| | The Daily Insider
Afternoon News & Headlines
Thursday, August 19, 2004
4:00pm ET | |
| |
| • | News From The Athens Games, Day 7: adidas Set To Cut Greek Sprinter Loose |
| • | Expansion Bobcats Today Sign Multiyear Sponsorship Deal With Coca-Cola |
| • | Bud Selig’s Contract Officially Extended Through ‘09 During Today’s Meeting |
| • | ACC Awards Jacksonville Its First Two Football Championship Games |
| • | Checkers Inks Two More Sponsorship Deals: Univ. of Florida And Florida State |
| • | Buzzer Beaters/Tonight’s Events/Channel Surfing/In Other News/The Daily Stat |
NEWS FROM THE ATHENS GAMES, DAY 7: ADIDAS CUTS THANOU LOOSE
| | ‘04 | ‘00 | +/- % |
| Opening Ceremony | 14.4/26 | 16.2/29 | -11.1% |
| 2nd Day | 11.7/23 | 13.1/25 | -10.7% |
| 3rd Day | 15.4/26 | 14.6/24 | 5% |
| 4th Day | 16.6/27 | 13.8/23 | 20% |
| 5th Day | 18.3/30 | 15.5/26 | 18% |
| 6th Day | 17.3/29 | 14.6/25 | 18% |
|
| Cumulative | 15.7/27 | 14.6/25 | 8% |
adidas has replaced an image of Ekaterini Thanou, one of the two Greek sprinters who withdrew from the Athens Games after missing two doping tests, with one of Australian swimmer Ian Thorpe on its building in Athens. Thanou’s deal with adidas expires at the end of the year. adidas Dir of Global Communications Jan Runau: “It won’t get renewed” (BLOOMBERG NEWS, 8/19).
N.Y. Mayor Michael Bloomberg today met with reporters while visiting the Olympics in Athens. Bloomberg, deflecting a question about whether he was promoting the city’s bid for the 2012 Games: “I’m here to support these Games, and to support America’s team.” Bloomberg attended the Australia-U.S. men’s basketball match today, and will be present for the beginning of track & field competition tomorrow. He also will tour the Olympic Village (AROUND THE RINGS, 8/19).
OWNERS EXTEND COMMISSIONER SELIG’S CONTRACT THROUGH ‘09
At their annual meeting in Philadelphia, MLB owners today unanimously approved a three-year contract extension for Commissioner Bud Selig, who will remain the post until ’09. Later, Selig conducted a conference call to discuss his extension and other issues. Selig, on labor and TV rights negotiations, which will come up between now and ‘08: “Hopefully they’ll be done in the same way the last ones were done – quietly, efficiently.” Selig, on when a Baseball World Cup would be staged: “I think it’s fair to say 2006. The concept was approved, and we just ran out of time. But, the important thing is that we’ve done it” (THE DAILY).
BOBCATS POUNCE ON COCA-COLA SPONSORSHIP AGREEMENT
The Bobcats today announced a multiyear sponsorship pact with Coca-Cola, which becomes the official soft drink provider of the expansion franchise. Coca-Cola receives category exclusivity, marketing and promotional considerations and a presence in an interactive area at the team’s downtown arena, slated to open next year. Additionally, the Bobcats will work with Coca-Cola to refurbish select Mecklenburg County basketball courts and form a Kids Club for the franchise. Coca-Cola will promote the partnership through co-branded packaging and consumer promotions (Bobcats).
ACC AWARDS JACKSONVILLE FIRST TWO FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES
The ACC today awarded Jacksonville the conference’s first two football championship games, beginning next year. The games will be played at Alltel Stadium, and Jacksonville has an option for another two years at its discretion (ACC). The Florida TIMES-UNION reports that ACC faculty representatives voted for Jacksonville over Charlotte. Gator Bowl president Rick Catlett said, “We are absolutely ecstatic that we have been awarded this game. We look forward to hosting this game for many years to come” (Jacksonville.com, 8/19).
RUSSELL UNVEILS UNIFORMS FOR LITTLE LEAGUE WORLD SERIES
Russell Athletic today unveiled uniforms for the 16 teams competing in the 2004 Little League World Series, which begins tomorrow. The jerseys will feature both the Russell logo and Little League Baseball patch. Additionally, Russell Athletic is selling team T-shirts at a store near the stadium, and will run an ad in the World Series program (Russell Athletic).
BUZZER BEATERS
Checkers Restaurants today announced multiyear sponsorship deals with the Univ. of Florida and Florida State Univ., becoming the official burger of each school. Checkers receives signage at Florida’s Ben Hill Griffin Stadium and FSU’s Doak Campbell Stadium (THE DAILY).
EA Sports today announced that “Madden NFL 2005” sold more than 1.35 million copies in its first week at retail, the highest volume in the series’ 15 years (EA Sports).
Motorola today officially announced a multiyear endorsement deal with Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova. The deal includes global advertising and event appearances. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed (Motorola).
The Astros today announced that they have begun offering season-ticket holders the option of electronically forwarding their tickets to another person up to two hours before game time (Astros).
The Heritage Classic Foundation, which runs the PGA Tour MCI Heritage Classic, is “negotiating with the Nationwide Tour to move its Tour Championship” to Hilton Head Island, SC, “with a final decision expected before year’s end” (Columbia STATE, 8/19).
Rock Barn Golf & Spa today extended its contract to host the Champions Tour Greater Hickory Classic through ‘06. The current agreement expired after this year (BIZJOURNALS.com, 8/19).
Skippy Peanut Butter today extended its sponsorship of the FLW Outdoors’ six tournament trails. Skippy began its sponsorship last year (FLW Outdoors).
Former Phillies Mike Schmidt, Steve Carlton, Dallas Green and Tug McGraw will have their names associated with the Philadelphia chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America awards to be presented annually beginning this year (Phillies).
CHANNEL SURFING
NBC’s primetime Olympic coverage tonight will highlight swimming, gymnastics and beach volleyball. Click here for a listing of events across the NBC Universal networks.
NBC’s “Nightly News” will profile U.S. equestrian team member Amy Tryon at 6:30pm ET.
Fox will air NFL preseason: Giants-Panthers at 8:00pm ET.
The Golf Channel will air first-round coverage of the PGA Tour Reno-Tahoe Open at 8:00pm ET.
ESPN will air the Little League Softball Championship at 8:00pm ET.
ESPN Classic’s “SportsCentury” will profile Muhammad Ali at 8:00pm ET.
HOFer Terry Bradshaw, Braves P John Smoltz and boxer James Toney will appear on FSN’s “BDSSP.”
ESPN’s “OTL Nightly” will examine QB controversies across the NFL at midnight ET.
HEADLINERS
Here are tonight’s headline guests on the following talk shows:
| “Late Show” | David Spade (r) |
| “The Late Late Show” | Ted Danson |
| “Jimmy Kimmel Live” | Matthew Lillard |
TODAY’S ARTICLES OF INTEREST
In a special to NEWSDAY, Univ. of Texas professor of Germanic studies John Hoberman writes, “The purpose of the entire Olympic project is being questioned more frequently, and with greater urgency, than ever before. The corruption scandals that have tarnished the image of the IOC have also battered the claim to moral leadership that legitimates the whole enterprise. But the most serious threat to the games is the realization that the doping crisis is out of control, and that we may well be facing the end of sport as we have known it” (NEWSDAY).
The L.A. TIMES’ Thomas Bonk writes of the PGA Tour’s TV rights, “When negotiations pick up in 2005 to come up with another agreement, chances are the discussions aren't going to be quite as rosy for the tour this time around. It all coincides with [Tiger] Woods' well-publicized troubled swing that has kept him winless in his last 10 majors. The weekend ratings this year have been generally flat, which is disappointing enough, but it's doubly troubling when even the presence of Woods can't always perk them up” (L.A. TIMES).
See The Daily Insider’s Articles of Interest section for more sports business-related links.
TODAY’S TEASER…
Sports Business: Through August 16, which MLB team not playing in a new park has the largest increase in average attendance over last year's numbers through the same date?
THE DAILY STAT: VIDEO GAME RENTALS FOR WEEK ENDING AUGUST 8
The following represents the most-rented video games for the week ending August 8 according to Rentrak Home Video Essentials (VIDEOBUSINESS.com, 8/19):
| RK | GAME TITLE | PLATFORM |
| 1) | Spider-Man 2 | PlayStation 2 |
| 2) | NCAA Football 2005 | PlayStation 2 |
| 3) | Driv3r | PlayStation 2 |
| 4) | Spider-Man 2 | Xbox |
| 5) | Red Dead Revolver | PlayStation 2 |
| 6) | Driv3r | Xbox |
| 7) | Need For Speed: Underground | PlayStation 2 |
| 8) | NCAA Football 2005 | Xbox |
| 9) | Red Dead Revolver | Xbox |
| 10) | Spider-Man | Nintendo Game Cube |
…TODAY’S ANSWER
The Marlins' average attendance through August 16 was up 47% to 21,710, compared to 14,765 at the same point last year.
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