. Dallas Convention & Visitors Bureau President & CEO Dave Whitney said, "People come from all over the region to see this game. It's the largest sporting event we'll have in the city this year." A seat in the end zone, face value $60, is selling for $350; a 50-yard line ticket for as much as $1,000 (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 10/10).
ESPN'S 11:00pm ET "SPORTSCENTER" TO EXPAND TO 90 MINUTES
ESPN announced today that beginning Sunday, October 15, the net's Sunday 11:00pm ET edition of "SportsCenter" will be expanded to 90 minutes. During the MLB offseason, Monday through Saturday 11:00pm shows will also be increased to 90 minutes (THE DAILY).
A-ROD MAKES $3.9M CONTRIBUTION TODAY TO UNIV. OF MIAMI
The Univ. of Miami today announced that MLB Rangers SS Alex Rodriguez made a $3.9M contribution to the university to create an annual scholarship for a member of the Boys & Girls Club of America, as well as to initiate a stadium renovation campaign for the university's baseball team (THE DAILY).
ISC REPORTS ACROSS THE BOARD INCREASES FOR Q3 '02
ISC today reported results for Q3 '02, and total revenue increased to $136.4M, from $132.1 in Q3 '01. Operating income also increased, from $39.4M last year to $49.1M. Net income was $29.6M, or $0.56 per share, up from $21.8M, or $0.42 per share, in Q3 '01 (THE DAILY).
BUZZER BEATERS
PAINT BOOTH: Each week, some auto racing teams display different paint 
schemes on their cars to reflect a different sponsor, brand, promotion or special cause. This week, the NASCAR Winston Cup Series visits Lowe's Motor Speedway for Sunday's UAW-GM Quality 500. Chip Ganassi Racing will tout associate sponsor Fuji Film on its No. 41 Dodge of Jimmy Spencer. Target, the normal primary sponsor, will take on an associate role this weekend. Newell-Rubbermaid, which usually leverages its Sharpie brand on Roush Racing's No. 97 Ford of Kurt 
Busch, will showcase its Rubbermaid Commercial Products division on the car this weekend. Meanwhile, Miller Brewing will run a throwback black and gold scheme on Penske South's No. 2 Lite Ford of Rusty Wallace, instead of the usual blue and white look. To promote the launch of the '03 Dodge Viper, Dodge is sporting a viper – the snake, not the car – paint scheme on Evernham Motorsports' No. 9 Dodge of Bill Elliott. M&Ms gets into the spirit of Halloween by sporting a spooky look on MB2 Motorsports' No. 36 Pontiac of Ken Schrader (THE DAILY).
The AFL released its '03 schedule today, which features up to 70 regional games on NBC. NBC will broadcast its first game of the season on February 2, 2003 (THE DAILY).
The SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE reports a football autographed by Chargers RB LaDainian Tomlinson sold for $1,725.00, "the highest-selling auction for an autographed football ever on the NFL.com/eBay auction site" (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 10/10).
Pro Tour Memorabilia announced an agreement with Ken Venturi to produce autographed and un-autographed photographs and memorabilia marking his career as a professional golfer (THE DAILY).
NFL FANS SHOOTING FOR AN EVEN DOZEN:
- eFitness.com estimates that the average man who watches "two games on Sunday and one on Monday" adds an extra 1,181 calories to his diet. When multiplied over the course of a 17-week season, that's an "extra eight to [ten] pounds gained by the loyal football fan" (New Orleans TIMES-PICAYUNE, 10/10).
TODAY'S ARTICLES OF INTEREST
SI's Frank Deford writes that fantasy football has become so popular that "the NFL has started to feature it all the more on its Web site … even (having) actual players promoting their make-believe selves." Furthermore, fantasy football players "are often more interested in how their imaginary squads do" than actual NFL teams (CNNSI.com).
The WALL STREET JOURNAL's Kara Scannell writes, "The market's doldrums have taken a severe toll" on the price of horses – a "marked contrast from the late 1990's," proving that what a colt sells for at auction "has more to do with the stock market than stamina" (WALL STREET JOURNAL).
The Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE's Terry Fiedler reports that Vikings Owner Red McCombs, who has "J.P. Morgan Chase busily shopping the team," could get $500-$750M in a sale. Fiedler wonders how that is possible, "at a time of economic malaise, stock market swoons and a growing number of pro sports franchises on the block" (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE).
The L.A. TIMES' Paul McLeod writes that "schools will be backed into a corner" by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, which is "designed to protect the privacy of employee medical records" but includes language that "could punish institutions for releasing information about an athlete's medical records" (L.A. TIMES).
See The Daily Insider's Articles Of Interest section for more sports business-related links.
TONIGHT'S EVENTS
Steelers RB Jerome Bettis and WR Hines Ward will model during the Steelers Style '02 Fashion Show to benefit various Pittsburgh charities. The 5:30pm ET show is at the Pittsburgh Hilton Hotel and Towers (Pittsburgh TRIBUNE-REVIEW, 10/3).
Red Wings Owner Mike Ilitch will accompany the Stanley Cup to the "Promenade of Hope" charity benefit beginning at 5:30pm ET at the Ritz-Carlton in Dearborn, MI (THE DAILY).
Magic players will sign autographs and greet fans, beginning at 5:30pm ET, as they enter TD Waterhouse Centre for tonight's preseason game against the Hawks (THE DAILY).
NASCAR drivers Dale Earnhardt Jr., Casey Atwood, Kurt Busch, Ryan Newman, Jimmie Johnson, Kevin Harvick, Elliott Sadler and Matt Kenseth will be featured on a limited-edition collectable ticket for tonight's Bojangle's Pole Night at Lowe's Motor Speedway. In addition, Univ. of NC-Charlotte men's basketball coach Bobby Lutz will serve as grand marshal for tonight's EasyCare Vehicle Service Contracts 150 (THE DAILY).
Comcast SportsNet in Philadelphia will launch its new on-air look tonight, utilizing updated graphics treatments, new studio sets, and a new newsroom (THE DAILY).
IN OTHER NEWS…….
REUTERS reports that video game retailer Electronics Boutique Holding Corp. (EB) today announced "it has sold its sports collectibles business" Sports Collectibles Acquisition Corp., which is owned by EB Chair James Kim (REUTERS, 10/10).
ANANOVA.com reports that BSkyB CEO Tony Ball "earned almost [$11.73M] in salary and share sales in the year ended June 30, 2002," according to the group's annual report (ANANOVA.com, 10/10).
The AP reports that USA Interactive announced today that it "has entered into an agreement to acquire the remaining shares of Ticketmaster it does not already own" for about $700M in stock. USA Interactive currently owns 66.5% of Ticketmaster (AP, 10/10).
The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER notes that HOF jockey Gary Stevens "has landed a role in the Gary Ross-directed 'Seabiscuit'" (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 10/10).
The WALL STREET JOURNAL reports the FCC rejected EchoStar Communications Corp.'s proposed acquisition of Hughes Electronics Corp., "striking down a deal that would have created a pay-television behemoth" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 10/10).
THE DAILY STAT: BILLBOARD CHARTS
The following lists Billboard Magazine's top-selling CDs for the week ending October 3 (BILLBOARD, 10/10):
| RK | ALBUM | ARTIST | LABEL |
| 1) | Elv1s: 30 #1 Hits | Elvis Presley | RCA |
| 2) | Forty Licks | The Rolling Stones | ABKCO |
| 3) | Man vs Machine | Xzibit | Loud/Columbia |
| 4) | American Idol: Greatest Moments | Soundtrack | RCA |
| 5) | Home | Dixie Chicks | Monument/Columbia |
| 6) | Let Go | Avril Lavigne | Arista |
| 7) | The Young And The Hopeless | Good Charlotte | Daylight |
| 8) | Nellyville | Nelly | Fo' Reel/Universal |
| 9) | The Eminem Show | Eminem | Web/Aftermath |
| 10) | Believe | Disturbed | Reprise |
CHANNEL SURFING
ESPN will air Virginia Tech-Boston College college football at 7:30pm ET.
ESPN2 will air Maple Leafs-Penguins at 7:30pm ET.
Fox will air NLCS Game Two, Giants-Cardinals, at 8:00pm ET.
ESPN2 will air Red Wings-Sharks at 10:30pm ET.
ESPN Classic's "SportsCentury" will profile Brett Favre at 8:00pm ET.
Twins C A.J. Pierzynski, model Kristy Swanson and Gabrielle Reeceare scheduled to appear on FSN's "Best Damn Sports Show Period."
Twins P Joe Mays and 1B Doug Mientkiewicz, and Angels manager Mike Sciosciawill be on FSN's "The Last Word."
A&E's "Biography" will profile Raquel Welch at 8:00pm ET.
E!'s "True Hollywood Story" will profile Marlon Brando at 8:00pm ET.
HEADLINERS
Here are tonight's headline guests on the following talk shows:
| "The Late Show" | Michelle Pfeiffer |
| "The Tonight Show" | Jerry Seinfeld |
| "The Late Late Show" | Tim Robbins |
| "Late Night" | Sarah Michelle Gellar |
If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please let us know at:
dailyinsider@sportsbusinessdaily.com
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