| | The Daily Insider
Morning News & Headlines
Monday, June 3, 2002
9:00am ET | |
| • | Eagles Set To Announce Naming Rights Partner Today |
| • | ISU Unanimously Agrees To Consider Reforms To Scoring System |
| • | Welcome Back! LPGA's Return To Chicago A Hit With Fans |
| • | A Breath Of Fresh Air: Oxygen To Broadcast 11 WNBA Games For Two Seasons |
| • | World Cup Headquarters: Latest Headlines, Schedules & Sites Of Interest |
| • | A Lighter Buzz/In Other News/Laugh Track/TV Monitor/Box Office |
EAGLES SCORE NAMING RIGHTS DEAL WITH FINANCIAL GROUP
Eagles Chair & CEO Jeffrey Lurie and Lincoln Financial Group Chair & CEO Jon Boscia will host a news conference today at 10:30am ET to formally announce Lincoln Financial has acquired naming rights to the Eagles' new stadium. The stadium will now be known as Lincoln Financial Field. The PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS reports the 20-year deal is worth $139.6M, and in addition to acquiring naming rights, Lincoln will receive "commercial time on broadcasts, signs and information kiosks at the stadium, and suites at home and road games in which to entertain clients" (PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS, 6/3).
ISU AGREES TO CONSIDER REFORMS TO SKATING JUDGING, SCORING
The ISU, holding its biennial Congress this week in Japan, took the "first step toward reforming figure skating's judging and scoring systems" today by unanimously agreeing to consider all 49 "urgent proposals" put forth by the ISU itself and member federations (L.A. TIMES, 6/3). ISU President Ottavio Cinquanta "declared a state of crisis in the ISU" during his opening remarks this morning as he "urged the ISU's voting members … to help restore the sport's reputation" (WASHINGTON POST, 6/3).
LPGA'S RETURN TO CHICAGO EXCEEDS EXPECTATIONS
The CHICAGO TRIBUNE reports that this weekend's Kellogg-Keebler Classic, the LPGA Tour's return to Chicago after eight years "wasn't without its glitches [but] got off to a surprisingly strong start." The tournament "enjoyed above-average attendance (50,000 plus for the week)," and Gateway Sports Promotion Group President Mark Hersch said, "I've been saying if we didn't draw 50,000 I'd be disappointed and that if we got 75,000 I'd be ecstatic, so we're somewhere in between" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 6/3).
OXYGEN BREATHES LIFE INTO WNBA BROADCASTING DEAL
USA TODAY reports that Oxygen, the women's cable TV channel whose founders include Oprah Winfrey, will announce today that it "will air at least 11 WNBA games this season and 11 next year" (USA TODAY, 6/3).
WORLD CUP DAY 4: TICKETING SNAFUS RAISE FIFA'S ATTENTION
FIFA has launched an investigation into why there were "about 3,500 empty seats for Senegal's victory over France" in the World Cup opener in Seoul on Friday, which organizers are "blaming on a computer mix-up." Meanwhile, Ireland fans complained of being "unable to collect prepaid tickets for Ireland's 1-1 draw with Cameroon" in Japan on Saturday (London GUARDIAN, 6/3).
Today's Headlines:
Soccer Sites of Interest:
A LIGHTER BUZZ
ATTENDANCE WATCH:
- The MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL reported that "five fans suffered minor burns when part of a fireworks element misfired into the stands Friday night at Qualcomm Stadium" in S.D. The Padres enjoyed a crowd of 56,167, the largest since opening day, for their game against the Brewers, which featured the "KGB Skyshow" (MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL, 6/2).
- The MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL reported that Milwaukee Mile officials "announced a weekend attendance of 36,820, which is consistent with a downward trend of more than five years for CART events at the facility" (MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL, 6/2).
The N.Y. DAILY NEWS reported that actor Matt Dillon, who read Lou Gehrig's farewell speech Saturday as part of MLB's Project A.L.S. Day at Shea Stadium, "did a much better job than the stadium announcer who introduced him as 'Matt Damon'" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 6/2).
American Express runs a full-page ad in today's edition of the N.Y. Times announcing that its card members can purchase advanced tickets to the U.S. Open Tennis Championships beginning today and running through the week. Tickets go on sale to the general public June 10 (THE DAILY).
TODAY'S EVENTS
Foot Locker will make available on its corporate Web site a slide presentation reviewing the company's financial highlights, strategic advantages, and earnings per share growth strategies (THE DAILY).
Redskins LB LaVar Arrington will be joined by team Owner Daniel Snyder and Sallie Mae Vice Chair & CEO Albert Lord for a groundbreaking ceremony at the football field of Frederick Douglass High School in Upper Marlboro, MD, at 2:15pm ET (THE DAILY).
A public viewing of the Stanley Cup will be held at Liberty Plaza in Ann Arbor, MI, from 11:00am-2:00pm ET. From 5:00-6:30pm ET, the Stanley Cup will be on display prior to the start of the Tigers game at Comerica Park (THE DAILY).
The Spurs will host a news conference to announce the name of the AHL franchise coming to San Antonio that is co-owned by the Spurs and the NHL Panthers (SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS, 6/3).
Tickets for the '02 WNBA All-Star Game, to be held July 15th at the MCI Center in Washington, DC, will go on sale at 10:00am ET (THE DAILY).
Golfer Tom Watson will participate in the Cadillac Clinic at Firestone Country Club in Akron, OH (THE DAILY).
EARNINGS ANNOUNCEMENTS
Below are this week's confirmed earnings announcements for sports-business related companies (THE DAILY).
| | DATE | TICKER | COMPANY | QUARTER |
| | 6/6 | MTN | Vail Resorts | Q3 2002 |
| | | | | | | | |
IN OTHER NEWS….
The cover of this week's TIME profiles the science of anxiety under the headline, "Understanding Anxiety." This week's cover of NEWSWEEK examines two terrorists the CIA were aware of prior to the attacks on N.Y. and DC under the headline "The 9/11 Terrorists The CIA Should Have Caught" (THE DAILY).
USA TODAY reports that Adelphia Communications "appears to (have) run out of options" and may not be able to avoid a filing for bankruptcy protection, which could happen as early as today (USA TODAY, 6/3).
The WALL STREET JOURNAL reports that demand for advertising time "has been much stronger than anticipated" in the preseason ad-sales market for the '02 fall television season (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 6/3).
TiVo Inc. reports a narrowed Q1 '02 loss as subscriptions doubled and revenue more than tripled (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 6/3).
The Weather Channel has signed Audi to sponsor WeatherQuest 2002 in Alaska (MULTICHANNEL NEWS DAY, 6/3).
FINAL JEOPARDY!
Last Friday's edition of "Jeopardy" was pre-empted locally by Game Six of the Nets-Celtics Eastern Conference Finals (THE DAILY).
LAUGH TRACK
The late night TV shows resume original programming tonight. "Laugh Track" will return to the Morning Buzz tomorrow. Thank you for being patient.
SUNDAY NIGHT'S TV MONITOR
ESPN's 11:00pm ET "SportsCenter" led with Lakers-Kings.
WEEKEND BOX OFFICE
The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER notes that the estimated total for this weekend's top 12 films was $116.2M, but it "was a disappointing weekend at the boxoffice" as the estimate "was down 4% from the comparable frame a year ago" (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 6/3).
| Title | This Weekend | Cumulative |
| The Sum of All Fears | $31.2M | $31.2M |
| Star Wars: Episode II | $20.6M | $232M |
| Spider-Man | $14.5M | $354M |
| Undercover Brother | $12.1M | $12.1M |
| Spirit | $10.7M | $38.2M |
| Insomnia | $9.7M | $41.4M |
| Enough | $6.8M | $27.1M |
| About A Boy | $4.1M | $27.8M |
| Unfaithful | $2.9M | $45.6M |
| The New Guy | $1.5M | $26.9M |
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