Closing Bell, December 12, 2003

TAMPA BAY SPORTS COMMISSION CEASING OPERATIONS TODAY

By David Broughton, Research Director, SportsBusiness Journal

Employees of the Tampa Bay Sports Commission were told this morning that the organization will cease operations at the end of the business day. Board members of the independent, private, non-profit commission also this morning asked the Tampa Bay Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) to take over various business activities of the commission while they evaluate whether a reorganization is possible. Terri Parnell, who was scheduled to fill the newly-created position of National Sports Manager for the CVB on January 5, will now be the sports bid development contact for the city.

Reasons for the shuttering were not given, but a source familiar with the situation said that fewer events had been signed by the commission in recent years. It was unclear if the commission’s corporate sponsors had been notified. The Sports Commission, incorporated in September ’97, receives public and private funding, largely derived from the organization’s partners.

OFFICE DEPOT CENTER PARTNERS WITH ON THE BALL MARKETING

Office Depot Center today announced that it has partnered with On the Ball Marketing to deliver sponsorship prospects to the Office Depot Center. On the Ball will focus on creating integrated partnerships to leverage the assets of Office Depot Center, such as the NHL Panthers (Office Depot Center).

KENTUCKY, MICHIGAN STATE TO MEET SATURDAY AT FORD FIELD

CBS Sports will air “The BasketBowl” on Saturday at 4:00pm ET, featuring Kentucky-Michigan State men’s college basketball, at Ford Field in Detroit. Event organizers hope to break the world attendance record for a basketball game of 75,000 – set August 21, 1951 during a Harlem Globetrotters exhibition in Berlin, Germany. Michigan State literally will have home-court advantage, as the floor of the Breslin Center will be transported to the 50-yard line of Ford Field and elevated on a platform (THE DAILY).

The DETROIT NEWS reports that CBS “is treating its telecast like a big event and will bring two special cameras to give viewers a better feel for the large crowd. The telecast also will include black-and-white footage of the Globetrotters game from 52 years ago.” Michigan State Associate AD for External Relations Mark Hollis “has no doubts the record will be broken, provided there aren’t thousands of no-shows for some unknown reason” (DETROIT NEWS, 12/12).

ESPN TO FEATURE TWO LOCATIONS, SIX PEOPLE FOR HEISMAN COVERAGE

ESPN will air a two-hour live telecast of the 69^th Heisman Trophy Presentation presented by Wendy’s Saturday at 8:00pm ET. The show, in its tenth year, will originate from two locations. Host Chris Fowler will be joined by analysts Lee Corso and Kirk Herbstreit at the Yale Club, while Rece Davis will be joined by analysts Trev Alberts and Mark May at Grand Central Station (ESPN).

ESPN College Football Coordinating Producer Moe Davenport, on the coverage: “Do I think it’s overkill? Last week I did. But when the events of last weekend unfolded, it became a much more interesting show” (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 12/12).

The finalists for the award are Pitt WR Larry Fitzgerald, Ole Miss QB Eli Manning, Michigan RB Chris Perry and Oklahoma QB Jason White.

FRANCE GIVEN THREE WEEKS TO DO DEAL FOR FRENCH GRAND PRIX

REUTERS reports that France “has been given until the end of December to do a deal and keep” the French Grand Prix on next year’s F1 calendar. The race will go ahead as scheduled July 4 on two conditions: the FIA “must receive confirmation that a contract has been agreed between Bernie Ecclestone’s Formula One Management and the French federation. All the teams competing in the world championship must also agree to the race” (REUTERS, 12/12).

BUZZER BEATERS

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE reports that English rugby player Jonny Wilkinson inked a four-year, $4.73M deal with adidas. Wilkinson “has already shot TV ads” with Real Madrid MF David Beckham. The deal “will make Wilkinson rugby’s biggest earner” (AFP, 12/12).

DIGITAL SPY reports that Beckham is “to make a series about his life abroad for the BBC children’s channel CBBC,” called “Beckham’s Hotshots.” The ten-episode reality show will have exclusive access to Beckham, “following him around as he lives his life in Madrid” (DIGITALSPY.com, 12/12).

The N.Y. POST’s “Page Six” reports that Lawrence Taylor’s “LT: Over the Edge” lands at the No. 8 spot on the N.Y. Times’ bestseller list this Sunday (N.Y. POST, 12/12).

The AP reports that “conflicting accounts were given” at a hearing today about a fight involving Yankees P Jeff Nelson and OF Karim Garcia and Fenway Park part-time groundskeeper Paul Williams. Nelson and Williams testified, while Garcia “waived his right to appear.” The clerk magistrate “will rule later on whether charges can be filed” (AP, 12/12).

Minor League Baseball today presented Dodgers Assistant Dir of Minor League Operations Luchy Guerra with the Rawlings Female Executive of the Year during the annual awards luncheon at the Hilton New Orleans Riverside (Minor League Baseball).

WEEKEND EVENTS

The Pacers will host an NBA Hardwood Classics Night during the team’s 7:30pm ET game against the Hawks at Conseco Fieldhouse. The Pacers will wear their ’72-73 uniforms, while the Hawks don their ’70-72 uniforms (Hawks).

The AHL Grand Rapids Griffins will distribute mullet wigs to the first 1,500 fans in attendance for the team’s 7:30pm ET game against the Houston Aeros.

The AHL Philadelphia Phantoms will distribute former Flyers goalie Ron Hextall bobbleheads to the first 4,000 children in attendance for the team’s 7:00pm ET game against the Bridgeport Sound Tigers.

The Minnesota Tennis Challenge, featuring a “Battle of the Ages” competition pitting John McEnroe against James Blake and Minnesota native David Wheaton against Mark Philippoussis, begins at 7:00pm CT at the Xcel Energy Center.

The Int’l Skating Union Grand Prix Final begins in Colorado Springs, and the ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER notes that “judging is a hot-button issue,” as the ISU is “trying out a new judging system” (ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, 12/12).

Baseball America will host its third annual awards gala in New Orleans. ESPN MLB analysts Peter Gammons and Harold Reynolds will serve as co-Masters of Ceremonies.

“Baseball As America,” a 12-week exhibition at the Florida Int’l Museum in St. Petersburg opens, and the TAMPA TRIBUNE notes that more than 500 artifacts from the National Baseball Hall of Fame & Museum in Cooperstown will be featured (TAMPA TRIBUNE, 12/12).

Clear Channel Communications will “flip the format” of WWRC-AM in DC from CNN news to sports talk (WASHINGTON TIMES, 12/10).

Auditions for ESPN’s “Dream Job” reality series end. Thirty-five contestants will be narrowed to nine as they compete in skills challenges and competitions with ESPN anchors and athletes such as former NFLer Barry Sanders and Marlins P Dontrelle Willis. The nine contestants will compete for a one-year, on-air “SportsCenter” anchor contract. The show will debut Sunday, February 22 at 9:00pm ET.

The NFL will begin airing playoff and Super Bowl XXXVIII spots featuring Don Cheadle, who also directed the ads. Cheadle will be joined in the spots by John Elway, Chiefs KR Dante Hall and Seahawks LB Chad Brown. In total, seven spots will air.

Former Redskins trainer Bubba Tyer will be inducted into the club’s Ring of Fame in a ceremony during the team’s 4:15pm ET game against the Cowboys at FedEx Field.

The Coyotes will host a sneak peek event at noon MT at Glendale Arena, where fans will view the ice configuration and watch the club practice in the building for the first time.

The WHL Calgary Hitmen will host Petro Canada Teddy Bear Night during the team’s 2:30pm MT game against the Red Deer Rebels at Pengrowth Saddledome. When the Hitmen score their first goal, fans will be urged to throw their teddy bears onto the ice. The club will then deliver the teddy bears to children at the Alberta Children’s Hospital Monday at 10:30am.

CHANNEL SURFING

ESPN2 will air St. John’s-Maryland in the NCAA men’s soccer semifinal live at 5:00pm ET.

College Sports TV will air “Crystal Bowl I: The Ultimate Championship” at 7:30pm ET. The first-round results will be announced on the program, which in conjunction with EA Sports, offers a fantasy college football playoff featuring the top 15 BCS-ranked teams and Boise State.

ESPN will air Sonics-Pistons at 8:00pm ET and Mavericks-Lakers at 10:30pm ET.

ESPN2 will air “Roy Jones Jr.: The Sweet Science” at 8:00pm ET.

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

Rams QB Marc Bulger, actor Steve Schirripa and Arsenio Hall are scheduled to appear on FSN’s “BDSSP.”

NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon will appear on NBC’s “Last Call” with Carson Daly at 1:30am ET.

ABC will air third round coverage of the PGA Tour Target World Challenge at 3:00pm ET.

NBC will air “USGA Year in Review” at 3:30pm ET.

NBC will air “Verizon ICE ’03,” featuring bobsled, skeleton, luge and curling, at 4:30pm ET.

ESPN2 will air Santa Clara-Indiana in the NCAA men’s soccer semifinal in a tape-delay broadcast at 4:30pm ET.

NBA TV will air Celtics-Cavaliers at 7:30pm ET.

ESPN will air the ’03 Heisman Trophy Presentation at 8:00pm ET.

ESPN’s “OTL” will air “Big Names, Big Trouble: The Turbulent Year in Sports” at 10:00pm ET.

A&E will air an encore presentation of “The True Story of Seabiscuit” at 11:00pm ET.

NBC will air “PGA Tour 2003: Fight to the Finish” at 1:30pm ET.

ESPN2 will air the ’03 NCAA Men’s Soccer Championship at 2:00pm ET.

ABC will air final round coverage of the PGA Tour Target World Challenge at 3:00pm ET.

NBC will air “Verizon ICE ’03,” featuring bobsled, skeleton, luge and curling, at 4:30pm ET.

FSN will air men’s college basketball: Pepperdine-Maryland at 5:30pm ET and Portland-Duke at 8:00pm.

ESPN will air ’03 Wendy’s High School Heisman Presentation at 6:30pm ET.

ESPN2 will air Stars-Blackhawks at 7:00pm ET.

NBA TV will air Knicks-Wizards at 7:00pm ET.

A&E will air “Biography of the Year” at 8:00pm ET.

TODAY’S TEASER…

General: What was the first year “A Charlie Brown Christmas” aired?

THE DAILY STAT: THE LYCOS 50 TOP NEWS STORIES FOR 2003

The following offers the top news stories of 2003, according to the Lycos 50, an annual listing of the top search terms (Lycos):

CRITICS WEIGH IN: “SOMETHING’S GOTTA GIVE” & “STUCK ON YOU”

Jack Nicholson stars as an aging womanizer who surprisingly finds himself competing with his new doctor for the attention of his latest girlfriend’s mother in “Something’s Gotta Give.” Meanwhile, Matt Damon and Greg Kinnear star in the Farrelly Brothers’ “Stuck on You,” as a pair of conjoined twins who move to Hollywood to pursue the acting dreams of one of them.:

…TODAY’S ANSWER

1965

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