Closing Bell, November 2, 2004

PISTONS BEGIN DEFENSE OF NBA TITLETONIGHT AGAINST ROCKETS

The NBA opens its ’04-05season tonight with Rockets-Pistons at 8:00pm ET. TNT will air live coverage of the game,preceded at 7:00pm by “NBA Preview Show,” the pregame show hosted by Ernie Johnson alongside analysts Kenny Smith and Charles Barkley. FollowingRockets-Pistons, TNT will air Nuggets-Lakers at 10:30pm. ESPN begins its NBA coverage Thursday nightat 8:00pm ET with Heat-Nets, followed by Lakers-Jazz.

USA TODAY noted that TNT “will have onscreen graphicsgiving election results and live updates from corporate cousin CNN” (USA TODAY, 11/1).

Meanwhile, a recent simulatedseason of EA Sports’ “NBA Live 2005” resulted in a title for the Kings over Shaquille O’Neal and the Heat. Shaq grabbed MVP honors while leading theleague in scoring at 28.3 points per game. The game must have high hopes for Magic rookie Dwight Howard and injury-plagued former All-Star Grant Hill, as the team finished fifthin the Eastern Conference. Despite theiroff-season acquisitions of Mehmet Okurand Carlos Boozer, the Jazz postedthe worst record in the league, 23-59 (THEDAILY).

REEBOK CANADA PUTS ITS NAME ON RAPTORS’PRACTICE FACILITY

The Raptors today announced asponsorship deal with Reebok Canada,becoming the first pro team in Canadato partner with the company. Under thedeal, Reebok Canadaacquires naming rights to the Raptors’ practice facility, now known as RbK Court. The partnership also includes signage at AirCanada Centre, as well as sponsorship of Raptorball, an outreach program that teacheschildren how to play basketball (Raptors).

DAKTRONICS INKS DEALS FOR FIVEMINOR-LEAGUE BALLPARKS

Daktronics today announcedthat it will install integrated scoring, video and information display systemsat the following minor-league ballparks. The total value of the five projects is approximately $1.8M. The Fisher Cats, Lugnuts and Alley Cats areaffiliates of the Blue Jays, while the Valley Scrappers and Silver Hawks areaffiliates of the Indians and D’Backs, respectively (Daktronics):

MAGNA ENTERTAINMENT LOSSES GROW TO$50.3M, REVENUE DOWN 2%

BLOODHORSE notes that MagnaEntertainment today reported a Q3 ’04 loss of $50.3M, deeper than the loss of$15.5M in the same period a year ago. The loss included a “non-cash write-down of long-lived assets of$26.7[M] related to the redevelopments in progress” at Gulfstream Parkand Laurel Park. Revenue for the quarterdipped 2.1%, from $104.5M in Q3 ’03 to $102.3M (BLOODHORSE.com, 11/2).

BUZZER BEATERS

Infront Sports & Mediatoday announced a broadcast TV rights deal with OTI for the ’06 World Cupacross 15 countries in Central and South America(Infront Sports & Media).

The Expos today named Jim Bowden GM. Bowden served as Reds GM from ’92-03 and has appearedfrequently on ESPN2’s “Cold Pizza” as a baseball analyst (THE DAILY).

A press center for theBeijing Olympics opened today in a hotel/office building complex a few milesfrom the Games’ venue cluster (AROUNDTHERINGS.com,11/2).

Japanese Internet shoppingmall operator Rakuten today “won approval to start the first professionalbaseball team in the country in 50 years.” The Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles, based in Sendai, will begin play next April (BLOOMBERG NEWS, 11/2).

TONIGHT’S EVENTS

Cleveland residents with the names of presidential candidates George W. Bush and John Kerry will drop the ceremonial first pucks for the AHLHamilton Bulldogs-Cleveland Barons game at Gund Arena.

CHANNEL SURFING

ESPNews will announce the ’04AL Gold Glove winners live at 5:00pm ET.

TSN will unveil a new real-timescoring ticker during “SportCentre” at 6:30pm ET.

ESPN will air collegefootball: Toledo-Miami (OH) at 7:30pm ET.

TNT will air NBA basketball: Rockets-Pistonsat 8:00pm ET and Nuggets-Lakers at 10:30pm.

ESPN will air “Dream Job”in its new timeslot at 9:00pm ET.

Raiders WR Jerry Porterand NBA HOFer Bob Lanier will appear on “BDSSP.”

Tonight’s talk shows willlikely be pre-empted by election coverage.

TODAY’S ARTICLES OF INTEREST

The WALL STREET JOURNAL’sSkip Rozin writes, “Networks use sports to draw viewers. They tweak games and schedules for theirown advantages, and walk out on the action if it runs overtime, just tojoin popular shows on their regular schedule. This autocracy affects the scheduling of even our most prizedchampionships. Not only does television's investment in primetime broadcastingmean that we will never again see any title game played in daytime, but whentwo baseball games popped up on the same day of the divisional playoffs lastmonth, Fox executives decided to air them simultaneously on Fox and FX inprimetime instead one in the afternoon and the other at night. … Televisiongiveth, and television taketh away” (WALLSTREET JOURNAL).

NEWSDAY’s Raymond Keatingwrites, “No justification exists to dole out millions of dollars in subsidiesto the Islanders' owners and players. Even withlosing some work during this lockout, they don't need the money. Nor shouldreal estate developments receive such largess. Instead, Nassau County'staxpayers and economy would benefit from the county selling the Coliseum andthe surrounding land, and letting the market - ultimately guided by consumers -decide what's the most useful purpose” (NEWSDAY).

• New York has a global test to pass before being awarded the 2012 Olympics.
• Jacksonville’s Bartram Trail High School reaps dividend from NFL’s investment.
• San Antonio Editorial: Go slow on sponsorship deals for city’s landmarks.
• NHL needs to tap into the culture of celebrity to help fix league’s problems.
• Many Nets fans are cashing out as team has moved several big-name players.

See The Daily Insider’s Articles of Interestsection for more sports business-related links.

TODAY’S TEASER…

Presidential Trivia: Which four U.S. Presidents won the presidency,but lost the popular vote?

IN OTHER NEWS…

REUTERS reports that NBC haspulled “Father of the Pride,” which it heavily promoted during its coverage ofthe Athens Olympics, “off its schedule for the key November ‘sweeps’ ratingsperiod.” Forthe fall season through October 24, the show “was tied for 42nd among householdaudiences. Of 13 episodes ordered, sevenhave aired” (REUTERS,11/2).

DirecTV todayreported a Q3 ’04 net loss of $1.01B, worse than the $23M the company lost inthe year-ago period, as it recorded a $903M charge to write down two newsatellites and a third under construction. The company also cited increased subscriber acquisition costs and higheracquisition costs per subscriber for the loss. Revenue increased 20% to $2.86B, as compared to $2.34B. DirecTV also added a record 484,000 net subscribers,a 49% increase over Q3 ’03 (DirecTV).

Boston-basedcommunications research firm Yankee Group predicts that the number of homesequipped with DVRs will grow from 7 million at the end of this year to 33.5million by the end of ’08 (CNNMONEY.com,11/1).

THE DAILYSTAT: WORLDWIDE VENUE TICKET SALES

The following are the tenworldwide venues that sold the most concert and family show tickets for 2004through September 1, according to Pollstar. The study only included venues with a capacity greater than 15,000 (Lightning):

…TODAY’S ANSWER

Andrew Jacksonwon the popular vote but lost the election to John Quincy Adams in 1824; SamuelJ. Tilden won the popular vote but lost the election to Rutherford B. Hayes in 1876; Grover Cleveland won the popular votebut lost the election to Benjamin Harrisonin 1888; Al Gore won the popularvote but lost the election to George W.Bush in 2000.

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

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