| • | Dodgers Ink Chevy As Official Domestic Auto Manufacturer In Three-Year Deal |
| • | CVS Pharmacy, Red Sox Today Unveil Details Of Expanded Partnership |
| • | Nuggets Today Announce Increases In Five Most-Expensive Ticket Categories |
| • | HBO’s “Real Sports With Bryant Gumbel” Celebrates Tenth Anniversary Sunday |
| • | AND 1 Announces Acquisition Of First Footwear License, Triple Five Soul |
| • | Buzzer Beaters/Tonight’s Events/Channel Surfing/In Other News/Closing Stat |
DODGERS INK CHEVY AS OFFICIAL DOMESTIC AUTO MANUFACTURER
By Terry Lefton, Editor-at-Large
The Dodgers have signed their first domestic car sponsor in years, bringing on GM’s Chevrolet brand. GM inked a national deal with MLB several weeks ago. Sources said the three-year deal, under which Chevy becomes the team’s official domestic auto manufacturer, was in the low seven figures per annum. It includes a large outfield wall sign, the team’s new LED facia signage and other in-park signage, along with inventory on the Hispanic radio broadcasts sold by the team. “We added a lot of [advertising] inventory in the off-season; fortunately we added a lot of sponsors too,” chuckled Dodgers Chief Sales Officer Greg McElroy.
The consortium of L.A.-area Chevy dealers will activate by giving away around $500,000 worth of vehicles this season at Dodger Stadium -- one each, at a dozen home stands -- through a sweepstakes that can be entered on line or at Dodger Stadium.
Toyota, whose American HQs are in
Southern California, continues with the Dodgers’ foreign-car sponsorship rights.
CVS, RED SOX TODAY UNVEIL DETAILS OF EXPANDED PARTNERSHIP
CVS and the Red Sox today unveiled a partnership under which CVS will receive naming rights to the CVS Pharmacy Family Section at Fenway Park, as well as signage on the left field wall next to the new AL East standings board. CVS also receives title sponsorship of the “Red Sox Report Presented by CVS,” which airs Sunday nights at 10:30pm ET on WSBK-UPN. In addition, CVS will sponsor the “CVS Saves” program, under which CVS will make a donation to Boston Children’s Hospital for every home save and every home game that goes into extra innings. CVS earlier this year signed a deal to become the Red Sox’ official pharmacy and to be the presenting sponsor of the team’s Spring Training (Red Sox).
NUGGETS ANNOUNCE INCREASES IN MOST-EXPENSIVE TICKET CATEGORIES
The Nuggets today announced that ticket prices will increase in the five most expensive price categories for the ’05-06 season to an average of $45.64. Nearly one-third of seats at the Pepsi Center will remain at $17 or less per game, while over 1,000 tickets will still cost $10. In addition, 92% of upper-level seats will not be increased. Season-ticket holders will receive a 10% discount on average from the price of single-game seats (Nuggets).
HBO’S “REAL SPORTS” CELEBRATING TENTH ANNIVERSARY SUNDAY
HBO’s “Real Sports With Bryant Gumbel” will celebrate its tenth anniversary Sunday with a special primetime edition at 8:00pm ET. The show will feature reporting from all current correspondents, as well as revisit past moments. Frank Deford and James Brown have been with the show since the beginning, while Mary Carillo, Armen Keteyian and Bernard Goldberg joined in ’97, ’98 and ’99, respectively (HBO).
SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL reports the monthly debut episodes of “Real Sports” average about 450,000 viewers. The show reaches about 2.5 million viewers per month with rebroadcasts. But because HBO does not air ads, ratings are “just one measure of a show’s success. What the network really aims for is buzz factor, television that will create conversation and impact.” HBO Sports President Ross Greenburg, the show’s creator, said “Real Sports” is “right in the strike zone of what HBO is,” noting the “mantra here is to show something you can’t get anywhere else” (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 4/4 issue).
BUZZER BEATERS
AND 1 today announced its first footwear license acquisition, Triple Five Soul. AND 1 will handle the design, sales and marketing of the footwear for the brand, which will hit retail this spring in the U.S., Canada, Sweden, Germany, New Zealand, Australia, Greece and France (AND 1).
Red Bull has reached a deal to purchase Austrian soccer club SV Salzburg. Red Bull Owner Dietrich Mateschitz said that he wanted to take the club “to the top of European football,” but added that he “would not sign a blank check for the club to buy big international names” (ESPNSOCCERNET.com, 4/7).
Crown Royal at Sunday’s Advance Auto Parts 500 will make its regular-season debut as a primary sponsor of Kurt Busch’s No. 97 Roush Racing Nextel Cup Ford. Crown Royal will serve as primary sponsor for five races this season (AUTORACING1.com, 4/6).
Actor Anthony Edwards will serve as Grand Marshal of Saturday’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Kroger 250 at Martinsville Speedway (Raleigh NEWS & OBSERVER, 4/6).
NOW HEAR THIS
The following are notable quotes from today’s news:
With the Trail Blazers allowing season-ticket holders to cancel their multi-year contracts in favor of a year-by-year program, Blazers VP/Ticket Sales & Service Todd Taylor said, “We want people to come back because they want to, and not because a piece of paper tells them they have to” (Portland OREGONIAN, 4/7). Read the full story.
U.S. skier Bode Miller, on winning an Olympic Gold Medal: “With some of the contracts that I have now, it would be an opportunity for my sponsors to really push me into the mainstream, and that’s not a place that I really want to go” (ESPNews, 4/7). Read the full story.
When asked about his friendship with MLB Commissioner and former fraternity brother Bud Selig, new A’s Managing Partner Lewis Wolff said, “There’s 30 owners in this league, and I’m sure Bud is closer to a lot of them than he is to me” (CONTRA COSTA TIMES, 4/7). Read the full story.
WEEKEND EVENTS
FRIDAY
The Philadelphia Sports HOF Foundation will hold a 5:30pm ET induction ceremony at the Sheraton Society Hill for Tommy McDonald, Ed Snider, John Chaney, Jay Sigel, Vic Seixas, Bob Levy, Harvey Pollack, Bill Campbell and the 1954 LaSalle men’s basketball team, among others. Pat Williams will serve as Master of Ceremonies, while Phil Martelli will be the guest speaker.
The Music City Motorplex will celebrate the opening of its new season of night racing, which traditionally had been held on Saturday nights. Former NASCAR driver Bobby Allison will serve as grand marshal and will be signing copies of his book, “Bobby Allison: A Racer’s Racer” (Nashville TENNESSEAN, 4/8).
CHIC Sports Radio, a show devoted entirely to women’s sports, debuts at 9:00pm ET on the Sports Byline USA Radio Network.
SATURDAY
The ProRodeo HOF and Museum of the American Cowboy will reopen at 10:00am MT with free admission until 1:00pm.
N.Y.’s WFAN-AM will debut a new weekly baseball show, “The Latin Beat” at 4:00pm ET (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 4/8).
The Jackie Robinson Museum will open at 6:00pm ET at Jackie Robinson Stadium in Daytona Beach, Florida. In addition, the opening ceremonies will also honor other minorities who broke racial barriers, including Althea Gibson, Willie O’Ree and Roberto Clemente, who will be the first inductees into the “walk of fame” (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 4/5).
SUNDAY
The N.Y. Roadrunners will hold their 2nd annual More Marathon, a race for women ages 40 and over, in Central Park. The event will feature more than 3,000 runners, a 20% increase from last year’s race, from more than 40 states and from as far away as Australia and England (THE DAILY).
The Braves will unveil alternate red jerseys and all-navy hats during their 1:05pm ET game against the Mets, marking the first uniform change for the team since ’87. The jersey, which the team will wear for all Sunday home games in ‘05, features the “Braves” script in blue across the chest, with the tomahawk underneath.
The NLL will hold a news conference in Toronto to announce that the ’06 All-Star Game will be held at the Air Canada Centre (TORONTO SUN, 4/8).
CHANNEL SURFING
FRIDAY
USA Network will air second-round coverage of The Masters at 4:00pm ET.
Speed Channel will begin its coverage of “Racing Across America,” which consists of 25 NASCAR Grand National events, at 5:00pm ET.
ESPN will air Pistons-Magic at 7:00pm ET and Nuggets T’Wolves at 9:30pm.
ESPN2 will air Friday Night Fights: Mike Anchondo-Jorge Barrios at 9:00pm ET.
“Fever Pitch” actor Lenny Clarke will appear on CNBC’s “Dennis Miller” at 9:00pm ET.
Champ Car Newman/Haas Racing co-OwnerPaul Newman will appear on NBC’s “Tonight Show” at 11:30pm ET, where he will race Jay Leno in a go-kart race.
Football HOFers John Elway and Frank Gifford and NASCAR driver Kurt Busch will appear on “BDSSP.”
SATURDAY
ESPN2 will air the WTA Bausch & Lomb Championships Semifinals at noon ET.
CBS will air the “John R. Wooden Awards” at 1:00pm ET.
CBS will air “College Basketball’s 25 Greatest Players” at 1:30pm ET.
NBC will air snowboarding: Burton U.S. Open at 2:00pm ET.
ESPN will air college baseball: Texas-Nebraska at 2:00pm ET.
CBS will air “Golf’s Majors Fantastic Finishes” at 2:30pm ET.
NBA TV will air Euroleague: Climamio Bologna vs. Panathinaikos at 2:30pm ET.
ESPN will air “Women’s Curling World Championship” at 3:00pm ET.
CBS will air third-round coverage of The Masters at 3:30pm ET.
NBC will air “NTRA Road to the Kentucky Derby,” which will feature live coverage of the Santa Anita Derby, Illinois Derby, Wood Memorial Stakes and Carter Handicap at 4:00pm ET.
ESPN2 will air MLS: Chivas USA-Earthquakes at 4:00pm ET.
ESPN will air the NCAA Men’s Hockey Championship at 7:00pm ET.
ESPN2 will air NHRA: O’Reilly Spring Nationals Qualifying at 7:00pm ET.
FSN will air high school basketball: Nike Hoop Summit at 7:30pm ET.
NFL Network will air NFL Europe: Amsterdam Admirals-Frankfurt Galaxy at 8:00pm ET.
OLN will air PBR: The NILE Invitational at 8:00pm ET.
NBA TV will air Sonics-Nuggets at 9:00pm ET.
ESPN2 will air NCAA softball: Oregon-Arizona at 9:00pm ET.
ESPN will air Rockets-Suns at 10:00pm ET.
SUNDAY
NFL Network will air NFL Europe: Cologne Centurions-Rhein Fire at 10:00am ET.
Fox will air the NASCAR Nextel Cup Advance Auto Parts 500 at 12:30pm ET.
ABC will air Pistons-Heat at 1:00pm ET and Lakers-Kings or Knicks-Pacers at 3:30pm ET.
CBS will air “Jack At Augusta” at 1:00pm ET.
NBC will air regional coverage of AFL: Philadelphia Soul-Colorado Crush or San Jose SaberCats-Chicago Rush at 1:00pm ET.
ESPN will air PBA: Dexter Tournament Of Champions at 1:00pm ET.
ESPN2 will air the Bausch & Lomb Championships Final at 1:00pm ET.
CBS will air final-round coverage of The Masters at 2:30pm ET.
NBC will air the IRL Grand Prix of Long Beach at 4:00pm ET.
ESPN2 will air NHRA: O’Reilly Spring Nationals at 7:00pm ET.
ESPN will air White Sox-Twins at 8:00pm ET.
HBO will air a special tenth anniversary edition of “Real Sports With Bryant Gumbel” at 8:00pm ET.
OLN will air PBR: The NILE Invitational Finals at 8:00pm ET.
Speed Channel will air F1A World Rally: Rally of New Zealand at 11:00pm ET.
ARTICLES OF INTEREST
The HOUSTON CHRONICLE’s David Barron writes CBS’ 50-year “association with the Augusta National Golf Club and the Masters has elements of pretense and paternalism, commitment and conviction. When golf comes to Georgia on the second weekend of April, the assembled multitudes are patrons, not fans. There is no rough, merely a ‘second cut.’ Groundskeepers ensure garbage doesn’t linger on the ground. But until it’s removed, it isn’t garbage, its debris. … It would sound unacceptably anachronistic if the men and women behind the cameras or in front of the microphones didn’t love it so or didn’t have so much invested in the Masters beyond dollars and cents” (HOUSTON CHRONICLE).
See the Articles of Interest section for more sports business-related links.
CLOSING STAT: TOP MARCH EVENTS IN SECONDARY TICKET SALES
The following presents the top ten March events in terms of secondary ticket sales, according to the TicketsNow Entertainment Index (TicketsNow.com).
| TICKETSNOW ENTERTAINMENT INDEX: TOP MARCH EVENTS |
| RK | EVENT | RK | EVENT |
| 1) | U2 | 6) | Wicked |
| 2) | Boston Red Sox | 7) | Jimmy Buffett |
| 3) | N.Y. Yankees | 8) | Monty Python's Spamalot |
| 4) | Chicago Cubs | 9) | Houston Rodeo |
| 5) | NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament | 10) | Miami Heat |
CRITICS WEIGH IN: “FEVER PITCH” & “SAHARA”
In “Fever Pitch,” Ben Wrightman (Jimmy Fallon) is a humble schoolteacher who finds himself in a love triangle with a young, wealthy businesswoman (Drew Barrymore) and his favorite team, the Red Sox. In the screen adaptation of Clive Cussler’s book, “Sahara,” treasurer hunter Dirk Pitt (Matthew McConaughey) puts a treasure hunt for a Confederate ironclad ship on hold to save WHO doctor Eve Rojas (Penelope Cruz) and the world from an environmental catastrophe.
| | ------Movie------ |
| | “Fever Pitch ” | “Sahara ” |
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For more reviews of “Fever Pitch,” see today’s issue of THE DAILY.
If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please let us know at:
editorial@sportsbusinessdaily.com
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