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Closing Bell

Closing Bell, May 31, 2005

ESPN Will Not Renew NHL Broadcast Agreement, But May Seek New Deal
ABC’s Indy 500 Ratings Up 40% With Presence Of Danica Patrick
Beckham To Play First Game In U.S. Today At Giants Stadium
Bids Due Today From Five Cities Competing For NASCAR HOF
Dick Ebersol Could Take on Dual Role, Become President of NBC News

ESPN WILL NOT RENEW NHL BROADCAST AGREEMENT, BUT MAY SEEK NEW DEAL

In a call with members of the media today, ESPN Exec VP/Programming & Production Mark Shapiro said that ESPN will not pick up a $60M option to renew its television deal with the NHL. Shapiro: “Looking at the future today, we envision next year coming and going without any NHL product.” Shapiro said if the NHL “were to announce tomorrow [that the league] is back, we’re not there for $60[M]” (THE DAILY).

The L.A. TIMES reported that ESPN “may try picking up the same rights for less money.” An ESPN source said, “We just think $60[M] is too much right now” (L.A. TIMES, 5/28).


ABC’S INDY 500 RATINGS UP 40% ON DANICA PATRICK STORY, CONTENTION

Boosted by a fourth-place finish by Danica Patrick, ABC earned a 6.6/17 overnight Nielsen rating for the race segment of Sunday’s Indianapolis 500 from 1:00-4:45pm ET, up 40% from a 4.7/11 for last year’s rain-delayed race segment.  The 6.6/17 marks the highest overnight for the Indy 500 since a 7.4/21 in ’96.  Fox earned a 4.8/10 overnight for the 5 1/2 –hour NASCAR Nextel Cup Series Coca-Cola 600. ABC’s 12:00-1:00pm ET pre-race segment posted a 4.1/11 overnight, up 58% over last year’s 2.6/7 (THE DAILY).

The HOUSTON CHRONICLE notes that Patrick appeared on four network TV shows Monday morning, while Indy 500 winner Dan Wheldon appeared on one (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 5/31).

Following is a sampling of columns following Patrick’s performance at the Indy 500:

In Indianapolis, Bob Kravitz wrote Patrick “can do for her sport what Tiger Woods did for golf” (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 5/30).  

In Toronto, Dennis Morgan: “The sport’s most venerable race has someone it can market beyond its hard-core fan base” (TORONTO STAR, 5/31). 

In Detroit, Mike Brudenell: “She did something the men couldn’t since the [IRL] and [CART] split in 1996.  She had people talking about the sport with a positive spin, not doomsday predictions” (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 5/31).

Meanwhile, Wheldon today and tomorrow will visit N.Y. and the ESPN headquarters in Bristol, Connecticut. Next Monday, Wheldon will return to N.Y. as a guest on CBS’ “Late Show” with David Letterman (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 5/31).


BECKHAM TO PLAY FIRST GAME IN U.S. TODAY AT GIANTS STADIUM

David Beckham Signs Autographs
For Fans At Giants Stadium

USA TODAY reports that David Beckham will play his first game ever in the U.S. today before an expected crowd of over 50,000 at Giants Stadium, in a 4:00pm ET exhibition between England and Colombia. Beckham’s U.S. schedule this week includes an appearance tomorrow morning on NBC’s “Today” show, followed in the afternoon by an unveiling of his new line of soccer shoes and apparel at the adidas store in Soho. On Thursday, Beckham will launch the David Beckham Academy at The Home Depot Center in Carson, California, a soccer camp for boys and girls set to open next year (USA TODAY, 5/31).


BIDS DUE TODAY FROM FIVE CITIES COMPETING FOR NASCAR HOF

The bids from the following five cities competing to land the NASCAR HOF are due today: Charlotte, Daytona Beach, Atlanta, Richmond and Kansas City. The Closing Bell offers select headlines from the competing markets:

CHARLOTTE OBSERVER: “Suitors Race In With Bids Today”

RICHMOND TIMES-DISPATCH: “Promotional Efforts In Overdrive For NASCAR Hall”

ATLANTA CONSTITUTION: “Atlanta Revs Its Reputation In Race For NASCAR Hall”

Kansas City and Daytona Beach submitted their HOF proposals last Friday.


BUZZER BEATERS

BROADCASTING & CABLE reported that with Neal Shapiro out as President of NBC News, “one rumor making the rounds is that [NBC Universal Sports & Olympics Chair] Dick Ebersol will be tapped for a dual role—just as his mentor, the late Roone Arledge, famously ran both ABC’s news and sports divisions” (BROADCASTINGCABLE.com, 5/29).   

Nike VP/Global Sports Marketing Ian Todd said that Nike “will consider terminating” its 13-year, US$552.4M uniform deal with ManU “unless the club’s on-pitch fortunes improve.”  Todd added that the decision has “nothing to do with” Malcolm Glazer’s ManU takeover (London INDEPENDENT, 5/30).

MLB today will accept nine initial bids for the Nationals, “launching a franchise sale that could last for months and bring up to $400[M].”  Smith College sports economist Andrew Zimbalist said that the price “could reach $500[M] if the sale includes MLB’s portion of” MASN (WASHINGTON POST, 5/31).

Despite reports that Pistons coach Larry Brown plans to accept a position as Cavaliers President of Basketball Operations following this season, Brown said, “There’s no deal in place” (DETROIT NEWS, 5/31).

Ann Sarnoff has resigned from her position as COO of the WNBA.  She will remain involved with the league in an advisory role (THE DAILY).

Lonie Gliberman today will be introduced as CFL Ottawa Renegades President, after the league approved his father, Bernie Gliberman’s, purchase of 51% of the club (Toronto GLOBE & MAIL, 5/31).


ATTENDANCE WATCH

The NCAA Division I-A lacrosse final Monday between Johns Hopkins and Duke drew a finals record of 44,920 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. The Division II and III championship games on Sunday drew an attendance record of 21,052 (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 5/31).

The six-day ACC baseball tournament at the Baseball Grounds in Jacksonville drew a record 66,475, surpassing the ’92 record set in Greenville, South Carolina, by almost 23,000 (FLORIDA TIMES-UNION, 5/30).

Saturday’s England-U.S. soccer game at Soldier Field drew 47,637 (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 5/29).

The Indians’ three-game series with the A’s at Jacobs Field drew 79,094, making it Cleveland’s top-drawing series of the season. Only the Indians’ home opener drew more than the 33,646 who attended Saturday’s game (AKRON BEACON-JOURNAL, 5/31).


CHANNEL SURFING

Saints QB Aaron Brooks, Bills WR Eric Moulds and Buccaneers DE Greg Spires will appear on NFL Network’s “NFL Total Access” at 7:00pm ET.

ESPN will air Orioles-Red Sox or Braves-Nationals at 7:00pm ET.

ESPN2 will air “Cinderella Man: The James Braddock Story” at 7:00pm ET.

TNT will air Heat-Pistons at 8:00pm ET.

ESPN2 will air Tuesday Night Fights: Israel Vasquez vs. Armando Guerrero at 8:00pm ET.

Nuggets F Carmelo Anthony and supercross racer Ricky Carmichael will appear on MTV’s “Cribs” at 9:00pm ET.

ESPN’s “OTL” will examine Buccaneers Owner Malcolm Glazer’s recent purchase of Manchester United at 12:40am ET.

Pro wrestler Hulk Hogan and actor/rapper Ice Cube will appear on “BDSSP.”


HEADLINERS

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

“Late Show” Jane Fonda (r)
“The Tonight Show” Sandra Bullock (r)
“The Late Late Show” Rosie O’Donnell (r)
“Late Night” Vin Diesel (r)
“Jimmy Kimmel Live” Tracy Morgan

TODAY’S ARTICLES OF INTEREST

The S.F. CHRONICLE’s Ray Ratto writes of stadium plans by the A’s and 49ers, “Developments have either been glacial, sub-atomic, or out-and-out lies. … So the 49ers have a site -- the one they already occupy -- and no money or visible political support except the mayor swearing action before the planet snaps off its orbit and hurtles into the sun. So the A’s have no site and no political support, and if they have money, it’s between the cushions of a couch nobody has seen” (S. F. CHRONICLE).

The N.Y. TIMES’ William Rhoden, on meeting with French Tennis Federation President Jean-Claude Blanc about the lack of equal prize money for men and women: “I couldn’t believe I was having this discussion in 2005 -- in Paris, the city of lights and enlightenment. A woman who wins the French Open will receive 13,000 euros less than the men’s winner -- just because. … Perhaps the difference is a gender tax” (N.Y. TIMES).

Also:

  • Amphetamine use remains “unchecked” in MLB, despite drug-testing changes.
  • How have the D’Backs become one of MLB’s most improved teams?
  • Pasadena’s Baseball Reliquary an alternative to the MLB HOF.
  • Columnist says these are not “easy days” for NBA Commissioner David Stern.

See the Articles of Interest section for more sports business-related links.


IN OTHER NEWS….

Nolan Bushnell, inventor of Atari and Chuck E. Cheese’s Pizza Time Theater, is launching the uWink Media Bistro restaurant chain “that doubles as a video-gaming center.” The chain will open in L.A. this fall and expand nationally in ’06 (USA TODAY, 5/31).


CLOSING STAT: INDY 500 OVERNIGHT RATINGS TREND

The following presents a Nielsen overnight ratings trend for ABC’s Indianapolis 500 race coverage.  Saturday’s Indy 500, from 1:00-5:45pm ET, received an overnight rating of 6.6/17 up 40.4% from last year’s 4.7/11 rating (ABC).

INDIANAPOLIS 500 NIELSEN OVERNIGHT RATING TREND
YEAR
RAT/SHR
%+/-
'05
6.6/17
40.4%
'04
4.7/11
-7.8%
'03
5.1/13
-3.8%
'02
5.3/14
-8.6%
'01
5.8/15
7.4%
'00
5.4/13
1.9%
'99
5.3/16

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

The Closing Bell provides an afternoon recap of the latest news and headlines each Monday through Friday at approximately 4:00pm ET. If you would like to sign up for an e-mail alert to the Closing Bell, go to My Account and personalize your e-mail alert options.

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