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Closing Bell

Closing Bell, July 31, 2003

The Daily Insider
Afternoon News & Headlines
Thursday, July 31, 2003
4:00pm ET

Manchester United-Juventus Match Tonight Could Draw Giants Stadium Record

Eagles Today Reverse Heavily Criticized Lincoln Financial Field Food Policy

Viewing Of Nationally Televised Sports Programming Up 2% In Past 12 Months

Dontrelle Willis’ First Three Post-All-Star Break Starts Show Uptick In Miami

Promotion Of The Week: Ravens To Host “Pepsi First” Poe Sleepover Tomorrow

Buzzer Beaters/Tonight’s Events/Channel Surfing/In Other News/The Daily Stat


The Closing Bell will not publish Friday, August 1.
We will return Monday, August 4.


MANCHESTER UNITED CONTINUES TOUR TONIGHT AT GIANTS STADIUM

Manchester United faces Juventus tonight at 8:00pm ET at Giants Stadium as part of the ChampionsWorld Series, and the Newark STAR-LEDGER reports that the NJSEA is “taking aim at the Giants Stadium record for a sporting event” – the 79,310 who attended the Vikings-Giants NFC Championship Game in January ’01 (Newark STAR-LEDGER, 7/31). The N.Y. POST notes that nearly 800 media have been given credentials for tonight’s game (N.Y. POST, 7/31).

Tonight’s game will not be aired live on TV, but it will be televised on tape delay tomorrow at noon ET on the Fox Sports Net system, and again on Saturday at 8:00am ET on MSG (Newark STAR-LEDGER, 7/31).

CNBC’s “Squawk Box” this morning profiled ManU’s U.S. Tour and global financial empire, and noted the franchise earned a $50M profit last year on more than $230M in revenues, including $120M in merchandise sales. ManU CEO Peter Kenyon said, “We run ourselves as a business. We run ourselves along straight financial constraints. … We think that gives us a great competitive edge.” Kenyon added, “We’ll always look [the franchise] first and foremost from a footballing and sport point of view, but then we’ll take the necessary financial decisions that we have to do to protect our business” (“Squawk Box,” CNBC, 7/31).


EAGLES REVERSE DIRECTION; CHANGE FOOD POLICY AFTER CRITICISM

After receiving criticism for announcing an outside food ban at Lincoln Financial Field, Eagles President Joe Banner today announced that the food policy at the Eagles’ new stadium will be the same as the policy that existed at Veterans Stadium. Banner, on whether the policy was changed due to fan input: “Well there was some reach out from the fans, and to be honest with you, obviously a large reach out from the media coverage perspective” (Eagles).


ABC, ESPN AND ESPN2 ACCOUNT FOR 50% OF TOTAL SPORTS VIEWING

ESPN today released an analysis of Nielsen data showing that total viewing of nationally televised sports programming in the past 12 months (July ’02 – June ’03) increased 2%, from 1,093,894 to 1,115,397 gross ratings points. In the male 18-34 demographic, viewing increased 7%. The trio of ABC, ESPN and ESPN2 delivered 50% of said ratings points (ESPN).

ESPN today reported that the first four telecasts of the World Series of Poker, which air Tuesdays from 9:00-10:00pm ET, are averaging a 0.91/ (781,644 HHs) Nielsen cable rating, up from a 0.41/ (355,074 HHs) for programming during the corresponding Tuesdays in July ’02 (ESPN). Note: The ’02 average is from 8:00-10:00pm as this year’s third poker telecast (July 22) aired in the 8:00-9:00pm window.

ESPN and Comcast Cable today announced that they have entered into an agreement for distribution of ESPN HD. Under the deal, Comcast will make ESPN HD available in markets where it currently offers HDTV service (ESPN).


PUMA TODAY REPORTS 46.8% Q2 ’03 SALES INCREASE OVER Q2 ‘02

Puma today released its Q2 ’03 earnings, and said that consolidated sales increased 46.1%, from $231.1M in ’02 to $338.2M. On a currency neutral basis, sales were up 56.8%. Apparel sales grew 63.4% to $87.8M, and footwear grew 41.2% from the same period a year earlier to $227.2M. For the first half of the year, sales increased 46.8% to $723.9M from $493.1M in the same period a year earlier. Apparel experienced the highest growth during the first half of the year, as total apparel sales increased 51.2% to $177.6M. Meanwhile, footwear sales increased 48.3% to $507.4M, and accessories sales increased 16.2% to $38.9M (Puma).


THE DONTRELLE TRACKER: ALL-STAR SELECTION SELLING TICKETS

Is there a “Dontrelle bounce” at the gate? Following Marlins P Dontrelle Willis selection to the National League All-Star team, the Closing Bell tracks the attendance at Pro Player Stadium in his three starts since the break against the Marlins’ average attendance at the time of the game (THE DAILY).


PROMOTION OF THE WEEK: PEPSI TO SPONSOR RAVENS SLEEPOVER

The Ravens will host the “Pepsi First” Poe Sleepover tomorrow night at M&T Bank Stadium, following the team’s scrimmage at McDaniel College as a prelude to Fan Day, scheduled for Saturday at the stadium. Team mascot Poe will randomly select ten families to participate in the event during halftime of the scrimmage. The winning families will spend the night on the Ravens’ newly-installed Sportexe “Momentum” turf field, be allowed to run through the introduction tunnel and have their entrance shown on the SmartVision boards, receive seats in the “Pepsi First” section for Fan Day and take home a gift bag featuring a Pepsi sweatshirt and blanket.

The team admittedly is not the first to host such an event, and when asked how the idea came about, Ravens Direct Marketing Manager Michael Preston said, “We wanted to come up with a creative way to generate even more enthusiasm around the start of the football season. … Having seen how much success the San Francisco Giants had with a similar event, we knew that our fans deserved the same opportunity.” The Ravens approached Pepsi with the idea, believing it to be a unique way for the team sponsor to introduce its new marketing slogan, “Pepsi First,” into the Baltimore market.

Advertising began July 22 on the team’s official Web site and in their e-newsletter, which is sent to a database of approximately 70,000 subscribers. Local Fox affil, WBFF-Fox, ran a weeklong promotion during their morning news show, culminating with the selection of a family to participate in the event. Additionally, WQSR-FM selected a family via a call-in contest. The event was also mentioned in Baltimore Sun print ads.

Preston said of the buzz surrounding the event, “Fans have actually approached our mascot, Poe, during his appearances over the past week and told him how badly they want to be selected for this opportunity.”

In the event of rain – the current forecast calls for a 60% chance of thunderstorms – the visitor’s locker room will be made available to the families. An overnight event poses inherent liabilities. In order to handle any emergency, Preston said, “We have extra security for the evening, as well as a number of Ravens staff members who – good-naturedly, I might add – will be on hand for the event.” Comcast SportsNet will be on site to film for an upcoming episode of “SportsNite.”

Do you have an interesting promotion The Daily should know about? If so, please contact
Joe Oliver at joeo@sportsbusinessdaily.com.


BUZZER BEATERS

The AP reports that Penguins Owner & C Mario Lemieux announced today that he “will return for at least one more season” (AP, 7/31).

The Flames today announced that over 9,000 season tickets have been renewed or newly purchased for the ’03-04 season. Pengrowth Saddledome has a capacity of 17,139 (THE DAILY).

DaimlerChrysler today announced that it has entered into a agreement to serve as an official sponsor of the ’04 U.S. Paralympic Team. Under the agreement, the company’s Freightliner Sprinter vans will serve as the team’s official vehicle (DaimlerChrysler).

GOLFWORLD notes the average number of seconds between sales of golf equipment on eBay is 15, “making it one of the auction site’s most active categories behind video games” at eight seconds (GOLFWORLD, 8/1 issue).


A LIGHTER BUZZ

In its current issue, Sports Illustrated ranks its 50 greatest and 10 worst sports movies of all-time (SI, 8/4 issue). The following presents the 10 greatest movies. View the entire list.

RK
Movie
1)
"Bull Durham"
2)
"Rocky"
3)
"Raging Bull"
4)
"Hoop Dreams"
5)
"Slap Shot"
6)
"Hoosiers"
7)
"Olympia"
8)
"Breaking Away"
9)
"Chariots of Fire"
10)
"When We Were Kings"
  • “Bull Durham” – “Some of the best-remembered scenes (particularly the candlesticks-make-a-nice-gift mound conference) strain credulity, but writer-director (and former minor leaguer) Ron Shelton has superb storytelling chops. Best of all, [Kevin] Costner, as crafty catcher Crash Davis, is a team player, having not yet maxed out the self-important scale.”
  • “Space Jam” – “Lazy and spiritless, this cynical merchandising exercise strips Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck of their anarchic energy and peddles Michael Jordan for canonization.”

TONIGHT’S EVENTS

Comcast SportsNet and WMMR-FM will conduct auditions for Philadelphia’s “savviest ‘couch commentator’” at the new Chickie’s and Pete’s at the corner of 16th and Packer Avenue, beginning at 5:30pm ET. The winner will receive guest appearances on Comcast’s “Daily News Live” and WMMR-FM, as well as a golf vacation (PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS, 7/30).


CHANNEL SURFING

ESPN2 will air “The Sports Reporters Primetime” at 7:00pm ET.

ESPN will premiere “NFL Live” at 7:30pm ET.

ESPN2 will air WNBA Sparks-Monarchs at 10:00pm ET.

ESPN Classic’s “SportsCentury” will profile Jackie Joyner-Kersee at 8:00pm ET.

Yankees 1B Jason Giambi, Winston Cup driver Jeff Burton and WTA Tour player Ashley Harkleroad are scheduled to appear on FSN’s “BDSSP.”

Champions Tour players Bob Gilder, Tom Kite and Bruce Fleisher, and former Bruins RW Cam Neely will be on a special edition of The Golf Channel’s “Golf Talk” at 8:30pm ET.

OLN will air “Defining Moments: 2003 Tour de France” at 8:00pm ET, featuring a post-Tour interview with champion Lance Armstrong.

Comcast CEO Brian Roberts and Comcast Cable President Steve Burke will be on CNBC’s “Kudlow & Cramer” at 8:00pm ET.

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


HEADLINERS

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

“Late Show” Melanie Griffith
“The Tonight Show” Colin Farrell
“The Late Late Show” Rosanna Arquette
“Late Night” Dana Carvey (r)
“Jimmy Kimmel Live” William H. Macy (r)

TODAY’S ARTICLES OF INTEREST

The Newark STAR-LEDGER’s Matthew Futterman writes of declining participation in Little League Baseball, “The dwindling numbers could not come at a worse time for [MLB], which has seen attendance and national television ratings drop while other professional sports … gain in popularity. Fewer young baseball players translate into fewer young baseball fans, a situation the sport will need to reverse if it wants to maintain its claim on the summer psyche of the American sports fan” (Newark STAR-LEDGER).

BusinessWeek offers an analysis of the Stanford Graduate School of Business/NFL executive-education program, “The goal [is] to give top team executives and franchise managers – many of them ex-players and coaches – an extensive view of the NFL’s business strategy and a healthy dose of business basics. The weeklong program brought together club executives, officials from the NFL front office, and three active players. Kicked off by an introduction from NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue, the eight-hour days were filled with lessons on everything from reading a balance sheet to marketing a team, to the sometimes troublesome task of talking to the media” (BUSINESS WEEK).

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


TODAY’S TEASER…

Sports Business: Earlier this week, Comcast-Spectacor officially changed the name of the Flyers and 76ers home arena from the First Union Center to the Wachovia Center. What was the name of the arena when it opened?


IN OTHER NEWS…

The PHILDELPHIA BUSINESS JOURNAL reports that Comcast “expects to eliminate 2,000 more employees than previously forecast, bringing the total to about 7,000.” The company has already laid off 1,700 employees. Comcast also reported a Q2 ’03 loss of $22M, down from a $210M loss in Q2 ’02. Revenue for the quarter “more than doubled to $5.7[B] from $2.7[B] because of the acquisition of AT&T Broadband” (BIZJOURNALS.com, 7/31).

The WALL STREET JOURNAL reports that the N.Y. Times today “named a pair of managing editors to succeed Gerald Boyd, who resigned last month” in the wake of Jayson Blair scandal, marking “the first time in the newspaper’s 152-year history that it has named two managing editors.” Washington Bureau Chief Jill Abramson and Deputy Managing Editor John Geddes assume the roles (ONLINE.WSJ.com, 7/31).


THE DAILY STAT: BILLBOARD CHARTS

The following lists Billboard Magazine’s top-selling CDs for the week ending July 27 (BILLBOARD.com, 7/31):

RK
ALBUM ARTIST LABEL
1)
Bad Boys II Soundtrack Bad Boy
2)
Now 13 Various Artists Universal/EMI/Zomba/Sony
3)
Moodring Mya A&M
4)
Strays Jane's Addiction Capital
5)
Dangerously In Love Beyonce Columbia
6)
Jackpot Chingy Disturbing Tha Peace
7)
Evolver 311 Volcano
8)
Mud On The Tires Brad Paisley Arista Nashville
9)
Chapter II Ashanti Murder Inc./Def Jam
10)
Fallen Evanescence Wind-up

…TODAY’S ANSWER

The arena opened in ‘96 as the CoreStates Center.


If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please let us know at:
dailyinsider@sportsbusinessdaily.com

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