Closing Bell, June 18, 2003

SEGA SPORTS “2K” SERIES TO NOW BE CALLED ESPN VIDEOGAMES

ESPN,Sega and Visual Concepts, maker of the “2K” sports videogame series, todayannounced an alliance and new branding for the former Sega Sports “2K” series,which will now be called ESPN Videogames. The first title, to be released in August, is “ESPN NFL Football.”  Other titles include “ESPN NBA Basketball,”“ESPN NHL Hockey,” “ESPN College Hoops” and “ESPN World Series Baseball.”  The re-branded line will feature commentaryfrom ESPN personalities.  VisualConcepts Senior VP/Sports Marketing Steven Raab will oversee marketingfor ESPN Videogames (THE DAILY).

Followingthe announcement, the new ESPN Videogames announced that Bucs DT Warren Sapphas been signed as the official spokesperson and cover athlete for “ESPN NFLFootball” (THE DAILY).

REEBOK TO DESIGN AND MARKETNBA APPAREL IN ASIAN REGION

TheNBA and Reebok Int’l today announced a five-year pan-Asian partnership todevelop and market NBA apparel and accessories, marking the first time theleague has one apparel licensee covering Asia. The partnership calls for Reebok to design, manufacture, market and sellofficial NBA apparel ranging from jerseys to off-court lifestyle gear.  The first offerings hit select stores inChina and Hong Kong this week.  The linewill be expanded to other Asian markets, including Japan, Taiwan, India,Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia and Korea, during the ’03-04 season (THEDAILY).

REEBOK TO LAUNCH “WHODUNIT?”CAMPAIGN NEXT TUESDAY

Reeboktoday announced an interactive marketing campaign featuring Hornets G BaronDavis, Rockets G Steve Francis, Nets F Kenyon Martin andWarriors G Jason Richardson that will launch next Tuesday during the BETAwards.  The “Whodunit?” campaign, whichincludes TV, print, outdoor and online elements, encourages consumers to piecetogether clues to unravel a crime that occurred “Above The Rim.”  Arnell Group, N.Y., developed the advertisingaspect of the campaign, while Zugara, L.A., provides the online elements (THEDAILY).

HELFAND TO OVERSEE FOX SPORTS WORLD BROADCAST OPERATIONS

FoxCable Networks Group today announced that Fox Sports Int’l Broadcast OperationsManager Alan Helfand has been promoted to the position of VP/BroadcastOperations.  In the role, Helfand willoversee day-to-day broadcast operations management of Fox Sports World and FoxSports en Espanol.  He will also beresponsible for all int’l sports channels grouped under Fox Pan AmericanSports, a joint venture of Fox Sports Int’l; Hicks, Muse, Tate & Furst; andLiberty Media.  Finally, Helfand willassist in the day-to-day management of Fox’ new extreme sports network “Fuel,”which launches July 1 (THE DAILY).

BUZZER BEATERS

Sporting News this week offers two covers.  The first, which will be sent to allsubscribers except those in the St. Louis market, features Spurs F TimDuncan and C David Robinson under the header, “Spurs Of TheMoment.”  The second, which will beoffered on all newsstands except in the San Antonio market, features CardinalsLF Albert Pujols under the header, “Sweet, Sweeter, Sweetest Swing.”

Sports Illustrated this week features Robinson under theheader, “The Perfect Ending.”

Sporting News	Sporting News

Sports Illustrated

REUTERSreports that Lleyton Hewitt today in Australia“began legal action against” the ATP after he was fined last year forfailing to attend a mandatory post-match TV interview with ESPN.  Hewitt’s manager Rob Aivatoglou:“It’s been lodged and that’s the only thing I can say to you.”  The ATPoriginally fined Hewitt about $105,650, but that was reduced to $20,000 onappeal (<ahref="http: newsarticle.jhtml?type="sportsNews&storyID=2948218'" target="_blank">REUTERS,6/18</ahref="http:>).

ESPNtoday announced that actor and comedian Jamie Foxx will host the 11^thannual ESPY Awards, live from Hollywood’s Kodak Theatre, beginning at 9:00pm ETon July 16 (THE DAILY).

TheDETROIT NEWS reports that Toughman “will temporarily cease operations while itsfounder investigates the recent death of a 30-year-old mother of four” in FL, theevent’s 13^th fatality since its inception in ’79 and fourth in aten-month span.  Founder Art Doreputs on Toughman events “through a tax-exempt, nonprofit organization – theAmerican Boxing & Athletic Association, which has no board of directors orstaff other than Dore” (<ahref="http: target="_blank">DETROITNEWS, 6/18</ahref="http:>).

TheAP reports that the Colonel Rebel mascot “is out for this football season whilethe University of Mississippi searches for a new image.”  The Colonel Rebel logo, however, “is stillan official trademark of the university” (<ahref="http: target="_blank">AP,6/18</ahref="http:>).

The Raptors today namedformer Pistons assistant coach Kevin O’Neill as their new head coach.While financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, the contract runs throughthe ‘04-05 season with a team option for ‘05-06 (THE DAILY).

The Charleston POST &COURIER reports that KemperSports Management has hired Sheldon Good & Co.Auctions to “help sell its only South Carolina properties,” Pine Forest GolfClub in Summerville and Crowfield Golf & Country Club in Goose Creek, at aJuly 24 auction in Charleston.  The“suggested opening bid” is $1.1M for Pine Forest and $2.2M for Crowfield (<ahref="http: target="_blank">CharlestonPOST & COURIER, 6/18</ahref="http:>).

A LIGHTER BUZZ

Sports Illustrated For Kids asked 22 MLB players to rate the bestand worst things in the world of baseball. Among the selections:

TONIGHT’S EVENTS

TheNew York Road Runners Club will hold its first annual Nike I RUN NY road racetonight in Central Park.  Expected toattract more than 4,500 runners, the event will benefit the New York RoadRunners Foundation, which assists N.Y. elementary and middle schools lackingphysical education programs.  Hip-hopartist Mos Def and alternative band Everclear will hold a post-raceconcert (THE DAILY).

TheN.Y. DAILY NEWS reports that Jay-Z tonight “opens 40/40 Sports Bar, a$4[M], high-tech, low-decibel, 8,000-square-foot luxury lounge on 25th St. justoff Madison Square Park.”  The openingnight guest list includes Derek Jeter, Michael Jordan and TikiBarber (<ahref="http: target="_blank">N.Y.DAILY NEWS, 6/18</ahref="http:>).

CHANNELSURFING

TitansDE Jevon Kearse will be on the “Hot Seat” during ESPN’s “SportCenter” at6:00pm ET.

ESPNwill air Braves-Phillies at 7:00pm ET. As part of the net’s “Living Legends” series, Phillies broadcaster HarryKalas will call part of the game.

ESPN2will air the College World Series: Texas-Rice at 7:00pm ET.

ESPN2will air Giants-Dodgers at 10:00pm ET.

ESPNClassic’s “SportsCentury” will profile Lawrence Taylor at 8:00pm ET.

ESPN’s“Outside The Lines Nightly” will examine how hundreds of MLB player-agentcontracts turned up on eBay at midnight ET.

A’sP Mark Mulder, IBF heavyweight champion Chris Byrd, actor LukeWilson, Philadelphia Inquirer NBA writer Stephen Smith, formertennis player Murphy Jensen and AFL Arizona Rattlers WR/LB HunkieCooper are scheduled to appear on FSN’s “BDSSP.”  Angels broadcaster Rex Hudler will guest host.

WBdebuts “Boarding House: North Shore,” a six-part reality series about seven prosurfers living in the same house while competing in the Vans Triple Crown ofSurfing in Oahu, at 8:00pm ET.

NASCARWinston Cup driver Dale Earnhardt, Jr. will appear on NBC’s “LateNight” with Conan O’Brien at 12:35am ET.

E!’s“True Hollywood Story” will profile the series “Melrose Place” at 8:00pmET.

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

HEADLINERS

Hereare tonight’s headline guests on the following talk shows:

TODAY’S ARTICLES OF INTEREST

The TORONTO STAR’s Chris Zelkovich writes, “If you’re a sports fan andare among the 24[%] of Canadian homes without cable or satellite, your list of <ahref="http: contentserver?pagename="thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1052251863239&call_pageid=968867503640&col=970081593064'" target="_blank">televisedsports events is getting smaller by the day.  It’s time to pay up if you want to watch sports.  If you’re a rights holder in Canada, you arefacing the prospect of earning less on rights fees because specialty channelspay less than the networks.  Sportingevents taking up prime-time real estate on commercial network television are anendangered species” (TORONTO STAR).</ahref="http:>

TheSAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS’ David King writes, “When Eric Dybas, all butincoherent after a day of drinking, <ahref="http: story.cfm?xla="saen&xlb=200&xlc=1013098'" target="_blank">ranonto the field between innings of a Chicago White Sox game and crashed intoumpire Laz Diaz last month, people in the sports facilities businesswere stunned.  They weren’t surprised atthe audacity of the attack, or the reaction of the players, who poundedDybas.  They were stunned that ithappened at all” (SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS).</ahref="http:>

ThePHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS’ Sam Donnellon writes, “All this time, and he was rightthere, under our noses.  All this timelooking for someoneto make golf interesting again, and Vijay Singh was out there,figuratively and literally, waiting to be discovered. We wanted a foil for Tiger Woods.  Vijay was there, all that time, edgy and willing to fill thevoid.  We just weren’t watching closelyenough, or listening well enough” (PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS).

SeeThe Daily Insider’s <ahref="http: tdi.cms?departmentid="25'">Articles ofInterest section for more sports business-related links.</ahref="http:>

TODAY’S TEASER…

Mindbenders: There is a word in theEnglish language in which the first two letters signify a male, the first threeletters signify a female, the first four signify a great man, and the wholeword, a great woman.  What is the word?

IN OTHERNEWS……

TheCHICAGO SUN-TIMES reports that the seven IL tollway oases “soon could bear thename of corporate sponsors, much like major sporting arenas.”  Wilton Partners’ Jay Wilton said thatselling naming rights is “certainly something we will entertain.”  Wilton: “We’re only considering majorcorporations with a strong presence here in Chicago” (<ahref="http:>CHICAGOSUN-TIMES, 6/18</ahref="http:>).

THE DAILY STAT: PRIMETIME NIELSEN RATINGS

Thefollowing lists the final Nielsen ratings for the top ten primetime shows forthe week of June 9-15.  Also providedare the weekly viewership averages for each net (USA TODAY, 6/18).

…TODAY’SANSWER

Heroine

If you have any questions,comments or suggestions, please let us know at:
<ahref="mailto:dailyinsider@sportsbusinessdaily.com">dailyinsider@sportsbusinessdaily.com</ahref="mailto:dailyinsider@sportsbusinessdaily.com">

The Closing Bell providesan afternoon recap of the latest news and headlines each Monday through Friday atapproximately 4:00pm ET. If you would like to sign up for an e-mail alert tothe Closing Bell, go to MyAccount and personalize your e-mail alert options.