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Morning Buzz

Morning Buzz, April 5, 2002

 
The Daily Insider
Morning News & Headlines
Friday, April 5, 2002
9:00am ET

Still No Deal Between YES & Cablevision, But All Of City To See Yanks Today
USOC Requires New Information From Cities Bidding On '12 Olympics
Is The End Near For Kirch? Official Bankruptcy Could Come Today
She's Just A Mascot! Athens Adopts Apollo & Athena For '04 Games
Jon Stewart Gives His Take On “One Shining Moment.”
A Lighter Buzz/In Other News/Laugh Track/TV Monitor

ALL OF NEW YORK CAN WATCH YANKS OPENER WITH GAME ON WCBS

The N.Y. TIMES reports that a "momentous television event will occur today" at 1:00pm ET as "everyone in the New York metropolitan region will be able to watch a Yankees game" on WCBS-TV. This will be the first game of the regular season not covered by the YES Network, which has yet to reach a carriage deal with Cablevision. WCBS-TV VP & GM Tony Petitti: "The game has taken on greater importance because a lot of people haven't been able to see the games so far. We think there will be a heightened interest that there might not normally be" (N.Y. TIMES, 4/5).


U.S. '12 BID CITIES MUST SUBMIT FINAL REPORTS THIS WEEKEND

The Baltimore SUN reports that the USOC has asked the four finalists for the 2012 Games – Washington-Baltimore, Houston, N.Y. and S.F. – "to submit a bid addendum by Monday" to each cities' initial proposal submitted last December. The final documents "cover four new topics: international strategy, the Paralympic Games, USOC partnership and the bid's organizational structure" (Baltimore SUN, 4/5).


KIRCH'S BANKRUPTCY COULD COME AS EARLY AS TODAY


The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER notes that KirchMedia is "on the brink of bankruptcy" and company execs are expected "to meet with creditor banks today in Munich." In addition, Germany's federal and state governments are considering a $177M "rescue package" for the country's Bundesliga soccer clubs "threatened by the anticipated insolvency" (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 4/5).


ATHENS ORGANIZERS UNVEIL MASCOTS FOR '04 OLYMPIC GAMES

The CALGARY SUN reports that organizers for the '04 Athens Games yesterday unveiled "two ancient dolls representing the Greek gods Apollo and Athena" as the mascots for the Summer Olympics. The mascots were picked from 196 entries submitted during an int'l competition. The two dolls "have cone-shaped bodies, with long necks and oversized feet. One is dressed in an orange shirt and the other a blue one" (CALGARY SUN, 4/5).


FOR THE FUN OF IT? TOPPS SEES NET INCOME DROP 83%

Topps Co. reported that its fiscal Q4 net income fell 83% from the same period a year ago, despite steady sales. The N.Y.-based trading card company recorded net income of $1.4M, or $0.03 a share, for the quarter ending March 2, compared to $8.6M, or $0.19 cents a share from the same period a year ago. Topps shares closed yesterday at $9.85 on the Nasdaq, up $0.22 (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 4/5).


MLB HOME OPENERS CONTINUE TODAY IN PHILLY, CHICAGO

The PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER reports that "the advance sale for today's Phillies home opener exceeded 40,000 early yesterday afternoon, and the club was hoping for at least 45,000 fans" for the club's home debut against the Marlins (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 4/5). Meanwhile, the DETROIT NEWS reports the Tigers expect a sellout at Comerica Park, which seats 40,120 fans, for today's home opener against the Indians (DETROIT NEWS, 4/5). Other teams holding their home openers today include the Brewers, Cubs and Giants (THE DAILY).


BLUE JAYS OFFER FREE TICKETS AFTER LENGHTY DELAYS THURSDAY

The Toronto GLOBE & MAIL reports that Blue Jays President & CEO Paul Godfrey apologized to fans who had to wait in long lines for yesterday's home opener against the Twins. Godfrey said a "larger than expected crowd immediately before game time" caused some of the announced crowd of 47,469 fans to miss part of the game. To make up for the inconvenience, Godfrey announced that "fans who can produce a ticket stub or proof of purchase of a ticket for yesterday's game can get another ticket for a game in April or May" (Toronto GLOBE & MAIL, 4/5).


A LIGHTER BUZZ

Tiger Woods has finalized his menu for The Masters' Championship Dinner on Thursday night. After going without red meat for 48 days, Woods wrote on his Web site, "My menu is set for the Champions Dinner and we'll start with Sushi appetizers. Sashimi is my favorite, and we'll then serve Porterhouse steaks, grilled chicken breasts, mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables. If guys want something else, they can always order off the menu" (ESPN.com, 4/5).

Former 76ers President and "NBA on NBC" analyst Pat Croce is scheduled to interview 76ers coach Larry Brown after the team's shootaround this morning "for a segment to be aired during NBC's weekend coverage of the NBA." The interview is scheduled to be part of Saturday's programming, which includes the Mavericks-Spurs game (PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS, 4/5).

The D'Backs honored the 16 babies born on Monday, the same day as the D'Backs opener, with tickets for the infants and their parents to each home opener for the rest of their lives (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 4/5).


IN CASE YOU MISSED IT…..

 
 

Every Friday, the Morning Buzz will highlight a video clip, chart or piece of information that might have fallen through the cracks. This week, we offer Jon Stewart of Comedy Central's "The DailyShow" commenting on the real "Shining Moment" from this year's NCAA men's basketball tournament (THE DAILY).

 

 


TODAY'S EVENTS

The WNBA Miracle will announce former Magic G and RDV Sports exec Dee Brown as their new coach (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 4/5).

Lightning Fs Tim Taylor and Gordie Dwyer will sign autographs at the St. Stephen's Catholic School Jubilee in St. Petersburgh. The event takes place from noon-2:00pm ET at the Riverview, FL, school (ST. PETERSBURG TIMES, 4/5).

The Vikings and the Univ. of MN will appear before the Stadium Conference Committee at the State Capitol at 8:30am CT to discuss a new football stadium (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 4/5).


IN OTHER NEWS….

The WALL STREET JOURNAL reports that FCC Chair Michael Powell yesterday "urged the top four networks, HBO and Showtime to provide high-definition or other 'value-added DTV programming' during at least half of their prime-time schedule, beginning in the 2002-2003 season" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 4/5).

An FCC report released yesterday noted that cable TV fees "across the country rose an average" of 7.5% – about double the rate of inflation – from July '00 to July '01. In markets with "significant competition, cable operators charged an average of $34.93 a month for basic video service. In areas without competition, the monthly fee was around $37.13" (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 4/5).


FINAL JEOPARDY QUESTION

Last night's "Final Jeopardy!" category was "American Business."

"Five beekeepers near this Iowa city formed a honey co-op in 1921; they named it for the city, but later respelled it."


LAUGH TRACK

NBC's Jay Leno, on actress Tawny Kitaen's arrest for spousal abuse against her husband, Indians P Chuck Finley: "Who do you think is beating up more pitchers this year – Barry Bonds or Tawny Kitaen? ... I'm sure his teammates were very understanding in the locker room. Beat up by a girl!" Leno: "Finley said today it's the worse thing to happen to him since he got traded to Cleveland." Leno, on the Dodgers losing the first two games of the season 21-2: "Now when fans order Dodger Dogs, they get them to go."

Leno, on HBO signing Bob Costas to a multi-year contract: "Costas did the Olympics, he's doing stuff for HBO, and, of course, he's starring in that hot new show on CBS 'Baby Bob'" ("Tonight Show," NBC, 4/4).

CBS' Dick Enberg was a guest on last night's edition of CBS' "Late Show." Enberg: "We had one of our crack statisticians in sports total up all the promos between 'Baby Bob' and ('Late Show'). It came down to a 93-all tie but the fact that we no longer ... refer to a player as a junior or a senior, we have to call him a three-year letter-man or a four-year letter-man. You win! 93-94!" ("Late Show," CBS, 4/4).


THURSDAY NIGHT'S TV MONITOR

ESPN's 11:00pm ET "SportsCenter" led with Giants-Dodgers.


FINAL JEOPARDY ANSWER

"What is Sioux City?"


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

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