The Daily Insider
Morning News & Headlines
Thursday, October 4, 2001
9:00am ET
| • | The Tide Is High – Are They Moving On? Hornets To Meet With Norfolk Officials |
| • | Gone In 60 Seconds: MLB Sets Guidelines On Bonds’ Highlights |
| • | Disney’s Iger Addresses Adding Uncertainty To An Uncertain Market |
| • | Will MLS Face First Franchise Move In Its History? |
| • | Getting Pulled In “Race City” To Be A New Experience? |
| • | A Lighter Buzz/TV Monitor/Final Jeopardy! |
HORNETS TO HOLD DISCUSSIONS TODAY WITH VA OFFICIALS
The CHARLOTTE OBSERVER reports that VA officials "will meet today in New York with an NBA team open to moving." Hornets co-Owners George Shinn and Ray Woolridge "are expected to attend the meeting to hear Norfolk’s pitch" (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 10/4).
MLB SETS GUIDELINES ON TRANSMITTING HR HIGHLIGHTS
MLB announced yesterday the regulations for showing highlights of Barry Bonds’ historic home runs. For his 70th HR, only MLB media partners ESPN, Fox, TBS and their related networks can show up to a 60-second taped highlight immediately following each at-bat. For the 71st HR, all news entities are permitted to air up to a 60-second taped highlight. However, no live cut-ins for news entities or live or taped highlights by online media will be permitted. Additionally, no live or game-in-progress taped highlights are permitted for Fox Sports’ national telecast of the Giants-Dodgers game on Saturday (THE DAILY).
Two signs help up by ten-year-old Shikari Bonds while sitting behind the Giants’ dugout during last night’s game against the Astros at Enron Field: "Please pitch to our Daddy" and "Give our Daddy a chance." Bonds walked three times (SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, 10/4).
SPEAKING IN N.Y., DISNEY’S IGER SAYS SALES CLIMATE “UNCERTAIN”
Speaking at the Goldman Sachs & Co. Communacopia yesterday, Disney President & COO Bob Iger said he met with media buying agencies and his own sales teams this week and found the effects of the terrorist attacks have mainly "added uncertainty to an already uncertain market." He added that while ESPN "was mainly affected by the suspension of sports events," the network "has since rebounded" (ADAGE.com, 10/4).
MLS GIVES RAPIDS PERMISSION TO SEEK NEW WATERS
The DENVER POST reports that MLS granted the Rapids "permission Wednesday to seek options for moving the franchise out of Denver if the team cannot reach an agreement to play next season in the new Mile High stadium." MLS "never has had a franchise move from a city in its six-year existence" (DENVER POST, 10/4).
IRL TO ANNOUNCE ADDITION OF CA SPEEDWAY RACE TODAY
The ARIZONA REPUBLIC reports that next year's IRL "schedule is growing again," and IRL execs will "announce today that California Speedway has been added to the 2002 schedule, a late addition that increases the all-oval Indy car series to 15 races, up one from the original 14-race schedule announced last June" (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 10/4).
TORCHBEARERS FOR ‘02 GAMES TO BE ANNOUNCED TODAY
The ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS reports that the "names of a majority of the torchbearers" for the ’02 Games "will be revealed during a ceremony in Salt Lake City." The announcement originally was scheduled for September 12 but was postponed because of the terrorist attacks. Nominated by "family, friends and colleagues in their communities, the torchbearers are people who motivate and inspire, people who freely give their time and resources" (ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS, 10/4).
USA TODAY reports that "nationally, few [of the torchbearers] will generate a spark of recognition. Too bad: Some of their lives rival, if not surpass, the drama in those up-close-and-personal features on Olympic TV coverage" (USA TODAY, 10/4).
CART OWNERS MEET TODAY IN HOUSTON ON KEY ENGINE ISSUES
The INDIANAPOLIS STAR reports that the meeting of CART owners "today in Houston is more about sorting out engine alternatives than selecting which one to pursue." But CART President Joe Heitzler and franchise board member Derrick Walker "agree that substantive progress needs to be made if CART is going to stay in control of its own destiny." Last week’s announcement by Toyota that it "would produce only an Indy Racing League-type normally aspirated engine starting in 2003, although not entirely unexpected, got CART's attention" (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 10/4).
A LIGHTER BUZZ
UHL President Richard Brosal will host a media conference call today at 1:00pm CT (THE DAILY)….The Thrashers have "launched a redesigned home page to coincide with the team’s NHL season opener tonight" (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 10/4)….The Braves drew just 27,431 fans last night for a key divisional matchup against the Phillies. The Braves won 8-3 and moved two games ahead of the Phillies in the NL East (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 10/4)….MO-based Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World chain will open its newest store today, "becoming the biggest anchor" at DC-area Arundel Mills. The store is the 14th in Founder John Morris’ chain (Baltimore SUN, 10/4)…. Michael Jordan’s new restaurant, "jordans" will open early next year in the Ronald Reagan Building and Int’l Trade Center in Washington, DC. The 11,000-square foot restaurant will seat 160 patrons and include private seating areas (THE DAILY).
IN OTHER NEWS……
The N.Y. DAILY NEWS reports that despite heightened security at Yankee Stadium, "a convincing Michael Jackson impersonator with a phony camera crew in tow was able to weasel his way into the Yankees dugout during last night's game at the Stadium." Police eventually arrested the crew. The "fake Jackson and his buddies wandered the stadium, making it all the way to the Yankees dugout" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 10/4).
The AP reports that the Mooresville, NC, town board "has approved the concept of NASCAR sponsors donating squad cars and having their name affixed." Mooresville police chief John Crone: "We think this is going to be a real savings to taxpayers and a real boost to morale." The patrol cars can cost as much as $30,000 apiece and the police department "is aiming for 25 donated cars." NASCAR has yet to sign off on the program (AP, 10/4).
FINAL JEOPARDY QUESTION
Last night's "Final Jeopardy!" category was "Transportation."
"The three bases for these in the U.S. are at Pompano Beach, FL, Carson, CA and Suffield, OH, just east of Akron."
WEDNESDAY 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
"What are the Goodyear blimps?"
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