No Headline

MADISON, WISCONSIN TO HOST GREAT OUTDOOR GAMES

ESPN,Charter Communications, the Wisconsin Sports Development Corp. and the state ofWisconsin today announced that the ESPN Great Outdoor Games will be held July8-11, 2004, in Madison.  Wisconsin sent20 athletes, the largest delegation of competitors, to the Games in ‘03.  It will be the first time the event will beheld in the Midwest, after stops in Lake Placid and Reno.  ABC, ESPN and ESPN2 will air more than 20hours of programming around the Games (ESPN).

GETRONICS INKS THREE-YEAR DEAL WITH ITF TO SPONSOR DAVIS CUP

Amsterdam-basedinformation and communications company Getronics today announced that it hassigned a three-year agreement with the ITF to sponsor the Davis Cup, becomingthe event’s official ICT solutions & service provider.  Getronics will provide on-site ICT resourcesand infrastructure to media centers and hospitality areas at select Davis Cupvenues worldwide.  Additionally, thecompany will sponsor and support the “Speed Serve” system, which tracks atennis ball’s velocity and trajectory (Getronics).

MILLS CORP./MACK-CALI TODAY SIGNS XANADU DEAL WITH NJSEA

MillsCorp./Mack-Cali today signed an agreement with the NJSEA for the redevelopmentof the Continental Airlines Arena site and the construction of MeadowlandsXanadu, the 4.76 million-square-foot entertainment, office and hotel complex tobe built at the Meadowlands.  The MillsCorp./Mack-Cali joint venture will pay a $160M development rights fee when allpermits and approvals are obtained (Mills Corp./Mack-Cali).

BUZZER BEATERS

SportingNews this week features Eagles QB Donovan McNabb on the cover, with theheader, “The Best of Donovan McNabb … Why This Is His Most Impressive Season.”

SportsIllustrated this week features Rams T Kyle Turley on the cover, with theheader, “Want Some Of Me? … The Dirty Work, As Told By Offensive Linemen.”

Sporting News	Sports Illustrated

ESPNtoday announced that Yankees 1B Jason Giambi will be the officialspokesperson and cover athlete for “ESPN Major League Baseball.”  ESPN’s Jon Miller and Karl Ravechwill provide virtual play-by-play and studio analysis, respectively (ESPN).

TheAP reports that retests of all samples from swimming’s world championships“found no evidence of the recently detected steroid THG” (AP, 12/3).

NASCARtoday officially announced that AutoZone will be the title sponsor for itsElite Division, marking the first time all four NASCAR Elite Division serieswill be nationally sponsored (NASCAR).

The Red Sox today announcedthat they have reached a new 15-year agreement with Lee County, Florida, tokeep their spring home in Fort Myers (Red Sox).

ChurchillDowns today celebrated the completion of steel construction on the track’srenovated clubhouse with a “topping off” ceremony.  A pair of horseshoes worn by ’03 Kentucky Derby winner Funny Cidewas affixed to the final beam (Churchill Downs).

A LIGHTER BUZZ

The HARTFORD COURANT notes that Courant employee SameerOhri, chatting on the Sons of Sam Horn Web site as GodSamGod, offered “anumber of inappropriate comments” during a 3:00am ET chat session Friday withnewly acquired Red Sox P Curt Schilling.  When Schilling said that he was having trouble sleeping,GodSamGod advised, “Bong hits usually do it for me.” Ohri: “My biggest regret is that I said where I worked, because I thinkit’s pretty clear that I embarrassed the paper” (HARTFORDCOURANT, 12/3).

CHANNEL SURFING

RedWings RW Brett Hull will be on the “Hot Seat” during “SportsCenter” at6:00pm ET.

ESPNwill air the ACC/Big Ten Challenge: GeorgiaTech-Ohio State at 7:00pm ET and Duke-MichiganState at 9:00pm ET.

ESPN2will air the ACC/Big Ten Challenge: Clemson-Purdueat 7:30pm ET and Minnesota-Virginiaat 9:30pm ET.

ESPNClassic’s “SportsCentury” will profile the year 1987 at 7:00pm ET.

NASCARdriver Matt Kenseth, former Lions RBBarry Sanders, golfer John Daly and skier Glen Plake are scheduled to appear onFSN’s “BDSSP.”

NBATV will air the first-ever WNBA DraftLottery at 8:00pm ET.

NBATV will air Lakers-Spurs at 8:30pmET.

NFLNetwork’s condensed “Game of the Week”features Patriots-Colts at 9:00pmET.

NFLCommissioner Paul Tagliabue will beon HBO’s “Inside the NFL” at 10:00pmET.

TheHistory Channel’s “Modern Marvels”will feature football tailgating at10:00pm ET.

ESPNwill air part two of “The Season: Rodmanon the Rebound” at midnight ET.

ESPN’s“OTL Nightly” will examine the ritualof tearing down goalposts at 12:30am ET on ESPN2.  The show also looks at the struggle to evade a stalker byOlympian Sheila Taormina.

E!’s“True Hollywood Story” will profile Dr.Phil at 9:00pm ET.

HEADLINERS

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

TODAY’S ARTICLES OF INTEREST

TheWASHINGTON POST’s Michael Wilbon writes of Mississippi State hiring SylvesterCroom as the SEC’s first black head football coach, “Croom isn’t the firstblack man qualified to coach in the Southeastern Conference, justthe first hired. Well into the first decade of the 21^st century,the SEC joined the 20^th century yesterday. … This hire isn’tsymbolic, it’s fundamental” (WASHINGTON POST).

TheARIZONA REPUBLIC’s Andrew Bagnato writes of the relationship between radiostations and TV nets as they decide which NFL games to air each Sunday, “When a choice exists, thestations rely on a mix of statistics – networks closely chartthe ratings each team draws in other markets – along with programmers’ andsales officials’ instincts about what fans want to see.  They also have to abide by strict NFLbroadcast rules” (ARIZONA REPUBLIC).

ESPN.com’sDarren Rovell writes, “Given the win-at-all-cost pressure placed on today’s collegecoaches, severanceagreements are the golden parachutes that offer financial security.  Frank Solich, the now former Nebraskafootball coach, and John Mackovic, who was ousted at Arizona five weeksinto the season, were both bought out for big dollars.  And it’s not just for the coaches at thelarger programs.  Mike Kruczek,who now no longer coaches at Central Florida, and Chris Tormey, who wasfired by the University of Nevada on Sunday, are owed hundreds of thousands ofdollars” (ESPN.com).

• Chat rooms are pushing the limits of journalistic ethics.
• One columnist thinks sports media is not following its own diversity advice.
• NASCAR’s parity leads to tighter racing, perhaps over-aggressiveness.

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

TODAY’S TEASER…

Mindbenders: What is it that one needsmost in the long run?

IN OTHERNEWS……

TheN.Y. TIMES reports that ABC is “making its biggest branded-entertainment dealto date, signing Sears, Roebuck & Company as the centerpiece sponsor” ofreality series “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.”  The deal, “estimated to be costing Sears more than $1[M],includes the placement of products like Craftsman tools, Kenmore appliances andLands’ End home furnishings in each of the six episodes.”  Sears will also buy commercial time.  The show premieres tonight at 10:00pm ET (N.Y. TIMES,12/3).

THE DAILY STAT: BILLBOARD CHARTS

Thefollowing lists Billboard Magazine’s top-selling CDs for the week endingNovember 23 (BILLBOARD.com, 12/3):

…TODAY’S ANSWER

One needs his or her breathmost in the long run.

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

The Closing Bell providesan afternoon recap of the latest news and headlines each Monday through Fridayat approximately 4:00pm ET. If you would like to sign up for an e-mail alert tothe Closing Bell, go to MyAccount and personalize your e-mail alert options.