| | The Daily Insider
Afternoon News & Headlines
Thursday, December 19, 2002
4:00pm ET | |
| |
| • | NBA Entertainment To Debut Two New Spots Christmas Day On ABC |
| • | NBC And Magna Officials Today Confirm Negotiations Ongoing To Air Series |
| • | adidas, New Zealand Rugby Union Sign Nine-Year Extension Today |
| • | ESPN Today Reports Overall And Primetime Ratings Up Over '01 |
| • | Robert Johnson To Appear On "Best Damn Sports Show Period" Tonight |
| • | Buzzer Beaters/In Other News/Articles Of Interest/Daily Stat/Channel Surfing |
OL' BLUE EYES TO CROON BEFORE FULL HOUSE IN NBA SPOT
NBA Entertainment announced today that it will debut two spots during the NBA Christmas Day doubleheader on ABC, beginning at 5:30pm ET. In the first spot, part of the NBA's "Love It Live" campaign, Frank Sinatra performs "Under My Skin" for a live audience at an NBA arena. The performance, which combines video images of Sinatra and a bit of technical wizardry, is interspersed with NBA game action footage. The second spot, a PSA featuring Paul Simon, promotes the NBA's "Read to Achieve" program. Simon performs his Golden Globe-nominated song "Father and Daughter" in the spot (THE DAILY).
NEGOTIATIONS ONGOING TO TELEVISE SUNSHINE MILLIONS
The THOROUGHBRED TIMES reports NBC and Magna Entertainment officials today confirmed that negotiations "are ongoing and could conclude with an agreement by the end of the week" to televise Sunshine Millions, the $3.6M day of racing that pits CA-bred horses against FL-bred horses. Magna Entertainment conceived the event, which will be held Saturday, January 25, at Santa Anita Park in CA and Gulfstream Park in FL. The proposed TV program "would be broadcast in one hour and probably feature two live races and replays of earlier events" (THOROUGHBRED TIMES, 12/19).
YANKEES AGREE TO THREE-YEAR, $21M DEAL WITH GODZILLA
The N.Y. DAILY NEWS reports that the Yankees and free agent OF Hideki Matsui today agreed on a three-year contract worth $21M, and notes that the team will not only "fill a hole at one of their corner outfield slots with Matsui, they also likely will make marketing strides in Japan." The deal will pay Matsui $6M in '03, $7M in '04 and $8M in '05 (NYDAILYNEWS.com, 12/19).
ADIDAS TO OUTFIT FAMED ALL BLACKS, OTHER SIDES THROUGH '11
adidas and New Zealand Rugby Union today signed a nine-year extension to their marketing partnership, the longest term of any sports team sponsorship held by adidas. The deal, which extends through '11, replaces the original five-year deal signed in '98. adidas is the exclusive sports and apparel provider to New Zealand's national team, the All Blacks, and is the jersey sponsor for 12 of the 17 Air New Zealand NPC second and third division sides (THE DAILY).
NJSEA TODAY ADOPTS '03 BUDGET SANS STATE-OPERATING SUBSIDY
The NJSEA today adopted its annual budget for '03, and for the first time since '97, the state-operating subsidy has been eliminated. The NJSEA received a $5M operating subsidy from the state last year. The '03 budget estimates total revenue of approximately $224M, a $6.5M increase from last year. Total operating expenses are projected to remain flat and income from operations is projected to grow by $5M (THE DAILY).
BUZZER BEATERS
ESPN reported today that its year-to-date Nielsen ratings are up 14% over last year, from 0.58 to 0.66. In primetime, its ratings are up 15%, from 1.22 to 1.40 (THE DAILY).
The Reebok Human Rights Program, Shakira and her foundation, Pies Descalzos (Bare Feet), today announced a year-long project to distribute 10,000 pairs of Reebok shoes to Colombian children (THE DAILY).
"Sports Home Cities" was a category on last night's edition of "Jeopardy!" While the first four questions were answered correctly – NFL's Saints (New Orleans), MLB's Royals (K.C.), NBA's Cavaliers (Cleveland) and NHL's Senators (Ottawa) – the final question proved a bit more challenging. When the clue "MLS' Burn" was revealed, the contestants stared blankly at the monitor until time expired (THE DAILY).
During last night's "1984" edition of VH1's "I Love the 80's," Celtics F Walter McCarty said of Cyndi Lauper, "I just remember her with the red hair, and she was just so small. She was like a rainbow" ("I Love the 80's," VH1, 12/18).
Actor Edward Norton appeared on last night's edition of Comedy Central's "The Daily Show." Although a N.Y. native and self-proclaimed Knicks fan, Norton conceded that living in L.A. has made him somewhat of a Lakers fan. On meeting Shaquille O'Neal while filming Touchstone Pictures '00 film "Keeping The Faith," Norton said, "He came by the set and … gave Ben Stiller the 'homeboy hug.' Shaquille was bent past 90 degrees, and Ben was hugging him like a little child" ("The Daily Show," Comedy Central, 12/18).
TODAY'S ARTICLES OF INTEREST
CBS SPORTSLINE's Dan Wetzel offers a wide-ranging Q&A with incoming NCAA President Myles Brand, who discusses "his vision for the NCAA, the possibility of a Div. I-A football playoff, the limitations of his job and even what might happen if Texas Tech wound up capturing a NCAA basketball championship" (CBS SPORTSLINE).
The L.A. TIMES' Mark Heisler writes, "From the swamp they came and to the swamp they always return," referring to the Nets' status with fans in the metro N.Y. area. While the team claims an average of 13,000 fans per game, "insiders think the real number is closer to 10,000. In any case, they're still second fiddle, and might be third if there was another team" playing in MSG (L.A. TIMES).
See The Daily Insider's Articles Of Interest section for more sports business-related links.
TONIGHT'S EVENTS
The Senators will give C Todd White bobblehead dolls to the first 2,500 children in attendance for the team's 7:00pm ET game against the Sharks (THE DAILY).
IN OTHER NEWS…….
DAILY VARIETY reports that TNN will air the Video Game Awards, "the first televised kudos for the fast-growing [video game] industry with such over-the-top categories as best all-around badass and best free-for-all carnage." The two-hour program, which will run in Q4 '03, will also include a best pro sports game category. The video game industry grossed $9.4B in '01 and "is on track to reap substantially more in 2002" (DAILY VARIETY, 12/19).
The Hollywood Foreign Press Association today announced the '03 Golden Globe nominations. View the entire list (THE DAILY).
TODAY'S DAILY STAT: BILLBOARD CHARTS
The following lists Billboard Magazine's top-selling CDs for the week ending December 12 (BILLBOARD.com, 12/19):
| RK | ALBUM | ARTIST | LABEL |
| 1) | Up! | Shania Twain | Mercury (Nashville) |
| 2) | Home | Dixie Chicks | Monument/Columbia |
| 3) | I Care 4 U | Aaliyah | Blackground/Universal |
| 4) | Tim McGraw And The Dancehall Doctors | Tim McGraw | Curb |
| 5) | 8 Mile | Soundtrack | Shady |
| 6) | Let Go | Avril Lavigne | Arista |
| 7) | Now 11 | Various Artists | Universal/EMI/Zomba/Sony |
| 8) | This Is Me…Then | Jennifer Lopez | Epic |
| 9) | Just Whitney | Whitney
Houston | Arista |
| 10) | Pandemonion! | B2K | Epic |
CHANNEL SURFING
ESPN will air the NFL Pro Bowl Selection Show at 7:00pm ET.
ESPN will air Stars-Red Wings or Bruins-Capitals at 8:00pm ET.
ESPN2 will air NCAA men's basketball, Mississippi-Memphis, at 9:30pm ET.
ESPN Classic's "SportsCentury" will profile Joe Louis at 8:00pm ET.
Charlotte NBA expansion franchise Owner Robert Johnson, Titans RB Eddie George, Dolphins QB Jay Fiedler, Clippers G Corey Maggette and Univ. of IN men's basketball coach Mike Davis are scheduled to appear on FSN's "Best Damn Sports Show Period."
Actor Denzel Washington is the scheduled guest on TNT's "Listen Up! Charles Barkley with Ernie Johnson" at 7:00pm ET.
TNT will air Lakers-Nets at 7:30pm ET and Spurs-Kings at 10:00pm ET.
HBO's "Inside The NFL" will feature the NFL's three 1,000-catch receivers: Dolphins WR Cris Carter and Raiders WRs Tim Brown and Jerry Rice at 8:00pm ET.
Fiesta Bowl Chair Steve Horrell, President John Junker, USA Today college football writer Kelly Whiteside, AZ Republic columnist Dan Bickley and Heisman Trophy winner Carson Palmer will be on FSN AZ's "Fiesta Bowl Roundtable" at 7:00pm MT.
MLS Earthquakes MF Landon Donovan will be on CNN's "Connie Chung Tonight" at 8:00pm ET.
A&E's "Biography" will profile Dr. Phil at 8:00pm ET.
E!'s "True Hollywood Story" will profile Steven Seagal at 8:00pm ET, and Jean-Claude Van Damme at 9:00pm.
VH1 continues its week-long "I Love the '80s" series tonight with "1986" at 9:00pm ET, and "1987" at 10:00pm.
HEADLINERS
Here are tonight's headline guests on the following talk shows:
| "Late Show" | Tom Hanks |
| "The Tonight Show" | Sandra Bullock |
| "The Late Late Show" | William Shatner |
| "Late Night" | John Cusack |
If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please let us know at:
dailyinsider@sportsbusinessdaily.com
The Closing Bell provides an afternoon recap of the latest news and headlines each Monday through Friday at approximately 4:00pm ET. If you would like to sign up for an e-mail alert to the Closing Bell, go to My Account and personalize your e-mail alert options.
