| | The Daily Insider
Afternoon News & Headlines
Wednesday, September 17, 2003
4:00pm ET | |
| |
| • | NY Comptroller Alan Hevesi Today Releases “Stinging Audit” Of NYRA |
| • | Blue Jackets Today Extend Partnership With FSN Ohio Through 2010-11 Season |
| • | MLB Today Announces Club Nominees For Annual Roberto Clemente Award |
| • | Andy Roddick Being Considered For Upcoming Ad In “Got Milk?” Campaign |
| • | National Building Museum To Honor NFL And MLB Tonight In DC |
| • | Buzzer Beaters/Tonight’s Events/Channel Surfing/In Other News/The Daily Stat |
COMPTROLLER CALLS FOR CREATION OF NYRA INSPECTOR GENERAL
BLOODHORSE.com reports that NY Comptroller Alan Hevesi today released a “stinging audit of NYRA’s finances,” calling for the creation of an independent inspector general to monitor the racing association. Hevesi also accused NYRA of “possible federal income tax evasion, illegal budget practices, and running up expenses on entertainment and perks at a time when it is undercutting how much money it sends the state in annual franchise fees to run Aqueduct, Belmont Park, and Saratoga” (BLOODHORSE.com, 9/17).
BLUE JACKETS TODAY EXTEND FSN OHIO DEAL THROUGH 2010-11
The Blue Jackets and FSN Ohio today announced an extension of their partnership that will keep the RSN the TV home of the club through the 2010-11 season. The parties also released the ’03-04 TV schedule, which will feature 75 games, up from 65 games in each of the club’s first three seasons (Blue Jackets).
MLB TODAY ANNOUNCES ROBERTO CLEMENTE AWARD NOMINEES
MLB today announced the 30 club nominees who will be eligible for the ’03 Roberto Clemente Award, given to the player who best combines on-field achievement with work in the community. MLB Commissioner Bud Selig, John Hancock Financial Services Chair & CEO Dave D’Alessandro and Vera Clemente will select the winner, who will be announced prior to Game Three of the World Series. The nominees are (MLB):
| 2003 Roberto Clemente Award Nominees |
| Scott Spiezio – Angles | Glendon Rusch – Brewers |
| Luis Gonzalez – D’Backs | Corey Koskie – Twins |
| John Smoltz – Braves | Joey Eischen – Expos |
| Brook Fordyce – Orioles | John Franco – Mets |
| Tim Wakefield – Red Sox | Roger Clemens – Yankees |
| Mike Remlinger – Cubs | Tim Hudson – A’s |
| Jose Valentin – White Sox | Randy Wolf – Phillies |
| Danny Graves – Reds | Reggie Sanders – Pirates |
| John McDonald – Indians | Albert Pujols – Cardinals |
| Charles Johnson – Rockies | Trevor Hoffman – Padres |
| Dmitri Young – Tigers | Jason Schmidt – Giants |
| Tommy Phelps – Marlins | Jamie Moyer – Mariners |
| Jose Vizcaino – Astros | Lance Carter – Devil Rays |
| Mike Sweeney – Royals | Alex Rodriguez – Rangers |
| Dave Roberts - Dodgers | Carlos Delgado – Blue Jays |
BUZZER BEATERS
Sporting News this week features Texas WR Roy Williams on the cover, under the header, “The Big Hands People … Supersized Receivers Are Taking Over College Football.”
Sports Illustrated this week features Mia Hamm on the cover, under the header, “The Reluctant Superstar.”
ESPN Magazine this week features Giants LF Barry Bonds on the cover, with the quote, “I can’t do this anymore.” The header is “The Sad Summer of Barry Bonds.”
| | |
| Sporting News | Sports Illustrated |
As expected, NFL owners today awarded Miami Super Bowl XLI, which will be played in ‘07 (Dolphins).
The L.A. BUSINESS JOURNAL reports that K2 today completed its planned acquisition of Worth, and also named Worth President & CEO Robert Parish as President of its Rawlings Sporting Goods division (BIZJOURNALS.com, 9/17).
BRANDWEEK reports that Andy Roddick is being considered for an upcoming ad in the “Got Milk?” campaign. Bozell, N.Y., handles the account (BRANDWEEK, 9/17).
The Phillies changed the start time of tomorrow’s game against the Marlins to 1:05pm ET because of potential weather problems associated with Hurricane Isabel. The game was originally scheduled for 7:05pm (Phillies).
The MINNEAPOLIS-ST. PAUL BUSINESS JOURNAL reports that SD-based First Premier Bank Chair Denny Sanford “will give $5[M] up front to build a new football stadium at the University of Minnesota and is talking to the university about payment of the rest of his original $35[M] pledge.” Earlier this week, Sanford “was reported to have said he would only give money to the university after the new stadium had been built” (BIZJOURNALS.com, 9/17).
A LIGHTER BUZZ
Slovak Republic President Rudolf Schuster, while speaking at a reception in advance of this weekend’s Davis Cup tie between the U.S. and his country, jokingly pleaded to U.S. Open champion and U.S. team member Andy Roddick, “Please, I ask you, don’t play so well” (USTA).
TONIGHT’S EVENTS
NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue and MLB Commissioner Bud Selig will accept Honor Awards on behalf of their leagues’ teams from the National Building Museum during a 6:30pm ET black-tie gala in The Great Hall of the National Building Museum in DC. This year’s awards are presented to the NFL and MLB in recognition of the important and positive role that new football stadiums and ballparks play in the physical revitalization of American cities. Individual tickets cost $300, with tables of ten ranging $1,200-50,000.
The Indiana Women’s History Association will debut its new documentary film, “For The Sport of It: Female Athletics & Title IX,” at 6:00pm CT at the NCAA Conference Center in White River State Park (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 9/16).
CHANNEL SURFING
Broncos RB Clinton Portis will be on the “Hot Seat” during the 6:00pm ET edition of “SportsCenter.”
ESPN will air Marlins-Phillies at 7:00pm ET and D’Backs-Dodgers at 10:00pm ET.
ESPN2 will air White Sox-Twins at 8:00pm ET.
ESPN’s “Outside The Lines Nightly” will examine mental mistakes and classic bonehead plays at midnight ET.
Former MLBer Dennis Eckersley, WWE wrestler Steve Austin, actor Denis Leary and actress Holly Robinson Peete are scheduled to appear on FSN’s “BDSSP.”
Actor George Lopez will be on HBO’s “Inside The NFL” at 10:00pm ET.
A&E’s “Biography” will profile Sharon Stone at 8:00pm ET.
E!’s “True Hollywood Story” will profile Paula Abdul at 8:00pm ET.
HEADLINERS
Here are tonight’s headline guests on the following talk shows:
| “Late Show” | Gen. Tommy Franks (r) |
| “The Tonight Show” | Beyonce Knowles |
| “The Late Late Show” | Gary Sinise |
| “Late Night” | Michael Rapaport |
| “Jimmy Kimmel Live” | Sarah Rue |
TODAY’S ARTICLES OF INTEREST
The ATLANTA CONSTITUTION examines the new ownership group to which AOL Time Warner intends to sell the Hawks, Thrashers and Philips Arena operating rights. Dave Hirschman profiles Steve Belkin, “a lifelong entrepreneur and largest single investor in the teams, [who] has been trying to buy a basketball team for 20 years.” Also, a profile of United Communications Group, the company founded and operated by three members of the ownership group, and an opinion piece asking the new owners to “bring back the pride” (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION).
See The Daily Insider’s Articles of Interest section for more sports business-related links.
TODAY’S TEASER…
Mindbenders: I live above a star, but do not burn. I have 11 friends that do not turn. My initials are PRS. What am I?
IN OTHER NEWS……
DOW JONES NEWSWIRES reports that R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Holdings “plans to slash 2,600 jobs, or 40% of its work force, as part of a restructuring effort aimed at cutting $1[B] in costs by the end of 2005.” The job eliminations will occur over the next year, the majority taking place in Q4 ‘03 and Q1 ’04 (DOW JONES NEWSWIRES, 9/17).
THE DAILY STAT: PRIMETIME NIELSEN RATINGS
The following lists the final Nielsen ratings for the top ten primetime shows for the week of September 8-14. Also provided are the weekly viewership averages for each net (USA TODAY, 9/17).
| RK | PROGRAM | NET | DAY | RAT/SHR | VIEWERS (IN MILLIONS) |
| 1) | NFL Football: Bucs-Eagles | ABC | Mon | 13.0/22 | 19.4 |
| 2) | CSI | CBS | Thu | 10.6/17 | 15.8 |
| 3) | NFL Showcase | ABC | Mon | 10.4/17 | 15.3 |
| 4) | Whoopi | NBC | Tue | 9.8/17 | 15.1 |
| 5) | Happy Family | NBC | Tue | 9.7/16 | 14.7 |
| 6) | 60 Minutes | CBS | Sun | 9.0/15 | 13.3 |
| 7) | For Love Or Money 2 | NBC | Mon | 8.7/13 | 12.3 |
| 8) | Without A Trace | CBS | Thu | 8.3/14 | 12.0 |
| 9) | Dateline | NBC | Fri | 8.2/15 | 11.7 |
| 10) | Everybody Loves Raymond | CBS | Mon | 7.3/11 | 11.4 |
| | |
| NET | VIEWERS |
| CBS | 9.3 |
| NBC | 8.7 |
| ABC | 8.1 |
| Fox | 5.6 |
| UPN | 3.4 |
| WB | 3.3 |
…TODAY’S ANSWER
The No. 7 on a touch-tone telephone
If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please let us know at:
dailyinsider@sportsbusinessdaily.com
The Closing Bell provides an afternoon recap of the latest news and headlines each Monday through Friday at approximately 4:00pm ET. If you would like to sign up for an e-mail alert to the Closing Bell, go to My Account and personalize your e-mail alert options.
