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Morning Buzz

Morning Buzz, October 3, 2001

The Daily Insider
Morning News & Headlines
Wednesday, October 3, 2001
9:00am ET


The Giants Win The Pennant! MLB Radio To Recreate Thomson HR Game

Latest Wave Of Olympic Tickets Go On Sale Today

On Frozen Pond: NHL Season Gets Underway Tonight

NFL Continues To Hammer Out Deal With NADA

Security Still A Top Issue For Olympic Planners

A Lighter Buzz/Today’s Events/TV Monitor/Final Jeopardy!


MLB TO BROADCAST HISTORIC 1951 DODGERS-GIANTS PENNANT GAME

MLB.com will celebrate the 50th anniversary of Bobby Thomson’s "Shot Heard ‘Round The World" by broadcasting a recreation of the pennant-winning game today beginning at 1:30pm ET. The game will feature Tigers broadcaster Ernie Harwell, who called the original game for CBS in ‘51. The contest was held in the Polo Grounds in N.Y. in front of 34,320 fans, who watched the Giants advance to the World Series after Thomson’s three-run HR off of Dodgers P Ralph Branca in the bottom of the ninth gave the Giants a 5-4 win (THE DAILY).


NEXT ROUND OF SALT LAKE WINTER GAME TICKETS ON SALE TODAY

The SALT LAKE TRIBUNE reported that "seats to premier events" for the Winter Games – "from figure skating and hockey to freestyle aerials and speedskating will be available … when the next round of Olympic ticket sales begin" today at 10:00am MT. The SLOC is making 70,000 tickets available, with "first shot" going to volunteers and those already with an account established with the SLOC. Ticket sales "will expand to the general public Monday" (SALT LAKE TRIBUNE, 10/2).


TIME TO DROP SOME PUCK! NHL OPENS TONIGHT WITH THREE GAMES

The WASHINGTON POST reports the NHL "season opens tonight after an unprecedented summer of player movement, which included superstars Jaromir Jagr, Dominik Hasek and Eric Lindros changing teams, and an uncharacteristically quiet offseason in the league's front office" (WASHINGTON POST, 10/3).


NFL HOPEFUL FOR A DECISION ON SUPER BOWL SOMETIME TODAY

The New Orleans TIMES-PICAYUNE reports that the NFL's $7.5M offer "to cover losses incurred by the National Automobile Dealers Association for moving its convention has been accepted, a source said Tuesday, but some disputed contractual language must be clarified before Super Bowl XXXVI can officially be moved to Feb. 3" (New Orleans TIMES-PICAYUNE, 10/3). NFL VP/Communications Greg Aiello: "We would like have something by noon" (USA TODAY, 10/3).


TOP OFFICIALS MEET TODAY TO DISCUSS ’02 GAMES SECURITY

The AP reports, "Organizers of the 2002 Winter Olympics plan to ask congressional leaders [today] for millions of dollars in government funding for security in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks." The "exact figures of the requests remain unclear," but officials put it between $4-8M for "state security needs such as additional fencing and metal detectors at venues" (AP, 10/3). SLOC, UT and Congressional officials will hold a press conference after today’s meeting at 11:45am ET in Washington (THE DAILY).


TODAY’S EVENTS

Oakley will present at the Robertson Stephens Consumer Conference in N.Y. today at 9:30am ET. COO Link Newcomb and CFO Tom George will highlight Oakley's new product introductions, as well as provide an update on the company's new marketing and distribution strategies. The presentation will be available to all interested parties as an audio webcast from the investor relations section of Oakley's Web site until October 17 (THE DAILY).

The L.A. TIMES reports, "Completing an expected move, the Dodgers plan to announce that Dan Evans has been promoted to general manager today in an afternoon conference call with reporters" (L.A. TIMES, 10/3).

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman will participate in an audio chat on ESPN.com beginning at 11:30am ET (ESPN.com, 10/3).

The Hornets will begin selling single-game tickets for all home games beginning at 10:00am ET (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 10/3).


AROUND THE HORN: MLB ATTENDANCE HIGHS AND LOWS

The HOUSTON CHRONICLE reports that a sellout crowd of 43,548, the largest ever at Enron Field, watched Giants LF Barry Bonds "attempt to tie and possibly even break Mark McGwire's single-season home run record of 70" during last night’s 4-1 Giants victory (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 10/2).

The AP reports that the Phillies beat the Braves 3-1 in the opener of a key three-game series which was met with "indifference in Atlanta, where a crowd of just 30,739 -- about 20,000 short of capacity -- turned out on a warm, clear night." The win moved the Phillies one game behind the Braves in the NL East (AP, 10/3).

The PALM BEACH POST reports that the Expos and Marlins, the two worst teams in the NL East, "met for the first of three games in a series that was postponed after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks." That "probably explains the season's smallest crowd, an announced total of 7,737, the fourth-smallest in franchise history," but an "informal head count tallied no more than 700" fans (PALM BEACH POST, 10/3).


A LIGHTER BUZZ

Representatives from architectural firms Ellerbe Becket and HOK Sport "made presentations to the New Memphis Arena Public Building Authority’s construction committee during separate interviews at the Plaza Club" yesterday in a pitch to build the new Grizzlies arena (Memphis COMMERCIAL APPEAL, 10/3)….This week’s issue of Sports Illustrated features Giants LF Barry Bonds on the cover with the headline: "SMASHING! Home Runs Are Only Part Of Barry Bonds’s Record-Busting Season" (SI, 10/8 issue).


IN OTHER NEWS….

Media execs speaking at Goldman, Sachs & Co.’s annual media conference yesterday feared that TV’s "lackluster ad market could get worse before it gets better." News Corp. President & COO Peter Chernin: "The truth is, nobody knows what the future is. We are now looking at a greatly altered advertising landscape – a landscape which has caused us to lower the bar." AOL Time Warner Chair Steve Case, on the nation’s economy: "It doesn’t look like it’s going to return anytime soon" (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 10/3). Also at the conference, Case graded the first year of the AOL-Time Warner merger: "I wouldn’t say we get an A+ as a company, but certainly a B-plus, maybe an A-minus" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 10/3).

The WALL STREET JOURNAL reports that since the terrorist attacks on September 11, Ticketmaster warned of being "hurt" in revenue and earnings for the Q3. However, "ticket sales have bounced back to preattack levels" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 10/3).

Retired GE Chair Jack Welch has "landed the first job of his new life," by becoming a "special partner" at Clayton, Dubiller & Rice, Inc, private-equity fund, advising on "leadership and management issues" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 10/3).

The London GUARDIAN reports that Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. yesterday "issued a profits warning hours before a meeting that could decide the fate of his long-held ambition to buy satellite broadcaster DirecTV." Directors of GM, the parent of DirecTV's Owner, Hughes Electronics, "were due to meet last night to discuss" News Corp.’s bid (London GUARDIAN, 10/3).


LAUGH TRACK

NBC’s Jay Leno, on President Bush encouraging people to fly again: "Even the Washington Redskins said they are not afraid to fly. They're afraid to run, pass, punt and play defense." Leno, on Giants LF Barry Bonds chasing the HR record: "Whenever a guy hits a home run, the camera cuts to the pitcher who always looks embarrassed like he did some dumb thing. When Barry Bonds hits number 71, forget the pitcher. They should cut to the guy who paid $3 million on eBay for Mark McGwire's home run ball" ("Tonight Show," NBC, 10/2).


FINAL JEOPARDY QUESTION

Last night's "Final Jeopardy!" category was "Sports Stars."

"A July 2001 newspaper ad from the U.S. Postal Service congratulating this man read, 'Un, deux, trois.'"


TUESDAY NIGHT’S TV MONITOR

FSN’s 10:30pm ET "National Sports Report" led with Giants-Astros.

ESPN’s 11:00pm ET "SportsCenter" led with Giants-Astros.


FINAL JEOPARDY ANSWER

"Who is Lance Armstrong?"


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

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