| | The Daily Insider
Morning News & Headlines
Thursday, November 29, 2001
9:00am ET | |
| • | Ted Turner, Speaking At Western Show, Addresses Cable’s Future |
| • | Deadline For Red Sox Bids Set For Noon Today |
| • | Wooldridge’s Quest For New Arena Takes Him Back To Louisville |
| • | Who Should Light The Olympic Cauldron In February? |
| • | T-Mac In Pinstripes? Two-Sport Career A Possibility |
| • | A Lighter Buzz/Today’s Events/TV Monitor/Final Jeopardy! |
TURNER PREDICTS END OF CABLE INDUSTRY AS HE KNOWS IT
The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER notes that AOL Time Warner Vice Chair Ted Turner sounded "the alarm about rapid consolidation among cable operators during a wide-ranging interview session at the annual Western Show convention" in Anaheim, CA, on Wednesday. Turner: "Within the next year, there will be only two cable operators and one satellite provider. When you own all the pieces, it's like Monopoly – when you own all the real estate on the board, there's nobody else left to pay rent, (and) you win" (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 11/29).
Meanwhile, Turner also noted his difficulties since selling his company to Time Warner: "I never thought in my wildest dreams that I would actually lose my job, but it happened. My advice to younger people in the room is be real careful who you sell your company to" (N.Y. POST, 11/29).
RED SOX BIDS DUE TODAY AT NOON, BUT SALE COULD TAKE WEEKS
The BOSTON GLOBE reports that one year after Red Sox CEO John Harrington announced he was selling the franchise, bidders "will file formal offers today, as the process that will end the Yawkey family's seven-decade control of the team moves toward a conclusion." Bids "must be submitted by noon at Bingham Dana … where they will be opened by Harrington and Justin Morreale, a Bingham Dana lawyer and longtime adviser to the team" (BOSTON GLOBE, 11/29). Read the bios of the prospective bidders for the Red Sox.
WOOLDRIDGE BACK IN LOUISVILLE TO ANSWER ARENA QUESTIONS
The Louisville COURIER-JOURNAL reports Hornets co-Owner Ray Wooldridge "will meet today with Louisville aldermen to answer questions about a newly released $250 million plan to build an arena and bring the National Basketball Association franchise to the city." Wooldridge, who was in St. Louis on Wednesday, accepted an invitation to "talk with the aldermen about the plan after board members Denise Bentley and Steve Magre" asked him to answer questions about the proposal (Louisville COURIER-JOURNAL, 11/29).
WHO WOULD YOU HAVE LIGHT THE FLAME IN SALT LAKE CITY?
USA TODAY’s Christine Brennan writes, "Can you imagine a more crucial opening ceremony than Salt Lake's? Talk about a delicate balancing act. It should be warm and fuzzy but not too soft and definitely not too cuddly." She adds that there "is only one fitting choice" to light the Olympic cauldron this February, the ’80 U.S. men’s hockey team, as "in the 22 years since they defeated the Soviet Union in the most memorable upset in American sports history, the 20 members of the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team have never been totally reunited" (USA TODAY, 11/29).
A LIGHTER BUZZ
The N.Y. POST reports that Arn Tellem, advisor to free agent 1B Jason Giambi, says the Yankees are interested in another one of his clients, Magic F Tracy McGrady. Tellem, on McGrady’s baseball potential: "He is a very good pitcher, is looking to start a two-sport career and is a big Yankees fan, but that’s for another day" (N.Y. POST, 11/29).
Yankees Manager Joe Torre presented P Roger Clemens a March of Dimes Sportsperson of the Year Award yesterday at the Waldorf-Astoria in N.Y. (N.Y. TIMES, 11/29).
The SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS reports energy trader Enron "was valued at $80 billion little more than a year ago, its name gracing a Houston major league ballpark. By the end of the trading day [yesterday], it was worth about $500 million – and one Enron share was worth less than a sixth the price of a hot dog at Enron Field" (SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS, 11/29).
The TORONTO SUN reports that Canada’s governing track and field body "plans to lay off almost its entire staff and move its head office from Toronto back to Ottawa – moves that are expected to cause a furor in Canadian amateur sport circles." Athletics Canada Chair Jean-Guy Ouellette confirmed his office "is on the verge of making the announcement to slash and burn its staff and the Toronto office." The cuts will be brought up at the annual general meetings in Toronto next week (TORONTO SUN, 11/29).
Arnold Schwarzenegger "is getting his very own ski run," as Sun Valley ski resort in ID "will change the name of one of its runs to Arnold's Run." Schwarzenegger owns a home near the resort and "has led the Christmas Eve torchlight parade down the mountain for a number of years" (CALGARY SUN, 11/29).
TODAY’S EVENTS
The D’Backs will "send the World Series Trophy to Tucson Electric Park," home of the club’s Triple-A PCL Tucson Sidewinders franchise. The trophy will be on display from 4:00-6:00pm PT (ARIZONA DAILY STAR, 11/27).
NFL HOFer Bart Starr will "present former teammate Jim Taylor for Taylor’s induction into the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame Ceremony" today at the Midwest Express Center (MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL, 11/26).
IN OTHER NEWS…..
The CHICAGO SUN-TIMES reports that Web shoppers "can count on tax-free online purchases now that President Bush has signed into law a two-year extension of the ban on Internet-related taxes." Online spending "is estimated to account for 15 percent of holiday buying this season" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 11/29).
The N.Y. DAILY NEWS reports that Time Inc. "is expected to announce today that it's shutting down three titles: Family Life, Asia Week and On" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 11/29).
Meanwhile, the N.Y. DAILY NEWS notes the New York Sun – the "first new daily newspaper since the death of New York Newsday in 1995 – will debut within a year." The paper, backed by publisher Conrad Black and six other investors, will publish Monday through Friday (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 11/29).
The WASHINGTON POST reported that the Web "is gaining on television in the battle for attention from the Internet generation," according to an annual survey to be released today. The UCLA Internet Report ’01 shows that the Web "increasingly is a source of information and a point of social contact, especially for teenagers looking for anonymous friendship," adding that Internet users "watch 4½ hours a week less television than do non-Internet users" (WASHINGTON POST, 11/28).
REUTERS reported a Beatles memorabilia auction held Wednesday that was expected to "raise hundreds of thousands of pounds failed to take off, with many items unsold and others fetching only a few hundred pounds" (REUTERS, 11/28).
ABC execs suggested that Regis Philbin’s "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire," which "all but saved ABC last year by plugging the many holes in its prime-time schedule–might be gone from that same schedule a year from now." ABC Entertainment TV Group co-Chair Lloyd Braun said, "I'd like to think there would be a place on our schedule for this show, but at the same time, I'm not going to tell you there are any guarantees" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 11/29).
LAUGH TRACK
Last night's "Top Ten" list was "Top Ten Items On This Guy’s Christmas List." The camera showed an audience member ("Late Show," CBS, 11/28).
| 10. | "A place of his own because mommy doesn't allow visitors." |
| 9. | "A book: 'Things To Do By Yourself on New Year's Eve.'" |
| 8. | "A $6 gift certificate to Supercuts." |
| 7. | "Jerky." |
| 6. | "The best gift anyone can get: a year's subscription to 'O' magazine." |
| 5. | "Though it's not on the list, how 'bout a new shirt?" |
| 4. | "A Christmas tree covered in deli meat." |
| 3. | "Frame for his 'Arby's Employee of the Month' photo." |
| 2. | "Gift certificate for the surgery he's read about in men's magazines." |
| 1. | "An affordable but competent lawyer to sue Letterman's ass for this 'Top Ten' list." |
FINAL JEOPARDY QUESTION
Last night's "Final Jeopardy!" category was "Actresses."
"In 1999 Liz Smith quoted her as saying, 'I look at the Empire State Building and I feel like it belongs to me.'"
WEDNESDAY NIGHT’S TV MONITOR
FSN’s 10:30pm ET "National Sports Report" led with Knicks-Hawks.
ESPN’s 11:00pm ET "SportsCenter" led with Wizards-76ers.
FINAL JEOPARDY ANSWER
"Who is Faye Ray?"
If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please let us know at:
dailyinsider@sportsbusinessdaily.com
The Morning Buzz provides an early update of the news and headlines each Monday through Friday at approximately 9:00am ET. If you would like to sign up for an e-mail alert to the Morning Buzz, go to My Account and personalize your e-mail alert options.
