Morning Buzz, March 11, 2003

MLB.TV TO OFFER NEARLY 1,000 WEBCAST GAMES THIS SEASON

The WALL STREET JOURNAL reports that MLB Advanced Media as early as today will announce MLB.TV, the service designed to Webcast nearly 1,000 games this season. While the expansion of MLB’s partnership with Real Networks “marks the most ambitious effort to date to put major sports games online,” a local team’s home and away games will be blacked out for most users, and nationally broadcast games will be excluded for all users. The service is expected to cost $14.95 per month, or $79.95 for the entire season. A PPV option will cost $3 or $4 per game (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 3/11).

SELIG WEIGHS IN ON WRIGLEY STATUS, BLUE JAYS’ FINANCES

The CHICAGO TRIBUNE reports MLB Commissioner Bud Selig contends that granting Wrigley Field with “landmark status could lead to its demise.” In a letter dated March 7, Selig wrote to Commission on Chicago Landmarks Chair David Mosena, “I believe that if you undertake the unprecedented step of landmarking Wrigley Field, it will be the first step toward the ultimate loss of the ballpark.” Citizens United for Baseball Chair Charlotte Newfeld disagrees, saying, “I think Mr. Selig would be better off finding a way for baseball to find the popularity it once had rather than threatening to destroy what has become a tradition” (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 3/11).

Meanwhile, the AP reported Selig is “studying six formulas that would be based on Blue Jays ticket sales for a possible currency-adjustment plan designed to help the club compete economically with American teams.” In ’02, the club “received a one-time payment of $5[M] from the commissioner’s discretionary fund to help compensate for the weak Canadian dollar” (AP, 3/10).

TRADE MISSION HOPING TO CAPITALIZE ON SALT LAKE SUCCESS

The SALT LAKE TRIBUNE reports that the Olympic Trade Mission from UT today will conduct meetings “to pitch their products and services to Greek officials – or to advance relationships already under way – in ‘one-on-one matchmaking meetings.’” The group will also meet with U.S. Ambassador Thomas Miller and receive security briefings from ATHOC and the U.S. Embassy. The purpose of the trade mission is “to help Utah do a better job than past host communities in deriving long-term economic benefits from staging the Games.” The group moves to Turin, Italy, tomorrow (SALT LAKE TRIBUNE, 3/11).

ICE PALACE WOULD COMPLEMENT ’04 NHL ALL-STAR WEEKEND

The ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS reported that Wild execs will meet with Twin Cities business execs today to discuss plans for building an ice palace near the Xcel Energy Center for the St. Paul Winter Carnival to take place next February. With the ’04 NHL All-Star Weekend scheduled for the Xcel Energy Center February 6-8, the Wild and the NHL “are working with the Winter Carnival to tie hockey events to the carnival.” The NHL and Wild “could end up kicking in $100,000 to $200,000 toward the ice palace” (ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS, 3/9).

HBO MAY RETURN TO FIGHT-BY-FIGHT DEAL WITH KLITSCHKO

The N.Y. DAILY NEWS reports that HBO Sports is “reevaluating a nine-fight, multi-million dollar contract” with heavyweight Vladimir Klitschko following his second round KO loss Saturday night to Corrie Sanders. HBO Sports President Ross Greenburg: “We’ll have to make a decision in the next few days. We’re going to look very hard at it.” Greenburg said that HBO “may go back to a fight-by-fight deal with Klitschko” (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 3/11).

KNIGHT WILL NOT ACCEPT BASE SALARY DUE TO POOR RECORD

The DALLAS MORNING NEWS reports TX Tech Univ. men’s basketball coach Bobby Knight yesterday said that “he will not accept his $250,000 base salary for the 2002-03 season because his Red Raiders have not ‘played as well as we should have played.’” The announcement comes one year after the school reached the NCAA Tournament in Knight’s first season, in which he received a base salary of $12,000. Knight signed a five-year deal worth an estimated $4.5M in March ‘01 (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 3/11).

MORNING BRIEFS

The NHL trade deadline is today at 3:00pm ET, and the L.A. TIMES reports that if “Monday’s action is an indication, the deals will be fast, furious and significant” (L.A. TIMES, 3/11).

The Univ. of GA (UGA) withdrew itself from the SEC and NCAA tournaments after an internal investigation showed that “three players had received fraudulent grades,” and the N.Y. TIMES reports that by not playing in the SEC Tournament, UGA will not “receive a share of the revenues, $269,000,” and will also “forfeit a share of the participation revenue the NCAA pays to individual conferences.” An appearance in an NCAA Tournament game is “considered a unit and worth $100,000” (N.Y. TIMES, 3/11).

NCAA President Myles Brand, on whether the NCAA is getting “a black eye” from the recent wave of college basketball violations: “I think the system is working. In each of the situations, … I think the appropriate actions were taken” (AP, 3/10).

The Toronto GLOBE & MAIL notes that Ontario Hockey League Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds Dir of Hockey Operations & coach John Vanbiesbrouck resigned yesterday after he “allegedly referred to team captain Trevor Daley, who is black, by a racial epithet in front of several players” (Toronto GLOBE & MAIL, 3/11).

USA TODAY reports that NCWO Chair Martha Burk expects her letter urging CBS President Les Moonves to reconsider the net’s stance on broadcasting The Masters to be delivered today (USA TODAY, 3/11).

The AKRON BEACON JOURNAL reports that Indians radio play-by-play announcer Tom Hamilton and color commentators Matt Underwood and Mike Hegan have signed contract extensions. Hamilton is signed through ’07, Underwood through ’06 and Hegan through this season (AKRON BEACON JOURNAL, 3/11).

Suns CEO Jerry Colangelo, on repairing his relationship with Charles Barkley: “I do know there was a message [yesterday] that he appreciated the invitation (to attend Dan Majerle’s honoring), and he wants to get together and talk when I get back into town.” Colangelo added that “it is ‘probably correct’ that the two are ready to work toward a truce in their relationship” (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 3/11).

The CHICAGO SUN-TIMES reports that Cliff Goodrich today formally takes over as Arlington Park President, succeeding Steve Sexton, who will become President of Churchill Downs and Ellis Park at the corporate headquarters in Louisville (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 3/11).

The NHL Hockey Archive, a cooperative venture between Molson and NHL Productions, has purchased over 40 hours of hockey footage from former Hockey Night in Canada host Brian McFarlane (THE DAILY).

ATTENDANCE WATCH:

• The Greensboro NEWS & RECORD reports that last night’s Univ. of NC-Duke Univ. ACC Women’s Basketball Tournament final drew a record crowd of 11,126 at the Greensboro Coliseum. The tournament drew a crowd of 33,461, a 10% increase over the previous record set in ’01 (Greensboro NEWS & RECORD, 3/11).
  
  
• The K.C. STAR reports that a crowd of 5,341 attended last night’s Mid-Continent Conference men’s basketball tournament session at Kemper Arena, the largest session turnout since ‘94 (K.C. STAR, 3/11).

A LIGHTER BUZZ

MSG noted that two large bookstores in Manhattan had sold a combined one copy of Yankees P David Wells’ new book, “I’m Not Perfect.” MSG’s John Giannone: “When the excerpts come out and people read about bits and pieces of what David Wells wrote, they already have heard enough” ("Angles," MSG, 3/10).

Former MN Gov. and future MSNBC talk show host Jesse Ventura, on running for President: “There would never be an assassination attempt on me. You know why? I’ve already talked to him. Charles Barkley is going to be my VP, and rest assured, nobody is going to shoot me to put Charles in as President. I'll be the safest man on the planet” (“Bill Walton’s Long Strange Trip,” ESPN, 3/9).

THE BACK PAGES

The Morning Buzz offers today’s back page sports covers from some of the nation’s major metropolitan tabloids:

N.Y. Post	N.Y. Daily News
Philadelphia Daily News	Boston Herald

TODAY’S EVENTS

CBS Sports President Sean McManus, Exec Producer Tony Petitti and Senior VP/Programming Mike Aresco will participate in an NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship media day at CBS HQs in N.Y. On-air talent including Greg Gumbel, Billy Packer, Jim Nantz and Dick Enberg will also participate (THE DAILY).

President’s Council on Physical Fitness Chair Lynn Swann will speak at a U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging hearing, titled “Fitness and Nutrition: the Prescription for Healthy Aging” at 10:00am ET (THE DAILY).

The Fighters’ Initiative For Support And Training (F.I.S.T.) will hold a 10:30am ET press conference in N.Y. to announce the formation of the Boxers Guild. F.I.S.T. Founder and former heavyweight Gerry Cooney, former heavyweight champion Larry Holmes, former middleweight champion Jake LaMotta, boxing historian Bert Sugar and ESPN boxing commentator Max Kellerman will attend (THE DAILY).

Red Bull energy drink will hold a noon ET luncheon in N.Y. to kick off the ’03 Red Bull Driver Search. Program head Danny Sullivan will make the formal presentation of the company’s plan to find, test and support American F1 drivers (THE DAILY).

IN OTHER NEWS….

The N.Y. TIMES reports that the Ford Motor Company is reviewing COO Nicholas V. Scheele’s decision to “further consolidate its advertising business” with London-based WPP Group. The arrangement “apparently ran afoul of some of Ford’s procedures” for allowing a single supplier to monopolize a business relationship (N.Y. TIMES, 3/11).

The TORONTO STAR notes that the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan’s portfolio lost C$1.4B last year, the plan announced a C$550M investment in a portfolio of private companies, including Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (TORONTO STAR, 3/11).

“Good Morning America” news anchor and former ESPN sportscaster Robin Roberts “will report from Kuwait City starting tomorrow.”  Roberts: “I had no qualms about doing my job and needing to be there for it.  If you’re a journalist, this is the biggest story there is” (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 3/11).

CMR/TNS Media Intelligence announced yesterday that total ad spending gained 4.2% to $117.3B in ’02, with cable up 2.9% and network TV up 7.4%. Cable ad volume alone increased $10.5B, while “the broadcast networks amassed just over $20[B]” (MULTICHANNEL NEWS, 3/10).

FINAL JEOPARDY!

Last night’s “Final Jeopardy!” category was “U.S. Coins.”

“These two states both have airplanes from the 20th century's first decade on their quarters.”

LAUGH TRACK

THE MONOLOGUES:

NBC's Jay Leno: “I guess the French Foreign Minister flew to Africa to persuade Angola, Guinea and Cameroon to drop their support of the U.S., which has got to be a relief for Saddam Hussein. Now he just has to fight the U.S. and British forces. He doesn’t have to sweat out Cameroon. ... President Bush spent several evenings last week and most of the weekend calling world leaders asking them for support. You see, that’s when you know the economy is bad, when the President of the U.S. has to wait until the weekend or after six to make his long distance calls. ... On CNN, they said after the war there’s a plan to divide Iraq into three parts. It would be regular, premium and unleaded. ... A new warning from the Surgeon General today. It said do not mix Nyquil with the Clinton-Dole debate on ‘60 Minutes.’ It could be fatal. ... Even Al Gore said it was boring. ... I’m surprised it was boring. I mean, a guy who’s on Viagra versus a guy who is Viagra. You’d think it would be exciting” ("Tonight Show," NBC, 3/10).

Last night’s edition of CBS’ “Late Show” featured guest host Whoopi Goldberg who performed a monologue. Goldberg: “I didn’t have a job. That’s why I’m doing this tonight. I just want to say that I want Dave to feel better soon because I miss him, and I say that as I stand before you to welcome you here to 'Late Night’ with Dave Letterman. I know some of you are looking at me thinking, ‘Oh, that’s what shingles do to you.’ ... As you can see, for the first time, this show is in color. I guess I should say, ‘Hello America, I’m your host Condoleezza Rice,’ but I won’t because it sounds like a disease. ‘What you got? I got Condoleezza, girl!’ ... I'm the only one working on Broadway tonight, except for my friend Shaniqua, and Shaniqua is the girl who gave Dave the shingles.” Goldberg, on Bob Dole and Bill Clinton debating on “60 Minutes”: “‘60 Minutes’ is the only show that could call on Bob Dole to bring in a younger audience. ... I’m glad to see big Bill Clinton on TV for 45 seconds every Sunday night. Nice to see him do 45 seconds on something and not get his ass impeached” ("Late Show," CBS, 3/10).

MONDAY NIGHT’S TV MONITOR

ESPN’s 11:00pm ET “SportsCenter” led with Univ. of GA suspending men’s basketball coach Jim Harrick.

FINAL JEOPARDY ANSWER

“What are NC and OH?”

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

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