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Closing Bell

Closing Bell, August 22, 2003

The Daily Insider
Afternoon News & Headlines
Friday, August 22, 2003
4:00pm ET

Callaway Golf Today Announces Endorsement Agreement With Rusty Wallace

ABC To Offer Primetime Coverage Of Little League World Series This Weekend

All Signs Pointing To AFL Buffalo Destroyers Relocating To Columbus, OH

Electronic Arts Inks Three Int’l Soccer Players For “FIFA Soccer 2004” Cover

Critics Weigh In: “The Battle Of Shaker Heights” And “The Medallion”

Buzzer Beaters/Weekend Events/Channel Surfing/The Daily Stat


RUSTY WALLACE JOINS CALLAWAY GOLF ENDORSER ROSTER

Callaway Golf today announced a multiyear endorsementagreement with NASCAR Winston Cup Series driver Rusty Wallace that willput the company’s logo on his uniform sleeve and make it a licensee ofWallace’s racing team.  While Wallacewill make promotional appearances on behalf of Callaway Golf, the company willuse his likeness, signature and No. 2 Miller Lite Chevy on products such asgolf balls, golf bags and putters (Callaway Golf).


REEBOK TO BREAK NEW MARKETING CAMPAIGN TOMORROW ON TV

Reebok tomorrow will break a new marketing campaign, “WearThe Vector. Outperform,” with a 60-second spot on several cable channels.  The campaign features 76ers G AllenIverson, ATP Tour player Andy Roddick, Ravens LB Ray Lewis andgymnast Alexei Nemov.  Thecampaign, created by Arnell Group and produced by Ridley Scott Associates,breaks on network TV on Monday, including CBS’ U.S. Open coverage (Reebok).


LITTLE LEAGUE WORLD SERIES TO BE DECIDED SUNDAY ON ABC

ABC and ESPN will offer Little League World Series coveragetomorrow and Sunday, and the MIAMI HERALD reports that ABC will use 15-year-old sportsreporter Grant Paulsen, who has appeared on CBS’ “Late Show,” as aroving reporter.  The U.S. and Worldchampionship games “averaged a 4.6 [Nielsen] rating on ABC in prime time lastyear, topping ABC’s 2.9 rating for this year’s Stanley Cup Finals” (MIAMI HERALD,8/22).  The TV schedule is asfollows:

Date

Game

Teams

Net

Time

8/23

Int’l Championship

Curacao-Tokyo

ESPN

3:00pm ET

8/23

U.S. Championship

Boynton Beach, FL-Saugus, MA

ABC

7:30pm ET

8/24

Consolation Game

TBD

ESPN

1:00pm ET

8/24

Championship Game

TBD

ABC

6:30pm ET


DESTROYERS OWNER WAS IN COLUMBUS NEGOTIATING WITH ARENA

The BUFFALO NEWS reports that AFL Buffalo Destroyers Owner& CEO Mark Hamister was in Columbus, OH, yesterday “negotiating a deal with NationwideArena officials about relocating the franchise.”  While Hamister did not comment, a team spokesperson said that anannouncement “won’t come until sometime next week.”  An AFL source confirmed that Hamister “filed an application forrelocation and has board approval with contingencies.”  The Destroyers’ entire front office staff“has either been laid off or reassigned within Hamister Group ofCompanies.”  A new tenant has alreadymoved into the team’s former offices at HSBC Arena (BUFFALO NEWS,8/22).


REMINGTON PARK TO OPEN MEET TONIGHT WITH IMPROVEMENTS

DAILY RACING FORM reported that Magna Entertainment-ownedRemington Park in Oklahoma City opens its 57-day Thoroughbred meet tonight with“a number of operational changes.”  Inaddition to shortening the meet, Remington Park has “moved the date of its premier race, the OklahomaDerby, to Nov. 16; brought in new staff; developed an aggressive promotionalcalendar; and is working closer with its sister track Lone Star Park, which isalso owned by Magna” (DAILY RACING FORM, 8/21).


BRITSOL TERRACE TO BE NAMED FOR EARNHARDT BEFORE SHARPIE 500

The NASCAR Winston Cup Series Sharpie 500 will be runtomorrow night at 7:00pm ET at Bristol Motor Speedway with TNT providing TVcoverage, and the AP reported that the 13,000-seat Dale Earnhardt TerraceGrandstand will be dedicated during a pre-race ceremony.  The ninth grandstand to be named in a formerdriver’s honor brings the track’s total capacity to 160,000 (AP,8/21).


BUZZER BEATERS

Venus Williams today announced that she iswithdrawing due to injury from the U.S. Open, which begins Monday (IMG).

EA Sports today announced that it has signed three int’lsoccer players – Arsenal F Thierry Henry, Juventus F Alessandro DelPiero and Barcelona F Ronaldinho – as spokespersons and coverathletes for “FIFA Soccer 2004.”  Thegame is scheduled for an October release (EA Sports).

The AKRON BEACON JOURNAL reports that the wedding of BritishOpen champion Ben Curtis, who was tied for the lead in the World GolfChampionships NEC Invitational after one round, and fiancée Candace Beatty“is still scheduled for Saturday night” (AKRON BEACON JOURNAL,8/22).

The Bergen RECORD reports that Devils President LouLamoriello “insists that talk of turmoil among his team’s owners inoverblown.”  Lamoriello: “There’s a lotof rhetoric, but nobody puts their name to it, and I’m appalled.  Nothing has been affected as far as ouroperations, whether it’s signing players or any other day-to-day activity” (BergenRECORD, 8/22).

The SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER reports that PacificRaceways, “after $10[M] in improvements, … will hold [its] firstNASCAR-sanctioned race in 17 years” Sunday with the Raybestos Brakes NorthwestSeries Northwest Chevy Dealers 150 (SEATTLEPOST-INTELLIGENCER, 8/22).

The Sharks today announced that the club has formalizedsecondary affiliations with the ECHL Fresno Falcons and Johnstown Chiefs (Sharks).

The CFL today appointed Alan Ford as interim GM ofthe Hamilton Tiger-Cats.  Ford, a formerSaskatchewan Roughriders GM & COO, will conduct an assessment of thecurrent state of the franchise and submit a subsequent report to Commissioner TomWright (CFL).

USA TODAY reports that FSN will unveil a “mound cam” duringits coverage of the Cal Ripken World Series on Sunday, a lipstick-sized cameraburied in the pitcher’s mound.  FSN ExecVP/Programming & Production George Greenberg: “Remember, you’regoing to have dirt kicked on this thing. So between innings we’ll have a brush boy come out” (USA TODAY, 8/22).

FLW Outdoors today announced that is has signed WaveIndustries as sponsor on all of its tournament trails.  Wave’s main product is the Wave Worm bait (FLWOutdoors).


A LIGHTER BUZZ

Fourteen-year-old soccer phenom Freddy Adu, followingreports that he will sign his first pro contract as early as next month: “Iwant to go pro as soon as I can, but my mom won’t let me go anywhere before Ifinish high school.”  Adu will graduatehigh school in May because of an accelerated course schedule (USA TODAY, 8/22).

The Harlem Globetrotters must be nervous that Michigan Statewill break their basketball game attendance record of 75,000 when they playKentucky in December at Ford Field, as the Globetrotters today announced thatfurther research shows the crowd for the team’s game in Berlin in ’51 may haveattracted 76,243, the capacity of Olympic Stadium in Berlin (THE DAILY).


WEEKEND EVENTS

Friday

The Padres will host Turn Back the Clock Weekend duringtheir three-game series against the Expos. The weekend begins with the two teams wearing throwback jerseys from ’69for tonight’s game, followed by a Qualcomm Stadium commemorative clock giveawaySaturday.  Continuing the theme, theteam will distribute watches to all children in attendance for Sunday’s game.

Saturday

The eighth annual Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day will be held from9:00am-3:00pm ET at the National Tennis Center.  Andre Agassi, Andy Roddick, James Blake and AnnaKournikova are scheduled to participate, while Smash Mouth will perform.

The Tennis Industry Association will host The Tennis Show onthe grounds of the National Tennis Center through Monday, and TENNIS WEEK notedthat the event is the TIA’s “answer to concerns that the industry was not beingwell served by its participation in the larger” SGMA Super Show.  The event returns for the first time since’00 (TENNIS WEEK, 8/13).

Lakers C Shaquille O’Neal will take part in the fifthannual Nestle Crunch Hot Shots Camp in L.A., which includes ten children, ages12-18, who won an opportunity to go “one-on-one” with Shaq as part of Nestlesweepstakes.

The AHL Cleveland Barons will host the first annual “BaronsHockey Fest” from 12:00-6:00pm ET at IceLand USA in Strongsville, OH.  A coach’s clinic, public skate with Baronsplayers and roundtable discussion are among the scheduled events.

The 2nd Annual EA Sports Madden Challenge beginsat Chicago’s Navy Pier.  The 32-citytournament, which features 512 competitors in each city, concludes at ayet-to-be-determined Las Vegas location following the final stop December 14 inS.F.  The winner receives a $50,000prize.

Sunday

The Mariners will open Safeco Field to the public from9:00am-3:00pm PT to give fans a chance to play catch on the outfieldgrass.  Admission is $10 for adults and$5 for children 14 and younger.  Allproceeds will benefit Mariners Care.

The WNBA Sting will distribute bobbleheads of G AndreaStinson to the first 2,500 fans in attendance for the team’s 6:00pm ET gameagainst the Liberty.


CHANNEL SURFING

Friday

ESPN will air the season premiere of “College GameDay” at 7:30pm ET.

CBS will air preseason Falcons-Dolphinsat 8:00pm ET.

ESPN will air the USTA PilotPen semifinal at 8:00pm ET.

TNT will air the NASCAR Busch Series Food City 250 at 8:00pm ET.

ESPN’s “Outside The Lines Nightly” will examine the latestmethods to combat heat during NCAA summer football practices at midnight ET.

ESPN Classic’s “SportsCentury” will profile Seattle Slew at 8:00pm ET.

Ravens QB Kyle Boller,Seahawks QB Seneca Wallace and MTV’sSherrise are scheduled to appear onFSN’s “BDSSP.”

VH1 concludes “I Lovethe ‘70s” with “1978” at 9:00pmET and “1979” at 10:00pm ET.

Saturday

CBS will air the USTA PilotPen Final at noon ET.

Rangers SS AlexRodriguez will host “This Week inBaseball” on Fox as the lead-in to regional coverage.

Fox will air MLB regional coverage: Mariners-Red Sox, Phillies-Cardinalsor Angels-Tigers at 1:00pm ET, or Cubs-D’Backs at 4:00pm ET.

CBS will air third-round coverage of the PGA Tour WGC NEC Invitational at 2:00pm ET.

NBC will air the WorldGymnastics Championships at 2:00pm ET.

ESPN will air the Int’lChampionship of the Little LeagueWorld Series at 3:00pm ET.

ESPN2 will air MLSRevolution-Galaxy at 4:00pm ET.

NBC will air the U.S.Amateur Golf Championship at 4:00pm ET.

ESPN will air the $1MTravers Stakes during a special two-hour edition of “SportsCenter at Saratoga” at 5:00pm ET.

ESPN2 will air Grambling-SanJose State college football at 6:00pm ET.

TNT will air the NASCAR Winston Cup Sharpie 500 at 7:00pm ET.

ABC will air the U.S. Championshipof the Little League World Series at7:30pm ET.

ESPN will air the BCAClassic: California-Kansas Statecollege football at 7:45pm ET.

FSN North will air “America’sCoach: The Life and Times of Herb Brooks,” a tribute to Brooks, at 9:00pmCT.

Sunday

CBS will air highlights from “Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day” at 12:30pm ET.

ESPN will air the LittleLeague World Series Consolation Game at 1:00pm ET.

NBC will air the WorldGymnastics Championship at 2:00pm ET and 7:00pm ET.

CBS will air final-round coverage of the PGA Tour WGC NEC Invitational at 2:30pm ET.

NBC will air the final round of the U.S. Amateur Golf Championship at 4:00pm ET.

ESPN will air the Freedom-Beatin the WUSA Founders Cup at 4:00pmET.

“MNF” sideline reporter LisaGuerrero will host ABC’s “SnickersPresents: Monday Night Football’s Hungriest Players” at 4:30pm ET.

ABC will air the LittleLeague World Series Championship Game at 6:30pm ET.

The Tennis Channel will premiere “Center Court” with ChrisMyers at 7:00pm ET, a new 30-minute interview program.  Renowned tennis coach Robert Lansdorp is the show’s first guest.

ESPN will air Mariners-RedSox at 8:00pm ET.

ESPN2 will air the MLLChampionship at 9:00pm ET.

MSNBC will air “Thoroughbred:Stable to Stardom,” a documentary on the horse racing industry, at 10:00pmET.

FSN’s “Beyond The Glory” will profile Cal Ripken Jr.


TODAY’S TEASER…

General: Chargers QB Doug Flutie is one of twoUSFL alums currently playing in the NFL. Name the other.


THE DAILY STAT: AMERICANS DESIRE A TRIP TO OZ

Australia is the country, outside the U.S., where Americanswould most like to spend their vacation if they did not have to worry aboutcost, according to Harris Interactive. Below are the top ten countries people would most like to visit.  2,215 adults were surveyed online from July14 through July 20 (Harris Interactive).

RK
COUNTRY
1)
Australia
2)
Italy
3)
Great Britain
4)
France
5)
Ireland
6)
Germany
7)
New Zealand
8)
Japan
9)
Spain
10)
Greece

CRITICS WEIGH IN: “BATTLE OF SHAKER HEIGHTS,” “THE MEDALLION”

“The Battle ofShaker Heights” is the product of the directors and screenwriter who won thesecond annual Project Greenlight contest, as documented on the HBO series.  Meanwhile, Jackie Chan stars in “TheMedallion,” an action thriller about a Chinese immigration officer who findshimself imbued with amazing abilities after an incident in which he thought hedied.

————————Movie————————

“Battle of Shaker Heights”

“The Medallion”

Chicago Sun-Times

Not Reviewed

Hollywood Reporter

N.Y. Times

USA Today

Not Reviewed


…TODAY’S ANSWER

Rams P Sean Landeta is the other.  In ’85, Landeta played for both the USFL Philadelphia Stars and the NFLGiants.


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

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