Afternoon News & Headlines
| • | Octagon/Street & Smith's World Congress Kicks Off Today In N.Y. |
| • | IOC Evaluation Commission Gathering In Paris For Latest Candidate Visit |
| • | Three Reds Investors Today Tap Allen & Co. To Sell Combined 51% Stake |
| • | Staples Inks Multiyear Deal Today To Become Bears Hall Of Fame Partner |
| • | FSN Announces That Chris Rose Will Return As Host Of “BDSSP” March 21 |
| • | Buzzer Beaters/Tonight’s Events/Channel Surfing/In Other News/Closing Stat |
NASCAR'S BRIAN FRANCE OPENS WORLD CONGRESS OF SPORTS
NASCAR Chair & CEO Brian France delivered the keynote address to open Octagon/Street & Smith’s Sports Group’s World Congress of Sports at The Waldorf-Astoria in N.Y. this morning, saying, “I believe, and everyone at NASCAR believes, that when sports are generally going in the right direction, we’re all winning. We’re sharing ideas and we’re trying to move forward, and that is a winning combination.” After touting this year’s Daytona 500 finish, France discussed international expansion, diversity and the organization’s search for a title sponsor before deciding on Nextel.
With one full season of the Nextel Cup in the books, France said of the search that produced Nextel as title sponsor: “Where we landed -- and I’m very pleased with where we did land -- was technology. We thought long and hard that technology was going to be the difference. Technology was going to allow us to connect with our fans. It was also an area that we were very weak in. With the marketing success that NASCAR has had, we haven’t had the participation from a lot of technology companies.”
Later in the day, a panel discussion titled “Hot Buttons: Industry Executives Speak Out on Sports, Business and Entertainment Headlines of the Day” featured Anheuser-Busch VP/Global Media & Sports Marketing Tony Ponturo; Suns CEO Jerry Colangelo; Turner Entertainment Group President Mark Lazarus; Capitals Owner and AOL Vice Chair Ted Leonsis; F1 Special Advisor to Bernie Ecclestone Michael Payne; and Bruins Owner and Delaware North Co. Chair & CEO Jeremy Jacobs.
With two NHL owners on the panel, it was fitting that the discussion began with the NHL lockout. Leonsis said, “The owners are encouraging [NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman] and the union to get back to the table right away because we need to re-launch, re-brand and drive our business forward, and I think it is very important that we start a new season on time.”
The focus then shifted to steroids, about which Ponturo said, “From an advertiser perspective, the only reason you are sponsoring sports is to align with the quality, integrity and image of these sports. When that is jeopardized, you really have to second-guess that commitment.”
Ponturo’s comments prompted a discussion about the marketability of individual athletes, about which Leonsis said, “All four teams that won championships last year, for the most part, really sold and bought into the team concept. I do think you are going to see ownership realizing that their value is in their brand, their team. They have to build value into the franchise, not into the individual players.”
Speaking from a European perspective on the issue of technology in sports, Payne said, “One single medium in Europe is driving sports in the youth market, and it is mobile. It is not that mobile is replacing television. Television remains king, but in terms of driving audience, driving eyeballs today on your mobile phone throughout most of the European markets and the Japanese market, they are getting the 30-second clips, the previews, the excitement of the event. And for the youth market, if you are not in that space, you have lost already.”
The question of placing a professional sports team in Las Vegas surfaced later in the discussion. Colangelo began, “I do not think the NFL or MLB fits into Vegas just in terms of demographics. I think demographically, an arena with 41 hockey or basketball games would be one of the two. I truly believe that if they can get over the hump, which is the sports book, that franchise, be it in hockey or basketball, will be a great success.” Jacobs added, “They don’t bet a lot on hockey in Vegas. They do bet a lot of basketball, so I don’t see basketball going in. I don’t know if hockey would go, but I know that whoever goes is going to be tremendously successful.” Lazarus thought the NBA most likely, saying, “I think the league has shown a progressive stance toward growing their business, and I think they will be the ones that have the courage to do it first.”
For more from World Congress, see tomorrow’s Morning Buzz and SportsBusiness Daily, as well as next week’s issue of SportsBusiness Journal.
IOC EVALUATION COMMISSION DESCENDS ON PARIS THIS WEEK
As the 12 members of the IOC Evaluation Commission arrive in Paris today, AROUND THE RINGS notes Paris’ Stade de France will be “the only ready-to-go Olympic Stadium they have seen on their tour of the 2012 cities.” The group will spend the rest of the week in Paris, leading up to Friday night’s official dinner with French President Jacques Chirac at the PalaisElysee. Nearly 400 members of the press have been credentialed for the visit, “which could be the biggest turnout so far on the IOC commission tour” (AROUND THE RINGS, 3/4 issue).
TRIO OF REDS INVESTORS LOOKING TO SELL COMBINED 51% STAKE
The Louise DieterleNippert Trust, George Strike and Multimedia of Cincinnati, which combined own 51% of the Reds, announced today that they have retained N.Y.-based investment banking firm Allen & Co. to begin the process of selling their stakes in the club (Allen & Co.).
BEARS SIGN STAPLES TO MULTIYEAR HALL OF FAME PARTNERSHIP
The Bears today announced that they have signed Staples as a HOF partner in a multiyear deal. Staples, which becomes the team’s exclusive office products sponsor, will receive exclusive marketing rights to Soldier Field’s mezzanine level and will title sponsor the team’s training camp. Staples will also be integrated into the Bears’ radio and TV broadcasts, Web site, community relations activities, advertising and fan events. Staples today made its debut in the Chicago market, opening eight stores in the city and suburban locations (Bears).
MLS ALL-STARS TO FACE PREMIER LEAGUE CLUB FULHAM FC IN JULY
MLS today announced that the ’05 Sierra Mist MLS All-Star Game will be played at Columbus Crew Stadium on July 30 and will feature a team of MLS All-Stars against English Premier League club Fulham FC. Fulham features former MLSer Carlos Bocanegra and former Crew F Brian McBride. The match will mark the second time in three seasons that the MLS All-Star game will feature a foreign club (MLS).
BUZZER BEATERS
FSN today announced that Chris Rose will return as host of the “BDSSP” on March 21 as the show reverts back to an ensemble cast after experimenting with a late night talk show format. Tom Arnold will not be a part of the new cast, but will continue his presence on “BDSSP” when the show goes off-site to major sporting events (FSN).
Fox Soccer Channel today announced that it has acquired the exclusive rights to televise 20 European zone qualifying matches for the ’06 FIFA World Cup (Fox Soccer Channel).
New York Road Runners today announced that Mary Wittenberg will become Race Dir of the ING New York City Marathon and President & CEO of New York Road Runners, succeeding Allan Steinfeld, effective April 1. Wittenberg became Associate Race Dir the marathon in '04 in addition to her duties as Exec VP & COO of NYRR, a position she has held since '00 (THE DAILY).
Domino’s Pizza, the official pizza of NASCAR, today made available the bloopers and outtakes from its new Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Michael Waltrip commercial at www.dominos.com (Domino’s Pizza).
Raycom Sports and Meineke Car Care Centers today unveiled the new logo for the Meineke Car Care Bowl, formerly the Continental Tire Bowl, which will be played in December at Charlotte’s Bank of America Stadium. Meineke inked a three-year title sponsorship of the bowl game in January (Raycom Sports).
NOW HEAR THIS
The following are notable quotes from today’s news:
Carl’s Jr. VP/Regional Marketing & Media Renae Scott, on the decision to include Kobe Bryant in its Lakers bobblehead promotion, “Kobe is a hugely popular player, and because of his prowess on the court and his popularity with Laker fans, it was kind of a no-brainer decision” (THE DAILY). Read the full story.
NHL Exec VP & Dir of Hockey Operations Colin Campbell, in response to ESPN Exec VP/Programming & Production Mark Shapiro stating the net would not renew its NHL TV contract unless there were some rule changes: “I’d like to know what they’re asking for and who is asking for it. I think it’s unfair to say there is a problem with the game, and I challenge anyone to say what that problem might be” (SBJ, 3/7 issue). Read the full story.
Tigers Owner Mike Ilitch, on this year’s team, “It’s the most secure I’ve felt from the standpoint of building a team with a good solid foundation. We’ve never had that, never could put it together” (DETROIT NEWS, 3/8). Read the full story.
TONIGHT’S EVENTS
Former Broncos TE Shannon Sharpe will be inducted into the Colorado Sports
HOF at 6:30pm MT at the Marriott City Center Hotel in Denver (DENVER POST, 3/8).
ESPN’s Mike Golic will serve as the Ambassador of Courage for the 27th Annual Ed Block Courage Awards at Martin’s West in Baltimore.
CHANNEL SURFING
ESPN will air NCAA women’s basketball: UConn-Rutgers at 7:00pm ET.
ESPN2 will air NCAA basketball: Oakland-Oral Roberts at 7:00pm ET and Louisiana-Lafayette-Denver at 9:00pm.
ESPN will air NCAA basketball: Detroit-Wisconsin-Milwaukee at 9:00pm ET.
“The Contender” co-Exec Producer Sylvester Stallone will appear on CNBC’s “Dennis Miller” at 9:00pm ET.
NBA TV will air Rockets-Sonics at 10:00pm ET.
Yankees SS Derek Jeter, NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Pistons F Rasheed Wallace will appear on “BDSSP.”
HEADLINERS
Here are tonight’s headline guests on the following talk shows:
| “Late Show” | Michael J. Fox (r) |
| “The Tonight Show” | Penelope Cruz |
| “The Late Late Show” | Laura Linney (r) |
| “Late Night” | Sylvester Stallone |
| “Jimmy Kimmel Live” | Randy Jackson |
TODAY’S ARTICLES OF INTEREST
NEWSDAY’s Steve Zipay writes of the Dolan family’s struggles and the possible sale of Cablevision’s sports assets, “That could be fabulous news for discouraged fans and viewers who have watched the Knicks’ payroll rise to a league-high $103[M] without a chance to contend seriously for years. It could be equally good news for Rangers fans, who have watched a team mired in a seven-year playoff drought. … The one hitch in this dream scenario: the possibility that sports-loving James Dolan himself would try to buy the place for his own” (NEWSDAY).
See The Daily Insider’s Articles of Interest section for more sports business-related links.
CLOSING STAT: ALAN TAYLOR’S MOST MARKETABLE ATHLETES
The following presents the most marketable male and female athletes based on an Alan Taylor Communications survey of PR and marketing execs from various sports leagues and companies. Respondents were asked to select which athletes would best represent their company if they were launching a new product or service in ‘05 (Alan Taylor Communications).
| RK | MALE ATHLETE | % | RK | FEMALE ATHLETE | % |
| 1) | Tiger Woods | 23 | 1) | Serena Williams | 18 |
| 2) | Lance Armstrong | 18 | 2) | AnnikaSorenstam | 16 |
| 3) | Dale Earnhardt Jr. | 9 | 3) | Maria Sharapova | 15 |
| 4) | Peyton Manning | 8 | 4) | Jennie Finch | 9 |
| 5) | LeBron James | 5 | 5) | Michelle Kwan | 8 |
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