| | The Daily Insider
Morning News & Headlines
Thursday, June 19, 2003
9:00am ET | |
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| • | Independent Commission To Deliver USOC Reform Recommendations Today |
| • | NASCAR Today Announces Ten-Year Title Sponsorship Deal With Nextel |
| • | Coyotes To Announce Plans Today To Redesign Logo And Uniforms For ’03-04 |
| • | USTA To Announce Today Record $17M+ In Total Prize Money For U.S. Open |
| • | Talks Between Bucks And Michael Jordan’s Ownership Group Intensify |
| • | Morning Briefs/In Other News/Laugh Track/TV Monitor/Final Jeopardy! |
COMMISSION TO RECOMMEND TODAY REDUCING SIZE OF USOC BOD
The U.S. Senate-appointed Independent Commission of the USOCtoday will make public its recommendations for reform of the USOC at 5:00pm ETin DC, and the DENVER POST reported that many observers “expect the blueprint will mimican existing push to gut the organization.” At stake is the “future size of the USOC [BOD] – now numbering 120 – andthe people who will sit on that ruling body.” While the commission may “place the board’s size at 12,” USOC officials“privately predict the board will number 15” (DENVER POST,6/18).
USA TODAY reports that legislation to reshape the USOC“could be drafted as early as next week and voted on before Congress recessesin early August.” The Senate CommerceCommittee has scheduled a Tuesday hearing to discuss today’s recommendations (USATODAY, 6/19).
Commission co-Chairs Donald Fehr and Roberta Cooper Ramo, along with commission members Donna de Varona, Dick Ebersol and Dr. Harvey Schiller will deliver the report (THE DAILY).
NASCAR’S TOP SERIES TO BECOME NEXTEL CUP AT START OF’04
NASCAR today announced that Nextel Communications has signeda ten-year agreement to become the title sponsor of its top racing series,beginning with the ’04 season. The NASCAR Winston Cup Series will be renamed the NASCARNextel Cup Series. NASCAR Chair BillFrance and Vice Chair & Exec VP Brian France will make a formalannouncement during a 10:00am ET press conference in Times Square (THE DAILY).
The WINSTON-SALEM JOURNAL reports that NASCAR will “pocket [$25-30M] annually, averaged out overthe expected 10 years of the contract, and the rest of the estimated$80[M]-a-year package will be split among the TV networks, track promoters andseason-ending prize money for teams, and Nextel’s own marketing efforts.” It is estimated that NASCAR receives $10-15Mannually from R.J. Reynolds (WINSTON-SALEMJOURNAL, 6/19).
MEN’S AND WOMEN’S U.S. OPEN CHAMPION TO RECEIVE $1M APIECE
The USTA today will announce that prize money for the U.S.Open will exceed $17M, including for the first time in Grand Slam history, a$1M payout to both the men’s and women’s singles champion. Prize money for doubles will also beincreased, with the men’s and women’s doubles champions receiving a record$400,000. The ’03 purse includes over$10M in main draw prize money, an 8% increase over last year. Total prize money is up 6.2% from last year(THE DAILY). The N.Y. TIMESnotes that Wimbledon, which begins Monday, “will have a total purse of$15.78[M] and has increased singles compensation for men and women by 9.5[%]” (N.Y. TIMES,6/19).
COYOTES TO OFFER REVAMPED LOGO, JERSEYS FOR ’03-04 SEASON
The ARIZONA REPUBLIC reports that the Coyotes today willannounce “plans to unveil a new logo anduniform scheme for the 2003-04 season,” to be introduced in September tocoincide with the start of training camp. Coyotes Exec VP/Business Operations Brian Byrnes: “We like theCoyote, but we want to give him more personality, more strength and make himmore dynamic, yet retain a lot of the characteristics currently in ourlogo.” Denver-based Adrenaline Designshas been tabbed for the redesign. Inaddition to the fact that the color “brick-red will be predominately featuredin the new uniforms,” the club will not have a third jersey in ’03-04 (ARIZONAREPUBLIC, 6/19).
NHL DRAFT EXPECTED TO PUMP $7-10M INTO NASHVILLE’S ECONOMY
Festivities aroundSaturday’s NHL Draft in Nashville begin today with youth clinics conducted byNHL Dir of Youth Development Willie O’Ree, currentPredators players and some of the league’s top prospects from 12:30-2:30pm CT (THEDAILY). The Nashville TENNESSEAN reports that league execs predicteda $7-10M economic impact on Nashville’s economy from the draft, “mostly onhotels, food, and rental cars.” However, Nashville Convention & Visitors Bureau Exec VP ButchSpyridon said of the economic impact, “My number is $3[M]” (NashvilleTENNESSEAN, 6/19).
TODAY THE DAILY GOES ONE-ON-ONE WITH…
Which industry exec has righted the financial ship of hisorganization and once secretly tried on five Gold Medals while an employee atthe Olympic Museum? To find out, seetoday’s “Sports Industrialists” section for “THE DAILY Goes One-On-One With…”
MORNING BRIEFS
ESPN.com reportedthat talks involving Michael Jordan’s ownership group and the Buckshave “intensified in recent days, raising the possibility that Jordan could bein charge of his own franchise as soon as July” (ESPN.com,6/18).
The SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS reports that the NFL and NASAare “discussing a way to honor” the seven astronauts who died aboard theshuttle Columbia last year at Super Bowl XXXVIII, which will be played February1, 2004, at Reliant Stadium in Houston (SANANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS, 6/19).
The NFL Network yesterday formally announced that former“SportsCenter” anchor Rich Eisen will be the lead anchor for thenetwork’s flagship program, a yet-to-be-named one-hour live studio show fromL.A., airing weekdays at 8:00pm ET (THE DAILY).
The London TELEGRAPH reports that the Rugby Football LeagueBOD has “turned down [BSkyB’s $89M] offer to televise the Super League andinternational matches for the next five years.” The offer is $11.7M more than the current deal, “which expires atthe end of the season.” Despite thedecision, seven of the league’s 12 clubs are “believed to favor the deal” (LondonTELEGRAPH, 6/19).
The HARTFORD COURANT reports that the Pilot Pen tennistournament will “have its most extensive TV schedule this year” as ESPN, ESPN2and CBS will “show a total of 13 ½ hours of live and taped coverage” of the August15-23 tournament at the Connecticut Tennis Center in New Haven. The tournament had 12 ½ hours of coverageduring the past two years (HARTFORDCOURANT, 6/19).
The CP reported that “more than 115,000 tickets” have been sold for the Tennis Masters SeriesCanada at du Maurier Stadium in Montreal August 2-10, on pace to “threaten therecord of 165,611 spectators at the 2001 tournament” (CP, 6/18).
The Cleveland PLAIN DEALER reports that Baseball HOFer LarryDoby, the first black player in the American League, died last night aftera bout with cancer. Doby was 78 (ClevelandPLAIN DEALER, 6/19).
Former NASCAR Busch Series team Owner Curtis Keyyesterday announced that he will return to NASCAR with the establishment of anew Craftsman Truck Series team. Theteam will field Chevy S10 pick-ups in a minimum of three races during thesecond half of the ’03 season and a minimum of 13 races during the ’04 season (THEDAILY).
The CHICAGO SUN-TIMES reports that IL Cook County CircuitCourt Judge Leo Holt delayed sentencing of William Ligue, Jr.,the man who attacked Royals 1B coach Tom Gamboa alongside his son lastyear at U.S. Cellular Field, until August 6 (CHICAGOSUN-TIMES, 6/19).
ATTENDANCE WATCH:
- The SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS reports that a crowd of approximately 300,000 lined the River Walk for last night’s SBC 2003 Spurs Championship Celebration (SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS, 6/19).
- The L.A. TIMES reports that a crowd of 13,867 attended last night’s MLS Earthquakes-Galaxy game at the 27,000-seat Home Depot Center, the finale of a three-game homestand to open the stadium (L.A. TIMES, 6/19).
A LIGHTER BUZZ
Jay Leno, when asked by the N.Y. POST’s “Page Six”which stars have refused to appear on his show after he made fun of them in hismonologue, said, “I made a lot of lace underwear jokes about Marv Albert,and he hasn’t come back” (N.Y.POST, 6/19).
The ST. PAUL PIONEERPRESS notes the Royals’ success against Twins pitching “has cost Krispy Krememore than 50,000 dozen doughnuts the past three nights.” The companygives every fan in attendance a free dozen doughnuts when the Royals get 12hits or more in a game (ST.PAUL PIONEER PRESS, 6/19). TheRoyals amassed 12, 13 and 13 hits respectively in the Monday through Wednesdayseries (THE DAILY).
THE BACK PAGES
The Morning Buzz offers today’s back page sportscovers from some of the nation’s major metropolitan tabloids:
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| N.Y. Post | N.Y. Post |
| | |
| N.Y. Daily News | Philadelphia Daily News |
TODAY’S EVENTS
Churchill Downs Inc. will hold its annual shareholdersmeeting in Louisville, beginning at 10:00am ET (THE DAILY).
NASCAR.com and The Jeff Gordon Foundation will begin anonline charity auction featuring items such as Jeff Gordon autographedmemorabilia, an autographed Sam Bass print and a Tiger Woodsautographed pin flag from the ’01 Masters (THE DAILY).
Representatives from Magna Entertainment-owned GulfstreamPark will appear in Broward County court today to argue that portions of theracetrack be “reclassified as agricultural,” and receive the tax exemptionsassociated with such a change. PompanoPark harness track recently received such a designation from the FourthDistrict Court of Appeals (THOROUGHBRED TIMES, 6/15).
Following this afternoon’s Red Sox-White Sox game at 1:05pmCT, seniors will have the opportunity to run the bases of U.S. Cellular Field,as part of the White Sox senior-friendly promotions. The team will also host the first of three senior bingo nightsbefore the game (THE DAILY).
The U.S. OutdoorTrack & Field Championships begin today in Palo Alto, CA. NBCand ESPN2 will provide 3 ½ hours of coverage throughout the weekend (THEDAILY).
The Nike HoopJamboree will be held today through Saturday at St. Louis University. Most of the participants “have recently completed their freshman or sophomoreyear” of high school. Fewerthan ten of the participants are entering their freshman year, “including JeffreyJordan, the oldest son of Michael Jordan” (ST.LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 6/19).
The Native American Journalists Association will convene inGreen Bay for its annual convention. A10:00am CT panel entitled, “Mascots: Where’s the Honor?,” will featureMinneapolis Star-Tribune Managing Editor Scott Gillespie and LincolnJournal Star Editor Kathleen Rutledge, whose papers have opposing viewson the use of American Indian nickname in sports coverage. Indian Country Today columnist SuzanShown Harjo, who has covered the issue extensively, will also participate (THEDAILY).
The sixth annual African American Business Summit begins atthe Irvine Marriott Hotel in Irvine, CA. Strickland & Ashe Management President & CEO Bill Stricklandwill deliver a keynote address Saturday about the skills and secrets ofnegotiating, in a speech titled, “Conversation with a Winner.” The summit runs through Sunday (THE DAILY).
INOTHER NEWS….
The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER notes that Cablevision fired AMCPresident Kate McEnroe and 13 other AMC employees “after a five-monthinternal review found a division of its Rainbow Media programming unit hasimproperly accounted for expense accruals.” The review, covering ’99-02, so far has found that $6.2M in expenses was“accelerated and improperly accrued” (HOLLYWOODREPORTER, 6/19).
The U.S. Census Bureau yesterday “formally declared Latinosto be the nation’s largest minority group, a much anticipated milestone thatdemographers said is a sign of more rapid growth in years ahead.” The Bureau noted the Latino population inthe U.S. as of July ’02 was 38.8 million, an increase of nearly 10% from the’00 census. The bureau “estimated theAfrican American population at 38.3 million.” Each group accounts for “a little more than 13% of the overall U.S.population” (L.A. TIMES,6/19).
The N.Y. TIMES reports that Charter Communications is “closeto announcing that it has arranged a mechanism for accepting a $300[M] loan”from Chair Paul Allen (N.Y. TIMES, 6/19).
The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER notes that as is the “custom the weekafter the Tony Awards are handed out, Broadway grosses surged upward last week,with all but three productions seeing gains at the box office.” Most notably, “Take Me Out,” the Tony winnerfor Best Play, “swatted out a higher baseline in grosses, pitching anadditional $50,736 last week to $295,256 at 78.5% of capacity” (HOLLYWOODREPORTER, 6/19).
FINAL JEOPARDY!
Last night’s “Final Jeopardy!” category was “Literary TitleCharacters.”
“Fanny Squeers called him Knuckleboy.”
LAUGH TRACK
THEMONOLOGUES:
CBS’ DavidLetterman: “Crime in the New York subway system is down 15%. It’s amazing, isn’t it? In fact, it’s been weeks since I waspistol-whipped by a pill-popping punk. So far this year, we’ve only had 254 murders. Now don’t kid yourself. That’s a low number for New York. It’s way, way down and it’s down because of Mayor Bloomberg withthat $50 fine for murder. ... George W. Bush is having fundraisingdinners. He had one the other night andthey served at the fundraising dinner, for $2,000, you either got a hot dog oryou got a hamburger. George W. Bush, byserving hot dogs and hamburgers, raised $3[M]. Afterwards, guests got to ride with Dick Cheney in the ambulance.... U.S. forces in Iraq have captured the ace of diamonds. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeldsays we are this close to gin. ... Saddam Hussein’s daughter says thather father is still alive and living in Baghdad. In fact, he just opened a carpet cleaning business with SeanPenn. ... Hillary Clinton’s book is a huge best seller. It’s crazy. She sold over like 200,000 copies and she’s making so much money thatnow she’s cheating on Bill” ("Late Show," CBS, 6/18).
NBC’s Jay Leno: “How’s this for an upset? The Tampa Bay Devil Rays beat the New YorkYankees 11-2 the other night. I guesssomebody got some nice corked bats for Father's Day. ... President Bush held afundraising dinner of hot dogs and nachos, charged $2,000 per person. How can anybody afford to give PresidentBush $2,000 for hot dogs and nachos? Same people who got the $10,000 tax cut. ... Hillary Clinton held a hugeupscale book signing party in New York the other night. Both Bill and Hillary worked the crowd. Hillary worked the well-heeled and Billworked the high-heeled. ... Eighty-year old woman in Pakistan claims she ispregnant. Boy, that Ashton Kutchergets around. ... Bill Clinton is writing a cookbook. Well finally, a Clinton book Monica will read. Who would have thought a year ago BillClinton would be putting out a cookbook and Martha Stewart would beindicted? ... The cookbook is called ‘Eat Me’” ("Tonight Show,"NBC, 6/18).
LATENIGHT LAUGHS:
Last night’s Top Ten list was “Top Ten Worst Summer Jobs” ("LateShow," CBS, 6/18).
| 10) “Deposed Iraqi dictator.” |
| 9) “‘The New York Times’ fact checker.” |
| 8) “French ambassador to the United States.” |
| 7) “Sidewalk Santa.” |
| 6) “Any job where you wear a uniform that reads ‘Mets.’” |
| 5) “Siegfried and/or Roy.” |
| 4) “‘Dennis Kucinich for President’ campaign manager.” |
| 3) “Satellite dish salesman, Amish country.” |
| 2) “James Brolin.” |
| 1) “‘The Late Show’ audience member.” |
CBS’Craig Kilborn: “Now, Demi Moore dating Sponge Bob. … Also a rumor goingaround that Joey Buttafuoco and O.J. Simpson have agreed to aPay-Per-View fight. You know who’sgoing to lose? The ring girl. … A dozenhigh school girls started wrestling in the mud outside their school, and theytore off their clothes. Police rushedto the scene and started doing JELL-O shots” (“The Late Late Show,” CBS,6/18).
WEDNESDAY NIGHT’S TV MONITOR
ESPN’s 11:00pm ET “SportsCenter” led with Cubs RF SammySosa’s return from a seven-game suspension, followed by Cubs-Redsand D’Rays-Yankees.
FINAL JEOPARDY ANSWER
“Who is Nicholas Nickleby?”
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