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Closing Bell

Closing Bell, April 15, 2003

The Daily Insider
Afternoon News & Headlines
Tuesday, April 15, 2003
4:00pm ET

Kemper Insurance Today Withdraws Title Sponsorship Of PGA Tour Event
ESPN Today Secures Exclusive Broadcast Rights For Team Racing Auto Circuit
F1 Team Signs Sponsorship Deal With Nicotine Replacement Therapy Brand
NCAA, Host Communications Settle With Coors On November ’01 Lawsuit
FIBA Today Announces Sponsorship Renewals By Two Global Partners
Buzzer Beaters/Tonight’s Events/Channel Surfing/In Other News/The Daily Stat

PGA TOUR STOP IN MD TO BE CALLED CAPITAL OPEN AT AVENEL

The PGA Tour and Kemper Insurance today announced that Kemper is withdrawing as title sponsor of the Kemper Open, effective with the ‘03 tournament.  The company, which had been the title sponsor since ’68, cited the current business climate as the reason it has shifted its business priorities.  The ‘03 event, to be called the Capital Open at Avenel, will be played as scheduled, June 2-8, at the TPC at Avenel in Potomac, MD.  The $4.5M purse is unaffected by the announcement.  Kemper Sports Management, which is not affiliated with Kemper Insurance, will continue to operate the event as it has since ’79.  The PGA Tour, with the assistance of Kemper Sports Management, is in discussion with several prospects for title sponsorship of the event (THE DAILY).


ESPN TODAY ANNOUNCES DEAL TO BROADCAST ENTIRE TRAC SEASON

ESPN and Team Sports Entertainment today reached a multi-year agreement for exclusive coverage of the Team Racing Auto Circuit (TRAC), the newly formed national stock car auto racing league, making ESPN the exclusive TV network of TRAC.  ESPN will broadcast the entire 13-race season beginning in May ’04, with all but one race airing on Saturday afternoons and nights.  The ‘04 race schedule has yet to be announced.  Additionally, the agreement includes the opportunity for event re-airs on ESPN Classic, and exclusive radio, int’l and Internet distribution rights through various ESPN properties (THE DAILY).


IN ADVANCE OF TOBACCO AD BAN, F1 TEAM ADDS NIQUITIN CQ

The BMW WilliamsF1 Team today announced a sponsorship agreement with GlaxoSmithKline’s nicotine replacement therapy brand, NiQuitin CQ, and the London GUARDIAN reports that the deal “is a first for [F1] and a significant breakthrough for a sport that has been thrown into a panic over the ban on tobacco sponsorship,” which begins in ’06.  The BMW Williams teams, which had been sponsored in the past by cigarette brands including Rothmans and Winfield, “said the NiQuitin logo would be displayed prominently on their cars, replacing Worldcom, Veltins and Reuters” (London GUARDIAN, 4/15).


COORS TO PAY MONETARY SETTLEMENT TO NCAA AND HOST

The NCAA today announced that it and Host Communications have settled with Coors on a November ’01 lawsuit alleging the brewer’s unauthorized use of NCAA game tickets as part of a Final Four promotion.  Although Coors denies wrongdoing, the company will pay an undisclosed monetary settlement to the NCAA and Host (THE DAILY).

Meanwhile, Bull Run Corp. today announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Host Communications, improved its operating results in Q2 ended February 28, compared to the same period last year.  For the quarter, Bull Run reported operational losses of $1.76M, compared to losses of $2.98M for the year ago period.  Total revenue for the quarter was $17.6M, down from $24.0M in the same period a year ago.  The company pointed to the restructure and elimination of certain contracts as the reason for the revenue decline (THE DAILY).


MONDO AND ZEPTER TODAY RENEW FIBA SPONSORSHIP DEALS

FIBA today announced that Italian-based sports surface manufacturer Mondo and consumer goods marketer Zepter have renewed their sponsorship agreements through the ’06 FIBA World Championship in Japan.  Mondo and Zepter join Champion and Molten as FIBA global partners (THE DAILY).


CENTURY 21 TO REMAIN AS OFFICIAL REAL ESTATE COMPANY OF MLB

Century 21 Real Estate and MLBP today formally announced a two-year extension of their relationship under which Century 21 remains the official real estate organization of MLB.  As part of the deal, Century 21 will continue its title sponsorship of the Home Run Derby competition and related All-Star sweepstakes.  Additionally, Century 21 will be the presenting sponsor of the Hank Aaron Award, which recognizes the most outstanding offensive performer from each league.  Century 21, which has been an official MLB sponsor since ’99, was represented by Octagon in the negotiations (THE DAILY).


BUZZER BEATERS

AROUND THE RINGS reports that former USOC President Robert Helmick died today at the age of 66 in a Des Moines, IA, hospital following a stroke last weekend.  Helmick, who served as USOC President from ’85-91, is survived by his wife and four children (AROUND THE RINGS, 4/15).

The AP reports that Athens’ Olympic preparations today suffered “another setback … when a court ordered a halt to construction of a media village” to house about 4,000 media representatives, as “the legislation used to zone the land was unconstitutional” (AP, 4/15).

The K.C. STAR reports that the Mid-Continent Conference men’s and women’s basketball tournaments will return to K.C.’s next year at Kemper Arena as the Big 12 Conference tournament will remain in Dallas for a second consecutive year (K.C. STAR, 4/15).

The New Orleans TIMES-PICAYUNE reports that the LA House Committee on Commerce yesterday passed a bill 10-3 to revoke the state’s “longtime ban on ticket scalping.”  The bill now heads to the entire House for a vote (New Orleans TIMES-PICAYUNE, 4/15).

Interamerican Resources today announced that it has acquired 100% of the capital of Hong Kong-based International Sport Fields Limited, a company that specializes in marketing synthetic sports fields (THE DAILY).

Dale Jarrett Racing Adventure today announced that it has signed a sponsorship contract with Hills Brothers Coffee, under which information for the racing school will be placed on one million cans of the coffee (THE DAILY).


TONIGHT’S EVENTS

Over 100 women are expected to attend as Ravens Player Personnel Dir Phil Savage and College Scouting Dir Eric DeCosta host the third installment of “Football 101” from 6:00-8:00pm ET at Ravens Stadium (THE DAILY).

Mavericks Owner Mark Cuban will work as a cashier and autograph copies of the team’s comic book, “Full Throttle,” from 6:00-7:00pm CT at Wal-Mart in Farmers Branch, TX (THE DAILY).

The Jets will host a Taste of the NFL event at the Hilton N.Y. beginning at 7:30pm ET to help raise awareness and money in the fight against childhood hunger.  All proceeds benefit the Partners in Caring Food Bank.  Jets’ marketing partners Kraft, Nabisco and ShopRite are sponsoring the event (THE DAILY).

The HOUSTON CHRONICLE notes that “after 28 seasons and 1,130 Rockets basketball games,” the Compaq Center will host its final Rockets’ game as the team faces the Grizzlies at 7:30pm CT (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 4/15).


CHANNEL SURFING

ESPN will air the Stanley Cup playoffs, Devils-Bruins Game 4 at 7:00pm ET.

ESPN2 will air the Stanley Cup playoffs, Lightning-Capitals Game 3 at 7:00pm ET and Stars-Oilers Game 4 at 10:00pm ET.

ESPN Classic’s “SportsCentury” will profile Muhammad Ali at 8:00pm ET and Mike Tyson at 9:00pm ET.

FSN’s “54321” will feature snowboarder Gretchen Blieler, freestyle motocross rider Beau Manley and motocross rider Johnny Campbell.

UConn G Diana Taurasi and actor Ray Liotta are scheduled to appear on FSN’s “BDSSP.”

A new episode of HBO’s “Real Sports” with Bryant Gumbel airs tonight at 10:00pm and will profile MLB free agent Rickey Henderson.  “Real Sports” will also examine sports lawsuits, soccer concussions and Toughman contests.

A&E’s “Biography” will profile The Woolworths at 8:00pm ET.

NBC will air “Museum of TV & Radio Special: Great Women of TV Comedy” at 8:00pm ET.


HEADLINERS

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

“Late Show” Tom Brokaw
“The Tonight Show” Dustin Hoffman
“The Late Late Show” Eric Idle (r)
“Late Night” Lisa Kudrow (r)
“Jimmy Kimmel Live” Mila Kunis

TODAY’S ARTICLES OF INTEREST

ESPN.com’s Darren Rovell writes, “Over his 16-year playing career, [Michael Jordan] is said to have stimulated billions of dollars in business. … While it’s a long list of those who owe Jordan some sort of thanks after cashing in on his name or image, here are 23 who have made a buck or two off one of the world’s most recognizable celebrities” (ESPN.com).

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


TODAY’S TEASER…

Sports & Entertainment: Place the following athletes’ appearances on NBC’s “Diff’rent Strokes” in chronological order.

  1. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
  2. Muhammad Ali
  3. Reggie Jackson
  4. Ed “Too Tall” Jones

IN OTHER NEWS……

The AP reports that American Airlines pilots and ground workers today “approved wage and other concessions that the airline said it needed to avoid filing for bankruptcy.”  Airline officials had “vowed to file for bankruptcy as early as Tuesday if any of the three unions rejected the concessions.”  The results of the flight attendants’ vote has not been announced (AP, 4/15).


THE DAILY STAT: AD PAGES AND REVENUE FOR MARCH

The following from Publishers Information Bureau details advertising revenue and pages for select sports titles in March ‘03 compared with March ‘02.  The magazine totals in this report are calculated using equivalent issues for the reporting period (PIB).

 
PAGES
DOLLARS
TITLE
'03
'02
% +/-
'03
'02
% +/-
BICYCLING
43.9
29.7
47.7%
$1,254,799
$674,875
85.9%
BOATING
125.4
109.1
14.9%
$4,034,067
$3,461,861
16.5%
CYCLE WORLD
77.0
92.4
-16.7%
$2,711,248
$2,904,612
-6.7%
ESPN MAGAZINE
150.5
99.5
51.3%
$20,225,700
$11,593,150
74.5%
FITNESS
94.8
67.5
40.4%
$7,825,840
$4,998,095
56.6%
GOLF DIGEST
176.5
138.9
27.1%
$8,910,747
$8,718,311
2.2%
GOLF MAGAZINE
120.6
113.2
6.5%
$12,806,184
$11,732,455
9.2%
GOLF WORLD
128.3
147.8
-13.2%
$2,280,323
$2,632,487
-13.4%
RUNNERS WORLD
42.7
40.3
6.1%
$2,359,861
$2,104,134
12.2%
SI FOR KIDS
27.2
26.2
3.9%
$1,800,750
$1,654,000
8.9%
SKI
59.7
36.7
62.6%
$2,690,613
$1,417,475
89.8%
SKIING
37.7
25.5
48.2%
$1,518,412
$962,787
57.7%
SPORTING NEWS
68.8
79.5
-13.4%
$3,395,114
$2,935,340
15.7%
SPORTS ILLUSTRATED
223.7
210.8
6.1%
$60,372,260
$54,595,331
10.6%
T&L GOLF
114.1
109.9
3.9%
$5,728,428
$4,619,433
24.0%
TENNIS
41.3
49.3
-16.2%
$2,693,793
$3,029,794
-11.1%
TRANSWORLD BMX
35.0
54.3
-35.6%
$107,622
$138,185
-22.1%
TRANSWORLD SKATEBOARDING
208.2
225.8
-7.8%
$2,135,287
$2,097,934
1.8%
TRANSWORLD SNOWBOARDING
203.0
130.9
55.0%
$1,861,225
$1,634,990
13.8%
TOTAL LISTED
1,978.4
1,787.4
10.7%
$144,712,273
$121,905,249
18.7%
OVERALL TOTALS
22,186.9
20,350.7
9.0%
$1,731,231,032
$1,556,778,610
11.2%


…TODAY’S ANSWER

Muhammad Ali appeared first on October 24, 1979.  Reggie Jackson was second, making his acting debut three weeks later.  On March 11, 1981, Ed “Too Tall” Jones played himself.  While Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was last, debuting November 6, 1982, he made two appearances as substitute teacher Mr. Wilkes.


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.

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