Closing Bell, Febuary 5, 2004

FOOT LOCKER TODAY REPORTS Q4 ’03 AND YEAR-END SALES FIGURES

FootLocker today reported sales for the 13-week period ended January 31, 2004, of$1.3B, a 9.8% increase over $1.2B in the comparable period last year.  Comparable store sales for Q4 ’03 increased3.9%.  For the 52-week period endedJanuary 31, 2004, sales increased 6% to $4.8B, from $4.5B in the year agoperiod.  For the same 52-week period,comparable store sales decreased 0.5% (Foot Locker).

RAIDERS IN COURT TO FORCE $35M PAYMENT FROM COLISEUM BOARD

TheCONTRA COSTA TIMES reports that the Raiders, “attacking claims that the OaklandColiseum Commission is a defunct agency with no assets,” went back to courtyesterday to “force payment of $35[M] the team is owed following a jury verdictlast summer.”  Meanwhile, the commission“asked a Sacramento County Superior Court judge to put off payment while itappeals the verdict to a higher court.” However, the Raiders “demanded the commission obey state law by postinga bond of at least $51[M] to ensure payment is made if the appeal fails”  (CONTRACOSTA TIMES, 2/5).

“THE NATURAL GOLF MAKEOVER CHALLENGE” TO DEBUT IN JUNE

MountProspect, IL-based golf instruction and equipment company Natural Golf todayannounced that it will be the subject of a new reality series on The GolfChannel, “The Natural Golf Makeover Challenge,” which is scheduled to debut inlate June.  In the series, golfers willhave the opportunity to have every aspect of their game made over.  The Golf Channel is currently acceptingapplications.  Auditions will beheld at the end of this month (Natural Golf).

K-SWISS REPORTS ACROSS THE BOARD INCREASES FOR Q4 ’03, FULL YEAR

TheL.A. BUSINESS JOURNAL reports that strong domestic sales helped boostK-Swiss to 81% profit growth for Q4 ‘03, while sales increased more than51%.  The company reported $8.7M inquarterly profit, up from $4.8M in Q4 ’02. Revenues increased 51.2% to $80.4M from $53.2M for the quarter, whileyearly revenue jumped 48.2% to $429.2M. The company’s yearly profit rose 74.4% to $50M, up from $28.7M.  For the year, the company’s domesticrevenues increased 50.1% to $372.44M, while int’l revenues increased 36.5% to$56.7M (BIZJOURNALS.com,2/5).

TWO-HOUR SPECIAL ON CHARGERS STADIUM DEBATE TO AIR TONIGHT

The ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER notes that KUSI-Ind in San Diegotonight will air a two-hour live special on the Chargers stadium debate from8:00-10:00pm PT.  In-studio guestsinclude Chargers President Dean Spanos, Chargers Stadium Consultant MarkFabiani, City Attorney Casey Gwinn and three members of the SanDiego City Council.  XPRS-AM willsimulcast the special (ORANGECOUNTY REGISTER, 2/5).

BUZZER BEATERS

TheDENVER POST reports that FSN Rocky Mountain, facing the potential loss of atleast 115 Nuggets and Avalanche games, on Tuesday “madea final offer that could deter [Owner Stan Kroenke] from putting histeams on his own network.”  KroenkeSports Enterprises’ seven-year contracts with Fox Sports expire at the end ofthis season (DENVERPOST, 2/5).

TheBlue Jays today announced that they have partnered with Rogers Sportsnet andTSN to broadcast 120 and 25 regular-season games, respectively, during the ’04season (Blue Jays).

ESPNtoday announced that Jamie Foxx will return as host of the ESPY Awards,which will air Sunday, July 18, at 9:00pm ET (ESPN).

ShowtimeNetworks today announced that it will broadcast all domestic ShowtimeChampionship Boxing fight cards in high definition on Showtime HD beginningwith Saturday’s 9:00pm ET card (Showtime).

FLWOutdoors today announced that Frito Lay has extended its sponsorship of all sixof FLW Outdoors’ tournament trails (FLW).

TheNCAA, in conjunction with Butler Univ., the Horizon League and the IndianapolisLocal Organizing Committee, today unveiled the ’05 NCAA Women’s Final Four logo(NCAA).

InfrontSports & Media today announced that it has reached exclusive agreementswith the state broadcasters of Greece, Romania and Estonia for the broadcastrights to the ’06 World Cup (Infront).

SeriousUSA today announced that broadcaster Dick Stockton will lend his voiceto the ’04 NBA CD Cardz, which hit retail in March (Serious USA).

TheLaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon today announced that it will increase itsguaranteed prize purse for the ’04 race to $650,000, including a $125,000payout to the male and female winner. Nearly $1M, including bonuses and incentives, was distributed during the’03 race (LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon).

TheNFL’s “Join the Team” community-service Web Site logged 30,581 unique visitorson Super Bowl Sunday, more than triple the daily average (NFL).

TheECHL today announced that SP Apparel will be one of two exclusive jerseysuppliers for the next three years (ECHL).

A LIGHTER BUZZ

MTVrival Fuse offers an open letter to MTV in the N.Y. POST, which reads in part:“Even though we are competitors, we think it’s time to put aside ourdifferences and take a stand.  Let usnot dwell on last Sunday’s halftime show – the dated songs, the random crotchgrabs and the senseless lip-synching. No.  Let’s put that all aside andfocus on the issue at hand: VELCRO JUST DOES NOT WORK” (N.Y. POST, 2/5).

TONIGHT’SEVENTS

NFLExec VP & Chief Legal Counsel Jeff Pash will host a 5:00pm ETconference call to comment on the decision in the Maurice Clarett case.

NASCAR driver JeffBurtonwilljoin TNT’s Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith and Charles Barkleyin the Atlanta studio at 7:00pm ET during the network’s NBA doubleheadercoverage.  TNT will sponsor Burton andthe No. 99 Ford Taurus for the Daytona 500 on February 15 (USATODAY, 2/5).

Sportsnet will hostthe first Ottawa Senators Foundation Telethon in support of Roger’s Housebefore, during and after the Maple Leafs-Senators game at 7:30pm ET.

L.A. Mayor JimHahn will present Magic Johnson and Johnson Development Corporationwith the City of Angels Corporate Award at Getty House Foundation’s annualawards ceremony at 7:30pm PT.

A life-size bronzestatue of Herb Brooks will be unveiled at St. Paul’s Rice Park.  The unveiling will be followed byback-to-back screenings of “Miracle.” Proceeds benefit the Herb Brooks Foundation (ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS,1/11).

UNC will host Duke at9:00pm ET, and the RALEIGH NEWS & OBSERVER reported that UNC “will giveaway 9,000 T-shirts in the school’s signature color to fans who sit in thearena’s lower level.”  Chapel HillSportswear donated the shirts to “spice up the atmosphere at the Tar Heels’home games” (RALEIGH NEWS & OBSERVER, 2/3).

CHANNEL SURFING

ESPN2will air NCAA women’s basketball Connecticut-Tennesseeat 7:00pm ET.

ESPN2will air NCAA men’s basketball Duke-NorthCarolina at 9:00pm ET and Pepperdine-Gonzagaat 11:00pm.

TNTwill air Lakers-76ers at 7:30pm ETand Sonics-Spurs at 10:00pm.

ESPNwill air Red Wings-Avalanche at 8:00pm ET, and the DETROIT NEWS notesthat the NHL “scheduled all four of their regular-season games after the NFLseason ended to ensure heightened ratings” (DETROIT NEWS,2/5).

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

FSNwill air NCAA men’s basketball: California-Arizonaat 10:30pm ET.

RaidersT Lincoln Kennedy, Patriots CB Ty Law, DE Willie McGinest and DT RichardSeymour, Raptors G Jalen Roseand the cast of “Miracle” arescheduled to appear on FSN’s “BDSSP.”

Snowboarder Tara Dakides will appear on CBS’ “LateShow” at 11:35pm ET.

Magic Johnson will appear on ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live.”

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

HEADLINERS

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

TODAY’S ARTICLES OF INTEREST

ESPN.com’sJerry Bonkowski writes of NASCAR’s new Nextel Cup series format, “One thing is particularlytroubling about the format for the upcoming season’s ‘Chase.’  Let’s face it, some of the final 10 venueson the schedule shouldn’t be part of the deciding run for thechampionship.  There are other tracksthat clearly should be part of the final title run, but they are not simplybecause of the way the ‘04 schedule is set up” (ESPN.com).

TheN.Y. TIMES’ Joe LaPointe writes, “Twice the Stanley Cup champions, in 1991 and1992, the Penguins are caught in hockey’sperfect storm.  They have a lowbudget, the [NHL’s] oldest arena, poor attendance and the worst record amongthe 30 teams.  [Last week] against theLightning, most of the scattered customers sat quietly, as if frozen.  Even the beer stand behind the center-iceseats was closed.  Just a decade ago,the Penguins were the NHL’s best team and by far its most entertaining” (N.Y.TIMES).

• Q&A with Dodgers Owner Frank McCourt.
• Q&A with Tigers VP/Baseball Legal Counsel John Westhoff.
• Q&A with ESPN/ABC NHL play-by-play announcer Gary Thorne.
• Profile of Wild CEO Jac Sperling.

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

TODAY’S TEASER…

SportsBusiness:According to comScore Media Metrix, which Super Bowl advertiser experienced thegreatest increase in Web site traffic on Super Bowl Sunday when compared to theaverage of the four previous Sundays?

IN OTHERNEWS…

TheDETROIT FREE PRESS reports that Janet Jackson’s wardrobe malfunction “drewmore Internet searches Monday than any other event in [Lycos.com’s] recordedhistory.  The previous one-day leaderwas the Sept. 11 attack” (DETROIT FREEPRESS, 2/5).

TheROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS reports that Denver“may sell the naming rights to two ballrooms in the $309[M] Colorado ConventionCenter expansion scheduled to open in December.”  Selling the rights to the ballroom could “fetch [$1-1.5M] for a10-year contract” (ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS, 2/5).

…TODAY’S ANSWER

Cialis – Traffic to the company’s Web site was up 1,868%over the previous four-Sunday average.

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

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