A FINANCIAL TIMES editorial states as News Corp. Chair & CEO RUPERT MURDOCH "nears the end of an extraordinary career, his determination to secure his dynasty is grating." Investors are "not persuaded that his children are the best people to take over when he retires." Attempts to "push them forward are seen as counterproductive, alienating talented managers who would otherwise rise to the top." Investors also worry that President, COO & Deputy Chair CHASE CAREY "might ultimately follow" the path of his predecessor PETER CHERNIN and resign. Murdoch's authority "remains intact, his control underwritten" by News Corp. stakeholder PRINCE ALWALEED. But it is "hardly seemly for the chairman of a global media enterprise to be dependent upon a Saudi prince to secure his family interest" (FINANCIAL TIMES, 10/27).
HIS OWN MAN: Golfer GRAEME MCDOWELL said that he “played no part” in RORY MCILROY’s decision to change management teams from ISM to Horizon Sports Management. McDowell said, “I’ve heard I’m supposed to have enticed Rory, well I purposely took a back seat in it all. Rory makes his own decisions and doesn’t listen to anybody. I certainly wasn’t going to sway him about what to do with his career. Even if I could he’d only resent it if it didn’t work out.” He added, “Perhaps Rory just wants a different view on things, the way his business life is run off the golf course” (REUTERS, 10/26).
COIN COLLECTING: The U.S. House of Representatives yesterday passed a bill 416-3 authorizing the U.S. Mint to produce a series of commemorative coins honoring the 75th anniversary of the National Baseball HOF, which is coming up in '14. The act would allow for the creation of up to 50,000 $5 gold coins, 400,000 $1 silver coins and 750,000 half-dollar coins recognizing the HOF, with surcharges from the sale of the coins paid to the institution. The legislative measure was introduced by Rep. RICHARD HANNA (R-N.Y.), whose district includes Cooperstown; Rep. MIKE DOYLE (R-Pa.); and Rep. JOE BARTON (R-Texas). A senate vote is eyed for later this fall. If the legislation is signed by PRESIDENT OBAMA, the HOF coins would available in '15, the year following the 75th anniversary (Eric Fisher, SportsBusiness Journal).
OUT OF OFFICE: In N.Y., Alexei Barrionuevo reports Brazil’s Minister of Sport ORLANDO SILVA resigned yesterday “amid accusations of corruption.” He is the “sixth minister to step down in disgrace since President DILMA ROUSSEFF took office in January.” Silva was “pressured to resign after accusations that he took kickbacks from nongovernmental groups chosen to work on sporting events.” The scandal “comes at a time when Ms. Rousseff’s government is spending billions of dollars to prepare stadiums and other infrastructure” for the ’14 World Cup and ’16 Olympic Games. Silva had “already come under fire from FIFA ... for his role in World Cup preparations which the organization has said are lagging” (N.Y. TIMES, 10/27).
COURT REPORT: In DC, Prisbell & Yanda report a civil lawsuit was filed by T’Wolves F MICHAEL BEASLEY in Montgomery County Circuit Court alleging that Bell Sports Inc. President JOEL BELL “bankrolled CURTIS MALONE’s nationally recognized DC Assault summer basketball program and that in return Malone felt obliged to steer Beasley ... to Bell for professional representation.” Beasley’s suit contends that Bell and Malone “violated NCAA rules and federal laws governing agent conduct.” Beasley’s accusations are part of a countersuit against Bell and a third-party claim against Malone filed Sept. 27 “in response to a Jan. 21 breach-of-contract suit filed by Bell Sports Inc. against Beasley.” Bell’s original suit claims that Beasley “wrongfully terminated his representation agreement with Bell Sports Inc. just prior to signing an endorsement deal” with adidas (WASHINGTON POST, 10/27).
BOXING EVANGELIST: Top Rank President TODD DUBOEF said that he “views himself as a boxing evangelist, and has been traveling the country meeting with the executives of major media companies, as well as sponsors, singing the praises of his sport.” duBoef said that there are “a lot of misperceptions about the health of boxing that he is trying to dispel.” One of the things he is trying to do is “prevent promoters from dumping on each other’s shows publicly” (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 10/26).
NAMES: An MLB Rangers spokesperson and officials in Arlington and Dallas “wouldn’t elaborate on what’s being planned for the team’s return from St. Louis" at the conclusion of the World Series or "even confirm that a celebration is being considered.” It is also “not clear whether Dallas would consider a downtown parade for the Rangers, either in place of an Arlington celebration or in addition to one” (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 10/26)....VH1’s “BASEBALL WIVES” will be set in Scottsdale. The series, produced by Shed Media, will premiere Nov. 30 at 9:00pm ET. The show will feature ANNA BENSON, wife of former MLBer KRIS BENSON; TANYA GRACE, ex-wife of former MLBer MARK GRACE; CHANTEL KENDALL, ex-wife of Royals C JASON KENDALL; and BROOKE VILLONE, wife of Independent Atlantic League Somerset Patriots P RON VILLONE (THE DAILY)….RALPH NADER has announced that his League of Fans organization is working toward establishing a National Sports Commission to develop an integrated national sports policy and provide a coordinating mechanism for sports in the U.S. (THE DAILY).
