| • | Fox Sports Sells Out Commercial Inventory For MLB All-Star Game |
| • | South Africa-Based First National Bank, FIFA Ink US$30M World Cup Deal |
| • | Juventus Prepared To Accept Demotion For Role In Match-Fixing Scandal |
| • | ABC, NBC, ESPN2 Sports Programs Nominated For Primetime Emmy Awards |
FOX SPORTS SELLS OUT MLB ALL-STAR GAME AD INVENTORY
 |
| Chevrolet Continuing As Title Sponsor
Of Fox' Pre- And Post-Game Coverage |
Fox Sports has sold out all commercial inventory for next Tuesday night’s MLB All-Star Game, with mid-to-high single digit rate increases compared to last year’s game. MLB corporate sponsors, including GM, PepsiCo, Taco Bell, Anheuser-Busch, Holiday Inn and Nestle, account for 35% of the inventory, while other advertisers include AOL, Exxon-Mobil, Flomax and Johnson & Johnson. Chevrolet returns for the second straight year as title sponsor of the net’s pre- and post-game coverage (Fox Sports).
Meanwhile, MLB Properties (MLBP) and Century 21 Real Estate, the league’s official real estate organization since ’99, have agreed to an extension. The company retains its title sponsorship of the Century 21 Home Run Derby, Century 21 Home Run Derby All-Star Sweepstakes and Century 21 Mascot Home Run Derby, as well as its presenting sponsorship of the Hank Aaron Award (MLBP).
FIRST NATIONAL BANK, FIFA INK 2010 WORLD CUP SPONSORSHIP DEAL
South Africa-based First National Bank (FNB) has agreed to a US$30M deal with FIFA to become the first company to sign up for one of the six National Supporter slots for the 2010 World Cup. FNB will be the official bank of the tournament (FIFA).
JUVENTUS PREPARED TO ACCEPT DEMOTION FOR MATCH-FIXING ROLE
Cesare Zaccone, attorney for Italian Serie A team Juventus, told judges investigating match-fixing allegations that the team “is ready to accept demotion to the national league second division,” Serie B, for its role in the scandal. Prosecutor Stefano Palazzi recommended a drop to Serie C, which would mean Juventus “would need at least two years” to return to the top league. Zaccone added that relegation “would be financially devastating” for the club, whose US$765.6M in broadcast and sponsorship contracts could be “renegotiated or abrogated if the team is dropped from Serie A” (BLOOMBERG NEWS, 7/6).
ABC, NBC, ESPN2 SPORTS PROGRAMS NOMINATED FOR PRIMETIME EMMY AWARDS
The Academy of TV Arts & Sciences today announced the nominations for Primetime Emmy Awards. Below is a listing of sports-related nominations (Academy of TV Arts & Sciences):
| SPORTS-RELATED NOMINATIONS FOR PRIMETIME EMMY AWARDS |
| PROGRAM (NETWORK) | NOMINATIONS |
| “The XX Olympic Winter Games: Opening Ceremony” (NBC) | Outstanding Picture Editing For A Special (Single or Multi-Camera) |
| | Outstanding Variety, Music Or Comedy Special |
| | Outstanding Technical Direction, Camerawork, Video For A Miniseries, Movie Or A Special |
| “NFL Opening Kickoff 2005” (ABC) | Outstanding Technical Direction, Camerawork, Video For A Miniseries, Movie Or A Special |
| “Four Minutes” (ESPN2) | Outstanding Cinematography For A Miniseries Or Movie |
WORLD TEAMTENNIS SET TO BEGIN ’06 SEASON TONIGHT
World TeamTennis (WTT) begins its ’06 season tonight with five scheduled matches (THE DAILY). The Boston Lobsters’ home venue, Harvard Univ.’s Bright Hockey Center, was marred by “steamy conditions” a year ago but has undergone a “vast improvement” to its air conditioning system (BOSTON HERALD, 7/6).
The Lobsters’ most expensive seats will be $40 on Sunday, when they host the Sacramento Capitals, whose roster includes Anna Kournikova. Lobsters Owner Bahar Uttam, on variable ticket pricing due to the host team having to pay the players: “I have to pay for [Kournikova] to play in my market, and she’s not cheap” (BOSTON GLOBE, 7/6).
Pete Sampras, who will play for the Newport Beach Breakers, said his respect for WTT Founder Billie Jean King “is a big reason why” he decided to participate in the league (USA TODAY, 7/6).
COVER TO COVER….
Sporting News this week features White Sox 1B Jim Thome on the cover with the headline, “Baseball @ The Break.”
ESPN The Magazine this week features Texans DE Mario Williams with team cheerleaders on the cover with the headline, “Mario Williams Is Feeling The Love … For Now.”
| | |
| Sporting News | ESPN The Magazine |
BUZZER BEATERS….
NASCAR today named Duke Energy Carolinas VP/Economic & Business Development Winston Kelley NASCAR HOF Exec Dir (NASCAR).
The PGA Tour today announced that it will begin multi-million dollar renovations to TPC Avenel in Potomac, Maryland, once necessary permits are obtained. The upgrades will include improvements to the golf course and a remodeling and expansion of the clubhouse (PGA Tour).
Sunrise Sports & Entertainment (SSE) announced today that Patron Tequila has inked a multi-year marketing deal with the NHL Panthers and BankAtlantic Center beginning with the ’06-07 season. The new Patron Tequila Platinum Club, an upscale sports bar located on the Lexus Suite Level, was also unveiled (SSE).
TSN and French-language RDS today announced a four-year extension to broadcast the IIHF Men’s World Hockey Championship through 2011. A new component to the deal includes a comprehensive suite of multimedia rights (TSN).
QUICK HITS....
“I don’t worry about Nick [Faldo] and Paul [Azinger]. … It’s the people behind the scenes, the guy who has done audio in the tower for years. That’s who I worry about” – ABC’s Mike Tirico, on the net ending its coverage of the PGA Tour after this season (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 7/6).
“York better unveil his plan soon. His reputation and legacy are at stake, and he’s running out of excuses” – The CONTRA COSTA TIMES’ Neil Hayes, on 49ers co-Owner John York’s plan for a new stadium (CONTRA COSTA TIMES, 7/6).
“He certainly treated Cleveland losing a team differently than [former NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle] treated Baltimore losing a team” – Ravens Owner Steve Bisciotti, on NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue’s role in bringing a team back to Cleveland after Art Modell moved his franchise to Baltimore (Cleveland PLAIN DEALER, 7/6).
ARTICLES OF INTEREST….
The L.A. DAILY NEWS’ Kevin Modesti writes of the NBA’s minimum age limit, “The league accomplished something I thought was impossible: It dumped another layer of cynicism on college basketball, which was rim-deep already” (L.A. DAILY NEWS).
The N.Y. TIMES’ Selena Roberts writes of speculation over whether ATPer Rafael Nadal is part of a Spanish doping investigation, “The antidoping technology is so imperfect that the accused have no means to characterize themselves as sacred vessels” (N.Y. TIMES).
Also:
- Chicago says it could finance 2016 Olympics without local taxes.
- Why Jacobs Field is one of the most fan-friendly ballparks in MLB.
- The AND1 Mix Tape Tour has brought global exposure to streetball.
- Profile of UFC President & co-Owner Dana White.
See the Articles of Interest section for more sports business-related links.
IN OTHER NEWS….
New Jersey state leaders today reached an agreement on a budget “following a six-day government shutdown that shuttered casinos and threw more than 80,000 people out of work.” The deal includes a sales tax increase that would raise $1.1B a year, according to a high-ranking state House official (AP, 7/6).
The FCC could announce today that it could vote on Time Warner’s and Comcast’s $16.9B acquisition of Adelphia Communications at its July 13 public meeting, “ending a review that has lingered at the agency for nearly 400 days” (MULTICHANNEL.com, 7/6).
Microsoft is developing its own hand-held music and video player, which includes wireless Internet capability, that “would allow users to download music without being connected to a PC.” The company expects the player, which would compete with Apple’s iPod, to be available in time for the holiday season (N.Y. TIMES, 7/6).
HEADLINERS….
Here are tonight’s headline guests on the following talk shows:
| “Late Show” | Lindsay Lohan (r) |
| “The Tonight Show” | Dana Carvey (r) |
| “Late Night” | Martha Stewart (r) |
| “The Late Late Show” | Tom Lennon |
| “Jimmy Kimmel Live” | Katherine Heigl (r) |
CLOSING STAT: BETA RESEARCH ’06 SATELLITE SUBSCRIBER STUDY
Beta Research’s ’06 Satellite Subscriber Study provides the top emerging, mid-sized and major networks based on the total percentage of digital broadcast satellite subscribers receiving the network. Notably, NFL Network was the fifth highest-ranked emerging network, while ESPN was the third highest-ranked major network (Beta Research).
| TOP-RANKED NETWORKS IN '06 BETA SATELLITE DISH SUBSCRIBER STUDY |
| EMERGING NETWORKS | % | MID-SIZED NETWORKS | % |
| Fox Movie Channel | 40% | National Geographic Channel | 50% |
| The Biography Channel | 37% | Lifetime Movie Network | 39% |
| DIY: Do-It-Yourself Channel | 27% | Discovery Health Channel | 30% |
| The Science Channel | 27% | Superstation WGN | 27% |
| NFL Network | 24% | Toon Disney | 20% |
| MAJOR NETWORKS | % | | |
| Discovery Channel | 67% | | |
| The History Channel | 59% | | |
| ESPN | 54% | | |
| TNT | 52% | | |
| The Weather Channel | 49% | | |
| USA Network | 49% | | |
Results are based on telephone interviews with a national sample of DirecTV and EchoStar subscribers. Interviews of 600 adults and 100 teens took place during March ‘06. The study measured basic cable networks that were a part of DirecTV’s Total Choice and Total Choice Plus packages and EchoStar’s Top 150/180 packages, including 16 emerging networks, 16 mid-sized networks and 37 major networks.
NOTES & QUOTES FROM THIS DAY IN SBD HISTORY….
2005
The IOC selects London to host the 2012 Olympic Games as the city edges Paris 54-50 in the fourth and final round of voting. London 2012 Chair Sebastian Coe: “We have a chance over seven years and way beyond that to change the face of British sport.”
2000
FIFA’s Exec Committee, rejecting the recommendation of FIFA President Sepp Blatter to award the ’06 World Cup to South Africa, votes for Germany to host the tournament. In ‘04, FIFA would award South Africa the 2010 World Cup.
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.
