| | The Daily Insider
Afternoon News & Headlines
Tuesday, July 13, 2004
4:00pm ET | |
| |
| • | MLB’s 75th All-Star Game Tonight: Fox’ Coverage, Ratings & A New Spot |
| • | ESPN’s Telecast Of Home Run Derby Sees 32% Uptick In Metered Markets |
| • | Under Armour Set To Launch Next Phase Of Ad Campaign On ESPY Telecast |
| • | MI Developments Today Announces Plans To Take Magna Entertainment Private |
| • | Kentucky Speedway Extends Ford Partnerships Through 2007 |
| • | Buzzer Beaters/Tonight’s Events/Channel Surfing/In Other News/The Daily Stat |
MLB’S 75TH ALL-STAR GAME: FOX’ COVERAGE, RATINGS, NEW SPOT
The Astros will host the 75th MLB All-Star Game tonight at Minute Maid Park in Houston, with Fox beginning coverage at 8:00pm ET. For the second consecutive year, the winning league earns home-field advantage in the World Series.
Fox’ pre-game activities will be hosted by Jeanne Zelasko and Kevin Kennedy. Joe Buck will provide the play-by-play with Tim McCarver as analyst. Zelasko and Kennedy will report from the dugouts.
Fox will debut its trio of Diamond-Cams, provided by Broadcast Sports Inc., which provide upward-looking views of home plate and the pitcher’s mound. Additionally, Fox will utilize ten replay machines, including three with super-slow motion capability, and 60 microphones around the field (THE DAILY).
RATINGS: Noting that last year’s All-Star Game matched the ’02 game’s all-time low 9.5 final Nielsen rating, MEDIA LIFE writes, “Though Fox faces a strong lineup from both broadcast and cable [tonight], there’s an excitement about baseball that wasn’t there this time last year. And thus it could equal the 10[%] ratings increase that Fox predicted last year and failed to deliver” (MEDIA LIFE, 7/12 issue).
Fox Sports President Ed Goren, on missing his prediction of a 10% ratings increase for last year’s game: “Maybe I was overly optimistic last year, in a [TV] world where breaking even is a victory” (RICHMOND TIMES-DISPATCH, 7/13).
The following presents a final Nielsen ratings trend for the past seven All-Star Games (THE DAILY):
| YEAR | NET | LOCATION | RAT/SHR | % +/- |
| 2003 | Fox | Chicago (AL) | 9.5/17 | 0.0% |
| 2002 | Fox | Milwaukee | 9.5/17 | -13.6% |
| 2001 | Fox | Seattle | 11.0/19 | 8.9% |
| 2000 | NBC | Atlanta | 10.1/18 | -15.8% |
| 1999 | Fox | Boston | 12.0/22 | -9.8% |
| 1998 | NBC | Denver | 13.3/25 | 12.7% |
| 1997 | Fox | Cleveland | 11.8/21 | -10.6% |
CLEMENS-PIAZZA: The Roger Clemens-Mike Piazza battery starting for the National League tonight has generated much interest because of their altercation in the ’00 World Series. McCarver said, “I think we’ll talk about it before the game. I think they’ll cover it on the pre-game show. Once the game starts the All-Stars are playing” (“SportsCenter,” ESPN, 7/12).
Goren said that Piazza will be one of the players Fox will attempt to equip with a wireless microphone (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 7/11).
SPOT ROCKET: AD WEEK reports that MLB will break its 11th “I live for this” spot during Fox’ broadcast. The spot, via McCann Erickson, N.Y., shows Clemens “on the mound, juxtaposing close-ups with visuals of a NASA rocket blasting off” (AD WEEK, 7/12 issue).
HOME RUN DERBY SEES 32% INCREASE ACROSS METERED MARKETS
MLB today announced that ESPN’s telecast of the Century 21 Home Run Derby last night drew a 5.8/9 overnight Nielsen cable rating in the 56 metered markets, a 32% increase over last year’s 4.4/7. Of the 55 markets that were metered each of the past two years, 43 showed increases, with Tampa/St. Petersburg/Sarasota’s 183% increase being the greatest (MLB).
MI DEVELOPMENTS TAKING MAGNA ENTERTAINMENT PRIVATE
BLOODHORSE reports that MI Developments today announced plans to take Magna Entertainment private by “purchasing the additional shares it does not own in a cash and stock transaction” valued at $258.8M. MI Developments CEO Brian Tobin: “We are committed to the horse racing operations of MEC and fully committed to their vision as to the future of that part of the company. We do not envision any divergence from the business plan of that, which that is first class world class horse racing and development of underutilized lands for retail and entertainment purposes” (BLOODHORSE.com, 7/13).
UNDER ARMOUR LAUNCHING NEXT PHASE OF CAMPAIGN DURING ESPYS
Under Armour today announced that it will launch the next phase of its Protect This House ad campaign with a 90-second mini-movie and accompanying 15-second bumpers during the ESPY Awards July 18. The spot again features Cowboys DE Eric Ogbogu. Web and print ads will appear in SI, Playboy, Maxim, Men’s Health, Men’s Journal and ESPN The Magazine, among others (Under Armour).
AMERICAN SKIING TO PAY TRIPLE PEAKS $5M+ OVER RESORT LAWSUIT
American Skiing Co. today in an SEC filing revealed that it will pay Triple Peaks, LLC $3M now, and an additional $2.14M by April 10, ’05 to settle the lawsuit regarding the termination of the proposed ‘02 sale of the Steamboat Ski Resort to Triple Peaks. In return, Triple Peaks has agreed to a full dismissal of all claims relating to the sale. Triple Peaks has since purchased Steamboat rival Crested Butte ski resort (THE DAILY).
BUZZER BEATERS
Kentucky Speedway has extended sponsorship deals with the Greater Cincinnati Ford Dealers and Ford Racing through ’07. Ford Racing will continue to title sponsor the track’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series event. GCFD will remain presenting sponsor of the race, as well as official car and truck of Kentucky Speedway (Kentucky Speedway).
Iraq Olympic Committee President Ahmed al-Samarrai said that he was not hurt after “an assassination attempt when attackers threw grenades and fired automatic weapons at his car in Baghdad after a roadside bomb failed to kill him” (REUTERS, 7/13).
The NHL Panthers today announced that the start time for the weekday games (Monday-Thursday nights) has been moved from 7:30pm ET to 7:00pm as a result of the team’s survey of fans and corporate partners (Panthers).
Goldman Sachs disclosed an agreement to pay $12M to “settle investor lawsuits in connection with the bankruptcy” of AMF Bowling (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 7/13).
Westfield Insurance today renewed its title sponsorship of the Westfield Junior PGA Championship and will serve as host of the event through ’07 (PGA).
Verio, NBC Sports and GolfServ today extended their joint sponsorship of the American Century Championship golf event, which be held July 17-18 (Verio).
PlayStation 2’s “Athens 2004,” the official video game of the Athens Olympics, hit retail today for $39.99 (PlayStation).
A LIGHTER BUZZ
SI.com’s Stewart Mandel writes of his recent play of EA Sports’ “NCAA Football 2005,” “The game told me that my starting defensive tackle had violated numerous team rules and recommended I suspend him for the season. I kid you not. I had the option to raise or lower the length of the punishment depending on how many of my season-allotted ‘disciplinary points’ I was willing to use. … Major kudos to the programmers for adding this element” (SI.com, 7/13).
TONIGHT’S EVENTS
The West Indies Cricket Board will announce the venues for ’07 World Cup exhibition games at 7:00pm ET. Lauderhill, FL, the city snubbed last week in its attempt to host the ’07 World Cup, is bidding to host exhibition matches (Ft. Lauderdale SUN SENTINEL, 7/13).
The New York-Penn League Brooklyn Cyclones will welcome their one millionth fan to KeySpan Park. The fan has a chance to win $1M (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 7/12).
CHANNEL SURFING
As part of its ongoing ESPN25 programming, ESPN will air “Who’s No. 1: Most Outrageous Characters” at 7:00pm ET and “The Headlines: No. 9” at 8:00pm ET.
Fox will air the MLB All-Star Game at 8:00pm ET.
U.S. Olympic table tennis players Tawny Bahn and Khoa Nguyen will appear on CNBC’s “Dennis Miller” at 9:00pm ET.
ESPN will air the World Series of Poker: Texas Hold ‘Em at 9:00pm ET and Omaha at 10:00pm.
NFL Network’s “In Their Own Words” profiles Raiders DT Warren Sapp and Broncos S John Lynch at 9:00pm ET.
Tennis player Andy Roddick will appear on ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live” at 12:05am ET.
HEADLINERS
Here are tonight’s headline guests on the following talk shows:
| “The Late Show” | Will Smith |
| “The Tonight Show” | Sharon Stone |
| “The Late Late Show” | Bridget Moynahan |
| “Late Night” | Caroline Rhea |
| “Jimmy Kimmel Live” | Andy Roddick |
TODAY’S ARTICLES OF INTEREST
USA TODAY’s Edward Iwata writes that hosting the MLB All-Star Game the Super Bowl have “given Houston a huge boost of prestige and publicity, plus a one-time shot of hundreds of millions in revenue from visitors. Beyond the sports mega-events, a new economic spirit and civic pride are filling the air, according to business leaders and residents” (USA TODAY).
- Linking MLB All-Star Game to the World Series is “the worst rule.”
- MLB faces three business challenges in sustaining and growing the business
- Topps is trying to revive the baseball board game with MLB SportsClix.
- Field of broken dreams: Tampa won MLB team, and then faltered.
- Former White House National Drug Policy Office spokesperson and UVA student sound off on MLB’s handling of the BALCO incidents.
See The Daily Insider’s Articles of Interest section for more sports business-related links.
TODAY’S TEASER…
Sports & Entertainment: Which of the following has not signed on to play a part in Paramount’s remake of “The Longest Yard?”
Brian Bosworth
Michael Irvin
Nelly
Warren Sapp
Snoop Dogg
IN OTHER NEWS……
The N.Y. POST reports that a one-year-old deal between Snapple and N.Y. public schools cost the city $178,000 in lost revenue, as sales were well below those of more traditional soft-drinks (N.Y. POST, 7/13).
The N.Y. TIMES reports that ABC, CBS and NBC plan to broadcast only three hours each of the Democratic and Republican conventions in primetime. The nets will air coverage of the Democratic convention from 10:00-11:00pm ET on Monday, July 26, as well as Wednesday and Thursday of that week. The nets will air coverage of the Republican convention from 10:00-11:00pm ET each day from Tuesday, August 31-Thursday, September 2 (N.Y. TIMES, 7/13).
BLOOMBERG NEWS reports that Domino’s Pizza yesterday sold 9.4 million shares at $14 each, for a total of $336.9M, in an IPO. The company will use the proceeds to pay down debt (BLOOMBERG NEWS, 7/13).
THE DAILY STAT: TOP DVD SELLERS AND RENTALS
The following represents the top ten DVDs for the week ending July 4 according to rentals and sales figures from Rentrak Home Video Essentials (VIDEOBUSINESS.com, 7/13):
| RK | TOP DVD SELLERS | RK | TOP DVD RENTALS |
| 1) | Cold Mountain | 1) | Secret Window |
| 2) | Barbershop 2 | 2) | Cold Mountain |
| 3) | Bad Santa | 3) | 50 First Dates |
| 4) | Secret Window | 4) | Barbershop 2 |
| 5) | 50 First Dates | 5) | Bad Santa |
| 6) | Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King | 6) | Mystic River |
| 7) | South Park: Fourth Season | 7) | Along Came Polly |
| 8) | Mystic River | 8) | Monster |
| 9) | The Simpsons: Fourth Season | 9) | Eurotrip |
| 10) | Chapelle’s Show: First Season | 10) | The Perfect Score |
…TODAY’S ANSWER
Warren Sapp
If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please let us know at:
dailyinsider@sportsbusinessdaily.com
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