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Closing Bell

Closing Bell, May 12, 2004

The Daily Insider
Afternoon News & Headlines
Wednesday, May 12, 2004
4:00pm ET

Coyotes Chair Steve Ellman Delivers Sports Facilities & Franchises Keynote

JPMorgan Chase Arranging $150M Loan For Bruce Ratner’s Purchase Of Nets

K.C. Mayor Kay Barnes Today Unveils Plans For New Downtown Sprint Center

Office Depot Center Today Announces Deal With ADT Security Services

PGA Tour Today Announces Newly Created Event For Players Under 30

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


HIGHLIGHTS FROM DAY ONE OF SPORTS FACILITIES & FRANCHISES FORUM

By Josh Rosen, Staff Writer, TheSports Business Daily

The Street & Smith’s Sports Group Sports Facilities & Franchises 2004conference at the Omni San Diego Hotel began this morning with a paneldiscussion titled, “Sports Facilities in the Year 2020: From Design toTechnology To Revenue Generation.”

During the panel, HOK Sport Senior VP Earl Santee said that facilities inthe future will be more geared toward families, noting, “It won’t be about50,000 fans. Instead it will be about four people having a uniqueexperience.” Turner Construction Sports Group VP & GM Dale Koger added,“You may see smaller compartments in buildings, such as family suites – sixto eight person suites rather than 16-20 person suites – so that they areaffordable.” San Diego Sports Arena GM Ernie Hahn predicted that brandingand sponsored elements will become more popular, saying, “You’re going tosee more of the sponsors tied in with the game experience.” Red SoxVP/Planning & Development Janet Marie Smith: “You’re starting to seesponsors glue their names on any experience. There’s nothing wrong withthatif it gives them a chance to further their product.”

During the morning’s keynote address, Coyotes Chair Steve Ellman discussedthe Westgate project, which includes retail, restaurants, offices,residences, hotels and a movie theater, in addition to the Coyotes’ GlendaleArena and the soon-to-be-built stadium for the NFL Cardinals. When askedabout the impact an NHL work stoppage would have on the development, Ellmansaid, “We put 600,000 people in that building the first quarter, and there’sno doubt that not playing hockey would be a detriment. But we’re anentertainment business, we’re a content business. We’re looking at concertsand other sporting opportunities. We’re looking to fill the building. … We’re going to fill it up.”

Pleasesee tomorrow’s issue of The Daily for more from the conference.


JPMORGAN CHASE ARRANGING $150M LOAN FOR RATNER’S NETS DEAL

BLOOMBERGNEWS reports that JPMorgan Chase is arranging a $150M loan for Bruce Ratner’spurchase of the Nets from YankeeNets. The loanfinancing “includes a $70[M] revolving credit and a $30[M] term loan sold tobanks.  Both pieces are for four yearsand will pay interest at 2 percentage points more than the London interbankoffered rate.  An unsecured four-yearloan of $50[M] will be priced at 3 percentage points more than Libor and willbe syndicated to investors” (BLOOMBERG NEWS, 5/12). The loan was first reported by sister publication SportsBusiness Journal (THE DAILY).


K.C. MAYOR TODAY UNVEILS PLANS FOR NEW DOWNTOWN ARENA

The K.C. BUSINESS JOURNALreports that K.C. Mayor Kay Barnes today unveiled plans for a new$225-250M downtown arena to be called the Sprint Center, and Sprint, AEG andthe National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) “would provide 43[%] ofthe project’s financing, or $107[M]. The rest would come from” $20M in tax credits and $123M of hotel and carrental taxes and event fees, which requires voter approval.  Sprint’s naming-rights deal would be lessthan $4M a year for 20-plus years, while AEG would provide $50M.  The NABC would provide $10M (BIZJOURNALS.com,5/12).


OFFICE DEPOT CENTER, ADT SECURITY SERVICES INK SPONSOR DEAL

TheOffice Depot Center today announced that it has inked a sponsorship deal withSouth Florida-based ADT Security Services, its largest non-naming rightssponsorship deal in the past five years. The deal calls for prominent signage throughout Office Depot Center andentitlement of a new Defensive Player award, which will be given to an NHLPanthers player after each game and month, as well as at the conclusion of theseason.  Signage will be featured onstairways, in elevators and on the arena scoreboard (Office Depot Center).


IOC COORDINATION COMMISSION CONFIRMS CONFIDENCE IN ATHENS

Uponconcluding a three-day inspection of Athens, the IOC Coordination Commissiontoday confirmed its “renewed confidence” that the remaining venues for the ’04Olympics will completed on time. Further, the commission said that Athens will host successful games fromAugust 13-29 (IOC).


PGA TOUR TODAY UNVEILS TOMMY BAHAMA CHALLENGE EVENT

ThePGA Tour, in cooperation with Jastrow Productions, Gaylord Sports Managementand Tommy Bahama, today announced a newly created event, the Tommy BahamaChallenge.  The event, which will matchfour U.S. golfers under the age of 30 against a team of int’l golfers, will beplayed November 9 at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, AZ.  CBS will televise the event January 1 at2:00pm ET.  CBS’ Gary McCord and DavidFeherty will captain the two teams (PGA Tour).


INAUGURAL NCAA DIV. II FESTIVAL BEGINS TONIGHT IN ORLANDO

USATODAY noted that the opening ceremonies for the inaugural NCAA Div. II NationalChampionships Festival begin at 8:00pm ET at the Hard Rock Live outsideOrlando.  CBS’ Bonnie Bernstein will emcee the event.  At the five-day festival, athletes will compete in men’s andwomen’s golf, men’s and women’s tennis, women’s lacrosse and softball atvarious Orlando sites.  This marks the“first time the NCAA has held an event where the national titles of six sportswill be decided in a central location.” NCAA Div. II VP Mike Racysaid that the festival was “designed to enhance the competition for theathletes and create exposure for their sports” (USATODAY, 5/11).


ALTITUDE TODAY ANNOUNCES TELECAST AND CARRIAGE DEALS

AltitudeSports & Entertainment and the CHL Colorado Eagles today announced amultiyear agreement to present up to ten live regular-season Eagles gamesannually on the RSN.  The deal alsoincludes the option to carry postseason games, a monthly highlight show, aswell as a preseason and postseason special (Altitude).

Altitudetoday also announced a multiyear carriage agreement with Copper Mountain Cable,which services 1,433 subscribers in Summit County, CO.  The agreement marks the first carriage dealbetween Altitude and a northern Colorado cable system.  Altitude launches in September (Altitude).


BUZZER BEATERS

SportingNews this week features Yankees LF Hideki Matsui on the cover, with theheader, “The Little Things Are A Big Deal … Why Japanese Players Excel AtBaseball’s Fundamentals.”

SportsIllustrated this week features an action shot of Spurs F Tim Duncanbeing defended by Lakers F Karl Malone and G Kobe Bryant, withthe header, “Lakers’ Last Stand … Will Kobe Leave?  Will Shaq Stay? Will Phil Retire?”

ESPNThe Magazine this week features Tigers C Ivan Rodriguez on the cover,with the header, “Best Meets Worst … Pudge Takes On The Tigers.”

Sporting News
Sports Illustrated
ESPN Magazine

TheCINCINNATI ENQUIRER reports that baseball HOFer Johnny Bench will be thenew spokesperson for the Greater Cincinnati Convention & VisitorsBureau.  Bench will be paid $35,000 peryear (CINCINNATIENQUIRER, 5/12).

TheTORONTO STAR reports that Raptors Minority Owner Larry Tanenbaumconfirmed last night that the team will contact Basketball HOFer JuliusErving about a “vacant front-office position, a move that would immediatelyboost the profile of the sagging franchise.” Erving is a former Magic Exec VP (TORONTOSTAR, 5/12).

The FIFA Appeal Committee today rejected Cameroon’sappeal over FIFA’s $155,000 fine and deduction of six World Cup qualifyingpoints for wearing one-piece Puma uniforms they were instructed not to wear (FIFA).

CBS MarketWatch reports that ABC will debut Mark Cuban’s new reality show, “The Benefactor,” July11 (CBSMarketWatch, 5/12).

Hambric Sports Management today announced thesigning of golf instructor Butch Harmonto a representation agreement (Hambric Sports Management).

Adams Golf today announced the signing of ChampionsTour player Hubert Greenas an endorser (Adams Golf).

The Int’l Academy of Digital Arts & Sciencestoday announced BBC Sport won the Webby Award for Best Sports Web Site, beatingESPN.com, eteamz, NASCAR.com’s TrackPass with PitCommand and Streetplay.com (WebbyAwards).

TheL.A. TIMES reports that police “raided the headquarters of 12 Italian soccerclubs [yesterday], including several from the elite Serie A, as part of anationwide organized crime match-fixing investigation.  Thirteen people, including five players anda convicted mafia boss are under investigation” (L.A.TIMES, 5/12).

TheBaltimore SUN notes that Maryland Gov. Robert Ehrlich Jr. signed a billyesterday making lacrosse the official team sport of the state.  The bill was “among the less serious of morethan 190 measures” that received his signature (BaltimoreSUN, 5/12).

General Sports Turf Systems today announced that ithas become an official corporate partner of the National Association of CollegeDirectors of Athletics through ’06 (NACDA).


A LIGHTER BUZZ

PEOPLEreports that Yankees 3B Alex Rodriguez “didn’t take kindly to AshtonKutcher’s ‘Punk’d’ crew” after becoming the target of one of the show’spranks last December.  A “waiter posing as aloudmouth” Red Sox fan confronted Rodriguez when he was dining with his wife atL.A.’s Forbidden City restaurant.  One source said, “The waiter basicallycalled A-Rod a loser who had never been on a winning team.”  The situation“quickly became ‘very dicey.’”  Rodriguez “refused to sign a release form,”and insisted the tapes be destroyed, which they were.  Rodriguez: “It wasa good idea.  It was just bad timing” (PEOPLE, 5/17 issue).


TONIGHT’S EVENTS

ChargersSpecial Counsel Mark Fabiani andarchitect Mark Steele will host acommunity meeting at 7:00pm PT at the Aztec Athletic Center at San Diego StateUniv. to discuss a redevelopment plan for their new stadium at the QualcommStadium site (SANDIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 5/11).

ESPN’s“Outside The Lines Nightly” celebrates its one-year anniversary today.  The net will air an anniversary specialFriday at midnight ET.


CHANNEL SURFING

ActorJamie Foxx will be on the “Hot Seat” during ESPN’s “SportsCenter”at 6:00pm ET.

ESPN2will air Braves-Cardinals at 7:00pmET and Cubs-Dodgers at 10:00pm.

ESPNwill air the NBA playoffs: Pacers-Heat Game Four at 8:00pm ET and T’Wolves-KingsGame Four at 10:30pm.

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

ProFootball HOFer Jim Kelly, Raptors G Jalen Rose, boxer RoyJones Jr., Twins CF Torii Hunter and actors Mark Harmon and GabrielleUnion are scheduled to appear on FSN’s “BDSSP.”

A&E’s“Biography” will profile Siegfried &Roy at 8:00pm ET.

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


HEADLINERS

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

“Late Show” U.S. Sen. John McCain
“The Tonight Show” Jerry Seinfeld
“The Late Late Show” Patrick Stewart
“Late Night” Kelsey Grammer
“Jimmy Kimmel Live” Gabrielle Union

TODAY’S ARTICLES OF INTEREST

TheARIZONA REPUBLIC’s Mark Armijo writes, “The lure of untapped larger markets,the sport’s surging popularity and the lack of growth opportunities on its hometurf has NASCAR spreading its motorized wings,putting stock-car racing on a crash course with a coast-to-coast, nationwidedestiny.  It’s a course that has beencharted successfully by other sports that outgrew their original homes” (ARIZONAREPUBLIC).

USATODAY’s Dan Rafael writes, “Three months have passed since Lennox Lewisretired as heavyweight champion, and already he is sorely missed.  Say what you want about Lewis’ aloof and reservedmanner, but he was known worldwide as the established champion, consistent inthe ring and usually dominant, hardly the case in the apparent messof a division he left behind” (USA TODAY).

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


TODAY’S TEASER…

Mindbenders: What horse never goes outin the daytime?


IN OTHERNEWS……

TheN.Y. DAILY NEWS reports that Maria Bartiromo of CNBC’s “Squawk Box” willdeliver her last stock report from the NYSE floor Friday, ending a ten-yearrun.  Bartiromo inked a “newmultimillion dollar contract that will keep her at CNBC and parent NBC for thenext five years.”  Under the deal, NBCalso has “agreed to fund a production company led by Bartiromo that will createprogramming on business and other topics” (N.Y.DAILY NEWS, 5/12).


THE DAILY STAT: PRIMETIME NIELSEN RATINGS

Thefollowing lists the final Nielsen ratings for the top ten primetime shows forthe week of May 3-9 (TV.YAHOO.com, 5/12).

RK
SHOW
NET
DAY
RAT/SHR
HHs (IN MILLIONS)
1)
Friends
NBC
Thu
29.8/43
32.3
2)
Friends Clipshow Special
NBC
Thu
22.0/35
23.9
3)
ER
NBC
Thu
18.1/29
19.6
4)
American Idol
Fox
Tues
13.6/22
14.7
5)
Survivor: All-Stars Reunion
CBS
Sun
13.1/22
14.2
6)
Survivor: All-Stars Finale
CBS
Sun
13.0/21
14.1
7)
CSI
CBS
Thu
12.8/18
13.9
8)
American Idol
Fox
Wed
12.3/20
13.3
9)
10.5 -- Part 2
NBC
Mon
12.2/19
13.2
10)
CSI: Miami
CBS
Mon
11.6/18
12.6

…TODAY’S ANSWER

A night-mare.


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

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