| | The Daily Insider
Morning News & Headlines
Thursday, January 31, 2002
9:00am ET | |
| • | The Morning Buzz From New Orleans: Analyzing Ticket Sales |
| • | Rumors Have McDonell Being The Next One To Lead SI |
| • | Report Has Loria Purchasing The Marlins In Two Weeks |
| • | More Sellouts Reported As Olympic Ticket Sales Increase |
| • | Tyson-Lewis Could Evolve Into “Cage” Match In The Sky |
| • | A Lighter Buzz/In Other News/TV Monitor/Laugh Track/Final Jeopardy! |
MORNING BUZZ FROM THE BAYOU: REPORT LOOKS AT TICKET SALES
The New Orleans TIMES-PICAYUNE reports in a front-page story today that, while "once reserved for fans, team owners have made millions of dollars by offering (Super Bowl) tickets as the centerpiece of sponsorship deals with companies that then funnel the tickets to brokers." Super Bowl XXXVI "provides the latest example of how tickets with a face value of $400 routinely start in the hands of owners and end up in the control of brokers, with an ultimate price tag of $1,400 to $6,000 each" (New Orleans TIMES-PICAYUNE, 1/31).
The BOSTON GLOBE reports that this year's Super Bowl ticket is considered the "softest" in recent memory. Scalpers are getting $1,100 for a $400 seat, "compared with last year in Tampa, when the price never dropped below $2,000." The consenus is if the Steelers, who "bring more fans to away games during the regular season than any other team, were playing, the ticket would be much higher" (BOSTON GLOBE, 1/31).
The Mobile REGISTER reports, "The NFL on Wednesday banned all cell phones and similar electronic devices from the Superdome, meaning fans who shelled out $400 for tickets must leave them at home – and use a pay phone at the Superdome if they need to call out" (Mobile REGISTER, 1/31).
Access Hollywood has tapped former Ravens DT Tony Siragusa to be a special correspondent from the Super Bowl in New Orleans. He will join Access Hollywood host Nancy O'Dell in covering the Super Bowl parties (THE DAILY).
U2 held a press conference yesterday to discuss their halftime performance, and guitarist The Edge spoke on the Patriots' QB controversy: "It's up to coach Belichick, what he wants to do. However, it does have to be said that (Drew) Bledsoe has a superior long pass, and I think that [Tom] Brady's sore ankle is a bit of a problem." The Edge, when asked what was the best part of being back in New Orleans, said, "We've sold-out this time" ("NFL 2Night," ESPN, 1/30). Meanwhile, U2's lead singer, Bono, said, "We are here to bring peace to Brady and Bledsoe, to bring peace to the A.F.L. and the N.F.L. That's our mission" (N.Y. TIMES, 1/31).
Meanwhile, CT Gov. John Rowland said he has buried the hatchet with the Patriots, but not Owner Robert Kraft, over the issue of the team backing out of a deal to move to Hartford in '99. Rowland said yesterday, "I found myself this past weekend rooting for the Patriots. I never thought I'd see that day." He told CT residents, "I've been able to turn the other cheek and I hope you can as well. I think it's appropriate, the right thing to do. We don't have to like the owner. We don't have to go crazy here. We can like the team" (HARTFORD COURANT, 1/31).
RUMORS FLY ON SUCCESSOR TO COLSON AT SPORTS ILLUSTRATED
The N.Y. POST reports that at last night's Henry Johnson Fisher Awards banquet, "the buzz … regarding the soon-to-be-vacant editor-in-chief job at Sports Illustrated was that US Weekly Editor-in-Chief Terry McDonell had pulled ahead of Esquire Editor-in-Chief David Granger as a potential successor to Bill Colson." Earlier, Colson announced he would be stepping down from his position after the Winter Olympics (N.Y. POST, 1/31).
MARLINS SALE EXPECTED TO BE DELAYED UNTIL FEBRUARY
The Toronto GLOBE & MAIL reports that the sale of the Marlins to a group headed by Expos Managing General Partner Jeffrey Loria "won't be put to a vote of major-league owners until the second week of February." However, negotiations between Loria and outgoing Marlins Owner John Henry "could be finalized today" (Toronto GLOBE & MAIL, 1/31).
PACE OF OLYMPIC TICKET SALES INCREASES AS GAMES APPROACH
The SALT LAKE TRIBUNE reports that Olympic ticket sales "continue to go well, raising $250,000-$300,000 each weekday." The SLOC now has sold out 84 events (83 have seats available), and there are "no tickets … left for events at Deer Valley, Park City or the Delta Center." SLOC COO Fraser Bullock said that the SLOC "has 120,000 tickets left, down from 150,000 one week ago" (SALT LAKE TRIBUNE, 1/31).
With only eight days remaining before the start of the Winter Games, USA TODAY continues to profile "Ten Olympic Athletes to Watch." Today, the paper features speed skater Apolo Anton Ohno, who "could win four gold medals in … the daredevil sport often thought of as roller derby on ice" (USA TODAY, 1/31).
Last night's installment of NBC's Coca-Cola Olympic Torch Relay featured former Broncos QB John Elway running the torch through Denver. The Olympic flame will arrive in Salt Lake City in eight days (NBC, 1/30).
NFL ENTERS UNIQUE PROMOTIONAL DEAL WITH FC BARCELONA
The WASHINGTON POST reports that the NFL and FC Barcelona "have agreed to a three-year partnership in which the league will promote the team in this country, and the club will promote the NFL and NFL Europe in Spain." An official announcement of the "unique transatlantic sports relationship" will be made today (WASHINGTON POST, 1/31).
TYSON-LEWIS FANS MAY SEE “CAGE” MATCH IN THE SKY
The Toronto GLOBE & MAIL reports that an Ontario-based promoter would like Mike Tyson to take on heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis at the SkyDome in Toronto. Orion Sports Management partner James Jardine: "It's early, but it's something we'll look at. It's definitely doable." Jardine added, "Think of the promotional stuff you could do. You could bring Tyson in out in a cage. We laugh at wrestling, but they make millions for fights that never happen. This would be a real fight. Who knows what would happen when you opened the cage?" (Toronto GLOBE & MAIL, 1/31).
RESUME PADDING BY COACHES AT GA TECH MAY RESULT IN FIRINGS
The ATLANTA CONSTITUTION reports the GA Tech football coaches "whose biographical information contained false claims could lose their jobs." Newly hired assistant coaches Rick Smith and Tommie Robinson will have their cases reviewed "by Tech's Athletic Association Board before a final decision is made," according to GA Tech President G. Wayne Clough (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 1/31).
Meanwhile, ESPN analyst Lee Corso, on the practice of padding resumes: "I can tell you why it happens: Some people prostitute their integrity. And no one can ever tell me these things are done by mistake. They do it on purpose. They know they're doing wrong, and they don't expect to get caught" (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 1/31).
A LIGHTER BUZZ
The AP reports that Tiger Woods "received the Jack Nicklaus Award as player of the year, the Byron Nelson Award for having the lowest scoring average and the Arnold Palmer Award for winning the money title" in a ceremony on Wednesday night. Charles Howell III was honored as the PGA Tour rookie of the year (AP, 1/31).
The ORLANDO SENTINEL reports that closing arguments were presented in the criminal trial for sports agent William “Tank” Black yesterday, and the jury will begin deliberation today (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 1/31).
TODAY'S EVENTS
Fox analyst Terry Bradshaw hosts a press conference with former New Orleans Super Bowl MVPs, including Joe Montana and Franco Harris, from 1:00-2:00pm CT at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. The event is presented by Cadillac, which sponsors the Super Bowl MVP Award (THE DAILY).
989 Sports and NFL GameDay will host the Seventh Annual "Game Before the Game," a video game competition between a member of each Super Bowl squad. This year's contest features Rams WR Isaac Bruce and Patriots WR Troy Brown. The event will take place on the main stage at the NFL Experience at 9:00pm CT. In the previous six years of the contest, the team that won the video contest went on to win the Super Bowl (THE DAILY).
Tigers President Dave Dombrowski will be the featured speaker at the eighth-annual West Michigan Whitecaps Winter Baseball Banquet. A silent auction starts at 6:00pm ET, with the dinner following at 7:15pm ET (GRAND RAPIDS PRESS, 1/27).
Mystics Fs Chamique Holdsclaw and Tausha Mills will join season-ticket holders to make Valentine's Day cards to give to U.S. military personnel departing to serve in the war effort. The event takes place at the MCI Center from 4:00-7:00pm ET (THE DAILY).
IN OTHER NEWS….
Nielsen Media Research shows that nearly 52 million viewers watched President Bush's State of the Union address on Tuesday, making it the most-watched one since '98, when 53.1 million people viewed President Clinton (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 1/31).
The N.Y. POST reports that tensions between Viacom Chair & CEO Sumner Redstone and President & COO Mel Karmazin "were informally discussed at yesterday's regularly scheduled board meeting." However, no changes were enacted. While Redstone "wanted the interpersonal issues to come up for discussion by the directors, … Karmazin was looking to quell the talk" (N.Y. POST, 1/31).
Meanwhile, the L.A. TIMES reports Viacom's BOD "instructed the two feuding top executives to patch up their differences and concentrate on running the world's second-largest entertainment giant" (L.A. TIMES, 1/31).
Motley Fool Inc. Founders David and Tom Gardner posted a letter on their Web site stating that users of the online discussion boards would have to pay a yearly $29.95 fee starting on February 14. The company will offer free subscriptions to 1,000 active members and a free year of access for those who subscribe prior to the deadline in order to ease the transition (WASHINGTON POST, 1/31).
The N.Y. Times Co. reported yesterday that its Q4 net income fell 46% "as a weak advertising market more than offset cost cuts and gains in circulation income" (N.Y. TIMES, 1/31).
AOL Time Warner reported yesterday a Q4 loss of $1.8B "as special merger and investment charges dragged down the bottom line." A year ago, the company posted a $1.1B loss in the same period (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 1/31).
FINAL JEOPARDY QUESTION
Last night's "Final Jeopardy!" category was "'90s Bestsellers."
"This novel grew out of a series of personal columns that first ran in The Independent of London."
LAUGH TRACK
NBC's Jay Leno, on Mike Tyson being denied a license in NV: "I think he finally bit off more than he could chew. I think Tyson is the first person to be denied anything in (NV)." Leno, on Tyson previously testing positive for marijuana: "No wonder he's going around biting people. He's got the munchies" ("Tonight Show," NBC, 1/30).
Last night's "Top Ten" list was "Top Ten Surprises In [Tuesday] Night's State of the Union Address." ("Late Show," CBS, 1/30).
| 10. | "President's opener, 'Big ups to the peeps in my west coast crew.'" |
| 9. | "Due to a mix-up, teleprompter was loaded with Jimmy Carter's 1979 address." |
| 8. | "Disoriented Strom Thurmond kept screaming, 'Who's cooking taters?'" |
| 7. | "Beach ball that bounced around – started by Joe Lieberman." |
| 6. | "When clerk introduced 'The President of the United States,' Hillary started making her way up the aisle." |
| 5. | "The girl he pulled out of the audience and danced with on stage – a young Courtney Cox." |
| 4. | "Whenever Bush said 'economy,' Supreme Court Justices did a shot." |
| 3. | "At same time, Al Gore delivered 'State of My Condo' speech to his two kitties." |
| 2. | "Nobody passed out." |
| 1. | "Intern from Clinton's last State of the Union still under podium " |
WEDNESDAY NIGHT'S TV MONITOR
FSN's 10:30pm ET "National Sports Report" led with a Super Bowl XXXVI preview.
ESPN's 11:00pm ET "SportsCenter" also led with the Super Bowl.
FINAL JEOPARDY ANSWER
"What is 'Bridget Jones' Diary?'"
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.
)){kind=link}
