| | The Daily Insider
Afternoon News & Headlines
Friday, May 16, 2003
4:00pm ET | |
| |
| • | IMG Expects No Major Changes Following Passing Of Mark McCormack |
| • | Highlights From This Morning’s NASCAR Power Breakfast In NC |
| • | Big East Facing Defection Crisis As League Meetings Open Tomorrow In FL |
| • | Spalding Sports Worldwide Today Changes Name To The Top-Flite Company |
| • | Critics Weigh In: “The Matrix: Reloaded” And “Down With Love” |
| • | Buzzer Beaters/Weekend Events/Channel Surfing/The Daily Stat |
IMG EXPECTS NO MAJOR CHANGES FOLLOWING FOUNDER’S DEATH
By Liz Mullen, Special to The Daily, Street & Smith’s SportsBusiness Journal
IMG Vice Chair Jay Lafave today said that this morning’s death of IMG Founder Mark McCormack is unlikely to prompt major changes at the company in the foreseeable future. The company installed executives Bob Kain and Alastair Johnston as co-CEOs shortly after McCormack suffered cardiac arrest on January 14. McCormack’s wife, Betsy Nagelsen, and his three adult children, Breck, Todd and Leslie, all executives at IMG, joined the BOD shortly after McCormack fell ill. The members of McCormack’s family own most of privately held IMG.
Lafave: “We have met frequently in the last few weeks, and I don’t detect any [plan] other than trying to have the company continue with the people in place because the guys who are running the company have been really involved in running the company for the past 10 years, if not longer.”
Kain and Johnston were not immediately available for comment, but in an internal e-mail sent to IMG employees worldwide, they wrote: “His death is a great loss to all of us; but, in true McCormack fashion, he prepared the company well for this unthinkable eventuality. IMG will continue to succeed and set the standard for business in the future as a tribute to our founder and all the people who have helped him over the years.”
Industry leaders offer their memories of McCormack.
MEMORIAL SERVICE PLANNED FOR NEXT WEDNESDAY IN N.Y.
A memorial service is planned for Wednesday in N.Y., and “all members of the IMG family are welcome,” the company said in a press release. Burial will be private and in Chicago. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in McCormack’s name to any of the following:
Mark H. McCormack Memorial Fund at The College of William and Mary
c/o President Tim Sullivan
The College of William and Mary
P.O. Box 8795
Williamsburg, VA 23187-8795
Mark H. McCormack Scholarship Fund at the House of Hope
c/o Founder & President’s Office
2036 36th Street
Orlando, FL 32839
The McCormack Foundation
c/o Chris Pauletta
IMG Center – Suite 100
1360 East Ninth Street
Cleveland, OH 44114
CALIFORNIA DREAMING: EXECS DISCUSS NASCAR’S FUTURE
Street & Smith's Sports Group hosted a Power Breakfast with execs in the motorsports industry this morning at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Charlotte. The event featured NASCAR COO George Pyne as the keynote speaker, followed by a panel discussion with Speed Channel President Jim Liberatore, SMI President Humpy Wheeler, Roush Racing Owner Jack Roush, NASCAR VP/Corporate Communications Jim Hunter and Masterfoods Dir of Sponsorships John King. From a sponsor’s standpoint, King, whose company leverages its M&M’s and Pedigree brands with Robert Yates Racing’s No. 38 team of Elliott Sadler, said, “We would like to see major markets get more races, but we also understand that the teams themselves have a lot to juggle with resources and how they financially make those types of things happen, with travel and the number of cars they need and those types of things.” But while sponsors may favor the bigger markets, as a broadcaster, Liberatore said, “The geography of the sport is doing pretty well. … We’re not heavily concentrated in one area of the country and not others” (THE DAILY).
TRANGHESE INTENT ON CONVINCING MIAMI TO STAY IN BIG EAST
The Big East Conference annual meeting begins tomorrow in Ponte Vedra, FL, and the HARTFORD COURANT reports that Big East Commissioner Mike Tranghese “will come out swinging when he meets with Big East representatives” (HARTFORD COURANT, 5/16). The WASHINGTON POST reports that Tranghese and his associates will use the meeting “to make a last-ditch attempt to keep Miami. If Tranghese, known as an extremely effective administrator, is successful, the ACC’s expansion plans almost certainly would crumble” (WASHINGTON POST, 5/16).
Meanwhile, the WASHINGTON TIMES notes that the ACC “is expected to act quickly with a vote among conference presidents to settle on which three teams it plans to invite” as it knows a “resolution is in their best interests and limits time for the Big East to mount a counterattack” (WASHINGTON TIMES, 5/16).
SPALDING SPORTS CHANGES NAME TO THE TOP-FLITE COMPANY
GOLF BUSINESS NEWS reports that the former Spalding Sports Worldwide today changed its name to The Top-Flite Company as the recent sale of Spalding’s sporting goods equipment brand to Russell Athletic Corp. became official this morning. The new company “will have two main brands – Top-Flite and Ben Hogan.” The current Strata brand on golf balls will become known as Top-Flite Strata and packaging “will eventually be changed to reflect the name change” (GOLF BUSINESS NEWS, 5/16).
“THIS WEEK IN BASEBALL” DEBUTS 26th SEASON TOMORROW
The 26th season of “This Week In Baseball” debuts tomorrow as the lead-in to Fox’s eighth season of “MLB on Fox.” Returning segments this year include “Beyond the Fence,” which takes the viewer outside the ballpark, and “How ‘Bout That,” a montage of great plays and bloopers. New segments include “From the Vaults,” a history-based feature, and “Pitch, Hit & Run with Jennie Finch,” which focuses on baseball fundamentals and strategies. As noted earlier, Finch is the first female correspondent in the program’s history. Pepsi is the presenting sponsor of the series.
Angels RF Tim Salmon will host this weekend’s edition, and will discuss the feeling of winning the World Series as well as what it will take to repeat this year. Also on this week’s edition:
- “Beyond the Fence” offers an inside look at the creation and production of the Angels’ World Series rings.
- “How ‘Bout That” is hosted by musical group Zwan, featuring Billy Corgan and Jimmy Chamberlin of Smashing Pumpkins-fame. The duo will provide the play-by-play as well as perform their single “Lyric.”
- “From the Vaults” looks at players who played their entire careers with one team.
- In addition to an interview with Finch, upcoming segments of “Pitch, Hit & Run with Jennie Finch” will be previewed (THE DAILY).
BUZZER BEATERS
The AP reports that fraud inspectors “confiscated 13,500 T-shirts and other counterfeit Olympic clothing following a raid in central Athens.” The articles featured the 2004 olive wreath logo and images of Olympic mascots Athena and Phevos (AP, 5/16).
The BIRMINGHAM NEWS reports that approximately 15,000 tickets have been sold for Saturday’s England-U.S. women’s soccer int’l friendly at 83,091-seat Legion Field (BIRMINGHAM NEWS, 5/16).
The ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS reports that the Univ. of MN is “adding 1,500 temporary seats at Siebert Field for this weekend’s four-game baseball series” against OH State Univ. (ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS, 5/16).
WEEKEND EVENTS
Friday The Pediatric Therapy Network, which provides therapeutic services for children with special needs and disabilities, will host Evening at the Races in L.A. Retired jockey Laffit Pincay is the honorary Chair (L.A. TIMES, 5/16).
The BOSTON HERALD reports that Patriots C Lonie Paxton is “throwing a big bash at The Rack … to kick off his new foundation for disabled athletes,” Active Force, started by Paxton and Brooke Duquesnel, “who was paralyzed from the waist down in a 1998 snowboarding accident.” Patriots QB Tom Brady, RB Antwan Harris and K Adam Vinatieri are expected to attend (BOSTON HERALD, 5/16).
Saturday Indians SS Omar Vizquel will autograph copies of the new paperback edition of his book, “Omar! My Life On and Off the Field,” at the Indians Team Shop in the Great North Mall in North Olmstead, OH, from noon-1:00pm ET (THE DAILY).
The Royals and Chiefs will hold the third annual Operation Blessing, joining with volunteers to distribute food and toys to area families in need, at the JFK Community Center in K.C., beginning at 9:30am CT (THE DAILY).
The Padres will host a Women & Baseball 101 session from 11:00am-1:00pm PT at Qualcomm Stadium (THE DAILY).
The Goo Goo Dolls will hold a one-hour pre-race concert at Lowe’s Motor Speedway beginning at 3:00pm ET. The band will also play a 10-minute set between the running of the Winston Open and The Winston (THE DAILY).
FX Network will broadcast “NASCAR Fan Shop,” a televised shopping program in which fans can purchase stock car collectibles at approximately 11:00pm ET, immediately following its coverage of The Winston (THE DAILY).
The SoBe Gravity Games Amateur Skatepark Series will kick off at the Rye Airfield in Rye, NH (THE DAILY).
Sunday Tickets for the ’03 WNBA All-Star Game will go on sale at the Madison Square Garden box office, beginning at 10:00am ET. Tickets will be available nationwide Monday, May 19, for the July 12 game in N.Y.(THE DAILY).
The National Museum of Racing in Saratoga Springs, NY, will host an opening reception for its new exhibition entitled, “Affirmed, In Front,” a celebration of the last Triple Crown winner, from 5:00-7:00pm ET (BLOODHORSE.com, 5/14).
The Renaissance ClubSport Hotel in Walnut Creek, CA, will host an indoor cycling event to benefit the Lance Armstrong Foundation from 9:00am-noon PT (THE DAILY).
CHANNEL SURFING
Friday FSN’s “54321” will profile BMX rider Stephen Cerra at 5:30pm ET.
ESPN will air the NBA playoffs: Pistons-76ers Game 6 at 7:30pm ET.
ESPN’s “Outside The Lines Nightly” will examine how IMG Founder Mark McCormack changed the face of sports marketing, as well as the possible retirement of Pete Sampras at midnight ET.
ABC will air the 30th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards at 8:00pm ET.
ESPN Classic’s “SportsCentury” will profile Greg Norman at 8:30pm ET.
ESPN will air the Stanley Cup playoffs: Wild-Mighty Ducks Game 4 at 10:30pm ET.
Marlins 3B Mike Lowell, Univ. of AL football coach Mike Shula and Kellen Winslow Sr. and Jr. are scheduled to appear on FSN’s “BDSSP.”
HBO’s “On The Record” with Bob Costas will feature comedian Jerry Seinfeld at 11:30pm ET.
Saturday BET’s “Maad Sports” will feature WNBA Liberty G Teresa Weatherspoon at noon ET.
“This Week In Baseball” on Fox premieres at 12:30pm ET with Angels RF Tim Salmon as host.
“NBA Inside Stuff” on ABC will feature Lakers C Shaquille O’Neal and F Robert Horry, Pistons G Chauncey Billups, Nets F Reggie Jefferson and WNBA Liberty Gs Becky Hammon and Weatherspoon.
Fox’ MLB coverage premieres at 1:00pm ET with regional coverage: Angels-Red Sox or Cubs-Cardinals, followed by Mets-Giants or Phillies-Astros at 4:00pm ET.
ABC will air Day One of the X Games Global Championship at 1:00pm ET.
ESPN will air England-U.S. women’s soccer at 1:00pm ET.
ABC will air the Stanley Cup playoffs: Senators-Devils Game 4 at 3:00pm ET.
CBS will air third-round coverage of the PGA Tour’s EDS Byron Nelson Championship at 3:00pm ET.
NBC will air the Preakness Stakes at 5:00pm ET.
FX will air the Winston Cup The Winston at 7:00pm ET.
TNT will air the NBA playoffs: Kings-Mavericks Game 7 at 8:00pm ET.
Sunday FX will air the Busch Series Goulds Pumps ITT Industries 200 at 1:00pm ET.
CBS will air final-round coverage of the PGA Tour’s EDS Byron Nelson Championship at 3:00pm ET.
YES will air “History of the Yankees: The Stadium” at 4:30pm ET and 10:00pm.
NBC will air AFL regional coverage: Firebirds-Rush, Storm-Fury or Desperados-Rampage at 3:00pm ET.
ESPN2 will air Mighty Ducks-Wild Game 5 (if necessary) at 7:00pm ET.
ESPN will air Phillies-Astros at 8:00pm ET.
FSN’s “Beyond The Glory” will profile Oscar De La Hoya.
TODAY’S TEASER…
General: Tank’s Prospect set the Preakness record of 1 minute 53.4 seconds in ’85 for its current distance (1-and-3/16 miles). Louis Quatorze equaled the feat in ’96. The same jockey mounted both horses. Name him.
THE DAILY STAT: AD PAGES AND REVENUE FOR APRIL
The following from Publishers Information Bureau details advertising revenue and pages for select sports titles in April ‘03 compared with April ‘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 | 78.1 | 39.3 | 98.4% | $2,059,472 | $942,797 | 118.4% |
| BOATING | 106.3 | 111.7 | -4.9% | $3,607,061 | $3,511,536 | 2.7% |
| CYCLE WORLD | 88.9 | 105.6 | -15.8% | $3,274,777 | $3,667,410 | -10.7% |
| ESPN MAGAZINE | 107.5 | 152.4 | -29.5% | $14,774,400 | $17,951,550 | -17.7% |
| FITNESS | 82.9 | 82.0 | 1.1% | $7,262,012 | $6,067,308 | 19.7% |
| GOLF DIGEST | 159.0 | 139.9 | 13.6% | $13,432,286 | $10,619,686 | 26.5% |
| GOLF FOR WOMEN | 87.6 | 58.5 | 49.8% | $2,439,206 | $1,276,734 | 91.1% |
| GOLF MAGAZINE | 159.9 | 142.9 | 11.9% | $18,518,791 | $15,802,279 | 17.2% |
| GOLF WORLD | 127.9 | 184.1 | -30.5% | $2,802,173 | $3,258,838 | -14.0% |
| RUNNERS WORLD | 48.8 | 36.9 | 32.3% | $2,740,951 | $1,894,532 | 44.7% |
| SI FOR KIDS | 37.7 | 21.7 | 73.4% | $2,514,840 | $1,344,000 | 87.1% |
| SPORTING NEWS | 61.5 | 55.3 | 11.2% | $3,046,840 | $2,128,655 | 43.1% |
| SPORTS ILLUSTRATED | 168.0 | 170.9 | -1.7% | $45,284,531 | $45,179,494 | 0.2% |
| TENNIS | 50.3 | 57.2 | -12.0% | $3,329,396 | $3,668,763 | -9.3% |
| TRANSWORLD BMX | 37.8 | 58.2 | -35.0% | $120,965 | $146,239 | -17.3% |
| TRANSWORLD SKATEBOARDING | 193.3 | 226.5 | -14.6% | $2,057,492 | $2,099,686 | -2.0% |
| TRANSWORLD SNOWBOARDING | 104.5 | 113.3 | -7.8% | $1,367,675 | $1,432,406 | -4.5% |
| TRANSWORLD SURF | 69.5 | 66.5 | 4.5% | $340,933 | $309,877 | 10.0% |
| TOTALS LISTED | 1,769.3 | 1,823.0 | -2.9% | $128,973,801 | $121,301,790 | 6.3% |
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| OVERALL TOTALS | 20,133.3 | 20,606.5 | -2.3% | $1,736,909,265 | $1,594,873,095 | 8.9% |
CRITICS WEIGH IN: “THE MATRIX: RELODADED,” “DOWN WITH LOVE”
The second installment of The Matrix trilogy, “The Matrix: Reloaded,”: is sure to finish atop the box office charts this weekend, while the Renee Zellweger-Ewan McGregor romantic comedy, “Down With Love,” also opens nationwide.
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| “The Matrix: Reloaded” | “Down With Love” |
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| Hollywood Reporter | 
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| USA Today |
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…TODAY’S ANSWER
Pat Day rode both horses to victory at Pimlico Race Course for two of his four total Preakness wins.
If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please let us know at:
dailyinsider@sportsbusinessdaily.com
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