Morning Buzz, July 7, 2003

KOBE BRYANT FREE ON BAIL FOR ALLEGED FELONY SEXUAL ASSAULT

The L.A. TIMES reports that Lakers G Kobe Bryant “is free on bail after turning himself in to police on suspicion of felony sexual assault at a resort” near Vail, CO. While Bryant was “booked, posted $25,000 bail and released, he has yet to be formally charged and an arraignment has not been scheduled.” An unidentified woman told police that Bryant sexually assaulted her June 30. In CO, felony sexual assault has “a wide scope, from coerced touching to rape” (L.A. TIMES, 7/7).

Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak issued a statement: “These allegations are completely out of character of the Kobe Bryant we know. … However, since this is a legal matter being handled by the authorities in [CO], we must refrain from further comment at this time” (THE DAILY).

Nike European PR Dir Nigel Powell: “We’re pleased to work with Kobe Bryant as he is a great player. But since this is a legal matter, we cannot comment at this time.” NBA Senior Dir of Basketball Communications Tim Frank said that the league “had no immediate comment” (ESPN.com, 7/6).

Bryant’s arrest was mentioned in the opening news segments of all three major network morning shows today:

The N.Y. Post’s Peter Vecsey appeared on NBC’s “Today” show at 7:20am ET and said of Bryant, “If you told me Tim Duncan or David Robinson was arrested for the same crime, I would be equally shocked. He’s got an immaculate reputation.” NBC’s Matt Lauer: “The guy’s got a squeaky-clean image.” Asked what impact the situation will have on Bryant’s reputation, Vecsey said, “If it is dropped, nothing. If it isn’t dropped, and it has to go to trial or is settled out of court, sneaker companies – he just signed with Nike – they could drop him in a heartbeat” ("Today," NBC, 7/7).

WCBS’ Duke Castiglione appeared at 7:20am ET on CBS’ “The Early Show” to discuss Bryant with Hannah Storm (“The Early Show,” CBS, 7/7).

ABC’s “Good Morning America” did not have a guest to discuss the situation (“Good Morning America, ABC, 7/7).

ESPN TO DEDICATE UPWARDS OF $10M ON X GAMES IX AD CAMPAIGN

The WALL STREET JOURNAL reports that ESPN today “is launching a celebrity-studded ad campaign” via Ground Zero, L.A., to promote X Games IX that will “appear on teen-targeted cable stations such as MTV.” The effort is ESPN’s largest for the X Games, as the net is “spending [$3-5M] on ads that run off the network and an additional on-network promotion that is valued at more than $5[M].” One spot, entitled “Uninvited,” features pro skateboarder Bob Burnquist “skating in a backyard pool, where he is confronted by the pool’s unhappy owner – Hugh Hefner.” A second spot features actor Luke Perry and Snoop Dogg (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 7/7).

VIKINGS TO BE ASKED TODAY TO GIVE UP 45 METRODOME BOXES

The Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE reported that representatives of the Twins, Vikings and Univ. of MN today will meet with Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission Chair Roy Terwilliger to discuss “the chances of the Vikings giving up the 45 executive boxes, or the number they don’t sell to the Twins for the baseball season and the Gophers for the football season.” However, the Vikings “want to eliminate the annual payment of $1.3[M] for rent they make to the commission if they are to give up the boxes.” Twins President David St. Peter also “plans to meet later in the week with Terwilliger to negotiate a new lease for the Twins” (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 7/4).

VAIL TO BECOME OFFICIAL PRO CYCLING TOUR RESORT

The SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL reports that the Pro Cycling Tour (PCT) and the Vail Valley Chamber & Tourism Bureau today will announce the formation of the annual PCT Rocky Mountain Classic at Vail, which will be held September 3-5, 2004. Under terms of the deal, Vail also becomes the official resort of the 2004 PCT. Threshold Sports CEO David Chauner said that the asking price “for title sponsorship of the Vail event will be $1.5[M],” while an additional six sponsorship packages “will be priced at $500,000-700,000 apiece.” The PCT is managed by Threshold Sports and sanctioned by USA Cycling (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 7/7 issue).

KFC TO DEBUT ANNIKA SORENSTAM AD CAMPAIGN TODAY

As first reported in The Daily, KFC today will debut the first of two new ads featuring LPGA Tour player Annika Sorenstam to promote its Honey BBQ Wings and Boneless Wings. The ad, via BBDO, N.Y., pairs Sorenstam with Jason Alexander. A second ad, to be released at a later date, pairs the golfer with two “regular guys” (THE DAILY).

In Chicago, Lewis Lazare gives the new ad a “D+,” adding that it “marks the final appearance in a KFC spot for the accomplished Alexander.” On Sorenstam’s acting ability, Lazare writes, “To say she lacks what it takes is a charitable understatement” (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 7/7).

MORNING BRIEFS

The Cleveland PLAIN DEALER reported that Cavaliers G LeBron James signed a three-year contract worth $12.96M, including a team option for a fourth year that would bring the deal to $18.76M. While rookie contracts are set by the NBA and NBPA, “that didn’t prevent [James’ agent Aaron] Goodwin from negotiating with the Cavs when it comes to how many games James would play during summer league and how much time James will miss because of prior commitments” (Cleveland PLAIN DEALER, 7/4).

The AP reported that the IOC on Friday approved the World Anti-Doping Code, which sets uniform rules and sanctions for all sports and countries. The code “calls for two-year suspensions for steroid or other serious drug offenses” (AP, 7/4).

The London INDEPENDENT reported that John McEnroe, Boris Becker and Martina Navratilova were “among a list of 36 former players and professional observers who put their names to an open letter delivered to the [ITF] … calling for a reduction in the width of tennis rackets from 12.5 inches to nine inches.” The letter stated, “Our sport has become unbalanced and one-dimensional. Today we see few matches involving players of contrasting styles” (London INDEPENDENT, 7/4).

WUSA Freedom F Mia Hamm, on the ’03 Women’s World Cup: “This is definitely my last World Cup. I mean, I’m getting too old for all of this” (METROWEST DAILY NEWS, 7/3).

The LEXINGTON HERALD-LEADER reported that the second phase of Churchill Downs’ $121M renovation were to begin after the race meet ended yesterday (LEXINGTON HERALD-LEADER, 7/5).

The MLB All-Star Game rosters were announced yesterday, and the HOUSTON CHRONICLE notes that Yankees P Roger Clemens, Cubs RF Sammy Sosa and Red Sox P Pedro Martinez “were among the familiar names left off the rosters.” In all, 29 of the 63 selections “are first-time All-Stars, including seven starters. That’s the most first-timers since 30 were chosen for the 1988 contest” (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 7/7). View complete rosters: American League | National League

ATTENDANCE WATCH:

• The PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER reported that a sellout crowd of 57,326 attended Thursday’s Cubs-Phillies Fireworks Night game at Veterans Stadium (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 7/4).

• The L.A. DAILY NEWS reported that a crowd of 55,601 attended Saturday’s Angels-A’s game, the “largest regular-season crowd in Network Associates Coliseum history” (L.A. DAILY NEWS, 7/6).

• The SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER reported that a crowd of 49,530 attended Friday’s Mariners-Rangers game at The Ballpark in Arlington, the “fourth-largest crowd for a regular season game in [Rangers] history” (SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER, 7/5).

• The INDIANAPOLIS STAR reported that a crowd of 58,471 attended Saturday night’s CART Cleveland Grand Prix at Burke Lakefront Airport, “pushing the three-day total to 112,232.” Saturday’s race was the first in Cleveland run under the lights (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 7/6).

• The K.C. STAR reports that a crowd of approximately 80,000 attended yesterday’s IRL Kansas Indy 300 at Kansas Speedway. Tickets to the race were part of a two-weekend Kansas Speedway package that includes the NASCAR Busch Series and Winston Cup Series races October 4-5 (K.C. STAR, 7/7).

• The WASHINGTON POST reported that a crowd of 2,200 attended Saturday’s under-19 girls’ lacrosse World Championships at Towson Univ.’s Minnegan Field (WASHINGTON POST, 7/6).

A LIGHTER BUZZ

NEWSDAY reports that Takeru “Tsunami” Kobayashi defended his title during Nathan’s Famous 4^th of July Hot Dog Eating Contest, “ingesting 44 ½ hot dogs in 12 minutes.” Kobayashi defeated his closest competitor, Ed “Cookie” Jarvis by 9 ½, but was “not able to beat his own world record of 50 ½,” set last year. Former NFLer William “The Refrigerator” Perry was “casually chewing his hot dogs” before conceding after four minutes of the competition (NEWSDAY, 7/5).

The ATLANTA CONSTITUTION reported that Sheree Buchanan and Monica Ambrose, the wives of Falcons CB Ray Buchanan and Saints CB Ashley Ambrose, “became the sixth team eliminated” from CBS’ “The Amazing Race” on Thursday’s episode (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 7/4).

WEEKEND RAP…

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

• Boston Globe columnist Bob Ryan, on the Tour de France: “I love it. It doesn’t mean I have to understand it. Do you know it’s really a team deal? ... You’ve got the yellow jersey. You’ve got 55 guys finishing with the same time, what’s up with that? You’ve got the treacherous mountains. Most of all, you’ve got the locations. What do we have? Chicago, Cleveland, Anaheim.”

• N.Y. Times columnist William Rhoden, on the Red Sox-Yankees rivalry: “One of the most enduring rivalries in American sports is the rivalry between Boston and New York. This isn’t just a competition between sports teams, but between cities and two distinct cultures. All the passion and the intensity of the Northeast is expressed in a baseball game between the Red Sox and Yankees, no matter when they play, who’s up, who’s down.”

• K.C. Star columnist Jason Whitlock, on Chiefs RB Priest Holmes’ future with the club: “No one knows if the game’s best player is healthy or willing to report to work. (Holmes) is the NFL’s biggest mystery. … He’s threatened to hold out if the Chiefs don’t give him a new contract. The Chiefs can’t give him a new deal because they’re still unsure about the health of his slow-to-recover hip, and after drafting Larry Johnson in the first round, Chiefs President Carl Peterson appears to be ready to play his favorite game – hardball.”

• N.Y. Daily News columnist Mike Lupica, on Cardinals LF Albert Pujols not being a household name: “We sat here last week and discussed why a guy having a season like Pujols, playing in a storied baseball town like St. Louis, isn’t a bigger star. ... I think I have a reason: Because fans, at least fans outside St. Louis, just aren’t having their bells rung by Pujols yet. … Fans will decide whether they want to talk about Pujols, watch him play on television, buy a ticket to watch him play when he comes to their town. Wrong? Are you kidding? These are just a handful of the rights that fans still have” (“The Sports Reporters,” ESPN, 7/6).

THE BACK PAGES

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

N.Y. Daily News	N.Y. Daily News
N.Y. Post	Philadelphia Daily News

TODAY’S EVENTS

The ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS reported that inspectors today will resume their examination of the Coors Field escalator that malfunctioned during Wednesday’s D’Backs-Rockies game (ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS, 7/5).

ESPN today at noon ET will air the three-way playoff between Hilary Lunke, Kelly Robbins and Angela Stanford at the U.S. Women’s Open at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club in North Plains, OR (THE DAILY).

THIS WEEK IN SISTER PUBLICATION SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL…

This week’s cover story looks at the IOC’s decision to award Vancouver the 2010 Olympics. For the city, the hard work is just beginning. Also, what are the implications for the N.Y. bid for 2012?

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 “Peace Is Hell.” Meanwhile, NEWSWEEK examines “Cholesterol And Beyond” (THE DAILY).

The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER notes that five weeks into the summer ratings period, the “primetime competition among the Big Four networks looks a lot like it did during the regular season: NBC leads the pack in the adults 18-49 demographic while CBS is the most-watched network in total viewers” (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 7/7).

The WALL STREET JOURNAL reports that Liberty Media’s $7.9B acquisition of Comcast’s 57.5% stake in QVC, which gives Liberty 100% ownership of the company, “adds yet another twist to Vivendi’s unwieldy auction. With the sale process already complicated by a swarm of suitors jostling for position, Vivendi now has in Liberty a bidder with lots of cash, but perhaps less motivation to pay a big price for the Universal film studio and cable-network assets that include USA and the Sci Fi Channel” (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 7/7).

Cablevision received a formal order of investigation and subpoena from the SEC Thursday in relation to its Rainbow Media unit (Mult., 7/7).

FINAL JEOPARDY!

Friday’s “Final Jeopardy!” category was “Business Biggies.”

“In January 2003, this company based in Oak Brook, IL, reported its first ever quarterly loss.”

SUNDAY NIGHT’S TV MONITOR

ESPN’s 11:00pm ET “SportsCenter” led with Lakers G Kobe Bryant’s arrest in CO for felony sexual assault, followed by Tiger Woods winning the Western Open, and Cardinals-Cubs.

WEEKEND BOX OFFICE

The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER notes that the estimated box office for the top 12 films this past weekend “was $126.7[M], down 9% from the comparable frame a year ago” (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 7/7).

FINAL JEOPARDY ANSWER

“What is McDonald’s?”

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

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