| | The Daily Insider
Morning News & Headlines
Wednesday, January 15, 2003
9:00am ET | |
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| • | MLB Owners To Begin Two-Day Meeting Today In Scottsdale, AZ |
| • | Big Ten Expected To Announce Key Sponsor Of Men's Hoop Tourney Today |
| • | Matsui's Introduction To N.Y. Media Rekindles Memories Of Beatles In '64 |
| • | NFL Refuses To Make Dir Of Officiating Available To Media |
| • | Mavericks Minority Partner Emerges As Leading Candidate To Buy Stars |
| • | Morning Briefs/In Other News/Laugh Track/TV Monitor/Final Jeopardy! |
MLB OWNERS DESCEND ON SCOTTSDALE FOR TWO-DAY MEETING
MLB owners today begin a two-day meeting in Scottsdale, AZ, and the AP reports that Commissioner Bud Selig's plan "to have the All-Star game winners get home-field advantage in the World Series is the top item on the agenda" (AP, 1/15). D'Backs Managing General Partner Jerry Colangelo: "The concept is great. This adds incentive for the All-Star Game and certainly adds intrigue and raises the stakes" (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 1/15).
USA TODAY reports that the owners "will overwhelmingly approve Selig's proposal." If the MLBPA approves the plan, it will be effective for this year's game on July 15 at Comiskey Park in Chicago (USA TODAY, 1/15).
MLB.com reported that the MLB Relocation Committee will also meet today in AZ, and officials from DC and Northern VA "said they expect to be sent invitations to make their initial ballpark and economic presentations". The presentations probably will be slated for late February and early March (MLB.com, 1/14).
INTEL EXPECTED TO TITLE BIG TEN MEN'S BASKETBALL TOURNEY
The CHICAGO TRIBUNE reports the Big Ten is expected to announce today that Intel will be the presenting sponsor of the Big Ten men's basketball tournament March 13-16 at the United Center in Chicago. While the tournament did not have a title sponsor last year, "past sponsors include Kemper Insurance and State Farm" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 1/15).
F1 EXECS TO HOLD EMERGENCY MEETING TODAY IN LONDON
The LONDON TIMES reports that F1 powerbrokers will hold an "emergency meeting in London today to look for ways to cut costs and bring fresh excitement to the sport." Corporate sponsorship "is falling as fast as television audiences and even team bosses say F1 faces a fight for survival" (LONDON TIMES, 1/15).
CART President & CEO Chris Pook will unveil the branding and logo for the '03 Bridgestone Presents The Champ Car World Series Powered by Ford today at CART HQ at 10:00am ET (THE DAILY).
NFL OFFICIALS UPSET WITH TREATMENT FROM LEAGUE
The N.Y. TIMES reports that NFL game officials "reacted angrily yesterday to what they say is unfair treatment by the league." One veteran official said, "There is just massive confusion right now. There is also disgust with the league office. They are hanging us out to dry when they are completely aware of the problems that exist" (N.Y. TIMES, 1/15).
Meanwhile, the Newark STAR-LEDGER reports that the NFL yesterday "refused to make its director of officiating, Mike Pereira, available to discuss the controversies of the past two weekends." NFL VP/Public Relations Greg Aiello: "We're going to take a pass on this one. … There's a controversial call. Whoop-de-do. That's sports. We're trying to take the spotlight off Mike and the officials" (Newark STAR-LEDGER, 1/15).
NCAA EXEC COMMITTEE LAUNCHES MINORITY HIRING INITIATIVES
USA TODAY reports that the NCAA Exec Committee yesterday launched two initiatives to increase minority hiring in college football: a "mentoring program that will enlist veteran head coaches and athletics directors and a series of workshops designed to boost networking, interviewing and other 'career-advancement skills.'" The two initiatives will cost the NCAA $180,000 (USA TODAY, 1/15).
GODZILLA TOUCHES DOWN IN BIG APPLE YESTERDAY
The N.Y. POST reports that a press conference yesterday formally introducing Hideki Matsui as a Yankee was akin to "the Beatles arriving at JFK back in '64." Yankees Manager Joe Torre: "Forty years in baseball and I've never seen anything like this" (N.Y. POST, 1/15). NEWSDAY adds that the event "featured hundreds of reporters and TV cameramen and photographers, plus live TV coverage" in N.Y. and Japan (NEWSDAY, 1/15). The N.Y. TIMES reports that the Yankees news media attention will "multiply now that Hideki Matsui is in their clubhouse." One Japanese journalist "estimated that 40 to 50 reporters would cover each game" (N.Y. TIMES, 1/15).
For more on Matsui, see The Back Pages and last night's Top Ten list.
MORNING BRIEFS
The FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM reports that local business exec David McDavid "is the lead candidate to purchase" the Stars from current Owner Tom Hicks. McDavid: "It's still too early to tell what's going to happen, but I have definite interest" (FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 1/15).
The TORONTO STAR reports that ticket sales for the July 13 Molson Indy race are up 12% as of the close of the renewal period. Molson Indy GM Bob Singleton: "We're more than a race. We are the largest three-day, ticket sales sporting event in Canada. And we just keep pushing." Last year's race drew 73,160 people, and 168,421 people over the three-day event, second highest in the event's history (TORONTO STAR, 1/15).
The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER notes that the latest reality series project "generating heat among the major broadcast networks is a limited-run series that would put a regular guy through an intense training regimen for the privilege" of boxing Mike Tyson (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 1/15).
NBA.com and Chinese internet portal SOHU.com today announced the launch of a comprehensive Chinese Web site, NBA.com/china (THE DAILY).
ESPN Magazine columnist Ric Bucher, on Wizards F Michael Jordan possibly not playing in the All-Star Game: "I think it would be a great disappointment if he weren't part of this. It would be a great opportunity for the league and for the fans to give him a sort of a formal farewell" (ESPNews, 1/14).
ATTENDANCE WATCH:
- The SIOUX FALLS ARGUS LEADER reports that approximately 3,800 people attended last night's 19th CBA All-Star game at the Sioux Falls Arena and Convention Center (SIOUX FALLS ARGUS LEADER, 1/15).
A LIGHTER BUZZ
The DALLAS MORNING NEWS reports that Clear Channel Outdoor Advertising has put a billboard on the LBJ Freeway in Dallas thanking Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones for hiring Bill Parcells. The company, whose BOD includes Stars Owner Tom Hicks, is "foregoing about $6,000 in revenue for the month-long run" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 1/15).
TODAY'S EVENTS
Sport Summit 2003 begins today in N.Y. with a 3:00pm ET discussion entitled "Doing Business in China." Warsaw Sports Marketing Center Exec Dir Rick Burton will moderate a panel that includes China Int'l Culture Dispersion Center Chair Yuxiang Long and Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad Chair Xu Zengwu (THE DAILY).
Vans President & CEO Gary Schoenfeld and CFO Andrew Greenebaum will make a presentation on behalf of the company at the ICR Xchange, Leisure and Lifestyle Conference at 1:10pm PT in Santa Monica, CA (THE DAILY).
MLS Fire GM Peter Wilt, G Zach Thornton and Puma GM Jay Piccola will unveil the Fire's new Puma jersey today at the Lincoln Park Zoo at 10:30am CT (THE DAILY).
Galyan's Trading Company execs will speak at the SG Cowen First Annual Consumer Conference today at 10:15am ET and a live Webcast of the presentation will be available (THE DAILY).
Fox Sports will conduct a media conference call today at 1:00pm ET to preview this weekend's NFC Conference Championship (THE DAILY).
THE BACK PAGES
The Morning Buzz offers today's back page sports covers from some of the nation's major metropolitan tabloids:
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| N.Y. Post |
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N.Y. Daily News |
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| Newsday | Boston Herald |
IN OTHER NEWS….
The WASHINGTON POST reports that AOL Time Warner CEO Richard Parsons has "emerged as the leading candidate to replace Steve Case as chairman, further consolidating his power atop the world's biggest media company" (WASHINGTON POST, 1/15).
However, the N.Y. POST reports that the company is "in hot and heavy talks to bring Viacom's Mel Karmazin into the executive suite" (N.Y. POST, 1/15).
While the NFL has banned a Las Vegas tourism ad from the Super Bowl, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority and their ad agency, Las Vegas-based R&R Partners, yesterday "debuted the first phase of a new 20-month marketing plan they believe will drive more business to the market." The first phase, which cost about $17.2M, includes four TV spots that begin airing today on nets such as ESPN, Fox News and CNN Headline News (LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL, 1/15).
The ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS reports that skier visits in CO, measured as one skier skiing one day, have increased 18.35% over last year, "putting the industry on pace to match the record numbers registered" in the '97-98 season (ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS, 1/15).
A CMR/TNS Media Intelligence report shows that "ad spending in the (U.S.) will rise 3.3% to $117.5[B] this year, sustaining the momentum gained in the latter half of last year" (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 1/15).
FINAL JEOPARDY QUESTION
Last night's "Final Jeopardy!" category was "Logos & Trademarks."
"This brand's famous logo originally represented Vulcan about to strike his anvil."
LAUGH TRACK
THE MONOLOGUES:
CBS' David Letterman: "New York is getting rid of the subway tokens. They've been around forever ... and they're getting rid of them. On the bright side, the hookers in Times Square will now accept EZ Pass. ... They're also getting rid of the subway booths. ... Right now they're being transformed into luxury studio apartments. ... They're eliminating a lot of stuff in the subway. Why don't we eliminate that guy who runs out of medication and deodorant, who sits next to you? ... Today is the third anniversary of my quintuple-bypass surgery operation or as the 'Late Show' staff called it, a four-week paid vacation. ... As the years go by, I keep kind of thinking about this and I'm wondering now if maybe I should have paid for the lifetime warranty." Regis Philbin appeared on-stage during the monologue with a stethoscope he used to check Letterman's heartbeat. Philbin: "Oh buddy, you're screwed" ("Late Show," CBS, 1/14).
NBC's Jay Leno, on Fox's "Joe Millionaire": "Oh they're bright, aren't they those women? I don't know their names. I'm pretty much guessing none of them are named Nancy Drew. ... Does that guy look like a millionaire to you? No. How many millionaires do you know wear a bib to dinner?" Leno: "The American Music Awards were quite a show last night. I understand Diana Ross accepted the Miller High Life Award. Lifetime achievement of 2.0, I think she got. I know Pete Townsend left the awards early with his date. It was a school night. ... Pete Townsend forming a new group, 'The Who Me.' ... (Sen.) Joe Lieberman announced yesterday he is running for President. Well, you can just feel the excitement in the room. You don't remember Lieberman? He's the one that looks like the little guy from Penn and Teller. ... If he wins, Joe Lieberman will not be the first Jewish-American to hold the Presidency in his hands. That of course was Monica Lewinsky. ... Disney broke ground on the first theme park in China. They're putting a Disneyland in China. China is what, two billion people? How long is the line for Space Mountain there? ... Yesterday, Mike Tyson and his second wife were granted a divorce. So ladies, he's single again. ... I guess under the community property laws now, she will get half of all the voices in his head" ("Tonight Show," NBC, 1/14).
LATE NIGHT LAUGHS:
Last night's Top Ten list was "Top Ten Reasons I, Hideki Matsui, Signed With The New York Yankees," read by Hideki Matsui who read the list in Japanese and was wearing a Yankees jacket ("Late Show," CBS, 1/14).
| 10) "Tokyo was fine, but I'm more of a big city guy." |
| 9) "I want to see 'Cats' at least once before it closes." |
| 8) "I fell in love with a woman from Manhattan who I thought was a rich socialite, but it turns out she was a maid." |
| 7) "Yankee Stadium nachos don't come any cheesier." |
| 6) "Jeter said he'd hook me up." |
| 5) "On days off, I can hang by TRL's Times Square studio." |
| 4) "Every Japanese child knows the legend of Jorge Posada." |
| 3) "In New York, there's no pressure to speak English." |
| 2) "I wanted to meet Regis." |
| 1) "Dude, this city never sleeps!" |
TUESDAY NIGHT'S TV MONITOR
ESPN's 11:00pm ET "SportsCenter" led with the Bengals naming Marvin Lewis as head coach.
FINAL JEOPARDY ANSWER
"What is Arm & Hammer?"
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