| | The Daily Insider
Afternoon News & Headlines
Wednesay, April 9, 2003
4:00pm ET | |
| |
| • | Spalding Sports Worldwide Today Sells Etonic Golf Shoe And Glove Business |
| • | Augusta National Chair Hootie Johnson Addresses Media Today |
| • | Dunkin’ Donuts Today Signs Four-Year Sponsorship Deal With Yankees |
| • | House Committee Seeks Ephedra Use Information From Six Sports Leagues |
| • | ESPN Today Announces That “College GameDay” Will Cover Spring Practice |
| • | Buzzer Beaters/Tonight’s Events/Channel Surfing/In Other News/The Daily Stat |
SPALDING SELLS ETONIC BUSINESS TO NEWLY FORMED ENTITY
Spalding Sports Worldwide today announced that it has sold its Etonic golf shoe and glove business to Etonic Worldwide, a newly formed entity led by former Dexter VP Ted Alfond. According to Spalding President & CEO Jim Craigie, the move is consistent with the company’s plan to strengthen its balance sheet and focus its resources behind the Top-Flite, Ben Hogan and Strata brands. Etonic Worldwide’s management team will include former McKinsey & Company exec Tom Seeman and former Dexter execs Dan Ladd and Karen Pitts (THE DAILY).
HOOTIE JOHNSON REITERATES STANCE ON MEMBERSHIP PRACTICES
Augusta National Chair Hootie Johnson hosted the traditional eve of The Masters press conference today during which he said, “There may well come a time when we include women as members of our club, and that remains the truth. However, I want to emphasize that we have no timetable, and our membership is very comfortable with our present status. Going forward, our club will continue to make its own decisions.” Johnson concluded his opening statement: “I look forward to your questions about The Masters tournament and about golf in general, however as I said earlier, I will have nothing further to add about our membership or related issues.”
When asked if The Masters will have TV sponsors next year, Johnson said, “We haven’t really pursued that, but I think there’s a good chance we will.” On the length of time The Masters can produce the tournament without TV sponsors: “Indefinitely.”
On whether the opinions of past champions of The Masters, including that of Tiger Woods, will factor into membership decisions: “I won’t tell Tiger how to play golf if he doesn’t tell us how to run our private club.” In closing, Johnson said: “If I drop dead right now, our position will not change on this issue. It’s not my issue alone. And I promise what I’m saying” (THE DAILY).
DUNKIN’ DONUTS TO BE YANKEES’ OFFICIAL COFFEE AND DOUGHNUT
Dunkin’ Donuts today announced a four-year partnership with the Yankees that provides exclusivity in the coffee and doughnuts category as the “Official Coffee and Donut Shop of the New York Yankees.” While Dunkin’ Donuts coffee will not be served exclusively in Yankee Stadium, it will be the only branded coffee sold. As part of the partnership, Dunkin’ Donuts will be the exclusive sponsor of the Great Subway Race in-game promotion at all Yankees home games, and will also sponsor a travel mug giveaway for the August 22 game against the Orioles. Terms of the deal were not disclosed (THE DAILY).
HOUSE COMMITTEE SEEKING INFORMATION ON EPHEDRA USE
The AP reports that the House Energy & Commerce Committee sent letters today to the NFL, NBA, NHL, MLS, NASCAR and the NBA “for documents on ephedra use.” The letters solicited information by April 23. MLB Commissioner Bud Selig and MLBPA Exec Dir Donald Fehr were sent similar letters last week. Committee Chair Billy Tauzin (R-LA), along with Reps. Michael Bilirakis (R-FL), Cliff Stearns (R-FL) and James Greenwood (R-PA) sent the letters (AP, 4/9).
BUZZER BEATERS
Sporting News this week features Syracuse F Carmelo Anthony on the cover, under the header, “Refuse-To-Lose ‘Cuse.”
Sports Illustrated this week features an action shot of Anthony driving past Kansas G Keith Langford, under the header, “Sweet Victory … Orangemen: Unranked To No. 1.”
| | |
| Sporting News | Sports Illustrated |
ESPN today announced that “College GameDay” host Chris Fowler and analysts Lee Corso and Kirk Herbstreit will cover spring practice from five different schools – Oklahoma, Notre Dame, Penn State, Iowa and Ohio State – for five consecutive days, beginning Monday. The five-day series will air on all editions of “SportsCenter” (THE DAILY).
ESPN.com reports that Kansas Univ. will announce the firing of AD Al Bohl during a 4:30pm ET news conference “after Bohl refused to step down in a morning meeting” with Chancellor Robert Hemenway. The university will honor the final three years of Bohl’s contract (ESPN.com, 4/9).
The MLS Fire today announced a partnership with WSNS-Telemundo, which becomes the official TV station of the team. The net will air three live games this season. In February, the team announced a partnership with Miami-based nationally syndicated radio network Radio Unica (THE DAILY).
The WUSA Power and Bagel Boss today announced a partnership for the ’03 season, which includes the launch of the “Power Bagel,” a bagel made with fruit and fiber. Additionally, Bagel Boss will be the official caterer of the Power (THE DAILY).
The Mighty Ducks are currently installing a 94’-by-47’ translucent window graphic featuring LW Paul Kariya, C Adam Oates and G Jean-Sebastian Giguere on the south entrance to Arrowhead Pond. Arrowhead Water is sponsoring the graphic. The Mighty Ducks open the ’03 Stanley Cup playoffs tomorrow against the Red Wings in Detroit. The team’s first home game of the series is Monday (THE DAILY).
The 76ers raised $23,384.18 for Sixers Charities via a recently concluded online auction of game-worn, autographed retro jerseys. As expected, G Allen Iverson’s jersey raised the most money, fetching $9,000 (THE DAILY).
TONIGHT’S EVENTS
Mavericks Owner Mark Cuban will be the featured speaker at an Enterprise Network event at America West Arena. On his talking points, Cuban said, “Just my approach to running a business, things like preparation, culture, selling and marketing” (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 4/9).
WNBA Sting Senior VP/Business Operations Steve Swetoha will be among the Sting front office personnel that will be available for one-on-one interviews at the Hyatt Charlotte at South Park from 4:00-5:30pm ET (THE DAILY).
MTV personality Carson Daly will present the H.O.O.P.S (Helping Out Our Public Schools) Award to Knicks G Allan Houston at the 2003 Net Gain Tournament, to be held at 7:45pm ET at Basketball City in Chelsea Piers (THE DAILY).
CHANNEL SURFING
ESPN will air the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Maple Leafs-Flyers Game One, at 7:00pm ET.
ESPN will air T’Wolves-Sonics at 10:00pm ET.
ESPN2 will air the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Bruins-Devils Game One, at 7:00pm ET.
ESPN2 will air Angels-Mariners at 10:00pm ET.
ESPN Classic’s “SportsCentury” will profile Joe Frazier at 8:00pm ET.
Former LSU basketball coach Dale Brown, author John Feinstein and actor Mike O’Malley are scheduled to appear on FSN’s “BDSSP.” It is also Lisa Guerrero’s final appearance on the show.
Lakers C Shaquille O’Neal and G Kobe Bryant will be on ABC’s “The Bachelor” at 9:00pm ET.
TNT NBA analyst Jeff Van Gundy will be on CBS’ “The Late Late Show” with Craig Kilborn at 12:35am ET.
HBO will air the sixth installment of its boxing series, “Legendary Nights” at 10:00pm ET, featuring the ’90 Mike Tyson-Buster Douglas bout.
E!’s “True Hollywood Story” will profile The Murder of Miss Hollywood at 8:00pm ET.
E!’s “Revealed” will profile the Dixie Chicks at 10:00pm ET.
HEADLINERS
Here are tonight’s headline guests on the following talk shows:
| “Late Show” | Lisa Marie Presley |
| “The Tonight Show” | Seann William Scott |
| “The Late Late Show” | Rob Zombie |
| “Late Night” | Dennis Miller |
| “Jimmy Kimmel Live” | Shannen Doherty |
TODAY’S ARTICLES OF INTEREST
The LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL’s Kevin Iole writes, “It would seem logical that bettors would rush to the windows to wager on a sport that bookmakers admit they know little about. But despite the fact that bookmakers pay little heed to the Arena Football League, bettors aren’t taking advantage of the loose lines” (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL).
The BUFFALO NEWS’ Gene Warner conducted an in-depth interview with prospective Sabres Owner B. Thomas Golisano, during which Golisano said of business and political leaders not embracing him in the past, “I don’t think there’s been any negative vibes coming out of the Buffalo community in the last 60 or 90 days” (BUFFALO NEWS).
See The Daily Insider’s Articles of Interest section for more sports business-related links.
TODAY’S TEASER…
Mindbenders: What do Superman, Moses and The Cabbage Patch Kids all have in common?
IN OTHER NEWS……
The L.A. BUSINESS JOURNAL reported that Disney is “making a public offering of $1[B] of senior convertible notes due in 2023” (BIZJOURNALS.com, 4/8).
The AP reports that fired HealthSouth CEO Richard Scrushy today “refused to answer questions … about claims of a $2.5[B] fraud at the rehabilitation giant, instead invoking his right to avoid self-incrimination.” SEC enforcement attorney Bill Hicks was questioning Scrushy (AP, 4/9).
THE DAILY STAT: PRIMETIME NIELSEN RATINGS
The following lists the final Nielsen ratings for the top ten primetime shows for the week of March 31-April 6. Also provided are the weekly viewership averages for each net (USA TODAY, 4/9).
| RK | PROGRAM | NET | DAY | RAT/SHR | VIEWERS
(IN MILLIONS) |
| 1) | CSI | CBS | Thu | 16.6/25 | 26.4 |
| 2) | American Idol | Fox | Tue | 12.6/19 | 21.2 |
| 3) | Friends | NBC | Thu | 13.0/21 | 20.8 |
| 4) | American Idol | Fox | Wed | 11.8/18 | 20.3 |
| 5) | Survivor: Amazon | CBS | Thu | 11.6/18 | 19.8 |
| 6) | ER | NBC | Thu | 12.4/20 | 18.9 |
| 7) | Everybody Loves Raymond | CBS | Mon | 11.8/17 | 18.6 |
| 8) | CSI: Miami | CBS | Mon | 11.4/19 | 17.0 |
| 9) | Law & Order: SVU | NBC | Fri | 10.4/18 | 15.8 |
| 10) | Law & Order: CI | NBC | Sun | 10.1/15 | 15.6 |
| | |
| NET | VIEWERS |
| CBS | 12.1 |
| NBC | 11.1 |
| Fox | 9.3 |
| ABC | 7.5 |
| UPN | 3.0 |
| WB | 3.0 |
…TODAY’S ANSWER
They were all adopted.
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