Menu
Closing Bell

Closing Bell, Febuary 11, 2004

The Daily Insider
Afternoon News & Headlines
Wednesday, Febuary 11, 2004
4:00pm ET

Judge Today Rejects NFL Request To Stay Draft Eligibility Decision

Tagliabue Testifies Today That MTV Resisted Disclosure Of Planning At Times

Comcast CEO Brian Roberts Today Discusses Proposed Merger With Disney

Duracell Today Announces Marketing Deals With NASCAR, Kevin Harvick

Grizzlies To Offer Free Tickets Tonight To Democratic Presidential Candidates

Buzzer Beaters/Tonight’s Events/Channel Surfing/In Other News/The Daily Stat


JUDGE TODAY REJECTS NFL REQUEST TO STAY DRAFT DECISION

BLOOMBERGNEWS reports that U.S.District Judge Shira Scheindlin today rejected a request by the NFL to“delay her decision allowing Ohio State sophomore Maurice Clarett toenter this year’s NFL draft pending the league’s appeal.”  Scheindlin dismissed the NFL’s argument thatit would be “irreparably harmed” by the implementation of her ruling earlierthis week while the league appeals the decision to the U.S. Court of Appealsfor the Second Circuit in N.Y. (BLOOMBERG NEWS, 2/11).


TAGLIABUE, KARMAZIN TESTIFY TODAY BEFORE HOUSE COMMITTEE

NFLCommissioner Paul Tagliabue and Viacom President & COO MelKarmazin testified today at the House Energy & Commerce subcommittee ontelecommunications and the Internet hearing. During his opening statement, Tagliabue said, “Based on our priorpositive experience with MTV three years ago in the Super Bowl, we expected ashow that would feature high energy, outstanding and diverse musicalentertainment. … However, on key aspects for the planning of the 2004 game, forthe show, we found MTV to be difficult to work with, resisting disclosure ofits planning at certain points, or input or oversight from our office andothers.”   Tagliabue later said, “I takethe responsibility for what happened and I’m not trying to reallocateresponsibility to anyone else, including [CBS Chair] Les Moonves.”

Karmazin:“During rehearsal, Kid Rock was wearing the American Flag.  He was singing a very patriotic song. … Hetook his American flag, this is the MTV version, and threw it down, andsomebody threw him a hat.  That is whatwe thought was the objectionable part.”

PanthersOwner Jerry Richardson and Steelers Chair Dan Rooney alsoattended the hearing and sat directly behind Tagliabue (C-SPAN, 2/11).

TheJACKSONVILLE BUSINESS JOURNAL reports that the Jacksonville City Councilyesterday passed a “crossly worded resolution” that it forwarded to theNFL.  The resolution “asked the leagueto ‘explicitly and contractually’ ban nudity and profanity” (BIZJOURNALS.com,2/11).


COMCAST CEO BRIAN ROBERTS TODAY DISCUSSES PROPOSED MERGER

ComcastCEO Brian Roberts conducted a press conference today to discuss thecompany’s proposed merger with Disney. When asked if he could address Disney-owned ESPN and its yearly ratehikes, Roberts said, “I think ESPN is a marvelous franchise and it’s a lot ofthe reason that cable’s had great success these past many years. … I thinkthere’s an opportunity to enhance that product.  There’s many ways to do things without just raising rates –high-definition, interactivity, streaming – these are things that Disney isworking on that Comcast is working on.”

Roberts,on the impact Disney content will have on Comcast’s on-demand product: “Thecontent, the richness of the sports, the movies, the news, ABC, all thewonderful content, changing and being experimental and moving windows andletting people have it on their high-definition TV sets.  Yeah, you can get there eventually, but ifyou’re in one company working together, it accelerates that” (THE DAILY).


DURACELL TODAY ANNOUNCES DEALS WITH NASCAR, KEVIN HARVICK

Duracelltoday announced a multiyear marketing and promotional agreement with NASCAR,under which it becomes the official alkaline battery of the racing series.  Additionally, Duracell will partner withNASCAR Nextel Cup Series driver Kevin Harvick and become an associatesponsor of the Richard Childress Racing No. 29 Chevrolet.  Duracell will leverage the partnerships witha marketing program that includes consumer promotions, POP, as well as print,radio and TV advertising.  Gillette,itself a NASCAR sponsor, is the parent company of Duracell (Duracell).


BUZZER BEATERS

SportingNews this week offers its MLB spring training preview with Astros Ps AndyPettitte and Roger Clemens on the cover.  An alternate cover for the Southeast features NASCAR Nextel CupSeries driver Jimmie Johnson, with the header, “A New Breed Of Driver …Jimmie Johnson, The Best Of The Young Guns.”

Inaddition to its swimsuit issue, which features Veronica Varekova on thecover, Sports Illustrated this week features Saint Joseph’s G Jameer Nelsonon the cover of its regular issue, with the header, “Meet Jameer Nelson … TheLittle Man From The Little School That’s Beating Everyone.”

Sporting News
Sports Illustrated

O’ReillyAuto Parts has signed a three-year extension as Kansas Speedway’s official autoparts retailer.  In addition, thecompany will continue to sponsor the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series O’ReillyAuto Parts 250 and O’Reilly Auto Parts qualifying day through ’06 (KansasSpeedway).

TheSt. Pete Times Forum and Lightning today announced that they have entered intoan agreement with Tampa-based E Solutions to host their Web sites (St. PeteTimes Forum).

TheBills today announced that radio color analyst John Murphy will takeover the team’s radio play-by-play duties, succeeding Van Miller, whoretired after last season (Bills).

TheMLB Rangers today announced a total of 155 regular-season games will betelevised on a combination of local and regional outlets during the ‘04season.  FSN Southwest will televise 80games, while KDFW/KDFI-Fox will air 75 games (Rangers).

MavericksOwner Mark Cuban, when asked if having the NCAA champion represent theU.S. in int’l competitions might solve the problem of NBA players riskinginjury, said, “That’s the best idea I’ve heard yet.”  If the champion had a No. 1 draft pick, Cuban said, “It could behis choice: Patriotism vs. cash” (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 2/11).

WPSG-UPNin Philadelphia today announced that it has become the local TV partner of theAFL Soul.  WPSG will broadcast six ofthe team’s games this season (WPSG).

TheDAYTON DAILY NEWS reports that former Reds Owner Marge Schott washospitalized Monday due to complications from a cold (DAYTONDAILY NEWS, 2/11).


A LIGHTER BUZZ

TheGrizzlies will host the Clippers tonight at 7:00pm CT, and the MemphisCOMMERCIAL APPEAL reports that the team will have tickets at the will call windowfor Democratic presidential candidates Wesley Clark, Howard Dean,John Edwards, John Kerry, Dennis Kucinich and AlSharpton.  People with those lastnames “also will have two tickets waiting. To give equal time to the other side, the same will be true if your namehappens to be Bush or Cheney. The Grizzlies also will pay homage to Andrew Johnson and AndrewJackson – and anyone with those last names – by adding Jackson and Johnsonto the expanding list of possibilities at will call” (MemphisCOMMERCIAL APPEAL, 2/11).


TONIGHT’S EVENTS

Abronze statue of Magic Johnson will be unveiled at Staples Center tokick-off All-Star Week in L.A. during a 5:15pm PT ceremony.  NBA Commissioner David Stern, AEGPresident & CEO Tim Leiweke, Lakers Exec VP/Business Operations JeanieBuss, L.A. Mayor Jim Hahn, “NBA on ABC” play-by-play announcer BrentMusberger, Grizzlies President of Basketball Operations Jerry Westand former teammate James Worthy will speak at the event.

ESPNClassic will air the second episode of “Cheap Seats” tonight at 10:00pm ET, andthe HOUSTON CHRONICLE noted that the show, which is hosted by comedians Jasonand Randy Sklar, is similar to “Mystery Science Theater 3000.”  The Sklars will offer “their brand of comedywhile recycling some of the more esoteric events from ABC’s ‘Wide World ofSports’ and other one-off event shows” (HOUSTONCHRONICLE, 2/9).

ChipCaray, theoriginal TV voice of the Magic on Sunshine Network, is temporarily returning tohis former position as play-by-play announcer and will call tonight’s gameversus the Heat on the net.  Caray isfilling in for David Steele,who is recuperating from a brokenankle.


CHANNEL SURFING

MavericksOwner Mark Cuban will be the “Five Good Minutes” guest on ESPN’s “PTI”at 5:30pm ET.

ESPNwill air NCAA men’s basketball: Virginia-Dukeat 7:00pm ET.

ESPN2will air NHL regional coverage: Islanders-Starsor Rangers-Devils or Sharks-Red Wings at 7:30pm ET.

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

ESPNwill air Lakers-Rockets at 9:00pmET.

NBACommissioner David Stern, ChargersDE Marcellus Wiley, Ravens RB Jamal Lewis and recently retired LennoxLewis are scheduled to appear on FSN’s “BDSSP.”

SpikeTVwill air “Sports Illustrated: SwimsuitIssue 2004” at 10:00pm ET.

SportsIllustrated swimsuit issue cover model VeronicaVerekova will appear on “The Tonight Show” at 11:35pm ET.

A&E’s“Biography” will profile Grace Kelly at8:00pm ET.

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


HEADLINERS

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

“Late Show” Adam Sandler
“The Tonight Show” Meg Ryan
“The Late Late Show” Bryan Cranston
“Late Night” Michael J. Fox
“Jimmy Kimmel Live” Sandra Bernhard

TODAY’S ARTICLES OF INTEREST

TheL.A. TIMES’ Collins & Fernandez write of network censorship, “As executives from Viacom and the NFL head toWashington today to answer questions about sex and profanity on TV, networkcensors are sharpening their scissors. … The networks’ newfoundskittishness about nudity is in sharp contrast to their practice of thelast few years, when they all took halting steps to match cable networks inpushing edgier, more-explicit programming” (L.A. TIMES).

TheBOSTON HERALD’s Michael Gee writes, “The NBA and NHL are engaged in a frantic race toward culturalirrelevance and economic disaster. The leagues have foundered because they’re so focused on theirbusinesses’ bottom lines, they’ve forgotten about producing a product peoplemight want to buy.  To be blunt, thegames they’re selling really stink” (BOSTON HERALD).

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


TODAY’S TEASER…

Mindbenders: Mountains will crumble andtemples will fall, and no man can survive its endless call.  What is it?


IN OTHERNEWS……

TheN.Y. TIMES reports that CNN said the appearance on camera ofa “sponsor’s product in a recent segment of the ‘American Morning’ news show onCNN was accidental and unintentional. But the glimpse of a package of Total cereal opened the network tocomplaints about the blurring of the lines between advertising and editorialcontent.”  The box of Total Corn Flakesturned up in a segment sponsored by Total and its maker, General Mills.  The segment is part of a series called “NewYou Resolution”  (N.Y. TIMES,2/11).


THE DAILY STAT: PRIMETIME NIELSEN RATINGS

Thefollowing lists the top ten primetime shows for the week of February 2-8,according to Nielsen Media Research. Also provided are the weekly viewership averages for each net (USATODAY, 2/11).  Rating and sharecourtesy of Yahoo TV (TV.Yahoo.com,2/11).

RK PROGRAM
NET
DAY
RAT/SHR
VIEWERS (IN MILLIONS)
1) American Idol
Fox
Tue
16.8/25
30.1
2) CSI
CBS
Thu
17.7/26
29.3
3) American Idol
Fox
Wed
16.5/24
28.8
4) Grammy Awards
CBS
Sun
15.7/24
26.3
5) Friends
NBC
Thu
16.0/24
24.9
6) Survivor: All Stars
CBS
Thu
13.1/19
23.1
7) ER
NBC
Thu
14.5/23
22.2
8) American Idol
Fox
Mon
12.2/18
21.2
9) CSI: Miami
CBS
Mon
13.2/21
20.6
10) Without A Trace
CBS
Thu
12.1/19
18.9
space
NET
VIEWERS
CBS
15.4
Fox
11.7
NBC
11.6
ABC
8.5
UPN
3.6
WB
3.6

…TODAY’S ANSWER

Time

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.

SBJ Morning Buzzcast: March 25, 2024

NFL meeting preview; MLB's opening week ad effort and remembering Peter Angelos.

Big Get Jay Wright, March Madness is upon us and ESPN locks up CFP

On this week’s pod, our Big Get is CBS Sports college basketball analyst Jay Wright. The NCAA Championship-winning coach shares his insight with SBJ’s Austin Karp on key hoops issues and why being well dressed is an important part of his success. Also on the show, Poynter Institute senior writer Tom Jones shares who he has up and who is down in sports media. Later, SBJ’s Ben Portnoy talks the latest on ESPN’s CFP extension and who CBS, TNT Sports and ESPN need to make deep runs in the men’s and women's NCAA basketball tournaments.

SBJ I Factor: Nana-Yaw Asamoah

SBJ I Factor features an interview with AMB Sports and Entertainment Chief Commercial Office Nana-Yaw Asamoah. Asamoah, who moved over to AMBSE last year after 14 years at the NFL, talks with SBJ’s Ben Fischer about how his role model parents and older sisters pushed him to shrive, how the power of lifelong learning fuels successful people, and why AMBSE was an opportunity he could not pass up. Asamoah is 2021 SBJ Forty Under 40 honoree. SBJ I Factor is a monthly podcast offering interviews with sports executives who have been recipients of one of the magazine’s awards.

Shareable URL copied to clipboard!

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Closing-Bell/2004/02/11/Closing-Bell-Febuary-11-2004.aspx

Sorry, something went wrong with the copy but here is the link for you.

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Closing-Bell/2004/02/11/Closing-Bell-Febuary-11-2004.aspx

CLOSE