| | The Daily Insider
Morning News & Headlines
Monday, April 8, 2002
9:00am ET | |
| • | Financially Plagued KirchMedia Files For Bankruptcy In Munich |
| • | Rescheduled Samsung/Radio Shack 500 To Run Today In TX |
| • | Expansion Brethren Rockies & Marlins Travel Different Attendance Paths |
| • | Tougher Standards On The Horizon For Division I-A Football Programs |
| • | Will Hornets' Move Fly? NBA Relocation Committee Meets With BOG Today |
| • | A Lighter Buzz/In Other News/Laugh Track/TV Monitor/Box Office |
KIRCH FILES FOR INSOLVENCY AFTER FINANCIAL BAILOUTS FAIL
The FINANCIAL TIMES reports that KirchMedia, "the heavily indebted German media group, filed for insolvency" today in Munich. The move "had been widely expected after last-ditch rescue talks between the company and its creditors failed last week" (FINANCIAL TIMES, 4/8).
RAIN-SOAKED TX RACE RESCHEDULED FOR THIS AFTERNOON
The DALLAS MORNING NEWS reports that heavy rains postponed yesterday's Samsung/Radio Shack 500 at Texas Motor Speedway (TMS) in Dallas, the "first time since the track's opening that a race was delayed past the weekend." The race will be run at noon ET today, and will be televised live on FX. The network will repeat the race telecast on a tape delay at 7:30pm ET. According to race officials, there will be "no refunds, but tickets for the race will be honored" today (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 4/8).
TMS GM Eddie Gossage said that "of the 200,000 or so fans who would have been on hand for Sunday's Winston Cup race, about 80 to 85 percent of them are expected to be in the stands" this afternoon (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 4/8).
MLB OPENERS & ATTENDANCE NOTES
The Pirates, Rockies and Marlins hold their home openers today. The Pittsburgh TRIBUNE-REVIEW reports that as of Friday, "there were 6,000 [tickets] left for this afternoon's home opener" against the Reds. The paper, in conjunction with Fox Sports' "Sportsbeat," was giving away tickets to the opener, but "a lot of the winners, chosen at random, turned them down" (Pittsburgh TRIBUNE-REVIEW, 4/8).
Meanwhile, the Rockies home opener is likely to be a sellout, and the ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS reports the team begins its 10th season with pregame activities including Golden Knights parachute jumpers and a U.S. Air National Guard flyover (ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS, 4/8). However, the Marlins, who joined MLB along with the Rockies in '93, will not play before a packed house in their opener. The Marlins attendance "is expected to be in the low to mid-20,000s – meaning the game isn't likely to be sold out for the first time in the team's 10 years" (Ft. Lauderdale SUN-SENTINEL, 4/8).
In other MLB news, the Royals had their lowest attendance number at Kauffman Stadium since September of '99 on Sunday, when only 10,788 showed up for the team's game against the White Sox (K.C. STAR, 4/8). The Brewers established a record low for attendance when only 23,311 fans showed up for Sunday's game against the D'Backs (MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL, 4/8).
COUNCIL TO CRACK DOWN ON DIVISION 1-A FOOTBALL SCHOOLS
USA TODAY reports the NCAA Division I Management Council will meet today and Tuesday in Denver, and "is expected to approve stricter scheduling, attendance, scholarship and other requirements for I-A membership – forcing some schools to step up spending to remain a part of the game's most competitive and prestigious division" (USA TODAY, 4/8).
RELOCATION COMMITTEE TO MEET NBA BOG ON HORNETS TODAY
The Baton Rouge ADVOCATE reports that a "vital part" of LA Gov. Mike Foster's "incentive package to lure" the Hornets to New Orleans will be taken up today by a Senate Committee. The element to create "more than" $2M in annual tax rebates was delayed in the Senate last week, but Murray and Foster Chief of Staff Steve Perry said, "We need to show that (tax-credit) approval to the league." The NBA's Relocation Committee meets this afternoon in N.Y. to consider New Orleans' bid for the Hornets (Baton Rouge ADVOCATE, 4/8).
The New Orleans TIMES-PICAYUNE reports that the seven-member relocation committee and the NBA's BOG will meet over the next two days, and Hornets co-Owner Ray Wooldridge said that "he expects a decision by Tuesday, and he's confident it will be favorable." Wooldridge: "I don't have an ounce of worry. I have total faith in the system, and with the integrity of David Stern and the relocation committee" (New Orleans TIMES-PICAYUNE, 4/8).
FROZEN FOUR ICES NCAA, MN ATTENDANCE RECORDS
The Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE reported that the attendance of 19,324 for Saturday night's "Frozen Four" NCAA men's hockey championship between the Univ. of MN-Univ. of ME "set numerous records." It was the "largest crowd for a single session for an NCAA Frozen Four game, it's the largest crowd at Xcel Energy Center and it's the largest crowd to see a hockey game in the state of Minnesota." The official capacity for the Xcel Center is 18,568, but extra tickets "were for standing room and suites" (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 4/7).
A LIGHTER BUZZ
The HARTFORD COURANT reported that "about 150,000 jubilant fans" turned out for Saturday's parade to honor the Univ. of CT women's basketball team, which won the NCAA Championship and completed an undefeated season (HARTFORD COURANT, 4/7).
The HOUSTON CHRONICLE reports that Westside Tennis Club Owners Jim and Linda McIngvale "received a standing ovation from players of both Davis Cup teams at a gala Saturday night." USTA President Mervin Heller "graded the week a '10' on a scale of 1-to-10" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 4/8).
BRANDWEEK.com reported that ads supporting Gatorade's Propel, the company's new water drink, will debut today. The 30-second TV spot, called "Drip" and produced by Element 79, Chicago, asks: "What if water worked harder? What if water were as active as you? What if Gatorade made water?" (BRANDWEEK.com, 4/7).
AROUND THE RINGS reported that IOC Marketing Commission Chair Gerhard Heiberg visits the U.S. this week "for meetings with sponsors and staff of the IOC's marketing services company, Meridian Management" (AROUND THE RINGS, 4/6).
The SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL reports that J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. "plans to announce today that it will become title sponsor" of the Sanex WTA L.A. Open. The IMG-owned event did not have a title deal in '01 (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 4/8 issue).
The INDIANAPOLIS STAR reports that an estimated 1,200 people showed up for Sunday's book signing at the Bloomington, IN, Barnes & Noble by former Univ. of IN men's basketball coach Bob Knight (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 4/8).
The WASHINGTON POST reports the Wizards charity bowling outing Sunday night at Strike Bethesda raised nearly $100,000. The event, which benefits the Washington Sports & Entertainment Education Fund, featured Wizards F Michael Jordan, actor Chris Tucker and political pundit James Carville (WASHINGTON POST, 4/8).
TODAY'S EVENTS
The Padres will wear camouflage jerseys today when they play their home opener (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 4/8).
Eagles S Correll Buckhalter, C Hank Fraley and TE Tony Stewart will be at Genuardi's supermarket in Voorhees, NJ, at 1:30pm ET to learn how to purchase the proper foods in order to maintain good nutritional health as they get ready for the '02 season. NovaCare Manager Jeanie Subach will assist the players in their endeavor (THE DAILY).
Rams players and staff will be at an assembly at the Lone Dell Elementary school in MO, at 1:30pm CT, as part of the team's "Get into the Game" program (THE DAILY).
IN OTHER NEWS….
The cover of this week's TIME looks at the "Babies vs. Career" debate, and the ideal age for a woman to have a child. This week's cover of NEWSWEEK documents the story of two teens whose lives intersected during one of the suicide bombing missions in Jerusalem (THE DAILY).
The WALL STREET JOURNAL reports that N.Y. Times Co. "has agreed to acquire 50%" of the Discovery Civilization Channel for $100M. In a separate agreement, Discovery "will pay the Times $40 million to produce programming for a number of its channels during the next five years" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 4/8).
Penske Auto Centers and Kmart Corp. "will fight it out in court today, as Penske asks a Chicago judge to let it close all 563 auto-repair shops it operates in Kmart stores." Penske is the "first high-profile company that does business with Kmart" to try to bolt the discount chain since it filed for bankruptcy January 22 (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 4/8).
CBS' Mike Wallace, who turns 84 in May, says that next fall he "will severely reduce his involvement" with "60 Minutes." Wallace's scaling back "comes as CBS News executives are beginning to focus on how to maintain the program as key players inch closer to retirement" (N.Y. TIMES, 4/8).
NBC's Tom Brokaw "will receive the Paul White Award for his achievements in electronic journalism today from the Radio-Television News Directors Association at the NAB conference in Las Vegas." In addition, WNBC-TV President Dennis Swanson will get the Broadcast Cable Financial Management's Avatar Award "for his leadership role in the broadcasting at the group's June conference in Orlando, FL" (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 4/8).
The L.A. TIMES reported that Miramax co-Chair Harvey Weinstein is focusing on "launching a cable television channel." Weinstein: "In the next two years, there will be a full-court effort on our part to the Miramax Channel" (L.A. TIMES, 4/7).
FINAL JEOPARDY QUESTION
Friday's "Final Jeopardy!" category was "Authors."
"Like one of his most famous heroines, he died at a train station in 1910."
LAUGH TRACK
NBC's Jay Leno, on the 55th anniversary of Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier: "Today, kids go, 'What's a color line?' And Dodger fans go, 'What's a victory?'" Leno, on the Dodgers losing 3-0 last week: "In fact, they turned the Dodger dugout into a panic room. ... The IRS has a rule where you can write-off your Dodger tickets as a charitable contribution." Leno, on the IRS allowing you to deduct weight loss plans off your taxes: "Can you skip work now by calling in fat?" ("Tonight Show," NBC, 4/5).
Friday night's "Top Ten" list was "Top Ten Unusual Things That Happen While Guarding Coasts." The list was read by men and women of the U.S. Coast Guard ("Late Show," CBS, 4/5).
| 10. | "Sometimes you catch the lighthouse keeper making shadow puppets." |
| 9. | "As it turns out, salt water plus oil spill equals delicious vinaigrette." |
| 8. | "Once in a while, during a search-and-seizure, you find a cool-looking seashell." |
| 7. | "When you're lost in the fog, friendly sea monsters help you find your way." |
| 6. | "David Hasselhoff keeps showing up to see if we need a hand." |
| 5. | "Kids are always crank-calling you in morse code." |
| 4. | "There's nothing sweeter than stopping some snotty jerk driving his yacht drunk." |
| 3. | "Once I found a piece of driftwood that sort of looked like Freddie Prinze Jr." |
| 2. | "Last week, I made myself new underwear out of seaweed." |
| 1. | " Pirates!" |
| |
SUNDAY NIGHT'S TV MONITOR
ESPN's 11:00pm ET "SportsCenter" led with Expos-Reds.
WEEKEND BOX OFFICE
USA TODAY reports that this week's box office totals "helped drive Hollywood to another big-dollar weekend during the normally slow spring months." The top 10 films grossed $91.3M, a 19% increase over the same weekend a year ago (USA TODAY, 4/8).
| Title | This Weekend | Cumulative |
| Panic Room | $18.5M | $58.8M |
| High Crimes | $15M | $15M |
| Ice Age | $14.3M | $141.4M |
| The Rookie | $11.7M | $35M |
| Van Wilder | $7.5M | $7.5M |
| Clockstoppers | $7.3M | $22.4M |
| Blade II | $7.1M | $67.1M |
| Big Trouble | $3.7M | $3.7M |
| E.T. | $3.3M | $30.5M |
| A Beautiful Mind | $2.8M | $165.1M |
| |
FINAL JEOPARDY ANSWER
"Who was Leo Tolstoy?"
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