In L.A., Dawn Chmielewski reported Disney President & CEO BOB IGER "has signed a new five-year contract" that will keep him with the company until '15, "when he will step down as chief executive and leave the entertainment giant the following year at age 65." Iger in March "will assume the additional role" of BOD Chair, with the retirement of current Chair JOHN PEPPER JR. Iger will serve as Chair & CEO "for three years, until a successor is named CEO." At that time, Iger will "become executive chairman and serve until June 2016." Disney "has already taken steps to groom potential successors to Iger" (L.A. TIMES, 10/8). In N.Y., Brooks Barnes notes there "appear to be two main candidates" to follow Iger -- Disney CFO and former Theme Park Chair JAMES RASULO and current Theme Park Chair THOMAS STAGGS (N.Y. TIMES, 10/8). It will be "a contest to succeed Mr. Iger, known for his smooth, diplomatic demeanor" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 10/8).
REMEMBERING A GIANT: The death of TV sports director JOE ACETI was acknowledged by CBS’ JIM NANTZ during halftime of yesterday's Jets-Patriots game. Nantz said, “A lot of heavy hearts at CBS and the entire sports broadcasting industry this week with the news of the passing of Joe Aceti. ... He did it all. Joe Aceti: A giant in the industry and someone who taught so much to so many of us here a CBS. You’ll always be remembered” (“Jets-Packers,” CBS, 10/9). CBS’ JAMES BROWN said Aceti was “known as the BABE RUTH of sports directors." Brown: "We will always fondly recall his unique warmth, humor and generous spirit” (“The NFL Today,” CBS, 10/9). Fox’ CURT MENEFEE said Aceti was a "legendary innovator in the way we all watch games” (“Fox NFL Sunday,” Fox, 10/9).
BUFFALO'S BILL: In Buffalo, Bucky Gleason wrote the Sabres have become new Owner TERRY PEGULA’s “sixth child, his baby, and he wants them to be better.” Pegula has spent “an estimated $220 million on them” in the past eight months and his “commitment to winning a championship has changed the collective attitude of a proud hockey town that’s starving for one.” Gleason: “Buffalo has always wanted to win, but not since the KNOX family founded the franchise have so many players wanted to win for their owner. He has done everything expected and more, but he still doesn’t understand all the hoopla” (BUFFALO NEWS, 10/8).
CHARITY STRIPE: The Sharks announced D BRENT BURNS and RW MARTIN HAVLAT each invested in a lease for one of HP Pavilion's Citrix Suites for the '11-12 season, and will donate the seats to Bay Area residents. Burns, through his charity, "Burnzie's Battalion," will make his suite available to members of the armed services and their families (Sharks).... The PGA Tour The Players Championship "once again broke its annual record for charitable giving" in '11, and $5.9M of the event's revenue "will be donated to more than 200 charities" in Jacksonville. Last year's record "was $4.8 million," and the $1.1M increase "was nearly $500,000 more than the increase from 2009 ($4.15 million) to 2010" (FLORIDA TIMES-UNION, 10/9)....NASCAR Chair & CEO BRIAN FRANCE announced that the NASCAR Foundation’s finalists for the BETTY JANE FRANCE Humanitarian Award are JAKE BERNSTEIN, PATTY ABER, BRENDA DONER and ROBERT WEAVER. Fans will vote for the winner, who will “receive a 2012 Ford Explorer and $100,000 for the children’s charity” of their choice (Daytona Beach NEWS-JOURNAL, 10/9)
NAMES: Magic Senior VP PAT WILLIAMS, who is "battling life-threatening multiple myeloma, was released last Monday after a four-day hospital stay." Williams "came down with an infection and his temperature rose to 102" (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 10/9)….Seahawks WR SIDNEY RICE, Jaguars RB MAURICE JONES-DREW and Falcons CB BRENT GRIMES appeared in the opening scene of FX’s “The League” last Thursday. Rice was “wearing a purple jersey in the clip, apparently filmed prior to his signing with the Seahawks” (SEATTLEPI.com, 10/7)….MLB Giants incoming CEO LARRY BAER presented Oracle CEO LARRY ELLISON with a '10 World Series championship ring at the opening ceremony of Oracle OpenWorld. Baer said, "Oracle is one of our oldest corporate sponsors" (CHRON.com, 10/9).
