Closing Bell, April 7, 2003

KRAUSE CITES HEALTH CONCERNS AS REASON FOR RESIGNATION

Bulls Exec VP/Basketball Operations Jerry Krause resigned today, citing health concerns.  In a statement, Krause said, "The rigors and stress of the job have caused me some minor physical problems in the past few years.  These problems can be eliminated if I lessen my load for a while and concentrate on overcoming them."  Krause has held the position since '85.  Bulls Chair Jerry Reinsdorf said in a statement: "No basketball fan in America can begin to imagine the World Champion Chicago Bulls without his imprint. … I am already considering successors and plan to announce one within the next month" (THE DAILY). 

BEDOL, FRUIT DISCUSS COCA-COLA'S EQUITY STAKE IN CSTV

CSTV President & CEO Brian Bedol and Coca-Cola Senior VP/Worldwide Media & Alliances Chuck Fruit today discussed Coca-Cola's $15M investment in the net, which launches tonight immediately following CBS' coverage of the NCAA Men's Basketball Championship.  Coca-Cola's investment includes a $10M equity stake and $5M to be dedicated to integrated marketing and promotional activities.  Bedol said of the partnership, "This partnership with Coca-Cola is more than financial.  It gives us an opportunity to tap into their legendary marketing power and the unbelievable history of support that Coca-Cola has shown to the college sports community."

Bedol, on the percentage of CSTV now owned by Coca-Cola: "As a private company, we don't release specific equity ownership figures, but it makes the Coca-Cola Company a significant and interested equity holder."

Fruit, on Coca-Cola's equity stake in the net: "I do believe this reflects the type of redefined marketing model that our President Steve Heyer recently outlined in an address at Madison + Vine in Los Angeles.  I think this creates a true partnership between content providers, media distributors and marketing organizations like Coca-Cola.  I suspect this won't be the last of these type of relationships that we see."

Fruit, on marketing their brands: "Because the audience for college sports is so broad, it gives a wide variety of our brands a great opportunity to reach their particular audiences.  While the content of the advertising will be appropriate for that environment and that audience, we'll be running all forms of advertising, not just college sports-themed advertising."  Fruit pointed to Coca-Cola, Diet Coke, Sprite, Dasani, Powerade and the Minute Maid juice brand (THE DAILY).

"NO SCALPING ZONE" TO OPEN FOR PIRATES HOME OPENER TONIGHT

The Pirates tonight will host their home opener against the Brewers at 6:05pm ET, and the PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE reported that the city "will make its latest attempt to curb ticket scalping, … when it opens a legal ticket exchange area" between PNC Park and Heinz Field.  City Council member William Peduto conceived the idea for the "no scalping zone," which will allow fans to legally buy and sell tickets at or below face value, while visiting a similar area at Camden Yards (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 4/5).  Although some standing-room tickets are still available, tonight's game "is considered a sellout," the seventh consecutive for a Pirates' home opener (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 4/7).

NEXTEL SIGNS THREE-YEAR SPONSORSHIP DEAL WITH CUBS

Nextel Communications today announced a three-year sponsorship agreement with the Cubs.  Under the agreement, Nextel is granted entitlement of in-game activity, "Nextel's Direct Connect to the Past," as well as advertising in the team's official program and signage at the main entrance to the mezzanine level and all 67 suites (THE DAILY).

BUZZER BEATERS

Augusta National spokesperson Jim McCarthy agreed last week to a live interview with CNBC's "Open Exchange" for this afternoon, but CNBC's Tyler Mathisen said, "About 10 minutes before this program began, Mr. McCarthy backed out. He said the club would have one comment and one comment only on the matter, and that statement would come Wednesday when club [Chair] Hootie Johnson meets the press" ("Open Exchange," CNBC, 4/7).

The DENVER POST reports that NBA Commissioner David Stern is "considering sending NBA stars on a goodwill trip to visit the military in Qatar, and he recently contacted" Nuggets GM Kiki Vandeweghe about the possibility.  Vandeweghe, who led a group on a goodwill tour last year, "expects to talk to Stern while attending the [BOG] meetings" tonight and tomorrow in N.Y. (DENVER POST, 4/7).

The AP reports that MLB attendance "dropped 9.8[%] during the first week of the season to an average of 28,272" from 31,339 last year.  There were 90 games during the first week this season, three more than last year (AP, 4/7).

Youbet.com and the CA Authority of Racing Fairs (CARF) today announced a multi-year, joint marketing agreement that will allow Youbet.com to be marketed throughout CARF satellite wagering facilities in CA (THE DAILY).

The Magic report that the team's official Web site recorded 1,927,117 impressions in March, pushing the season total above ten million.  Both figures are franchise records (THE DAILY).

The National Baseball HOF has acquired the bat Cubs RF Sammy Sosa used to hit his 500^th homerun Friday against the Reds.  Sosa is just the 18^th player to accomplish the feat (THE DAILY).

Blue Jays Dir of Consumer Marketing Jim Bloom today hosted an online seminar, "The End of Sports Marketing As We Know It."  In order to gain entrance into professional sports marketing, Bloom recommended that consumer marketers contact local sports teams and ask, "Can you create a unique marketing opportunity using my product?"  Bloom, on the much-publicized "Boo Matsui" ad: "It was done in the spirit of fun. … What we didn't count on was that it was not just going to create buzz, but that it would create a firestorm of activity" (THE DAILY).

Twenty-year old college student Kevin Ardoin won "Xbox Live Hoop Madness," a 65-person video game tournament.  In winning the event, Ardoin was awarded $1,000 and two tickets to tonight's NCAA Men's Basketball Championship.  Ardoin and the three other semifinalists received a five-day trip to New Orleans, a one-year subscription to Xbox Live and a library of Sega games (THE DAILY).

TONIGHT'S EVENTS

NASCAR Week begins tonight on "Wheel of Fortune."  In addition to a NASCAR-themed set, which includes Winston Cup champion Tony Stewart's No. 20 Chevrolet, contestants will have the opportunity to win VIP fantasy trips to the Pepsi 400 and Coca-Cola 600 among others (THE DAILY).

CHANNEL SURFING

CBS will air Syracuse-Kansas in the NCAA Men's Basketball Championship game.  Tip is scheduled for 9:18pm ET.

ESPN Classic's "SportsCentury" will profile Roger Maris at 8:00pm ET.

Lakers G Derek Fisher, PGA Tour player Ernie Els, former MLBer Bill Lee and actors Jamie Kennedy and Taye Diggs are scheduled to appear on FSN's "BDSSP."

PGA Tour players Justin Rose and David Leadbetter will be on The Golf Channel's "Golf Talk" at 8:00pm ET.

NCWO Chair Martha Burk will be on Comedy Central's "The Daily Show" with Jon Stewart at 11:00pm ET.

D'Backs P Curt Schilling and FSN's Leann Tweeden will be on ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live."

CBS President Leslie Moonves will make a cameo appearance on ABC's "The Practice" at 9:00pm ET.

Speed Channel will air "Champions Forever," a look inside F1 racing, at 8:00pm ET.

College Sports Television (CSTV) will present the "CSTV 2003 College Hoops Honor Roll" when it launches following the NCAA Men's Basketball Championship.

A&E's "Biography" will profile Tom Selleck at 8:00pm ET.

E!'s "True Hollywood Story" will profile Hollywood Squares at 8:00pm ET.

HEADLINERS

 Here are tonight's headline guests on the following talk shows:

TODAY'S ARTICLES OF INTEREST

The BOSTON HERALD's Michael Felger wrote of Gillette Stadium, "Fully functional for less than a year, Gillette has begun to produce a return on those promises.  The Pats have splurged in free agency.  They've spent money on stadium improvements (including more bathrooms).  And, most notably, they've embarked on a multimillion dollar renovation of their training camp/practice facilities, including a new practice field and designs for a new indoor practice bubble" (BOSTON HERALD).

The WASHINGTON TIMES' Eric Fisher wrote, "Thanks to expanded TV exposure for both leagues, an improving talent base and rising season ticket and sponsorship sales, MLS and WUSA officials think they finally have solidified their positions on the American sports landscape. Mass popularity may never occur, but a steady niche following appears likely for both leagues" (WASHINGTON TIMES).

See The Daily Insider's Articles of Interest section for more sports business-related links.

TODAY'S TEASER…

Sports: Name the only athlete to have played on championship teams in both the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament and the World Series?

IN OTHER NEWS…

Media services agency ZenithOptimedia today released a report predicting that American ad spending "this year will grow 2.2[%] from 2002," which compares with the agency's December forecast "for an increase of 1.9[%], which it described as bearish" (N.Y. TIMES, 4/7).

The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER notes that CBS' "Late Show" Dir Jerry Foley "is stepping down after eight years" (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 4/7).

THE DAILY STAT: N.Y. TIMES BESTSELLING NONFICTION

The following presents best selling nonfiction books for the week ending March 29 (NYTIMES.com, 4/7):

…TODAY'S ANSWER

Tim Stoddard played on the '74 NC State and '83 Orioles teams.

If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please let us know at:
dailyinsider@sportsbusinessdaily.com

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