Morning Buzz, June 9, 2003

NLL ALBANY ATTACK TO RELOCATE TO SAN JOSE FOR ’04 SEASON

The National Lacrosse League (NLL) today during a 3:00pm ETconference call will announce that the Albany Attack will relocate to San Josefor the ’04 season.  NLL Commissioner JimJennings, Silicon Valley Sports & Entertainment Exec VP/BusinessOperations Malcolm Bordelon and two members of the San Jose ownershipgroup, Peter Wendell and John Bergsma, will make the announcement(THE DAILY).

The Albany TIMES UNION reported that Attack Majority Owner HerbChorbajian confirmed that he reached a deal that gives “controllinginterest to a group that includes” the Sharks. The Attack drew 3,689 fans per game at Pepsi Arena last season, the second-lowestattendance in the 12-team league.  Therelocated team will play its home games at HP Pavilion, home of the Sharks (AlbanyTIMES UNION, 6/7).

FIRST-YEAR CAPITAL OPEN TITLE SPONSOR PLEASED WITH EVENT

ESPN today will air final-round coverage of the PGA Tour’srain-delayed FBR Capital Open at Avenel, and the WASHINGTON POST reported thatthe rain “apparently has not dampened the enthusiasm of the tournament’sfirst-year title sponsor.”  Friedman,Billings, Ramsey Group co-Chair & co-CEO Eric Billings: “We all feelthe probability that we’ll be involved [beyond this year] is very high.  What we’ve seen so far is that the businessexperience has exceeded our expectations locally.  We’re not dissuaded at all. We’re very, very pleased with everything but the weather.”  Billings said that his company will decide“in a week to ten days” on a long-term commitment to the event (WASHINGTONPOST, 6/8).

TICKETS FOR FED CUP QUARTERFINAL IN DC GO ON SALE TODAY

Tickets for the Italy-U.S. Fed Cup quarterfinal July 19-20at the 7,500-seat William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center in DC go on sale today,and the WASHINGTON POST reports that Venus Williams has “committed toplay” for the U.S team, giving organizers “hope of selling out” thestadium.  The last time Venus and SerenaWilliams played for the U.S. team, the 4,200-seat Paul Tsongas Arena inLowell, MA, “sold out in less than seven hours.”  While Serena declined an invitation to play, USTA CEO ArlenKantarian “still expects the event to be a major draw” (WASHINGTONPOST, 6/9).

CSTV TO UNVEIL “COLLEGE SPORTS ARE JUST BETTER” CAMPAIGN

College Sports Television (CSTV) today will unveil its firstcreative campaign at the National Cable & Telecommunications AssociationConference, which continues in Chicago. The campaign, which features the tagline, “College Sports Are JustBetter,” will be utilized in print, radio and TV advertising, as well as eventand trade show collateral.  The adsdepict college athletes in action with thought bubbles stating why they are sopassionate about college sports (THE DAILY).

The CHICAGO SUN-TIMES reported that Michael Jacksonand actor Chris Tucker will attend the conference to “show support” forMajor Broadcasting Cable Network (MBC), which will officially announce a dealwith four predominantly “black college sports conferences to televise theirgames” (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 6/8).

U.S. OPEN PRACTICE ROUNDS TO BEGIN TODAY OUTSIDECHICAGO

Practice rounds for the U.S. Open begin today at OlympiaFields Country Club outside Chicago, and the CHICAGO TRIBUNE reported that theseven-day event “is expected to draw35,000 fans daily to the south suburb, as well as an army of 10,000 employeesand support staffers, including tournament contestants, food service workers,police and volunteers” (CHICAGOTRIBUNE, 6/8).

SAMMY SOSA’S APPEAL EXPECTED TO COME TODAY OR TOMORROW

The CHICAGO SUN-TIMES reported that an appeal of Cubs RF SammySosa’s eight-game suspension for using a corked bat will be conducted today“at the earliest.”  The MLBPA isexpected “to act in Sosa’s behalf, asit does customarily in disciplinary cases involving players” (CHICAGOSUN-TIMES, 6/7).  Meanwhile, theCHICAGO TRIBUNE reported that the hearing could take place as early as tomorrowin Baltimore, where the Cubs are to play the Orioles.  Cubs President Andy MacPhail “will be on the trip and is expected to present Sosa’s defense” to MLBPresident & COO Bob DuPuy (CHICAGOTRIBUNE, 6/7).

MORNING BRIEFS

The L.A. DAILY NEWS reported that Bucs Owner MalcolmGlazer is “finalizing his agreement to purchase the Dodgers” for anestimated $375M, and “people with knowledge of the negotiations believe thedeal will get done by the end of the week” (L.A.DAILY NEWS, 6/8).

The N.Y. POST’s Page Six notes that the NFL has asked BritneySpears to play a concert in DC as part of “NFL Kickoff Weekend,” butbecause of a “steady stream of sightingsin Page Six of a tipsy Spears partying at Manhattan hotspots, the NFL isthreatening to drop her from the line-up.” A source said, “They called her manager and said if she didn’t settledown, she was not going to be the headliner. They don’t want anyone associated with any kind of scandal” (N.Y. POST, 6/9).

NEWSDAY reported that former NHL coach Scotty Bowmanhas “expressed interest in coaching the Rangers.”  While Rangers President Glen Sather declined to comment,“it is believed Sather would need permission from the Red Wings to speak withBowman, although it probably would be considered more of a courtesy callbecause it is doubtful compensation would be needed” (NEWSDAY,6/8).

The Pittsburgh TRIBUNE-REVIEW reports that Penguins Owner/C MarioLemieux said that he “still has not decided if he will retire or suit upfor his 15^th NHL season when training camp starts in September,” butafter formally addressing reporters after the final round of the Mellon MarioLemieux Celebrity Golf Invitational, he quipped, “See you in September” (PittsburghTRIBUNE-REVIEW, 6/9).

In St. Paul, CharleyWalters noted that the U.S. Olympic men’s and women’s gymnastics committee willvisit Xcel Energy Center today and writes, “Don’t be surprised if the[committee] awards the St. Paul arena the U.S. National gymnastic meet” for ‘04(St.Paul PIONEER PRESS, 6/8).

The AP reported that Annika Sorenstam was “amused” byPGAer John Riegger’s $1M challenge for an 18-hole match, but said, “I’mnot interested” (AP,6/6).

The AP reported that hockey players may compete for acountry in the Olympics and IIHF Championships “even if they previouslyrepresented another nation.”  Such amove “can be made only once in a player’s life and is permanent.”  The new rule “will not apply to NHL playerswho become U.S. or Canadian citizens” (AP, 6/7).

The SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS reported thatSchertz-Cibolo-Universal (TX) City Police Chief Larry Mike Anders wasarrested by San Antonio police before Nets-Spurs Game Two for allegedly sellingfour tickets that he used his badge to “illegally confiscate” from a scalperoutside the SBC Center (SANANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS, 6/8).

NBC Sports’ coverage of Saturday’s Belmont Stakes generatedthe highest Nielsen overnight rating for any horse race since ’90 and thehighest overnight since ’87, with a 10.4/24 rating from 5:30-7:00pm ET.  The topten individual market ratings in the 6:00-7:00pm ET segment are as follows (THEDAILY):

ATTENDANCE WATCH:

• The Albany TIMES UNION reported that the “second-largest crowd in Belmont history,” 101,864, attended Saturday’s Belmont Stakes.  The largest crowd ever, 103,222, was recorded last year (Albany TIMES UNION, 6/8).

• The L.A. TIMES reported that a “sellout crowd of 27,000” attended Saturday’s MLS Rapids-Galaxy game, the first soccer game at The Home Depot Center in Carson, CA (L.A. TIMES, 6/8).

• The WASHINGTON TIMES reports that the “smallest home crowd of the season,” 11,807, attended Saturday’s MLS Fire-United game at RFK Stadium (WASHINGTON TIMES, 6/8).

• The WASHINGTON POST reports that a crowd of 9,116 attended yesterday’s New Zealand-U.S. men’s exhibition soccer match at Univ. of Richmond Stadium (WASHINGTON POST, 6/9).

• The DALLAS MORNING NEWS reported that a crowd of approximately 92,000 attended Saturday’s IRL Bombardier 500 at TX Motor Speedway (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 6/8).

A LIGHTER BUZZ

The SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS reported that the Single-ACalifornia League San Jose Giants selected Stockton Ports CF Patrick Boydas the “beer batter” for Friday night’s Ports-Giants game at MunicipalStadium.  As the “beer batter” player,each time Boyd struck out, “fans were treated to half-price beer for the next15 minutes.  And Boyd did not let themdown; he struck out three times.”  Boyd:“Last time I was the beer batter I struck out three times, too.  They love me here.  I’m glad I helped them out” (SAN JOSEMERCURY NEWS, 6/8).

WEEKEND RAP…

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

• Boston Globe columnist Bob Ryan: “A week ago, Annika Sorenstam was the most discussed woman in America.  Now she’s back in her regular world and that means you have to dig a little deeper in the sports section to find her name. ... In comparison to their male counterparts, women still operate way out there on the fringe of the sports landscape.”

• Washington Post columnist Michael Wilbon: “While there’s no question the Spurs are Tim Duncan’s team, Duncan can never be the historical and civic figure in San Antonio that David Robinson is.  Without Robinson, there are no San Antonio Spurs. ... Robinson’s willingness to play and live in a small-market bearing no resemblance to his hometown of Washington, DC, literally saved the franchise.”

• Detroit Free Press columnist Mitch Albom: “Consider this a plea to Jason Kidd on behalf of the right-hand side of the country.  Jason, stay put! ... If you go, they might as well fold the playoffs in half.  Forget the East.  The Nets are the only team right now capable of winning a game from the Western champs.”

• N.Y. Daily News columnist Mike Lupica: “The editor of the New York Times, Howell Raines, got fired this week even though it was officially called a resignation.  You get that in newspapers the way you do in sports. … Raines had to go because the owner of the paper wasn’t going anywhere.  So it really is the same with the New York Times as the New York Yankees” ("The Sports Reporters," ESPN, 6/8).

Heard elsewhere over the weekend:

• Funny Cide assistant trainer Robin Smullen: “The fan base that he has is unbelievable.  Everyone wants to see him race until he’s six or seven or eight or nine, and that’s fine with us” ("Evening News," CBS, 6/7).

• Daily Racing Form’s Steven Crist, on Funny Cide’s impact: “He has the potential to become a genuine folk hero.  That’s more important for the sport than having a superstar Triple Crown winner who’s retired by August” ("Evening News," CBS, 6/7).

• Funny Cide Partner Jon Constance: “If anybody is thinking about getting into (horse racing) to make money, forget about it!  We’ve just been awful lucky, that’s all” ("Moneyline," CNNfn, 6/6).

• Albom, on Empire Maker winning the Belmont Stakes: “I don’t think I’ve ever felt sorrier for a winner than I did for (Empire Maker) ... because all the interviews were, ‘Well, it would have been better, of course, if Funny Cide had won, but congratulations to you’” ("The Sports Reporters," ESPN, 6/8).

• ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel: “When I am commissioner of the NBA, any player drafted out of high school will not be allowed to sign endorsement deals that exceed the value of their actual high schools” (ABC, 6/7).

• Fox’ Joe Buck: “Everything in the sports world right now is centering around the Chicago Cubs and what’s gone on here for the past week.  Think about it.  The NBA Finals are going on.  Not many people talking about that.  The NHL Finals.  You’ve got Funny Cide going for the Triple Crown at the Belmont later today, I think.  I don’t even know.  Sherpas right now are on top of Everest talking about Sammy Sosa and the corked bat” (Fox, 6/7).

THE BACK PAGES

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

N.Y. Post	N.Y. Daily News

Philadelphia Daily News

TODAY’S EVENTS

The National Cable & Telecommunications AssociationConference continues at McCormick Place in Chicago.  View today’sagenda (THE DAILY).

Former President Jimmy Carter and NASCAR driver JimmieJohnson will help build a house in Anniston, AL, for Habitat for Humanity (WINSTON-SALEMJOURNAL, 6/9).

The public sale of 20,000 pairs of Veteran Stadium signatureblue seats begins today, at a cost of $280 per pair (THE DAILY).

THIS WEEK IN SISTER PUBLICATION SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL…

This week’s cover story features a Q&Awith Spurs Owner Peter Holt, who talks up the NBA Finals, the image ofSan Antonio and his game-day superstitions.

EARNINGS ANNOUNCEMENTS

Below are thisweek’s confirmed earnings announcements for sports-business related companies (THEDAILY).

INOTHER NEWS….

This week’s cover of TIME offers “Hillary In Her Own Words,”including an excerpt from Clinton’s memoir, “Living History.”  Meanwhile, NEWSWEEK examines“Men’s Minds, Men’s Bodies” (THE DAILY).

The play “Take MeOut,” about a homosexual baseball player who comes out of the closet, lastnight at the 57^th annual Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall wonthe award for Best Play.  Joe Mantello won for Best Direction,while Denis O’Hare won for Best Performance by a Featured Actor in aPlay (N.Y. TIMES, 6/9).

The AP reported that Charter Communications Chair PaulAllen said that the company “has completed the $728[M] cash purchase ofComcast Corp.’s interest in the two companies’ joint cable venture,” CC VIIILLC (AP,6/6).

FINAL JEOPARDY!

Friday’s “Final Jeopardy!” category was “Candy.”

“Bill Harmsen, who raised horses in Colorado, happilyfounded this candy company in 1949 to make money during the winter.”

LAUGH TRACK

THEMONOLOGUES: 

NBC’sJay Leno: “Flipped on Martha Stewart’s TV show this morning.  You know what she was making?  License plates. ... Martha Stewart inprison.  That would be like the ultimatereality show.  It would be a combinationof ‘Oz’ meets ‘Trading Spaces.’ ... There is security camera footage of PresidentClinton having sex with a woman in a truck back when he was governor ofArkansas.  Apparently, both the girl andthe truck were half-ton pick-ups. ... Big dilemma for guys this Sunday.  Guys, what are you going to do?  Tony Awards or NBA Finals. ... Funny Cide isnot the only famous horse racing this weekend. OJ has a horse running – Homicide. ... The Wall Street Journal isreporting that [MLB] games are now allowing fans to use cell phones to call aconcession stand to have the food delivered to them.  How fat and lazy are we getting? It’s bad enough you’re sitting for three-and-a-half hours. ... You sawthe weather forecast for Chicago. Predicting rain this weekend. But the good news; Sammy Sosa’s bat can be used as a floatation device.... Hillary is a huge Cubs fan.  What isit about this woman that draws her to men accused of cheating?” ("TonightShow," NBC, 6/6).

LastFriday’s edition of CBS’ “Late Show” featured guest host Tom Arnold, whoperformed a short monologue.  Arnold: “Iknow what you’re thinking.  You’rethinking, ‘My God, Dave has really let himself go.’ ... I don’t want tobrag, but earlier today, I was named Performer of the Year by the New YorkTimes. ... I was thinking about Funny Cide. I haven’t seen a gelding run that fast since my divorce from Roseanne.... I’ve been married three times.  Youknow what Larry King calls me?  Awussy, for God’s sake! ... I think David Letterman’s very smart for having mebe a guest host.  I’ll tell youwhy.  Because tonight’s show, there’sfive million regular viewers who regularly watch Dave and there’s 500 peoplewho usually watch the “Best Damn Sports Show Period” watching too.  So those are some big numbers. ... SammySosa can hit a baseball 500 feet with a toothpick.  He doesn’t need to cheat. He just relies on his heart and his natural, God-given steroids” ("LateShow," CBS, 6/6).

SUNDAY NIGHT’S TV MONITOR

ESPN’s 11:00pm ET “SportsCenter” (late due to Yankees-Cubs) led with Spurs-Nets

Game Three, followed by Yankees-Cubs, Red Sox-Brewers and BlueJays-Reds.

WEEKEND BOX OFFICE

The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER notes that the estimated box officetotal for the top 12 films “rose to $157.2[M] – up a staggering 52% from thecomparable frame last year” (HOLLYWOODREPORTER, 6/9).

FINAL JEOPARDY ANSWER

“What is Jolly Rancher?”

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

The Morning Buzz provides anearly update of the news and headlines each Monday through Friday atapproximately 9:00am ET. If you would like to sign up for an e-mail alert tothe Morning Buzz, go to MyAccount and personalize your e-mail alert options.