| | The Daily Insider
Afternoon News & Headlines
Wednesday, December 10, 2003
4:00pm ET | |
| |
| • | Bruce Ratner Today Unveils Proposed Design For Nets Arena In Brooklyn |
| • | Newcastle United, adidas Agree To Five-Year Extension Valued At $35-44M |
| • | Gary Bettman To Catch Bruins-Panthers Tonight Among More Fans Than Usual |
| • | Daktronics To Install Largest U.S. Full-Color LED Video Display At Jacobs Field |
| • | The Ad Council Today Launches PSA Campaign Featuring Charles Barkley |
| • | Buzzer Beaters/Tonight’s Events/Channel Surfing/In Other News/The Daily Stat |
RATNER TODAY UNVEILS PROPOSED DESIGN FOR BROOKLYN ARENA
 |
| Click Image To Enlarge |
Nets suitor Bruce Ratner and architect Frank Gehry today unveiled the proposed design for the mixed-use Brooklyn Arena & Brooklyn Atlantic Yards today at Brooklyn Borough Hall. Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz are also attended the unveiling. The AP notes that Gehry is “is responsible for the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain, and the two-month-old Disney Concert Hall” in L.A. (AP, 12/10).
NEWCASTLE UNITED, ADIDAS AGREE TO FIVE-YEAR EXTENSION
ANANOVA.com reports that English Premier League club Newcastle United has agreed to a “five-year extension to its current contract with adidas UK, which expires in May 2005. adidas will remain United’s official partner and supplier of sports and leisure footwear and clothing until May 31, 2010, an arrangement which they believe, based on current estimates, will be worth [$34.9-43.7M]” (ANANOVA.com, 12/10).
PANTHERS DISTRIBUTE FREE TICKETS FOR BETTMAN’S VISIT TONIGHT
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman will visit the Office Depot Center tonight for Bruins-Panthers, and the Ft. Lauderdale SUN-SENTINEL reported that the Panthers, which have “yet to sell out a game [this season], sent season-ticket holders an e-mail last week offering four extra tickets” to tonight’s game. The Panthers “average 14,182 tickets sold and distributed per game – 24th among the NHL’s 30 teams – but often have far fewer fans in the stands.” Panthers COO Michael Yormark said that the offer “was not aimed at portraying to Bettman a packed house nightly.” Bettman will conduct a Q&A session for fans between the first and second periods (Ft. Lauderdale SUN-SENTINEL, 12/9).
DAKTRONICS TO INSTALL NEW JACOBS FIELD LED VIDEO DISPLAY
Daktronics today announced that it has been chosen by the Indians to install a new integrated display system for Jacobs Field. The project, valued at more than $7M, includes the largest full-color LED video display at any professional sports facility in North America, measuring 36 feet high by 149 feet wide. Installation is scheduled for spring ‘04 (Daktronics).
AD COUNCIL TODAY LAUNCHES PSA FEATURING CHARLES BARKLEY
The Ad Council, in partnership with National PTA, today launched a national PSA campaign designed to encourage parents to become more involved in their children’s school and education. The campaign, which was created pro bono by J. Walter Thompson-Chicago and Mendoza Dillon, includes a TV spot featuring Charles Barkley. Actor James Woods directed the spot (Ad Council).
BUZZER BEATERS
Sporting News this week offers its Sportsmen of the Year issue, featuring Chiefs coach Dick Vermeil and Marlins manager Jack McKeon on the cover, with the header, “This One’s For The Old Guys!”
Sports Illustrated this week offers its Sportsmen of the Year issue, featuring Spurs F Tim Duncan and retired C David Robinson on the cover.
ESPN Magazine this week offers its year-end “Next” issue, featuring recently signed Mets SS Kazuo Matsui on the cover.
| | |
| Sporting News | Sports Illustrated |
Thoroughbred Interests today announced that it has signed a letter of intent to acquire pari-mutuel wagering system ToteMaster from Great American Financial (Thoroughbred Interests).
Skechers USA today announced that L.A.-based Paul Davril has been named the licensee for Skechers-branded men’s and women’s sportswear apparel in the U.S. The line will launch in spring ’05 (Skechers USA).
The AP reports that Perugia President Luciano Gaucci “has finally decided which woman he wants to become the first female player in Italian Serie A: Birgit Prinz, one of the leaders of Germany’s winning Women’s World Cup squad.” Details of the agreement will be finalized next week (AP, 12/10).
The IOC is not investigating former U.S. shot putter C.J. Hunter’s claim that the IAAF “suggested concealing his positive steroid test before the 2000 Olympics” because “no official request was made by the athlete, USATF or the [USOC]” (CONTRA COSTA TIMES, 12/10).
The ST. PETERSBURG TIMES notes that more than 1,000 officers “from the police, fire department and Coast Guard marched in uniform in Athens to demand hazard pay and benefits before the Olympics” (ST. PETERSBURG TIMES, 12/10).
The London INDEPENDENT reports that a special Olympic Lottery game “which would help fund a 2012 Games in London will not be launched until it is known whether the bid is successful. The original plan was to launch Olympic Lottery games next spring, but following a ruling by the [IOC], these will now only take place if London is declared the host city in July 2005” (London INDEPENDENT, 12/10).
TONIGHT’S EVENTS
Deloitte & Touche is expected to finish Heisman Trophy ballet tabulations at 5:00pm ET, and ESPN will announce the finalists during the 6:00pm edition of “SportsCenter.”
The AFL-CIO has planned a protest march next to the FleetCenter, potentially causing traffic and parking problems for people attending the Supersonics-Celtics game at 7:00pm ET.
ESPN Magazine will host its “Next” party at Capitale in N.Y. Yankees SS Derek Jeter, former NFLer Barry Sanders and Eagles QB Donovan McNabb are among those expected to attend.
CHANNEL SURFING
Hornets G Baron Davis will be on the “Hot Seat” during ESPN’s “SportsCenter” at 6:00pm ET.
ESPN will air Maryland-Florida at 7:00pm ET and Indiana-Notre Dame at 9:00pm.
ESPN2 will air Red Wings-Sabres at 8:00pm ET.
ESPN Classic’s “SportsCentury” will profile the year 1988 at 7:00pm ET.
NBA TV will air Magic-Wizards at 7:00pm ET.
Pro football HOFer Mike Ditka, Redskins DE Bruce Smith, N.Y. Post columnist Peter Vecsey and ring announcer Michael Buffer are scheduled to appear on FSN’s “BDSSP.”
NFL Network’s condensed“Game of the Week” features Colts-Titans at 9:00pm ET.
HBO will air “Rebels of Oakland: The A’s, the Raiders, the 70’s”at 9:00pm ET.
HBO’s “Inside the NFL” features part two of NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue’s interview at 10:00pm ET. Topics include Raiders Owner Al Davis, and the possibility of a “flexible” Monday night schedule.
ESPN’s “OTL Nightly” will examine the firing of Falcons coach Dan Reeves at midnight ET.
HEADLINERS
Here are tonight’s headline guests on the following talk shows:
| “Late Show” | Amanda Peet |
| “The Tonight Show” | Diane Keaton |
| “The Late Late Show” | Colin Firth |
| “Late Night” | Jude Law |
| “Jimmy Kimmel Live” | Jennie Garth |
TODAY’S ARTICLES OF INTEREST
The N.Y. TIMES’ Tracie Rozhon writes, “Have brands become a blur for American shoppers? This holiday season, consumers seem to be searching for presents by category – a cashmere sweater, a set of chandelier earrings, a flat-panel TV, a cellphone or a pair of running shoes – more than for specific branded items” (N.Y. TIMES).
BLOODHORSE.com Editor-in-Chief Ray Paulick writes of Frank Stronach’s Magna Entertainment, “The coming year could be a good one. In California, where Magna also owns Santa Anita, Golden Gate, and Bay Meadows, there will be an initiative on the ballot giving tracks an opportunity to get slot machines if Indian tribes refuse to pay the state their fair share of taxes. … Another Magna track, Lone Star Park in Texas, should rebound off a poor year when it hosts the 2004 Breeders’ Cup World Thoroughbred Championships” (BLOODHORSE.com).
The WASHINGTON POST’s Craig Whitlock writes, “Just about every corner of Maryland is being pitched as a perfect place for gambling. … But with one month to go before the General Assembly convenes for its annual legislative session, lawmakers are nowhere close to agreeing on a single plan. Although there is broad support among legislators for expanded gambling, many say they are more divided than ever about the details and wonder whether a consensus is possible” (WASHINGTON POST).
See The Daily Insider’s Articles of Interest section for more sports business-related links.
TODAY’S TEASER…
Mindbenders: Prior to Captain Cook’s discover of Australia, what was the biggest island in the world?
IN OTHER NEWS……
The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER notes that SaveDisney.com launched this week, describing itself as “a forum for discussing, analyzing and critiquing the performance, direction and management of the Walt Disney Co.” (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 12/10).
THE DAILY STAT: PRIMETIME NIELSEN RATINGS
The following lists the final Nielsen ratings for the top ten primetime shows for the week of December 1-7. Also provided are the weekly viewership averages for each net (USA TODAY, 12/10).
| RK | PROGRAM | NET | DAY | RAT/SHR | VIEWERS (IN MILLIONS) |
| 1) | Survivor: Pearl Islands | CBS | Thu | 12.9/20 | 22.2 |
| 2) | CSI | CBS | Thu | 13.6/20 | 22.1 |
| 3) | ER | NBC | Thu | 13.6/22 | 20.7 |
| 4) | 60 Minutes | CBS | Sun | 12.1/19 | 18.7 |
| 5) | Undercover Christmas | CBS | Sun | 11.4/18 | 17.3 |
| 6) | Everybody Loves Raymond | CBS | Mon | 10.7/16 | 16.8 |
| 7) | Law & Order | NBC | Wed | 11.2/18 | 16.6 |
| 8) | Monday Night Football: Titans-Jets | ABC | Mon | 11.0/18 | 16.4 |
| 9) | CSI: Miami | CBS | Mon | 10.3/16 | 15.5 |
| 10) | Cold Case | CBS | Sun | 10.2/15 | 15.4 |
| space | |
| NET | VIEWERS |
| CBS | 13.0 |
| NBC | 10.6 |
| ABC | 9.8 |
| Fox | 7.6 |
| WB | 3.7 |
| UPN | 3.1 |
…TODAY’S ANSWER
Australia was always the biggest island in the world. It just had not yet been discovered.
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.
