| | The Daily Insider
Afternoon News & Headlines
Tuesday, October 29, 2002
4:00pm ET | |
| |
| • | NBA Announces Partnership With Dell Just In Time For Season Tipoff |
| • | "Real Sports" Tackles The Sexuality Issue In Tonight's Episode |
| • | Wheaties To Honor Emmitt Smith With Solo Cover |
| • | NYC2012 Cleared By USOC Of Any Wrongdoing In Olympic Bidding |
| • | How Long Could You Stand To Watch TV – 72 Straight Hours? |
| • | Buzzer Beaters/Daily Stat/Articles of Interest/In Other News/Channel Surfing |
DUDE, YOU'RE GETTING A NEW PARTNER JUST IN TIME FOR TIP
On the same day the '02-03 opens, the NBA announced the signing of a deal with Dell for the company to become the official desktop, notebook and server of the NBA and WNBA. Dell computers will be used at each of the leagues' arenas to record statistical information. NBA referees also will use Dell Latitude notebooks to review video of their calls after each game. Dell will have a presence on nationally televised NBA games as well as NBA.com. IBM, which provided the hardware for the leagues last year, is in discussions with the NBA about its continued role (THE DAILY).
Opening Day rosters for the NBA feature a record 66 int'l players from 34 countries and territories. There are int'l players on 27 of the league's 29 teams. The Mavericks have the most, with five int'l players, while the Grizzlies, Spurs and Jazz each have four (THE DAILY).
ESPN Radio tonight at 7:00pm ET will present "Gamenight Presents The NBA Tipoff Special" from the NBA Store in N.Y. Co-hosts Doug Brown and Bob Valvano will have NBA Commissioner David Stern, Nets G Jason Kidd, Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak and Grizzlies F Shane Battier as guests (THE DAILY).
Kidd and Elektra recording artist Fabolous will appear at the NBA Store in N.Y. from 5:00-7:00pm to discuss the '02 NBA season. Kings G Mike Bibby will appear via satellite from Sacramento to compete against Kidd in EA Sports "NBA Live 2003" (THE DAILY).
"REAL SPORTS" ASKS IF ATHLETES ARE READY FOR GAY TEAMMATE
HBO's "Real Sports With Bryant Gumbel" features an interview with former NFLer Esera Tuaolo, who discusses his secret life in the NFL as a homosexual. Tuaolo says in the piece, "My life was miserable. The fear of getting found out ... (gave me) many sleepless nights." ESPN NFL studio analyst Sterling Sharpe, who played with Tuaolo in Green Bay, said Tuaolo "would have been eaten alive and he would have been hated" if he had announced he was gay while still playing. Sharpe: "Had he come out on a Monday, with Wednesday, Thursday, Friday practices, he'd never have gotten ... into the game on Sunday. He's done" ("Real Sports," HBO, 10/29).
In L.A., Larry Stewart writes the interview "may be the most powerful in the eight-year history of the show. … But this is more than an ex-football player coming out of the closet. This is about how homosexuality is viewed in professional sports and the extent to which Tuaolo went to keep his secret" (L.A. TIMES, 10/29).
Jaguars TE Pete Mitchell, who was a teammate of Tuaolo's in '97, said, "It's definitely a surprise. I never saw him as being gay when he was here, and he didn't really come across that way. He never mentioned it" (FL TIMES-UNION, 10/29).
Dolphins CB Patrick Surtain said, "I don't think a guy will come out and announce that. There would be a lot of repercussions. He'll be alienated. This is a man's game. This is a physical game. You don't want to hear anything like that in the locker room." Dolphins OG Jamie Nails added, "I was amazed and shocked that he was coming out even though he's no longer playing" (PALM BEACH POST, 10/29).
WHEATIES TO FEATURE RECORD-HOLDER EMMITT SMITH ON BOX
Wheaties today announced the release of a new special-edition package honoring Cowboys RB Emmitt Smith for breaking the NFL's all-time rushing record. The new package was unveiled today at the Cowboys' training facility and will be available nationally beginning in mid-November. This marks Smith's first solo appearance on the Wheaties package. His other appearances were with Cowboys championship teams in '93, '94 and '96 (THE DAILY).
A special one-hour "NFL Films Presents: Emmitt Smith: Run with History" will premiere Friday at 8:00pm ET on ESPN2 (THE DAILY).
NFL'S FINANCIAL COMMITTEE CLOSES NYSE TODAY
In N.Y. for league meetings beginning tomorrow, Buccaneers Owner Malcolm Glazer, Chiefs Owner Lamar Hunt, Patriots Owner Robert Kraft, Eagles Owner Jeffrey Lurie, and Giants co-Owner Bob Tisch – all members of the NFL Finance Committee -- rang the closing bell at the NYSE today (THE DAILY).
ANAHEIM COUNCIL TO DISCUSS TIGER WOODS LEARNING CENTER
The ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER reports that the Anaheim City Council tonight "will consider approving an agreement for the nation's first Tiger Woods Learning Center, which would be at a city-run golf course." The agreement involves the city, Orange County and the Tiger Woods Foundation. The foundation plans to invest $25M in a two-story, 30,000-square-foot educational facility (ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, 10/29).
ESPN.COM PLANS FIRST LIVE WEBCAST OF NCAA FOOTBALL GAME
ESPN.com will feature a live, interactive Webcast of the Univ. of Miami-Rutgers Univ. football game, which is set for this Saturday at 12:00pm ET. The Webcast will mark the first time ESPN.com has presented live video streaming of a game, as well as the first time a top-ranked team has appeared on such a Webcast. ESPN.com's "College Gameday Online" will present a moderated chat during the game hosted by ESPN college football analyst Jim Donnan. The Webcast will be offered only to ESPN Insider subscribers (THE DAILY).
BUZZER BEATERS
The N.Y. DAILY NEWS reports that the USOC has cleared N.Y. of "all alleged ethical violations related to its 2012 Olympic bid." NYC2012 Exec Director Jay Kriegel said, "We have been advised by the USOC that their review has been completed." The announcement "puts to rest allegations that Mayor Bloomberg may have violated Olympic rules by talking up the city's bid during a trip to Athens in September." A separate allegation focused on whether U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) had "improper contact" with IOC VP Anita Defrantz last month (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 10/29).
REUTERS reports that Vail Resorts today reported a Q4 loss on "continued softness in the leisure travel market." The company said that to cut costs, it will "let 50 employees go and eliminate 50 other positions that have not yet been filled" (REUTERS, 10/29).
The NFL announced today that Visa Int'l has renewed its agreement as the official payment card of the league in both Japan and Mexico through March '04. As part of its activities in Japan, Visa will sponsor a Super Bowl XXXVII sweeps, in which Japanese fans can enter to win Super Bowl tickets at stores, on the Internet, and through direct mail offers. Visa-sponsored NFL promotions in Mexico will include sweepstakes, VIP hospitality, commercial advertisements, and a weekly NFL "MNF" promotion at the Hard Rock Café in Mexico City (THE DAILY).
The AP reports that "tens of thousands of fans" lined Main St. at Disneyland today to celebrate the Angels' World Series championship. Jackie Autry, the widow of team founder Gene Autry, rode in the parade with Mickey Mouse (AP, 10/29).
The Marlins today appointed the RBB Public Relations of Miami as the team's PR firm and HDC of Ft. Lauderdale to handle the team's TV, radio, print and outdoor advertising and creative campaign for '03 (THE DAILY).
TONIGHT'S EVENTS
The NFL will hold a press conference at Chargers Park beginning at 3:30pm PT to announce details of the NFL Global Junior Championship VII, a football tournament to be played in San Diego as part of the build up to Super Bowl XXXVII (THE DAILY).
Flames VP/Sales & Customer Service Rollie Cyr and Exec Advisor/Hockey Ops Lanny McDonald will attend a '02 "Hockey Talk" session at the Callaghan Inn in Medicine Hat, AB beginning at 6:00pm MT (THE DAILY).
TODAY'S ARTICLES OF INTEREST
MEDIAWEEK's John Consoli looks at NBA Commissioner David Stern's "High-Def Vision" for the future of the league, as Stern predicts that by the start of the '04-05 season, "NBA TV's entire schedule, including all of the live game telecasts, will be shot and produced in high-def." Stern says he hopes "to air more than 8,000 hours annually of programming in high definition … certainly the live games and all the news programming. The classic stuff from our archives might be a bit slower since we will need to go back and upgrade it" (MEDIAWEEK).
CBS SPORTSLINE's Rick Horrow reports that the NBA tips off its '02-03 season "with mixed expectations." He sees the impending sale of the Celtics for $360M to a group led by investment banker Wycliffe Grousbeck as a "positive note … that will increase the value of franchises across the league." On the other hand, "uncertainties surround the long term success of the Hornets, Michael Jordan may be entering his last season and the NBA constantly battles 'Allen Iverson-esque' image problems." Horrow believes that labor economics, corporate support, television stability, marketing creativity and market and demographic expansion are the "keys to the business success of the upcoming season" (CBS SPORTSLINE).
AD AGE's Dan Lippe takes a look inside the stadium naming-rights business, where, "in little more than a decade, the business of selling and buying sports stadium naming rights has mushroomed into a multibillion-dollar industry boasting both marketing successes and public relations debacles" (AD AGE).
IN OTHER NEWS…
Dustin Gadberry of Plano, TX, last night set the world record for consecutive hours of watching TV after consecutively viewing 72 hours, 13 minutes and 37 seconds of Fox Sports Digital Nets. The record was set as part of Dallas-Ft. Worth's Ultimate Sports Fan competition sponsored by AT&T Broadband and Charter Communications (THE DAILY).
The National Sporting Goods Association has published the report "Sports Participation – State by State." California, with the largest population (11.5% of the U.S.) does not have the highest index in any sport, while Delaware, with 0.3% of the population, leads eight surveyed activities: salt water fishing (405 – meaning a DE resident is 305% more likely to participate in salt water fishing than the average U.S. resident), tackle football (372), touch football (360), golf (253), horseshoes (683), traditional roller skating (253), volleyball (348) and weightlifting (184) (THE DAILY).
DAILY STAT: MOST SEARCHED NBA TEAMS
The following details the most-searched NBA teams from Lycos' search engines for the previous two weeks (Lycos).
| RK | NBA TEAM |
| 1) | Washington Wizards |
| 2) | Boston Celtics |
| 3) | Toronto Raptors |
| 4) | Chicago Bulls |
| 5) | Atlanta Hawks |
| 6) | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 7) | Dallas Mavericks |
| 8) | New York Knicks |
| 9) | Detroit Pistons |
| 10) | Milwaukee Bucks |
CHANNEL SURFING
Michael Kay, Dan LeBatard and Charley Steiner will join host Jack Ford on ESPN's "The Sports Reporters II" at 7:00pm ET.
ESPN will air "Beg, Borrow & Deal" at 8:00pm ET.
ESPN will air "The Focus Group" at 9:00pm ET with panelists Steve Michaud, Anthony Deavers, Denise Collins, Josh Freedenberg, Anthony Falce and Rick Girvens. Topics include USOC CEO Lloyd Ward's Augusta National membership, Wizards F Michael Jordan's lawsuit against a woman for extortion and the recently completed World Series.
PGA Tour golfer John Daly will be on ESPN's "Off Course"with Jack Wagner at 9:30pm ET.
ESPN2 will air Sharks-Red Wings at 8:00pm ET.
ESPN Classic's "SportsCentury" will profile Mike Tyson at 8:00pm ET.
TNT will air 76ers-Magic at 7:30pm ET and Spurs-Lakers at 10:30pm ET.
NBA Commissioner David Stern, TNT NBA analyst Charles Barkley, NFL Giants CB Jason Sehorn and actor/musician David Cassidy are scheduled to be on FSN's "Best Damn Sports Show Period."
Eric Musselman and Stephen A. Smith will be on FSN's "The Last Word."
A new episode of HBO's "Real Sports" with Bryant Gumbel will feature former NFLer Esera Tuaolo, Colts President & GM Bill Polian, Falcons Exec VP & CAO Ray Anderson, Jets head coach Herman Edwards and Bears defensive coordinator Greg Blache at 10:00pm ET.
A&E's "Biography" will profile Sharon Tate at 8:00pm ET.
E!'s "True Hollywood Story" will profile Kirstie Alley at 8:00pm ET.
HEADLINERS
Here are tonight's headline guests on the following talk shows:
| "Late Show" | Salma Hayek |
| "The Tonight Show" | Arnold Schwarzenegger |
| "The Late Late Show" | Alfred Molina |
| "Late Night" | Ted Danson |
If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please let us know at:
dailyinsider@sportsbusinessdaily.com
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