Closing Bell, September 12, 2003

DOMINO’S TODAY BECOMES OFFICIAL PIZZA OF RAMS

The Rams today announced a multiyear partnership withDomino’s Pizza, naming the company the official pizza of the team.  Under the deal, the Rams’ logo will be includedon the company’s advertising in the St. Louis market.  Additionally, a Domino’s Pizza scoreboard panel has been added tothe Edward Jones Dome, and a Domino’s Pizza commercial will air on theJumbotron during the first quarter of each home game (Rams).

DE LA HOYA TO DEFEND TITLES TONIGHT AGAINST SUGAR SHANE

Oscar De La Hoya will defend his super welterweighttitles against Shane Mosley Saturday at MGM Grand’s Garden Arena in LasVegas, and the SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS reports that De La Hoya “is guaranteed$12[M] for the fight, Mosley $4.5[M]. De La Hoya could earn as much as $25M, depending on the PPV buys, as he“receives $15 for each PPV buy above 700,000. Mosley gets $5 for each buy above 700,000” (SANANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS, 9/12).

The L.A. TIMES reports that HBO “expects the fight to easilysurpass [promoter Bob Arum’s] initial 550,000 estimate” of PPVbuys.  If it “does 600,000, that’s$2.5[M] more in gross revenue.  If itdoes 700,000, that’s $7.5[M] more” (L.A.TIMES, 9/12).

USA TODAY notes that with “every one of the 16,268 ticketslong gone, sales have generated $11.1[M]. Tickets in the first few rows with a face value of $1,200 are sellingfor as much as $11,000.  Even $100nosebleed seats are bringing $1,000” (USA TODAY, 9/12).

BUZZER BEATERS

ISC today announced that it has closed on a five-year, $300Mrevolving credit facility that will be utilized for general corporatepurposes.  Wachovia Capital Markets andCitigroup Global Markets jointly led the credit facility, with Wachovia actingas administrative agent (ISC).

The Blackhawks and their AHL affil, the Norfolk Admirals,today announced the signing of an affiliation agreement with the CHLIndianapolis Ice (Blackhawks).

The MILWAUKEE BUSINESS JOURNAL reported that a joint venturebetween Starbucks Coffee and Magic Johnson’s Johnson Development Corp.plans to open its first Starbucks Coffee store in Milwaukee.  The joint venture has “nearly 50 stores inoperation or under development” (BIZJOURNALS.com,9/11).

The BOSTON GLOBE reports that Donna Harris-Lewis, thewidow of late Celtic Reggie Lewis, “renewed her case yesterday againstthe cardiologist whose negligence, she argues, caused her husband’sdeath.”  Harris-Lewis’ lawyer, PamelaHarris-Daley, argued that jurors in the second trial “were prejudiced bytestimony about Lewis’ alleged cocaine use and about insurance moneyHarris-Lewis received after her husband died” (BOSTONGLOBE, 9/12).

The HARTFORD COURANT reports that Syd Conn, “who promoted sporting events in the Hartfordarea for parts of six decades,” died Wednesday at the age of 90.  In ’95, Conn received the John WentworthGood Sport Award from the CT Sports Writers’ Alliance for his “unselfishdedication to community sports” (HARTFORDCOURANT, 9/12).

WEEKEND EVENTS

The Astros will host Hispanic Heritage Weekend, a three-dayevent presented by MasterCard, throughout the team’s weekend series against theCardinals at Minute Maid Park.  TheHispanic Heritage Baseball Museum will showcase its traveling exhibit, whileformer Astros Dickie Thon and Alex Trevino will be inducted intothe Museum’s HOF tonight.  On Saturday,the first 10,000 children in attendance will receive a Jose Cruzbobblehead, courtesy of Banco Popular.

The State of Washington HOF will induct three former MLBersprior to Saturday’s 7:05pm PT Angels-Mariners game at Safeco Field.  Former Cubs 2B Ryne Sandberg, aSpokane native,and P Hubert Kittle, a Yakima native whose careerlasted six decades, will attend the ceremony. Ira Flagstead, who played in the early 1900s, will be honoredposthumously (SEATTLE TIMES, 9/11).

Chargers LB Donnie Edwards and department store JCPenney will distribute backpacks and school supplies to the Boys & GirlsClubs of National City, CA, as part of the “I Can Achieve” pledge rally at thePlaza Bonita Mall at 4:00pm PT.

Ed Randall’s Bat for the Cure will host the “1^stAnnual Fantasy Softball Challenge – Strike Out Prostate Cancer” at Keyspan Parkin Brooklyn.  Scheduled to participateare former MLB P David Cone, former Giants LB Harry Carson,Devils D Ken Daneyko and MSNBC’s “Countdown” host Keith Olbermann.  Proceeds from the event will benefit Dr.Nicholas Romas’ Uroendocrine Research Lab at the St. Luke’s-RooseveltHospital Center.

More than 5,000 Southern CA youth will attend the Hawaii-USCgame at the L.A. Coliseum as part of the L.A. Sports Council’s “Touchdown forYouth” program.

SpeedHockey, a new roller hockey game, will be on display,as Team USA will face Team Canada in an exhibition game at the Bren Center onthe UC-Irvine campus (ORANGECOUNTY REGISTER, 9/12).

HBO’s “Inside the NFL” co-host and former Vikings WR CrisCarter will be honored during halftime of Sunday night’s Bears-Vikingsgame, where his No. 80 jersey will be retired and his name will be added to theVikings Ring of Honor (Minneapolis STAR-TRIBUNE, 9/9).

Lance Armstrong will compete in the T-Mobile Int’l inS.F., his only U.S. appearance this year, and USA TODAY notes that the 108-mileevent “could also be his last competitive effort on home roads” (USA TODAY, 9/12).

CHANNEL SURFING

ESPN will air NCAA football: Toledo-Marshall at 7:00pm ET.

ESPN2 will air the WNBA Finals: Shock-Sparks Game 1 at 8:00pm ET.

ESPN will air Angels-Marinersat 10:00pm ET.

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

TexasTech Univ. basketball coach Bobby Knight, Desmond Howard and HBOboxing analyst Larry Merchant are scheduled to appear on FSN’s “BDSSP.”

Mavericks Owner MarkCuban will be on NBC’s “Last Call”with Carson Daly at 1:30am ET.

The Golf Channel will air live coverage of the Solheim Cup at 2:00am ET.

ESPN will air “CollegeGameDay” from the Univ. of MI at10:30am ET.

“NFL Under the Helmet”on Fox will feature Lions coach SteveMariucci, 49ers RB Garrison Hearst,FB Fred Beasley, Chargers RB LaDainian Tomlinson and Maxim’s photoshoot of the NFL All-Star Cheerleaders.

Fox NFL analyst TroyAikman will host “NFL Quarterback”on Fox at 1:00pm ET.

ESPN will air third round coverage of the PGA Tour John Deere Classic at 4:00pm ET.

NBC’s Boxing Seriesreturns at 4:30pm ET with two fights scheduled.

TLC will air an encore presentation of “While You Were Out” at 7:00pm ET, featuring Redskins LB LaVar Arrington making over a room forhis brother, Michael.

Sunday

ESPN’s “Outside TheLines” will profile Mike Ditka’snew role as Levitra spokesperson at 9:30am ET.

ESPN will air “SundayNFL Countdown” at 11:00am ET.  Kenny Mayne’s “The Mayne Event” will discover that the reason for the Jennifer Lopez-Ben Affleck weddingpostponement can be found in the NFL.

TNT will air the NASCAR Winston Cup Sylvania 300 at 12:30pm ET.

ESPN will air final round coverage of the PGA Tour John Deere Classic at 3:00pm ET.

ESPN2 will air “Roadto the Women’s World Cup” at 3:00pm ET.

ABC will air the WNBA Finals: Sparks-Shock Game 2 at 4:00pm ET.

NBC will air live coverage of the Gravity Games at 4:00pm ET.

ESPN2 will air A’s-Rangersat 8:00pm ET.

NBC will air “LateNight with Conan O’Brien 10^th Anniversary Special” at 9:30pm ET.

TODAY’S TEASER…

General: Name the only No. 1 album Johnny Cashreleased during his five-decade career.

CRITICS WEIGH IN: “MATCHSTICK MEN” & “ONCE UPON A TIME”

Nicolas Cage stars in “Matchstick Men” as a professionalcon artist with obsessive compulsive disorder who finds his life thrown intoupheaval when a teenage daughter he never knew he had shows up at hisdoorstep.  Meanwhile, AntonioBanderas and director Robert Rodriguez return in “Once Upon A TimeIn Mexico,” the final installment of the Desperado trilogy.  Johnny Depp and Willem Dafoeco-star.:

…TODAY’S ANSWER

“Johnny Cash – At San Quentin (The Complete 1969Concert)” was No. 1 on Billboard’s album chart for four weeks during the summerof ‘69.

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

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