| | The Daily Insider
Afternoon News & Headlines
Monday, January 6, 2003
4:00pm ET | |
| |
| • | FIFA Today Announces Six African Nations Interested In 2010 World Cup |
| • | NHL Network, OLN To Premiere Original Series Tonight |
| • | Jordan Grand Prix Inks Extension Today With Puma For Race Wear, Uniforms |
| • | adidas-Salomon CEO Rules Out Major Acquisition To Catch Nike |
| • | Masterfoods USA To Promote Snickers Almond Bar During FLW Outdoors Tour |
| • | Buzzer Beaters/Daily Stat/Articles of Interest/In Other News/Channel Surfing |
SIX ASSOCIATIONS HAVE UNTIL APRIL 30 TO CONFIRM INTEREST
FIFA announced today that Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa and Tunisia are the six nations to have formally declared an interest in hosting the 2010 FIFA World Cup – the first time it will be held in Africa. The deadline to express interest was December 31, 2002. The six national soccer associations will receive an updated requirements list by January 31 and then have until April 30 to formally confirm or withdraw their declaration of interest (THE DAILY).
NHL NETWORK, OLN TO PREMIERE NEW SHOWS TONIGHT
The NHL Network premieres “Chasing The Dream” at 6:30pm ET in Canada. The 18-part docudrama goes behind the scenes of minor league hockey by following the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, the Penguins’ AHL affil. Cameras will follow the team from the locker room to life off the ice. The show will also air on FSN Pittsburgh, beginning January 12 (THE DAILY).
OLN will premiere “Global Extremes: Mt. Everest – 4Runners Of Adventure” at 9:00pm ET, with original episodes running every subsequent Monday through May at 10:00pm. Toyota Motor Sales USA has partnered with OLN on the series to showcase its ’03 4Runner (THE DAILY).
FOX SPORTS TO DELIVER CONTENT TO PDAS VIA MAZINGO
Fox Sports today announced that it will offer its video content as a subscription product to Mazingo subscribers, a network that delivers content to PDAs. The FoxSports.com channel on Mazingo will offer content from Fox Sports and FSN, as well as unique content acquired specifically for the partnership (THE DAILY).
PUMA EXTENSION WILL OUTFIT JORDAN GRAND PRIX THROUGH ‘05
SKY SPORTS reports that Jordan Grand Prix today signed a three-year sponsorship extension with Puma, which “will see Puma branding featured on the race wear of the drivers and pit crew as well the uniforms of all mechanics, engineers and team managers” until the end of ‘05. Jordan Grand Prix and Puma began the relationship in ’01. Team Owner Eddie Jordan said this past weekend that finding “new sponsorship was his priority ahead of selecting a second driver.” Deutsche Post was formerly the main sponsor of the team (SKY SPORTS, 1/6).
L.A. SPORTS ANCHOR TO BEGIN DOUBLE DUTY TONIGHT
The L.A. TIMES reports that KTTV-Fox sports anchor Rick Garcia will move “from sports reporting to news by becoming a local TV news anchor – although, in this case, without giving up his sportscaster duties.” Garcia will “perform double duty beginning tonight, replacing Rick Chambers as co-anchor on sister station KCOP’s [UPN] struggling” 11:00pm PT newscast. Fox operates both stations. Garcia will “still handle sports on KTTV, including the station's NFL football postgame show” (L.A. TIMES, 1/6).
BUZZER BEATERS
REUTERS reports that adidas-Salomon CEO Herbert Hainer today “ruled out a major acquisition to bridge the gap with world number one Nike,” but said that “smaller acquisitions were possible.” Hainer: “We'll buy smaller brands if they take our existing brands further and round out our portfolio” (REUTERS, 1/6).
USTA Exec Dir & COO Rick Ferman today announced his resignation. Ferman will continue in his position until a successor is named (THE DAILY).
The PGA Tour today launched its redesigned Web site (THE DAILY).
Wallstreet.com, an online sportsbook and casino, announced today that it will title pole-day qualifying at the Dodge/Save Mart 350 Winston Cup race, to be held the weekend of June 20-22, 2003, at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, CA (THE DAILY).
Masterfoods USA today announced it has renewed its sponsorship of FLW Outdoors for the ’03 tournament season. Masterfoods, which has sponsored FLW Outdoors since ’01, will promote its new Snickers Almond Bar this season (THE DAILY).
Charlotte City Council member Lynn Wheeler, who was outspoken in her support of the Steve Belkin-Larry Bird team for the NBA’s expansion franchise in Charlotte, received an autographed basketball from Bird with the following handwritten note attached: “Lynn, thank you for your help ... if you ever need me for anything, you just call.” Wheeler: “I thought, ‘Oh, my gosh, what a nice person he is’” (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 1/6).
Fifteen NFL players, including Seahawks RB Shaun Alexander and Eagles CB Troy Vincent, will appear on “Wheel of Fortune” this week as part of “NFL Players Week.” The episodes were taped November 5, 2002 (THE DAILY).
The AP reports, “A group that wanted to save gymnastics at the [Univ. of MA] with $150,000 in private donations is returning the money to donors because the school refuses to keep the sport” (AP, 1/6).
SOMETIMES IT’S TOO EASY:
- ABC Radio’s Keith Olbermann, on the release of Topps’ ’03 baseball card set, which includes a card featuring two top NL pitching prospects, the Braves’ Jung Bong and the Astros’ Brandon Puffer. Olbermann: “You got it. It’s the ‘Bong-Puffer’ card. Unclear if it’s publication will cause Topps’ reputation to take a ‘hit’” (ABC Radio, 1/6).
TONIGHT’S EVENTS
TBS will hold the 11th annual Trumpet Awards at the GA World Congress Center in Atlanta, beginning at 6:00pm ET. NBA HOFer Julius “Dr. J” Erving and twelve-year old golfer Cheyenne Woods, the niece of Tiger Woods, are among the honorees (THE DAILY).
TODAY’S ARTICLES OF INTEREST
The WASHINGTON TIMES’ Eric Fisher writes, with TV ratings and attendance for major league sports still largely stagnant within the U.S., “Foreignmarkets represent the fastest-growing sectors of each league’s ledger and provide the most untapped economic potential. … There is nothing modest now about the international business of American pro sports, where each of the four U.S. sports leagues … is aggressively pursuing overseas revenues and foreign fans with military-like precision” (WASHINGTON TIMES).
The K.C. STAR’s Kerkhoff & Thompson, in a special report, ask, “Is college football heading for a playoff?” Based on a comprehensive survey of Div. I decision makers, including university presidents, athletic directors, head football coaches and faculty athletic reps, Kerkhoff & Thompson believe that a college football playoff “may be closer to a reality now than it has ever been” (K.C. STAR).
See The Daily Insider’s Articles of Interest section for these and more sports business-related links.
IN OTHER NEWS…
Fortune magazine announced today that investment brokerage firm Edward Jones has been ranked No. 1 on its annual list of “100 Best Companies to Work For” for the second year in a row (Fortune, 1/20 issue).
THE DAILY STAT: N.Y. TIMES BEST SELLING NONFICTION
The following presents best selling nonfiction books for the week ending December 28 (N.Y. TIMES):
| THIS
WEEK | HARDCOVER NONFICTION |
| 1) | BUSH AT WAR, Bob Woodward (Simon & Schuster) |
| 2) | PORTRAIT OF A KILLER, Patricia Cornwell (Putnam) |
| 3) | LEADERSHIP, Rudolph W. Giuliani with Ken Kurson (Miramax/Hyperion) |
| 4) | JOURNALS, Kurt Cobain (Riverhead) |
| 5) | A LONG WAY FROM HOME, Tom Brokaw (Random House) |
| 6) | MY LOSING SEASON, Pat Conroy (Nan A. Talese/Doubleday) |
| 7) | STUPID WHITE MEN, Michael Moore (Regan-Books/HarperCollins) |
| 8) | THE CONQUERORS, Michael Beschloss (Simon & Schuster) |
| 9) | LIVE FROM NEW YORK, Tom Shales and James Andrew Miller (Little, Brown) |
| 10) | SANDY KOUFAX, Jane Leavy (HarperCollins) |
CHANNEL SURFING
NBA expansion team prospective Owner Robert Johnson is scheduled to appear on CNBC’s “Checkpoint” at 6:30pm ET.
ESPN will air NCAA men’s basketball, Notre Dame-Pittsburgh at 7:00pm ET, Kansas-Iowa State at 9:00pm ET and Texas Tech-San Diego State at midnight ET.
ESPN will air Kings-Wild at 8:00pm ET
ESPN Classic’s “SportsCentury” will profile Johnny Unitas at 8:00pm ET.
OH State Univ. football coach Jim Tressel, Falcons CB Ray Buchanan, NFL HOFer Jim Kelly and SI basketball writer Seth Davis are scheduled to appear on FSN’s “BDSSP.”
Former heavyweight boxer George Foreman will be on CBS’ “Late Show” with David Letterman at 11:35pm ET.
Discovery Channel’s “Monster Garage” will convert a Petty Racing Team Winston Cup car into the “fastest street sweeper on the planet” at 8:00pm ET.
Speed Channel will air the “ARCA RE/MAX Series Banquet Show” at 9:00pm ET.
A&E’s “Biography” will profile John Travolta at 8:00pm ET.
E!’s “TV Tales” will profile Charlie’s Angels at 8:00pm ET.
ABC will air a heavily edited version of “Any Given Sunday” at 8:00pm ET.
Hallmark Channel will air the movie “Run for the Dream: The Gail Devers Story” at 9:00pm ET.
HEADLINERS
Here are tonight’s headline guests on the following talk shows:
| “Late Show” | Michael Caine |
| “The Tonight Show” | Ozzy Osbourne (r) |
| “The Late Late Show” | Michael Chiklis |
| “Late Night” | Martin Sheen (r) |
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.
