| | The Daily Insider
Morning News & Headlines
Monday, April 29, 2002
9:00am ET | |
| • | Study Finds Daytona 500 Fans To Be Most Attentive TV Viewers |
| • | ISU's Internal Investigation Of Figure Skating Scandal To Begin Today |
| • | Wang Dang! Soccer Moms Upset With Islanders Owner |
| • | Will AZ Neighborhood Roll Out The Welcome Mat For Cardinals' New Nest? |
| • | Despite Tornado Warnings, Fans Line Up For Hurricanes Tickets |
| • | A Lighter Buzz/In Other News/Laugh Track/TV Monitor/Box Office |
STUDY OUT TODAY SHOWS TV VIEWERS BULLISH ON DAYTONA 500
MEDIA BUYER'S DAILY reports that both the Super Bowl and the NCAA Final Four "finish behind other TV sports events in terms of the attentiveness of viewers and their disposition toward sponsors." A new study to be released today by Knowledge Networks/Statistical Research shows that "more viewers considered the Daytona 500 the leading TV sports event than the Super Bowl, the Final Four or even the Olympics" (MEDIA BUYER'S DAILY, 4/29).
ISU INQUIRY INTO SALT LAKE SKATING CONTROVERY BEGINS TODAY
The N.Y. TIMES reports that the ISU council today in Switzerland "begins a two-day hearing that is part of its internal inquiry into the judging of the pairs figure skating event at the Salt Lake Olympics in February" (N.Y. TIMES, 4/29). USA TODAY reports that the ISU "has planned no press briefing, saying the hearings are confidential" (USA TODAY, 4/29).
WANG FACES PETITION OVER CLOSING SOCCER PARK
NEWSDAY reports the Long Island Junior Soccer League "has gathered more than 3,300 signatures on a petition in which it implores" Islanders co-Owner Charles Wang "not to close their Long Island Soccer Park, a facility whose existence, the league says, is interfering with Wang's plans to develop the property." The issue "is headed for an arbitration hearing starting this week" (NEWSDAY, 4/29).
AZ VOTE ON PROPOSED CARDINALS STADIUM SCHEDULED FOR TODAY
USA TODAY reports that the Mesa (AZ) City Council "votes today on whether to bring a $350 million stadium" for the NFL Cardinals to a neighborhood where reactions "are mixed." The most vocal residential group "has threatened a referendum to block the stadium from being built there" (USA TODAY, 4/29).
FANS TURN OUT IN DROVES TO SEE THE HURRICANES
The Raleigh NEWS & OBSERVER reports that with the Hurricanes advancing to the second round of the Stanley Cup finals for the first time since moving to NC for the '97-98 season, "fans lined up at the Entertainment and Sports Arena over the weekend to buy more than 11,000 tickets for four games." There are still "about 60,000 tickets" remaining for the seven-game series, which begins later this week (Raleigh NEWS & OBSERVER, 4/29).
REMEBERING “THE INTIMIDATOR” ON HIS 51ST BIRTHDAY
Dale Earnhardt Inc.'s team facility in Mooresville, NC, will be open to fans from 8:00am-9:00pm ET in honor of what would have been Earnhardt's 51st birthday. Several cars will be on display and other articles from Earnhardt's personal collection, including rare memorabilia that he and his wife, Teresa, acquired over the years. Additionally, Olympic skier Picabo Street will be on hand. Street named her downhill skis Intimidators in honor of the late driver. ESPN2's "RPM2Night" will broadcast live from the event this evening from 6:00-7:00pm ET (THE DAILY). Charlotte's WCNC-TV reported that fans began lining up at 4:00am ET today in Mooresville to get a tour of the Earnhardt complex (WCNC, 4/29). In addition, "Dale Earnhardt Day" will be celebrated in AL today, under a proclamation made by Gov. Don Siegelman at last week's race at Talladega (THE DAILY).
A LIGHTER BUZZ
ATTENDANCE WATCH: For the third time this season, the Mariners set a regular-season attendance record. The new mark was established Sunday, when they drew a crowd of 46,115 for their game against the Yankees (SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER, 4/29).
The Marlins held "Dog Day Afternoon" during their game against the D'Backs yesterday. The D'Backs won 5-4 in front of 13,976 fans and 312 dogs. The Marlins "charged $10 per person and $5 per pooch," with the $5 going to the local Humane Society. The Marlins had been averaging about 11,000 per game going into Sunday's contest. The 312 dogs did not count toward the attendance totals (Ft. Lauderdale SUN-SENTINEL, 4/29).
The L.A. DAILY NEWS estimated the crowd at Sunday's NAPA Auto Parts CA 500 at 115,000 (L.A. DAILY NEWS, 4/29). However, the L.A. TIMES estimated that 120,000 fans attended CA Speedway for the NASCAR race (L.A. TIMES, 4/29).
Colts Owner Jim Irsay "provided a temporary, and profitable, distraction for several fans who were watching Sunday's practice in the RCA Dome." While the team was on the field, Irsay "took time to heave numerous footballs into the stands," and each had a $100 bill taped to it (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 4/29).
EARNINGS ANNOUNCEMENTS
Below are this week's confirmed earnings announcements for sports-business related companies (THE DAILY).
| DATE | TICKER | COMPANY | QUARTER |
| 4/29 | ATN | Action Performance | Q2 2002 |
| 4/29 | JP | Jefferson-Pilot | Q1 2002 |
| 4/29 | SPLN | SportsLine.com | Q1 2002 |
| 4/30 | OMC | Omnicom Group | Q1 2002 |
| 5/1 | CMCSK | Comcast | Q1 2002 |
| 5/1 | GSPT | Global Sports | Q1 2002 |
| 5/2 | ADDDF | adidas-Saloman | Q1 2002 |
| 5/2 | IPG | The Interpublic Group | Q1 2002 |
| |
TODAY'S EVENTS
USA TODAY reported that Monica Seles and Alexandra Stevenson will play a match inside N.Y.'s Grand Central Station as part of the American Stroke Challenge, which raises money for the American Stroke Association (THE DAILY).
IN OTHER NEWS….
The cover of this week's TIME analyzes autism, specifically the Asperger Syndrome found in children. This week's cover of NEWSWEEK examines the current sex scandal in the Catholic Church under the headline, "What Would Jesus Do?" (THE DAILY).
The WALL STREET JOURNAL reports that Omnicom Group "has acquired Aaron Walton Entertainment, a [L.A.-based] entertainment marketing agency" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 4/29).
CBS News is "close to completing an agreement" to extend Dan Rather's contract by up to three years, keeping the anchor at the network through '06 (N.Y. TIMES, 4/29).
Seattle-based Ads.com "plans to introduce a Web site today that will offer online access to current national television commercials," as well as "background information like the agencies that created them and locations where they were filmed" (N.Y. TIMES, 4/29).
FINAL JEOPARDY QUESTION
Friday's "Final Jeopardy!" category was "Big Rivers."
"Besides the Mississippi and its tributaries, 2 of 4 rivers in the 48 contiguous states that are over 1,000 miles long."
LAUGH TRACK
THE MONOLOGUES: NBC's Jay Leno: "Church leaders reaffirmed celibacy for priests. I guess they figured it's been working so well this far. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. The church reaffirming celibacy? That's kind of like (former President Bill) Clinton reaffirming monogamy. ... The (L.A.) police said (Friday) that the National Inquirer played a major role in the (Robert) Blake investigation. Well, I feel a lot better about the case now. I hate to think they'd build this thing on anything unreliable. ... According to a Swedish study, certain high carbohydrate foods, including french fries, contain a substance that may cause cancer. But the good news is that for $0.39, you can get your tumor supersized." Leno, on ABC's "The Bachelor": "The bachelor, Alex, chose the girl with the big breasts. What a shock! So, I guess it really is a reality show. And did you see him there at that moment of truth? He said, 'I choose them. I mean her. I'm sorry, what was your name?' The show ended with the guy not getting married. Instead, he asked the girl to move to (CA). Apparently, we don't have enough blondes with fake boobs already. We have to import them now" ("Tonight Show," NBC, 4/26).
CBS' David Letterman: "I have an important announcement to make. Due to a scheduling mix-up, (N.Y. Mayor Michael) Bloomberg will actually be in the city this weekend. I guess everybody knows that Mayor Bloomberg smokes a lot of weed, (but) he said he's stopped because something happened earlier this week. He was smoking a joint while he was watching CBS, (and) he thought he saw a talking baby. ... The big Vatican council has wrapped, and last (Thursday) night were the Closing Ceremonies. Harry Connick Jr. was there. It was great. The Vatican now is taking a tough, new stand. Three strikes and you're transferred. ... Earlier (Friday) night, right here on CBS, it was the Carol Burnett reunion show on CBS. It's nice to see TV stars from the 70s who don't kill their wives" ("Late Show," CBS, 4/26).
LATE NIGHT LAUGHS: Friday's Top Ten list was "Top Ten Ways The Taliban Is Celebrating their 10th Anniversary" ("Late Show," CBS, 4/26):
| 10. | "Wet burqa contest." |
| 9. | "Goat jumping out of a cake." |
| 8. | "Ticking 'Congratulations!' bouquet from Donald Rumsfeld." |
| 7. | "Raffling off a busted TV." |
| 6. | "Dinner at their favorite restaurant, 'Thank-Allah-It's-Friday.'" |
| 5. | "With the traditional tenth-anniversary gift: sand." |
| 4. | "Flying in Don Rickles to roast Osama." |
| 3. | "Lively game of 'Pin the beard on the deranged, cave-dwelling madman.'" |
| 2. | "Serving a special dessert called, 'Death To America By Chocolate.'" |
| 1. | "Running for their lives." |
| |
SUNDAY NIGHT'S TV MONITOR
ESPN's 11:00pm ET "SportsCenter" led with Lakers-Trail Blazers.
WEEKEND BOX OFFICE
DAILY VARIETY reports that weekend box office was "up a rollicking 24% over the year-earlier frame" for an $84M total. Year-to-date, '02 is 15% ahead of the same portion of last year, with $2.58B in total grosses (DAILY VARIETY, 4/29).
| Title | This Weekend | Cumulative |
| The Scorpion King | $17.6M | $60.8M |
| Changing Lanes | $9M | $44.5M |
| Life Or Something Like It | $6.6M | $6.6M |
| Jason X | $6.5M | $6.5M |
| Murder By Numbers | $6.3M | $18.3M |
| The Rookie | $5.4M | $60.6M |
| Ice Age | $4.6M | $165.4M |
| Panic Room | $4.2M | $87.7M |
| High Crimes | $3M | $34.9M |
| The Sweetest Thing | $2.9M | $21.2M |
| |
FINAL JEOPARDY ANSWER
"What are the Rio Grande, Colorado, Snake and Columbia Rivers?"
If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please let us know at:
dailyinsider@sportsbusinessdaily.com
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