Closing Bell, October 28, 2003

ASICS, POLAND SPRING TODAY SIGN NYRR SPONSORSHIP DEALS

With the ING NYC Marathon being run this Sunday, Asicsand its North American subsidiary, Asics America, today announced an extensionof their partnership with New York Road Runners (NYRR) through ‘07, under whichthe company will remain the official apparel and footwear sponsor of the marathon. Asics will create,manufacture and sell co-branded merchandise worldwide and at the four-day INGNYC Marathon Health & Fitness Expo. The company will also be featured in NYRR ad campaigns and on themarathon’s start/finish banners (Asics).

Meanwhile,Poland Spring and the NYRR today announced a new seven-year sponsorship andmarketing agreement for the ING NYC Marathon, under which Poland Spring remainsthe official water of the marathon. Poland Spring also becomes the title sponsor of the Poland SpringMarathon Kickoff Race in Central Park, which was held Sunday (Poland Spring).

NBA SEASON TIPS OFF TONIGHT FROM SAN ANTONIO ON TNT

TheNBA season opens tonight on TNT with Suns-Spurs at 8:00pm ET, followed byMavericks-Lakers at 10:30pm ET. Thefollowing presents a sampling of media columnists’ thoughts on the season:

InL.A., Larry Stewart writes, “Comparing TNT to the NBA’s other major televisioncarrier, the Disney entry of ABC-ESPN, is like comparing the league’s Easternand Western conferences. TNT is thedominant Western Conference” (L.A.TIMES, 10/28).

InAtlanta, Mike Tierney writes, “Turner Sports stuck it to the ABC/ESPN family byhiring Doug Collins as analyst. … Snubbed by Collins, ABC sweet-talked AlMichaels into gracing most of its 18 games, plus the NBA Finals” (ATLANTACONSTITUTION, 10/28).

SPORTSBUSINESSJOURNAL notes of ABC’s game presentations, “Changes relate to graphics andmusic. The entire look and feel of theABC broadcasts will be overhauled, as the network attempts to put its ownsignature on the NBA” (SPORTSBUSINESSJOURNAL, 10/27 issue).

BRETT FAVRE IN NY TO FILM SPOT FOR MASTERCARD CAMPAIGN

BRANDWEEK.comreports that Packers QB Brett Favre is in Port Washington, NY, todayfilming a TV spot for MasterCard, via BBDO, N.Y. The commercial will "break nationally nextmonth" (BRANDWEEK.com,10/28).

BILLS TODAY ANNOUNCE MULTIYEAR AGREEMENT WITH TOYOTA

The Bills today announced a multiyear agreement withToyota, naming the company the official car and truck of the team. As an official partner, Toyota will receivecategory exclusivity, signage throughout Ralph Wilson Stadium and hospitalityon game days as well as rights to use the team’s logos and marks. Toyota will also receive branding at allBills parking lots, as each lot will bear the name of different Toyota vehicle(Bills).

JETS, SHARP ELECTRONICS TEAM UP FOR IN-STORE PROMOTION

TheJets and Sharp Electronics today announced a sponsorship deal for the ’03season, featuring rotational stadium signage and an in-store consumer promotionat P.C. Richard & Son locations. The promotion offers a chance for a fan to escort Jets team captains onthe field prior to a game. Second prizeis a 37” LCD AQUOS television (Jets).

BUZZER BEATERS

Purchase,NY-based ANC Sports Enterprises today announced a multiyear agreement with theRockets to be the exclusive supplier of courtside rotational signage for gamesat the Toyota Center. The Rocketsbecome the 13^th NBA team to partner with ANC (ANC).

TheAP cited an Elias Sports Bureau report stating that the average time of anine-inning game during the MLB postseason was 3:05, down from 3:24 lastyear. It is the lowest average since3:04 in ’98. During the regular season,the average time of a nine-inning game dropped six minutes to 2:46, its fastestsince ’98 (AP,10/27).

TheCO Springs GAZETTE reports that IOC President Jacques Rogge thinksSofia, Bulgaria, “could be a strong candidate to host the 2014 Winter Olympics”(CO Springs GAZETTE, 10/28).

TheMissouri Valley Conference today announced a three-year contract extension toconduct its men’s basketball championship at Savvis Center in St. Louis throughthe ’07 season (Missouri Valley Conference).

Dick’sSporting Goods today announced that Denny Feldmann has joined thecompany as VP & General Merchandise Manager for the hunting, camping,fishing, water sports, snow sports, work wear and bike businesses. Feldmann most recently served as Galyan’sTrading Company Senior VP & General Merchandise Manager (Dick’s SportingGoods).

TheAP reports that the Barcelona Dragons of NFL Europe folded today and the league“expects to replace the team with another European club.” The German cities of Hamburg, Stuttgart andCologne “have been mentioned as possible replacements. Lyon, France, and Madrid, Spain, also are incontention” (AP,10/28).

San Diego Soccer Development Corp., doing business as Soccer Developmentof America, today announced its has made the final payment to take a 51%controlling interest of the GoloLotto online sports wagering site. GoloLotto is geared towards soccer fans inLatin America (San Diego Soccer Development).

TheInt’l Softball Federation awarded the next Women’s World Championship toBeijing, China. Beijing, which beat outCape Town, South Africa and Verona, Italy, will host the event October 15-25,2006 (Int’l Softball Federation).

TONIGHT’S EVENTS

TheChicago chapter of the National Sports Marketing Network will host a paneldiscussion, “After The Fall: Athlete Marketing In The Post-Kobe BryantEra” from 6:00-9:00pm CT at the United Center. Relay Sports & Event Marketing CEO Wally Hayward willmoderate a panel that includes Leo Burnett Exec VP & Account Dir RayDeThorn, Lanktree/CSMG Sports Exec VP/Marketing Nova Lanktree, IMGChicago Senior VP/North American Events & Managing Dir Gary Swain,Allstate Insurance Senior Marketing Manager Karen Uhler and Burns Sports& Celebrities President Bob Williams.

TheAvalanche will host Patrick Roy Night during the team’s 7:30pm MT gameagainst the Flames. In addition toretiring the goaltender’s number, players participating in the pre-game skatewill don jerseys sporting Roy’s No. 33. The jerseys will be autographed by both Roy and the respective player,and then be auctioned on the team’s official Web site. Minimum bid is $1,000.

BobcatsOwner Bob Johnson will deliver the keynote address at the LeadershipCharlotte 25^th Anniversary Celebration & Annual AwardsPresentation, beginning at 6:30pm ET at the Blumenthal Performing Arts Centerin Charlotte. Bank of America is thepresenting sponsor of the event.

The76ers will honor six local men’s college basketball coaches – John Chaney(Temple), Fran Dunphy (Penn), Bruiser Flint (Drexel), BillyHahn (LaSalle), Phil Martelli (St. Joseph’s) and Jay Wright(Villanova) – prior to the team’s 7:30pm ET game against the Heat for theirparticipation with the American Cancer Society’s Coaches vs. Cancer program.

CHANNEL SURFING

TNTwill air Suns-Spurs at 8:00pm ET andMavericks-Lakers at 10:30pm ET.

ESPNwill air the ninth episode of “Playmakers”at 9:00pm ET, followed by encore presentations at 10:00pm ET and midnight ET.

ESPN2will air Mighty Ducks-Rangers at7:30pm ET.

ESPNClassic’s “SportsCentury” will profile Secretariatat 8:00pm ET.

ESPN’s“OTL Nightly” will examine whether the sports world is getting closer to theday when a gay player comes out while he or she is actively playing at1:00am ET.

DolphinsLB Junior Seau and actor Tate Donovan are scheduled to appear onFSN’s “BDSSP.”

Anew episode of HBO’s “Real Sports”with Bryant Gumbel will profileKXGN-TV sportscaster Ed Agre andformer NFLer Joe Ehrmann at 10:00pmET. “Real Sports” will also examine freediving.

VH1’s“All Access” will feature NASCARWinston Cup driver Dale Earnhardt Jr.at 11:00pm ET.

BuccaneersDE Simeon Rice will be on NBC’s “Last Call” with Carson Daly at 1:30am ET.

A&E’s“Biography” will profile Linda Blairat 8:00pm ET.

E!’s“True Hollywood Story” will profile JanetJackson at 8:00pm ET.

HEADLINERS

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

TODAY’S ARTICLES OF INTEREST

TheSEATTLE TIMES’ Les Carpenter writes under the header “Welcome To The SmartestStadium In The World” about Japan’s SaitamaStadium, “The Sonics open their season in what the architects and designerscall ‘the smart arena.’ But it might aswell be called ‘a genius,’ because no other stadiums in the world can do asmuch as this one. No other 35,000-seatstadium can turn itself into a 20,000-seat arena, then a 6,000-seat concerthall in a matter of minutes. Until now,it’s never been possible” (SEATTLE TIMES).

TheHOUSTON CHRONICLE’s Brian McTaggart writes, “Basketball … is growing inpopularity south of the border, so much so that NBA Commissioner David Sternhas mentioned MexicoCity as a possible site for an expansion franchise. But if the NBA ever decides to put a team inMexico, it might not be the first major American sports league to do so. Both the NFL and [MLB] have explored theviability of a franchise in Mexico” (HOUSTON CHRONICLE).

TheMIAMI HERALD’s Jeff Miller writes, “To the other 50,000 who just jammed ProPlayer and have been faithfully clingingto this team for the last seven minutes, why does it take the Marlinswinning everything for you finally to show anything? We’re learning there is fire inside the baseball fans of SouthFlorida, which is a great discovery. The problem is it takes one of the sweetest underdog stories in thehistory of the game to light it” (MIAMI HERALD).

• Other small-market teams in MLB could learn a lesson from the Marlins.
• Short-term PR currency earned from firing Grady Little could have long-term consequences for Red Sox.
• Fox’ World Series broadcasts overloaded with in-game promos.
• TV contract is likely to be NASCAR’s driving force of influence in near future.

SeeThe Daily Insider’s Articles ofInterest section for more sports business-related links.

TODAY’S TEASER…

Sports& Entertainment: In the ’80 comic book movie “Flash Gordon,” on which football teamdid Flash play before traveling to the planet Mongo to save Earth from Ming theMerciless?

IN OTHER NEWS……

TheATLANTA CONSTITUTION reports that Coca-Cola “will increase the number of jobsit is cutting worldwide by nearly 50[%], to 2,800, from a previously disclosed1,900. Of the 900 additional jobs to becut, most are related to cost-cutting at bottlers in Asia” (ATLANTACONSTITUTION, 10/28).

TheSEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER reports that Seattle-based insurance company SafecoCorp. “swung to a third-quarter loss, hurt by additions to its workers’compensation reserves.” The companylost $28.9M for the quarter, compared with a profit of $75.2M a year ago (SEATTLEPOST-INTELLIGENCER, 10/28).

THE DAILY STAT: TOP SPORTS SITES FORWEEK ENDING OCTOBER 12

Thefollowing are the top five sports Web sites ranked according to home uniqueaudience for the week ending October 12, according toNielsen//NetRatings.  Unique Audience = the number of persons in thousandsaccessing the site or network, with each counted only once.  Average timespent = the average amount of time a visitor has spent at that property for theweek.  This data is based on 37,000 home users with Internet access (Nielsen//NetRatings).

…TODAY’S ANSWER

Before becoming Flash Gordon, Sam Jones was a QB forthe Jets.

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

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