Morning Buzz, April 14, 2003

ESPN INKS FOUR-YEAR WIMBLEDON DEAL WITH ALL ENGLAND CLUB

In an exclusive The Daily, the SportsBusiness Journal’s Langdon Brockinton reports that ESPN and The All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club today will formally announce that the cable network has struck a four-year TV and multimedia rights deal for the ‘03-06 Wimbledon Championships.  TNT had been the cable TV rights holder since '00. With this deal, ESPN now has rights to three of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments, including the Australian Open and the French Open.  Under terms of the agreement, ESPN also secures highlights rights for ESPN.com and ESPN Broadband, Spanish-language rights for ESPN Deportes, rights for ESPN HD, and int’l rights for ESPN networks serving Argentina, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay.

WEIR TO ENDORSE LINE OF GOLF PRODUCTS FOR SEARS CANADA

Following his win at The Masters yesterday, PGA Tour player Mike Weir today in Toronto will launch a line of golf accessories to be sold at 123 Sears Canada stores.  Weir-endorsed products “to be exclusively sold at Sears range from tees and ball markers through towels and cleaning brushes to club covers, golf bags and pull carts.”  The products are “aimed at the mid-price market” (CP, 4/13).  Weir is also expected to attend tonight’s Flyers-Maple Leafs Stanley Cup playoffs game at Air Canada Centre (Toronto GOLBE & MAIL, 4/14).

The ORLANDO SENTINEL reported that The Masters purse was a record $6M this year and Weir earned $1,080,000 for his win (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 4/13).

RAIDERS SEEKING $1.2B OVER INFLATED TICKET SALES ESTIMATES

The CONTRA COSTA TIMES reported that testimony is expected to begin today in Sacramento Superior Court for the Raiders’ $1.2B fraud trial against the now-defunct Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Corp., former Coliseum board member Edwin DeSilva and Arthur Andersen, “which monitored ticket sales at the time of the Raiders return.”  The Raiders contend that local officials “deliberately inflated ticket sales estimates to trick the team into agreeing to return to Oakland after 12 seasons” in L.A. (CONTRA COSTA TIMES, 4/13).

USA TENNIS ROCK AND RALLY TO KICK OFF USA TENNIS MONTH

The SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL reports the USTA today will announce that the second USA Tennis Rock and Rally, “a tennis and music festival that’s free to the public” will be held at Rockefeller Center in N.Y. on April 28.  The event “is designed to kick off USA Tennis Month,” one element of the five-year, $50M USA Tennis Plan for Growth.  Similar events “are slated to take place in 75 markets around the country in May” (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 4/14 issue).

DAVID WARONKER MOVES HIS THREE ACHL TEAMS OUT OF LEAGUE

The FLORIDA TIMES-UNION reported that the seven-team ACHL today is “expected to make an announcement … regarding the future of its league” following the departure of three teams to the newly-formed World Hockey Association 2, which will announce its creation today.  David Waronker, who owns the Jacksonville Barracudas, Orlando Seals and Miami Manatees, moved the teams following “several issues with the ACHL, including whether an adequate workman’s compensation package existed, and the way rules were interpreted and changed” (FLORIDA TIMES-UNION, 4/13).

MORNING BRIEFS

USA TODAY reports that Thursday’s Lakers-Kings game on TNT earned a 3.0 Nielsen cable rating, “its highest for the NBA in four years, enabling the network to jump 18% from the first half of the season to 1.3% of cable homes for the second half” (USA TODAY, 4/14).

The AP reported that NFL Cardinals officials, business partners, politicians and AZ Tourism & Sports Authority members were on hand Saturday for the official groundbreaking ceremony of the club’s new $355M stadium in Glendale (AP, 4/12).

USA TODAY reports that NASCAR officials “issued a bulletin Saturday warning team members to consult a doctor before using ephedra-based supplements.”  NASCAR VP/Communications Jim Hunter, on the possibility of NASCAR banning ephedra-based supplements: “I don’t know that we’ve made that decision yet.  We’re still waiting to get information back from our doctor” (USA TODAY, 4/14).

Mets P and NL Player Rep Tom Glavine on MLB’s All-Star Game proposal: “At this point, I’d give it more chance of going through than not. … We understand the marketing side, too, that baseball and Fox are trying to enhance ratings, and there’s nothing wrong with that.  I think a decision will come down fairly soon.”  Glavine, on a possible All-Star Game matchup between U.S. and foreign-born players: “It’s being discussed” (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 4/14).

USA TODAY’s Michael McCarthy gives a blow-by-blow analysis of the most “dramatic physical confrontation” of Saturday’s “Protest Day” at The Masters, as it “came when Sports Illustrated columnist Rick Reilly faced off with Joseph J. Harper, Imperial Wizard of Ku Klux Klan spinoff group, the American White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan” (USA TODAY, 4/14).

ATTENDANCE WATCH:

• USA TODAY reports that a crowd of 16,332 attended yesterday’s Mets-Expos game at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in Puerto Rico.  Crowds of 17,906 and 18,264 for games on Friday and Saturday, respectively, brought the series attendance to 52,502.  Saturday’s game was a sellout (USA TODAY, 4/14).

• The Long Beach PRESS-TELEGRAM reports that am estimated 95,000 people attended yesterday’s CART Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach at The Streets of Long Beach.  The crowd “equaled last year’s 200,000 three-day draw despite the fact that there were nine rookies in the field and the race lacked names” (Long Beach PRESS-TELEGRAM, 4/14).

• The MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL reported that a crowd of 6,029 attended Game One of the best-of-three MISL championship series between the Milwaukee Wave and Baltimore Blast Saturday night at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee (MILWAUKEE JOURNAL-SENTINEL, 4/13).  The Baltimore SUN reports that a crowd of 7,436 attended the Game Two at 1^st Mariner Arena in Baltimore (Baltimore SUN, 4/14).  The third and deciding game of the series will be played at the Bradley Center Friday night at 8:05pm CT (THE DAILY).

• The K.C. STAR reports that a crowd of 22,403 attended the DC United-K.C. Wizards game Saturday at Arrowhead Stadium, “the largest crowd to see a Wizards game at Arrowhead” (K.C. STAR, 4/13).  For a recap of MLS’ first full weekend, see today’s issue of The Daily.

• The HOUSTON CHRONICLE reported that a crowd of about 2,000 attended Saturday’s Super Bowl XXXVIII Kickoff Celebration in downtown Houston.  Super Bowl Host Committee spokesperson Rex John estimated that “the crowd jumped to 5,000 when peoples started showing up for the bars and night clubs” (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 4/13).

• The CHARLESTON POST & COURIER reports that a crowd of 8,925 attended yesterday’s WTA Family Circle Cup championships session at Daniel Island in Charleston, SC.  Total attendance for the tournament was 81,389, “well below the 89,395 who attended last year’s tournament” (CHARLESTON POST & COURIER, 4/14).

A LIGHTER BUZZ

The BOSTON HERALD notes that Bills QB Drew Bledsoe has “dropped the asking price on his 20-room dream home” in Medfield, MA from $8.9M to $6.5M.  The estate includes a home theater, wine cellar, spat with hot tub, sauna, exercise room, billiard room, pool, tennis court, regulation basketball court and an 80-yard, par-3 golf hole (BOSTON HERALD, 4/14).

WNBA Monarchs C Kara Wolters, arguing that WNBA players can be feminine with Howard Stern: “I’m the only one in the WNBA who’s had a boob job” (HARTFORD COURANT, 4/13).

WEEKEND RAP…

The following are excerpts from the panelists’ “parting shots” on Sunday’s edition of ESPN’s “The Sports Reporters”:

• NBC Sports’ Jimmy Roberts: “Before he’s done, Tiger Woods will likely shatter every significant record there is in golf.  He’s not the best player that ever lived – yet, but he’s going to be.  Maybe the same is true for Serena Williams. ... We live in the age of the amazing Barry Bonds and also, a real record-breaking physical wonder, Lance Armstrong. ... As far as sports goes, these are the good old days.”

• N.Y. Daily News columnist Mike Lupica, on former Twins CF Kirby Puckett: “Kirby Puckett is guilty of being unfaithful to his wife, apparently beginning at least one affair as soon as he and his bride finished cutting the wedding cake, so he gets no sympathy here. ... Being found guilty of that doesn’t mean Puckett was guilty of forcing himself on a woman and fondling her in a men’s room. ... Charges aren’t always arrests, arrests aren’t always indictments and indictments aren’t always convictions, even for fallen heroes.”

• Detroit Free Press columnist Mitch Albom, on the Baseball HOF canceling an event celebrating the 15^th anniversary of “Bull Durham”: “I’m sorry, I must have been sleeping.  I missed when the Baseball (HOF) joined the political party. ... (HOF President Dale Petroskey) seems to be in a rush to show how patriotic he is by how many people he can shut up. ... Who is Petroskey to establish the official political position of the Baseball (HOF)?”

• ESPN’s John Saunders, on the NHL playoffs: “If you weren’t planning on watching the Stanley Cup playoffs this year, here are some reasons to change your mind.  Unpredictability. ... Home ice means nothing.  A hot goalie is like throwing Randy Johnson seven straight games.  The Finals also bring out the loonies in the players and the fans ... and the Cup itself” ("The Sports Reporters," ESPN, 4/13).

Heard elsewhere over the weekend:

• SI’s Rick Reilly, on Tiger Woods’ 66 on Saturday: “Tiger Woods passed more people than were at Martha Burk’s protest” ("SportsCenter," ESPN, 4/13).

• Lupica, on Martha Burk: “In her head, this was some sort of Freedom March through the south to the front gates of Magnolia Lane.  It’s not” ("The Sports Reporters," ESPN, 4/13).

• Bernstein Communications President & CEO Jonathan Bernstein, on Martha Burk: “The bottom line is Martha Burk doesn’t know when to shut up.  She took a basically sound cause, one that a lot of people would have empathy for, and undermined her own cause” ("OTL," ESPN, 4/13).

• Albom, on Wizards F Michael Jordan’s final NBA season: “This is not the ending that Michael Jordan dreamed of.  He honestly thought that if he could get his team to the playoffs, he would show the force of his own power” ("The Sports Reporters," ESPN, 4/13).

• Saunders, on the Univ. of NC courting Univ. of KS men’s basketball coach Roy Williams during the week of the Final Four: “There’s a certain amount of arrogance that comes out of (NC)” ("The Sports Reporters," ESPN, 4/13).

• Ad Age columnist Richard Linnett, on the Baseball HOF canceling the “Bull Durham” event: “Actors and actresses have to watch out now because there’s a war on, and if you say the wrong thing, it could be held against you” ("Inside Edition," 4/11).

• MGM Mirage Race & Sports Book Dir Robert Walker, on bettors laying heavy money on Mike Weir to win The Masters: “I hate to root against anybody, but I can tell you right now we don’t want to see Mike Weir with that green jacket on Sunday” (ESPNews, 4/11).

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

TODAY’S EVENTS

The Boston chapter of the National Sports Marketing Network tonight will host a panel discussion, “The Changing Face of Boston Sports,” moderated by WBZ-CBS Sports Director Bob Lobel, beginning at 6:00pm ET.  Panelists include Celtics Managing Partner & CEO Wycliffe Grousbeck, Red Sox Owner John Henry, Bruins Exec VP Charlie Jacobs and Patriots Vice Chair Jonathan Kraft (THE DAILY).

The ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS reported that St. Paul Mayor Randy Kelly has declared today Minnesota Wild Day in the city.  St. Paul will hold a rally at Rice Park beginning at 4:00pm CT prior to tonight’s 6:30pm CT game against the Avalanche at Xcel Energy Center, the team’s first home playoff game ever (ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS, 4/13).

EARNINGS ANNOUNCEMENTS

Below are this week’s confirmed earnings announcements for sports-business related companies (THE DAILY).

IN OTHER NEWS….

This week’s cover of TIME offers a headshot of Saddam Hussein with a red X through it.  Meanwhile, NEWSWEEK examines “How To Win The Peace” (THE DAILY).

DAILY VARIETY reports that CBS President Les Moonves has “quietly signed a new five-year deal” with the net (DAILY VARIETY, 4/14).

Viacom President & COO Mel Karmazin, speaking at the ’03 Management Conference of the American Association of Advertising Agencies in New Orleans, “predicted there would be robust demand for commercial time to be sold by his company’s television networks” before the start of the ’03-04 season (N.Y. TIMES, 4/14).

A CMR/TNS Media Intelligence study shows that TV advertising “bounced back in the second week of the war with Iraq after a predictable plunge in the opening days of the conflict.”  Total ad revenue for the seven days ending April 1 was $71M more than the same period a year ago.  During the first week of the war, ad spending fell $77M from the same period a year ago (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 4/14).

BRANDWEEK.com reported that WorldCom is changing its name to MCI sometime this week (BRANDWEEK.com, 4/11).

The PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER reported that it will end publication of its “century-old Sunday magazine this summer in what the newspaper called a move to cut expenses in an advertising slump.  The magazine will be replaced in mid-July by an eight-page full-size feature section” (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 4/13).

FINAL JEOPARDY!

Last Friday’s “Final Jeopardy!” category was “African Countries.”

“Two of the three four-letter countries of Africa.”

LAUGH TRACK

THE MONOLOGUES: 

NBC’s Jay Leno: “It’s now estimated that all the money the average American makes at work from morning to lunch goes to the government.  You know what I do?  Go to lunch at 10. ... I’d like to welcome all the Iraqi people who are watching this show for the very first time on their brand new television set they just stole. ... We’ve entered a new phase of the war.  We’ve gone from shock and awe to loot and scoot. ... Al Gore wanted to go visit the troops in Baghdad, but he canceled when he saw what they do to statues over there. ... The government of Haiti has officially sanctioned voodoo as a religion. ... Here at home, the Bush administration has sanctioned voodoo as an economic plan. ... The state of New York is now suing Wal-Mart for selling toy guns that they say look too realistic.  How about that?  The one thing Wal-Mart sells that doesn’t look like a cheap piece of crap is a gun. ... 7-11 is going to introduce their own private label beer.  It’s called ‘Don’t Shoot.’  It’s a domestic beer because, as you know, the only thing imported at 7-11 is the guy behind the counter. ... Anna Nicole Smith has lost 185 pounds.  Yeah, her trainer quit. ... Anna says she does 100 crunches a day.  Nestles, but 100” ("Tonight Show," NBC, 4/11).

LATE NIGHT LAUGHS:

During the news segment of Saturday’s edition of NBC’s “SNL,” castmember Tina Fey reported, “Darryl Strawberry was released from a (FL) prison Tuesday after serving eleven months for violating his probation on cocaine possession charges.  Three, two, one … and he has been arrested again” ("SNL," NBC, 4/12).

SUNDAY NIGHT’S TV MONITOR

ESPN’s 11:00pm ET 90-minute edition of “SportsCenter” (late due to Dodgers-Giants) led with The Masters.

WEEKEND BOX OFFICE

The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER notes that the box office for “Anger Management” comprised “more than half of the estimated total for this weekend's top 12 films, which was $86.9[M].  The total for the top 12 films marked a modest but welcome 6% increase from the comparable frame last year, infusing some life at the box office after a string of mostly weak performances” (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 4/14).

FINAL JEOPARDY ANSWER

“What is Chad, Mali or Togo?”

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

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