Closing Bell, August 9, 2004

MICHELE TAFOYA DEBUTS AS ABCKICKS OFF “MNF” SCHEDULE

ABC tonight begins its “MNF”schedule with Broncos-Redskins in the HOF Game at 8:00pm ET from Canton, OH. AlMichaels and John Madden returnin the booth, with Michele Tafoya makingher debut as the sideline reporter.

The following is a Nielsenratings trend and attendance tracker for the HOF Game since ’00:

The N.Y. POST noted that theNFL will break its first-ever TV campaign to promote its fantasy footballservice. The NFL Internet Networkgrossed $100M last year, and is “slated to take in $125[M]” this year. NFL Senior VP/New Media & Publishing Chris Russo: “Fantasy football has beena key part of our audience growth as well as our profitability” (N.Y. POST, 8/8).

SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNALreports that the campaign “attempts to cement the connection between NFLers andfantasy players.” In one ad, Daunte Culpepper “claims that while heplays for the Minnesota Vikings, he also plays in the ‘Bronx Fat Guys’ fantasyleague.” In a separate ad, Peyton Manning “proudly holds a trophybarely bigger than a baseball and says, ‘This is what I play for’” (SPORTSBUSINESSJOURNAL, 8/9 issue).

BRANDWEEK reports that the leaguespent $119M on ads in ’03 and $23M through June ’04, and will “dedicatesignificant resources this season” to its Internet Network (BRANDWEEK,8/9 issue).

BRANDWEEK also reports thatCoors Brewing during tonight’s game will break a new campaign, via Deutsch,L.A., for its Aspen Edge brand, with the tagline “Arguably, the best low-carblager,” (BRANDWEEK, 8/9 issue).

FROM ATHENS: IOC DELAYING DECISION ON MARKETINGDIRECTOR

By Steve Woodward, Correspondent, SportsBusiness Journal, in Athens

The IOC was intent onintroducing a newly-hired marketing chief on the eve of the Athens Games, butsources in Athensfamiliar with the process said negotiations with as many as two finalists arestalled.

ESPN International’s Timo Lumme, a former Nike sales exec,has been and remains on the IOC’s radar.

It does not seem likely thata hiring decision would occur any time soon because there remains debate as towhether the new hire would handle only sponsorship solicitation and services,or television rights negotiations, or both.

The IOC launched an executivesearch to fill the post, which became vacant earlier this year after the IOCtook over 100% ownership of U.S.-based marketing services agency MeridianManagement. The IOC initially owned 25% of Meridian when it became the agency of record in‘96. Agency co-Founders Chris Weltonand Laurent Scharapan were unable toagree on contract renewals and went their separate ways last spring.

NBC OLYMPICS AND AT&T WIRELESS REVEAL DETAILS OF ATHENS PACT

NBCOlympics and AT&T Wireless today unveiled details of their partnershiparound the Athens Games. AT&TWireless has introduced two Olympic-themed bundled services, will be thepresenting sponsor of a nightly NBC segment promoting its “Athlete of theGames” poll, as well as opinion polls on Bravo and Telemundo, and will carrytext messaging alerts from NBCOlympics.com for its mMode users (AT&T Wireless).

BARCLAYS INKS THREE-YEAR RENEWAL OFPREMIERSHIP DEAL

Englishbank Barclays today inked a new three-year, US$104.9M renewal of its EnglishPremier League title sponsorship. Thecompany also “committed an extra [US$55.2M] to aid grass-roots sports.” The grass-roots investment is “claimed to bethe biggest single injection of cash into the base level of sports” in the U.K. (ESPN.com,8/9).

FIFA PRESIDENT SEPP BLATTER CONTINUES TO REFUSE WADA CODE

After a dispute last nightbetween FIFA and WADA, FIFA President SeppBlatter today said that he is “disappointed that WADA wants unconditionalacceptance” of its code by the start of the ’08 Games in Beijing. Blatter: “We won't reconsider a documentwhich has been signed in front of the member associations of FIFA,"Blatter said. "It is signed, it is over and finished, and we work on that”(AP,8/9).

Blatter also said today that Ivan Slavkov will “remain the presidentof the Bulgarian Football Association despite being suspended as the head ofthe country's Olympic committee” (REUTERS,8/9).

LSU COACH NICK SABAN INKS TWO-YEAR DEALWITH FORD DEALERS

ADWEEKreports that LSU football coach NickSaban has signed a two-year endorsement deal with Southern Quality FordDealers, a consortium of 78 Ford dealers in Louisianaand along Mississippi’s Gulf Coast. The first of several TV spots and a print adfor a campaign, via St. John & Partners, Jacksonville, break today, with “newcommercials being introduced each month during the upcoming college footballseason.” The ads will air on local TVstations in Louisiana and Mississippi, as well as on ESPN and other cable netsthat will broadcast college football games (ADWEEK,8/9 issue).

TENNIS MAGAZINE ADDS FIVE SPONSORS FORGRAND SLAM EVENT

Tennis Magazine todayannounced that it has signed five new sponsors – Balance Bars, Celebrex,Chrysler, Fidelity Investments and 7-Up Plus – for its third annual Grand Slaminteractive tennis event in N.Y.’s Grand Central Terminal. Those five join Evian and Michelob Ultra forthe August 27 experience around the U.S. Open. SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL reports that Tennis Magazine Publisher Jeff Williams “declined to provide thevalue of the deals. He did say that most involve page buys and that thecombined value of the seven sponsorships exceeds what last year’s sponsorscommitted” (SPORTSBUSINESSJOURNAL, 8/9 issue).

BUZZER BEATERS

MusicianPharrell Williams today inked amultiyear licensing agreement with Reebok to create the Billionaire Boys Clubapparel collection. The line, created inconjunction with designer Nigo,debuts in high-end fashion boutiques in September (Reebok).

XINHUA NEWS reports that sportswearworkers from seven Asian countries today “joined hands with about 1,000 Thaitextile staff to stage their protest against low wages and long working hoursrelated”to the AthensGames (XINHUANEWS, 8/9).

The USADA today announced that U.S. sprinter Bernard Williams has been stripped ofhis second-place finish in the 200-meters at the Meeting de Atletismo Sevillaafter testing positive for THC. Williamsremains eligible for the Athens Games (USADA).

TONIGHT’S EVENTS

NewBalance will unveil a ten-foot bronze statue in Marathon, Greece,the starting point of the marathon for the Athens Olympics.

CHANNELSURFING

ESPN2 will air Devil Rays-Red Sox at 7:00pm ET.

ESPN Classic willair Part I of “Bud Greenspan’s Reflections: 100 Years of Olympic Glory” at7:00pm ET.

ABC will air the Hallof Fame Game: Broncos-Redskins at 8:00pm ET.

ESPN will air theLittle League Regionals: Indiana-Kentucky at 8:00pm ET.

Saints WR Joe Horn, Panthers QB Jake Delhomme and BMX rider Dave Mirra will appear onFSN’s “BDSSP.”

Junior Johnson will appear on Speed Channel’s “Wind Tunnel” at10:00pm ET.

Former anchor CharleySteinerwill join Bob Leyas part of ESPN’s“SportsCenter” Old School at 11:00pm ET.

ESPN’s “OTL Nightly”will examine baseball players’ use of smokeless tobacco at midnight ET.

HEADLINERS

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

TODAY’S ARTICLES OF INTEREST

IOC President Jacques Rogge, in a London GUARDIANQ&A on the Athens Olympics: “After all the problems, my feeling now is ofgreat expectation. Of course the real judgment of the games can only come oncethey are over. And, listen, I will be held responsible for every failure. Butif it goes right, everyone will be responsible. I always think of that saying –victory has many fathers but defeatis an orphan. I hope there'll be many proud fathers in Athens” (LondonGUARDIAN).

The N.Y. POST’s Phil Mushnickwrites of Spike Lee’s upcomingmovie, “She Hate Me,” which targets corporate greed, “That Spike Lee wouldattack corporate greed is a comical perversity, an act of staggering hypocrisy. Lee, after all, on behalf of Nike, helpedestablish and sustain the wildly overpriced, Third World-made sneaker as astatus symbol among poor, young African-American males” (N.Y. POST).

• In Athens, the new Olympics cannot hold a torch to the ancient Games.
• Hip-hop advertisers are following Russell Simmons’ path to Madison Avenue.
• With pennant races bubbling, baseball has returned to its pre-strike status.
• Several Chinese fans show hatred toward Japan during soccer exhibition.

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

TODAY’S TEASER…

Sports: Red Sox P Tim Wakefield gave up six home runs inyesterday’s game against the Tigers. Whowas the last pitcher to give up six homers in one game?

IN OTHERNEWS……

TheN.Y. TIMES reports that TiVo will break this week an estimated $15M ad campaignusing the tagline, “You have a life. TiVo gets it.” That sloganreplaces “TiVo is TV your way.” Ads willrun in 18 national magazines devoted to sports, cooking, home improvement andmovies (N.Y. TIMES,8/9).

THE DAILY STAT: N.Y. TIMES BESTSELLING NONFICTION

Thefollowing presents best selling nonfiction books for the week ending August 8 (NYTIMES.com,8/9):

…TODAY’SANSWER

Then-Philadelphia A’s P George Castner gave up six home runs tothe Red Sox in 1940.

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

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