Closing Bell, March 9, 2005

SPORTS EMMY AWARD NOMINEES ANNOUNCED THIS MORNING IN N.Y.

The National Television Academy today announced the nominees for the 26^th Annual Sports Emmy Awards, which will be presented on May 2 at N.Y.’s Frederick P. Rose Hall. ESPN led all networks with 28 nominations, followed by NBC (23), Fox (18), ABC (17), HBO (17) and CBS (12). NBC earned 14 nominations for its coverage of the Athens Olympics. Following are the nominees in several key categories (National Television Academy).

EOE MAKING MOVIE BASED ON ROGER BANNISTER’S FOUR-MINUTE MILE

ESPN today announced the green lighting of production of the first-ever original movie premiere on ESPN2, “Four Minutes,” an EOE production based on Roger Bannister’s breaking of the four-minute mile in ‘54.  Principle photography will begin in Toronto in April. The movie, set to premiere this fall, will be exec produced by Gerald Abrams of Cypress Point Productions and Olympic filmmaker Bud Greenspan.  “Four Minutes” is written by SI’s Frank Deford (ESPN).

DUNKIN’ DONUTS CENTER SEEKING STATE MONEY FOR RENOVATIONS

The PROVIDENCE JOURNAL reports the Rhode Island Convention Center Authority (RICCA) tonight before the state House Finance Committee will present two multimillion-dollar improvement plans for the Dunkin’ Donuts Center, which is owned by the city of Providence. One plan, costing $38M, would include “luxury boxes, locker room upgrades, a new food court and a new exterior paint job.” A second scenario, costing $58M, would “also include revamping all of the seats in the arena, adding a new box office and building a pedestrian walkway” to connect the building to the neighboring convention center (PROVIDENCE JOURNAL, 3/9).

MAJOR LEAGUE LACROSSE TODAY AWARDS EXPANSION TEAM TO L.A.

Major League Lacrosse today awarded AEG an expansion team for the ’06 season to play at The Home Depot Center in Carson, California. L.A. becomes the first of four new west coast franchises as part of the league’s “Project West Coast.” MLL plans to add three more expansion teams for ’06, and two additional clubs by ’08, to complete its western expansion initiative (MLL).

U.S., MEXICO MEN’S SOCCER TEAMS EACH PLAYING IN L.A. AREA TONIGHT

USA TODAY notes the U.S. men’s national soccer team plays Colombia in an exhibition at Cal State-Fullerton’s Titan Stadium, capacity 10,000, while Mexico plays Argentina at the L.A. Coliseum, capacity 92,000. But USSF Dir of Communications Jim Moorhouse “isn’t miffed that the two rivals are playing on the same night in the same market.” Moorhouse: “We’re in a unique situation in the U.S. because we’re a melting pot. And teams like Mexico, or Manchester United, take advantage of that” (USA TODAY, 3/9).

BUZZER BEATERS

Sporting News this week features Univ. of Illinois G Dee Brown, with the header, “Bring on the Bracket Busters.”

Sports Illustrated this week features writer Tom Verducci with Reed Johnson, Vernon Wells and Frank Catalanotto of the Blue Jays, with the header, “Five Days in the Major Leagues: I was a Toronto Blue Jay.”

Sporting News	Sports Illustrated

The Dew Action Sports Tour today announced an international television distribution partnership with Apparent Gravity Media.  As part of the deal, Apparent Gravity Media Founder & President George Krieger will become a media consultant for the Tour (Clear Channel).

DC United today extended its broadcast deal with Radio America, which returns for its eight season as the club’s official Spanish-language radio partner in ’05.  As part of the agreement, all 32 United regular-season games will air on WACA-AM, while 25 matches will also be heard on Radio Universal (D.C. United).

The NHRA today announced that Ameriquest Mortgage, which is an official NHRA marketing partner, will title sponsor the September 29-October 2 Ameriquest Mortgage NHRA Nationals at Route 66 Raceway in Chicago (NHRA). 

Despite applying for bankruptcy protection in January, ChampionsWorld yesterday said that it “has received new financial backing and is in negotiations to stage games” this summer at Rogers Centre and Olympic Stadium.  The soccer tour currently owes the Canadian Soccer Association C$250,000 for last year’s games at the Rogers Centre (Toronto GLOBE & MAIL, 3/9).

The Red Sox have ordered three extra World Series Rings to be the grand prize of a $10 raffle with proceeds benefiting the Red Sox Foundation.  Red Sox Senior VP/Corporate Relations & Special Projects Meg Vaillancourt: “It will be the same ring players get” (BOSTON HERALD, 3/9).

NOW HEAR THIS

The following are notable quotes from today’s news:

Capitals Owner Ted Leonsis, on fan atrophy during the NHL lockout: “Listening to [NASCAR Chair & CEO Brian France] and hearing things like growing audience and how to use technology and partnering with sponsors and having the drivers connected to the overall enterprise’s goal, frankly that’s what we need in our league” (THE DAILY). Read the full story.

Anheuser-Busch VP/Global Media & Sports Marketing Tony Ponturo, on whether his company would sign an endorsement deal with an admitted steroid user: “We would not.  Let me make that real clear” (THE DAILY). Read the full story.

N.Y. CMO Joe Perello, on the 2012 Olympics: “Bringing the Olympics to New York does as much for the Olympic brand as it does for New York City” (THE DAILY). Read the full story.

TONIGHT'S EVENTS

CHANNEL SURFING

ESPN will air NCAA basketball: Seton Hall-Georgetown at 7:00pm ET and Rutgers-Notre Dame at 9:00pm.

ESPN2 will air NCAA basketball: Wagner-Fairleigh Dickinson at 7:00pm ET and Montana-Weber State at 9:00pm.

FSN will air NCAA women’s basketball: Oklahoma-Texas A&M at 7:00pm ET.

NBA TV will air Spurs-Suns at 9:00pm ET.

The Travel Channel will air WPT: Bicycle Casino’s Legends of Poker at 9:00pm ET.

“The Contender” co-host Sugar Ray Leonard will appear on CNBC’s “The Big Idea With Donny Deutsch” at 10:00pm ET.

Jose Canseco will appear on ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live.”

HEADLINERS

Here are tonight’s headline guests on the following talk shows:

TODAY’S ARTICLES OF INTEREST

K.C. Downtown Council Chair Jon Copaken writes in a K.C. STAR Op/Ed that the Downtown Council remains “disappointed, because [the Royals’ decision to remain in Kauffman Stadium until 2014] prematurely ended a public evaluation of the best solutions for the long-term needs of the community, the Royals and the Chiefs. … Without evaluating detailed alternatives that were to be presented to the public, we can only wonder whether fans and taxpayers truly had a voice” (K.C. STAR).

• Canadian hockey fans offering support for “Free Stanley” movement.
• Bode Miller looking to join Lance Armstrong as “niche sports icon.”
• Outback execs' departures effect on the company’s sports sponsorships.
• Steroid scandal causing Sammy Sosa to go from baseball savior to outcast.

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

CLOSING STAT: ALAN TAYLOR’S OVER- AND UNDEREXPOSED ATHLETES

The following presents the most overexposed and underexposed athletes based on a survey conducted by Alan Taylor Communications in which 250-plus PR and marketing execs from various sports leagues and companies were polled in December ’04 and January ’05 (Alan Taylor Communications).

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

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