| | The Daily Insider
Afternoon News & Headlines
Monday April 21, 2003
4:00pm ET | |
| |
| • | Nielsen Overnights For ABC's First Playoff Game Down Slightly From Last Year |
| • | WNBA Wants Final Approval On Labor Deal By Tomorrow |
| • | Today's Boston Marathon Features Second-Largest Field Ever |
| • | PBS To Air Seabiscuit Documentary Tonight |
| • | Jordan Thanks The Game He Loves With Full Page Advertisements |
| • | Tonight's Events/Channel Surfing/In Other News/The Daily Stat |
PLAYOFF OVERNIGHTS: PEOPLE SEARCHING FOR EGGS, NOT SPORTS
ABC's coverage of Game One of Lakers-T'Wolves on Sunday posted a 5.1/13 overnight Nielsen rating, down 2% from a 5.2/11 last year for T'Wolves-Mavs in the comparable time slot on NBC. Last year's opening playoff weekend was not Easter Weekend. Meanwhile, the "NHL On ABC" averaged a 1.7/4 this weekend for regional coverage of Game Five of Maple Leafs-Flyers and Game Five of Wild-Avs, a 19% drop from a 2.1/5 last year (THE DAILY).
WNBA, UNION YET TO ANNOUNCE COMPLETED LABOR AGREEMENT
The N.Y. TIMES reported that the WNBPA "agreed in principle" with the WNBA on Friday to a "five-year contract with free-agent movement, avoiding a threat by the league to shut down for the season." The league "did not recognize the players' approval." WNBPA Dir of Communications Dan Wasserman said that the league had "told the union that it would not accept the players' acquiescence until the contract was signed." He said that the league "demanded that it be signed by Tuesday." The season is scheduled to start May 22 (
N.Y. TIMES, 4/19). NEWSDAY noted that finalization of the contract by tomorrow "may be impossible because it requires the signatures of a majority of the league's 200 players. Many of them are playing in overseas leagues" (
NEWSDAY, 4/19). Wasserman: "Our players voted 56 percent to 44 percent to accept" (
SACRAMENTO BEE, 4/19).
The N.Y. TIMES reports that NBA Commissioner David Stern said that the NBA "has dates in May for players and owners to discuss" extending the CBA, which runs out after next season. The league has an option for the '05 season. Stern: "Most preferable would be to sit down and negotiate a deal" (N.Y. TIMES, 4/21).
BOSTON MARATHON PART OF ANNUAL PATRIOT'S DAY EVENTS
The Boston Marathon began today at Noon ET on ESPN2, the BOSTON HERALD reports that a "field of 20,250 participants, the second-largest" in the race's history, is competing. The '96 race drew 38,708 runners (BOSTON HERALD, 4/21).
While adidas is the official shoe sponsor of the event, USA TODAY reports that Reebok "will try to get on the air" after hiring college-aged kids to "put temporary tattoos on their heads." Additionally, Reebok sent "Terry Tate" to the event (USA TODAY, 4/21).
The BOSTON HERALD also noted that '72 Olympic Gold medallist Frank Shorter, who is running part of the course and is miked, is providing in-race commentary for WBZ-CBS. WBZ is using "split-screen treatment that allows coverage to continue during commercials – with live video in the lower left corner of the screen during ads appearing in the upper right. The split-screen is not new, but this time WBZ will have an interactive approach with viewers seeking opinions on major issues" (BOSTON HERALD, 4/20).
The Blue Jays defeated the Red Sox 11-6 in the traditional Patriot's Day 11:00am ET start in front of 34,370 fans (THE DAILY).
PBS TONIGHT REVIEWS THE LIFE AND CAREER OF SEABISCUIT
As the film "Seabiscuit" from Universal Pictures prepares for its July 25 release, PBS will air "American Experience: Seabiscuit" tonight at 9:00pm. Laura Hillenbrand, author of the best-selling book on which this summer's picture is based, is interviewed in tonight's piece. The following presents a sampling of reviews for the documentary:
In S.F., Steve Kroner writes, "Even if you haven't read the book, you will enjoy the documentary. Anyone with a modicum of interest in horse racing or in the way this country handled the Depression likely will find the film illuminating" (S.F. CHRONICLE, 4/21).
In N.Y., David Bianculli writes, "Don't be hesitant even if you care little about horse racing. … Writer Michelle Ferrari has crafted an hour as sleek as her surname, and producer-director Stephen Ives and producer Eve Morganstern have supported her in identifying and explaining all the story's twists and turns" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 4/21).
In DC, Kathy Blumenstock wrote, "In addition to film of the real Seabiscuit, the documentary includes several re-enactments, such as a dawn workout showing a lone horse blazing around the racetrack." Ives: "There were a couple of key scenes from 'The Black Stallion' (Coppola's 1979 film) that were shot at that period. … So we paid for them" (WASHINGTON POST, 4/20).
In N.Y., Laura Miller writes, "The film's writing is notably stylish for an otherwise conventional documentary" (N.Y. TIMES, 4/21).
OVER THE WEEKEND
The Expos averaged 14,282 fans per game during their ten-game home stand in Puerto Rico, which concluded Sunday. The four games against the Mets averaged 16,414, while the Braves series, all on weeknights, averaged 14,047. The Reds this past weekend drew an average of 11,675. The Expos will play their first game of the season in Montreal -- where last season they averaged 9,048 fans per game -- tomorrow against the D'Backs (USA TODAY, 4/21).
Stern, after two of Saturday's four first-round games as well as yesterday's Lakers-T'Wolves game failed to sell out, said, "It's a struggle every single day, and will continue to be one in this economy, for the entertainment dollar. It's a battle, but I like our chances" (N.Y. TIMES, 4/21).
Michael Jordan on Sunday took out a full-page ad in the N.Y. Times, Washington Post and the L.A. Times. In a letter addressed to the game of basketball, Jordan wrote, "I love you, Basketball. I love everything about you and always will. My playing days in the NBA are definitely over, but our relationship will never end." The ads featured the Brand Jordan "jumpman" logo (THE DAILY).
After none of the Capitals' three home playoff games sold out, Owner Ted Leonsis said, "It's incredibly disappointing to have 14,000 people in the building for the final playoff game. So I think the market has spoken and I have some real re-evaluating to do on the kind of investments we're going to make in the team, because the city didn't respond. You cannot have a playoff game with 14,000 people with the kind of marketing and consumer focus that we've had" (WASHINGTON POST, 4/20).
The Major League Soccer Players Union (MLSPU) has been designated by the MLS players to serve as their exclusive bargaining representative. Following this designation, the MLSPU sent MLS a request for recognition. In accordance with the National Labor Relations Act, Major League Soccer has officially recognized the MLSPU (THE DAILY).
WeWantWork-Boston, a job seekers group of 40 senior-level sports execs, has launched a Sports Industry Survey that explores the relationship between professional sports and the New England economy. The group distributed leaflets to fans entering today's Blue Jays-Red Sox at Fenway Park, inviting them to visit www.WeWantWork-Boston.com to take the survey and enter to win a pair of Red Sox tickets (THE DAILY).
TONIGHT'S EVENTS
The Sports Emmy Awards will be presented tonight at the Marriott Marquis in N.Y. The awards ceremony will air on FSN this Sunday at 6:00pm. View a complete list of nominees (THE DAILY).
Staples will host a store dedication ceremony in honor of NBA VP & Player Programs Dir Tom Sanders at a N.Y.-area Staples store at 4:00pm ET. Additionally, Staples will make a donation to the Greater Harlem Chamber of Commerce in Sanders' name (THE DAILY).
Public Affairs CEO Peter Osnos and SI Managing Editor Terry McDonell will host a celebration of Don Van Natta, Jr.'s new book, "First Off the Tee: Presidential Hackers, Duffers and Cheaters from Taft to Bush," at the Grand Havana Room in N.Y. at 7:00pm ET (THE DAILY).
CHANNEL SURFING
ESPN will air the Stanley Cup playoffs, Avalanche-Wild Game 6 at 7:30pm ET.
ESPN2 will air the Stanley Cup playoffs, Flyers-Maple Leafs Game 6 at 7:00pm ET.
ESPN Classic's "SportsCentury" will profile Cal Ripken Jr. at 8:30pm ET.
TNT will air the NBA playoffs: Suns-Spurs Game 2 at 8:00pm ET and Jazz-Kings Game 2 at 10:30pm ET.
Palm Beach Post golf writer Craig Dolch and Fox NFL analyst Troy Aikman will be on The Golf Channel's "19th Hole" at 7:00pm ET.
Golf commentator Ben Wright will be on The Golf Channel's "Golf Talk" at 8:00pm ET.
PBS will air "American Experience: Seabiscuit" at 9:00pm ET.
A&E's "Biography" will profile Jean Harlow at 8:00pm ET.
HEADLINERS
Here are tonight's headline guests on the following talk shows:
| "Late Show" | Colin Farrell (r) |
| "The Tonight Show" | Arsenio Hall |
| "The Late Late Show" | David Alan Grier |
| "Late Night" | Ellen DeGeneres (r) |
| "Jimmy Kimmel Live" | John Ritter |
WEEKEND BOX OFFICE
The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER reports that overall the Easter holiday session "proved to be a disappointment at the box office." The estimated total for this weekend's top 12 films was $90.2M, down 3% from the comparable calendar session last year, which is "all the more disappointing considering it was not a holiday session." Compared with Easter weekend last year, this session's total was down 21% (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 4/21).
| Title | This Weekend | Cumulative |
| Anger Management | $25.6M | $80.3M |
| Holes | $17.1M | $17.1M |
| Malibu's Most Wanted | $13.1M | $13.1M |
| Bulletproof Monk | $8.6M | $11.7M |
| Phone Booth | $5.7M | $35.1M |
| What a Girl Wants | $4.8M | $27.5M |
| Bringing Down the House | $3.3M | $122.7M |
| A Man Apart | $2.6M | $22.6M |
| Chicago | $2.5M | $160.7M |
| House of 1000 Corpses | $2.4M | $6.9M |
IN OTHER NEWS……
This week's cover of
TIME examines "Women And Heart Disease." Meanwhile,
NEWSWEEK looks into "Saddam's Secret Files" (
THE DAILY).
The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER reports that the SEC has "filed a motion asking a federal court to hold former Gemstar-TV Guide International CEO Harry Yuen in contempt after" he failed to testify as part of the SEC's investigation of the company. Meanwhile, Gemstar issued a statement confirming that Yuen and former CFO Elsie Ma Leung have been fired "for cause in accordance with the terms of each of their employment agreements" (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 4/21).
THE DAILY STAT: OVERNIGHT NIELSEN RATINGS
The following list overnight Nielsen ratings for weekend sports events (THE DAILY).
| EVENT | DATE | NET | TIME | RAT/SHR |
| NHL Stanley Cup: (regional) | 4/19 | ABC | 3:00-6:00pm | 1.7/4 |
| PGA Tour: The Heritage-3rd Rd | 4/19 | CBS | 3:00-6:00pm | 2.2/5 |
| "The World of American Indian Dance" | 4/19 | NBC | 3:00-4:00pm | 1.1/3 |
| PBR: CO Springs Invitational | 4/19 | NBC | 4:00-6:00pm | 1.8/4 |
| NBA: Lakers-Timberwolves | 4/20 | ABC | 3:00-6:00pm | 5.1/13 |
| PGA Tour: "Magnificent Seven" | 4/20 | CBS | 2:00-3:00pm | 1.0/3 |
| PGA Tour: The Heritage-Final Rd | 4/20 | CBS | 3:00-6:30pm | 2.9/7 |
| 03 World Curling Championships | 4/20 | NBC | 2:00-3:00pm | 1.2/3 |
| AFL: (regional) | 4/20 | NBC | 3:00-6:15pm | 1.0/3 |
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