As reported Friday, Fox Sports will team with Host
Marriott to lend its name to a chain of sports-themed
restaurants that will open in a dozen major metropolitan
airports next year. The "Fox Sports Sky Box" will resemble
the set of the Fox Sports Studio (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER,
11/23). Rick Burton, Exec Dir of Warsaw Sports Marketing
Center at the Univ. of OR, said, "The global brand in sports
is ESPN, and Fox has said 'we've got a sports brand too and
we can play this game.'" BLOOMBERG NEWS' Kevin Shinkle
wrote that the menu at the new restaurants will contain
references to Fox Sports shows and commentators (BLOOMBERG
NEWS, 11/21). In N.Y., Bob Raissman wrote the "one problem"
faced by the Fox airport restaurants is that their "biggest
potential customer," John Madden, "doesn't fly." Raissman:
"[Y]ou can bet Fox will start [hyping] its Heartburn Palace
pronto on its NFL pre-game show" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 11/22).
ESPN'S HYPE ALONG THE HARBOR: USA TODAY's Joanne
Gerstner profiles the ESPN Zone at Baltimore's Inner Harbor.
The weekly "MNF Blast" parties that the Zone hosts are
almost sold out, as "corporate sales dominate, with only
five shows open to the public." Costs of a private "MNF"
party run from $5,000-$20,000. The public dates sell out
more than a week in advance "despite" ticket prices of $75,
$50 and $25 that only provide admission (USA TODAY, 11/23).
