Morning Buzz, August 11, 2003

TOYOTA CENTER OFFICIALS TO ANNOUNCE VENUE SCHEDULE TODAY

The HOUSTON CHRONICLE reports that Toyota Center officialstoday will announce “more than 25 entertainment and sports events scheduled forthe first 50 days of the $235[M] downtown facility.” Fleetwood Mac will open the venue October 6. Other notable events include the “Night ofChampions” figure skating show, the TJ Maxx Tour of Gymnastics Champions and TonyHawk’s Boom Boom Huck Jam. RocketsPresident George Postolos said that the arena “decided to forego suchestablished outlets as Ticketmaster in favor of creating and managing a ticketsystem of its own” (HOUSTON CHRONICLE,8/11).

NJSEA TO CONSIDER CONTINENTAL AIRLINES ARENA RENOVATIONS

The Bergen RECORD reported that NJSEA President GeorgeZoffinger today will discuss the prospect of an upgraded ContinentalAirlines Arena with “representativesof Mills Corp. and Mack-Cali, the companies proposing a $1.3[B] entertainment,retail, and office project called Xanadu that would be built on 104 acresaround the arena.” The renovation plan“would be contingent on both” the Nets and Devils agreeing to stay in theMeadowlands. A renovated arena, whichcould cost about $100M, “might be attractive to the owners of the Nets andDevils because of its relative affordability” (BergenRECORD, 8/10).

SPECULATION HAS PBA ANNOUNCING PURCHASE OF PWBA TODAY

The PWBA on Friday postponed its deadline to determine thestatus of the ’03 fall schedule until 1:00pm ET today to allow a potentialinvestor more time to review PWBA assets, and the ST. PETERSBURG TIMES reportedthat the PBA has scheduled an announcement for today “amid speculation it haspurchased” the PWBA. The conferencecall “will announce major changes to the tour for the start of the 2004-05season that will have significant impact on competition for the upcoming2003-04 season” (ST. PETERSBURG TIMES, 8/10).

CSTV TO TELECAST USOC NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS UNDER DEAL

College Sports TV today will hosta 1:00pm ET conference call to announce a partnership with the USOC, andMULTICHANNEL NEWS reports that the net “will telecast U.S.national-championship events in several Olympic Games sports under a multiyearprogramming agreement.” The dealincludes coverage of national championship events in “boxing, wrestling,skiing, volleyball, weightlifting, track and field and ice skating.” Furthermore, CSTV will “develop a weeklyanthology series similar to ABC’s ‘Wide World of Sports,’ melding live eventsand athlete profiles” (MULTICHANNELNEWS, 8/11).

NBA TO ENTER BIG AND TALL MARKET TODAY WITH BRANDED LINE

The SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL reports that the NBA today willlaunch a new apparel and accessories line aimed at the big and tall market atthe Big & Tall Men’s Apparel Needs Show in Minneapolis, “the first foray inthe oversized market by league merchandisers.” The NBA becomes “the first league to have its own branded [big and tall]apparel line – called ‘NBA Bigman.’” The line, which will be available this fall, includes six licensees:Accessory Brands, Cutter & Buck, GO, Reebok, Unique Sports Generation andUNK. NBA Community Ambassador BobLanier will introduce the new line (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 8/11 issue).

PREMIUM COWBOYS WEB SITE TO BE LAUNCHED TODAY AT 1:00pm CT

The DALLAS MORNING NEWS reported that Belo Interactive todayat 1:00pm CT will launch a “new premium Web site devoted to Cowboys coverage,” CowboysPlus.com. The Web site is a product of the combined resources of the Dallas MorningNews, DallasNews.com, WFAA-ABC and Texas Cable News. Belo Interactive Dallas Web sites Editor Chris Kelley: “Wefelt like the time was right to dip our toe into pay content, and we wanted tolead with our strongest asset, which online was the Dallas Cowboys.” Subscriptions are $29.95 a year, $19.95 forsix months and $9.95 a month (DALLASMORNING NEWS, 8/10).

MORNING BRIEFS

The “New York” magazine issue in which Giants TE JeremyShockey referred to Cowboys coach Bill Parcells as “a homo” hitsnewsstands today. Shockey issued astatement apologizing for the remarks, which read in part: “I want to apologizeto my family, my teammates and the Giants organization. I did not intend to disrespect anyone, but Iunderstand that is exactly what I have done with several of my recent comments”(Giants).

The N.Y. DAILY NEWS reported that Giants coach Jim Fassel“vowed to pay closer attention toShockey’s off-field activities and said he would be curtailing his interviews,so that he never goes on a similar offseason media tour.” Fassel made the vow following Shockey tellinghim that he did not realize sexually-explicit comments in an upcoming issue of Maxim - one of his other offseason interviews - "would be seen anywhereother than Maxim.” The issue hitsnewsstands next Tuesday (N.Y. DAILYNEWS, 8/10).

The WTA Rogers AT&T Cup begins today, and the TORONTOSUN reported that while the tournament is one of only nine Tier 1 events, “justfive of the top 10 players and 11 of the top 20” are participating in theevent. Tournament Dir StaceyAllaster called the field “unacceptable” (TORONTOSUN, 8/10).

The PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER reported that single-game ticketsfor Eagles’ home games at Lincoln Financial Field “sold out in 1 hour and 8minutes” Saturday morning. Tickets forthe season opener against the Bucs September 8 “were gone in 15 minutes” (PHILADELPHIAINQUIRER, 8/10).

The Bucs announced that single-game tickets for the team’shome games at Raymond James Stadium sold out in less than five minutes Saturdaymorning, marking the sixth consecutiveseason the Bucs have sold out every regular-season ticket prior to the team’sfirst game (Bucs).

The AKRON BEACON JOURNAL reports that the Pro Football HOFtoday will announce it has “adopted modifications to its induction selectionprocess,” cutting the maximum and minimum totals for an induction class and“the opportunity for the Senior Committee to nominate two candidates” (AKRON BEACONJOURNAL, 8/11).

The Nashville TENNESSEAN reported that Davidson CountyChancery Court today will hear Gaylord Entertainment’s suit against WGFX-FMsportscaster George Plaster, who is “scheduled to go on the air at WGFXwith a new sports-talk show” at 3:00pm ET. Plaster left WWTN-FM “several weeks ago after Gaylord turned it over toCumulus Media,” but Gaylord argues that Plaster “is covered under an employmentcontract that would restrict him from working in the market for a certainperiod of time” (NashvilleTENNESSEAN, 8/9).

The following presents the announced attendance of each NFLpreseason game played Friday through Sunday, as well as relevant notes forselect games:

• The CHARLOTTE OBSERVER reported that although Saturday night’s Redskins-Panthers game was sold out, “thousands didn’t show up, and thousands more departed by halftime” (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 8/10).

• The ARIZONA REPUBLIC reports that fewer than the paid attendance of 23,838 at Saturday’s Cowboys-Cardinals game, Cardinals RB Emmitt Smith’s first appearance against his former team, “showed up to brave temperatures of 110 at kickoff.” (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 8/10). The crowd was the “second-smallest in [Cardinals] preseason history” (ARIZONA DAILY STAR, 8/10).

• The SEATTLE TIMES notes that “judging by the empty seats” at Saturday’s Chargers-Seahawks game, the announced attendance of 37,763 “was not representative of the crowd” (SEATTLE TIMES, 8/10).

• The S.F. CHRONICLE reports that the crowd at Friday night’s Rams-Raiders game was the “smallest Raiders gathering” since ’00 (S.F. CHRONICLE, 8/9). The SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS reports that several thousand of the announced crowd “plainly didn’t announce themselves by actually showing up” (SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, 8/9).

• NEWSDAY reports that about half of the crowd at the Bengals-Jets game “showed up for the start of the game and another half of those were gone after it rained in the first quarter” (NEWSDAY, 8/11).

ATTENDANCE WATCH:

• The ST. PETERSBURG TIMES reported that a crowd of 15,975 attended Saturday’s Royals-Devil Rays game at Tropicana Field, “by far the largest” of the current ten-game homestand. The Devils Rays, who had averaged 9,081 in the first five games of the homestand, “are next-to-last in the majors in attendance, an average of 12,734” (ST. PETERSBURG TIMES, 8/10).

• The BOSTON GLOBE reports that the crowd of 35,099 in attendance at Friday afternoon’s Orioles-Red Sox game at Fenway Park “matched a season high May 19 against the Yankees.” The game was the first of a split doubleheader (BOSTON GLOBE, 8/9).

• The MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL notes that the Brewers “finally had a big home stand,” with three of the six crowds for the Marlins and Braves surpassing 30,000. The team is now averaging 20,283 – 4,549 fewer per game than at the same point of last season (MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL, 8/11).

• The RICHMOND TIMES-DISPATCH reported that a “standing-room-only-crowd of 13,213” attended Saturday’s Triple-A Int’l League Richmond Braves-Norfolk Tides game at Harbor Park in Norfolk, VA, featuring Mets C Mike Piazza, who is playing with the Tides on a rehab assignment. The Tides drew 11,092 Friday night, and Saturday’s crowd was “the fourth-highest throng at Harbor Park” (RICHMOND TIMES-DISPATCH, 8/10).

• The CHICAGO SUN-TIMES reports that the crowd of 14,348 at Saturday’s MLS MetroStars-Fire game at Cardinal Stadium in Naperville, IL, which was followed by the United Soccer Leagues Premier Development League championship game, was “the largest of the year.” Fire GM Peter Wilt estimated a walk-up gate of approximately 2,000 (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 8/10).

• USA TODAY reports that a Torero Stadium record crowd of 6,858 attended yesterday’s WUSA Washington Freedom-San Diego Spirit game in San Diego (USA TODAY, 8/11).

• The Minneapolis STAR-TRIBUNE reports that a crowd of approximately 39,000 attended yesterday’s final round of the Champions Tour 3M Championship at the TPC of the Twin Cities, “putting the three-day total at 100,000, down slightly from last year’s 124,000” (Minneapolis STAR-TRIBUNE, 8/11).

• The K.C. STAR reports that a crowd of approximately 35,000 attended yesterday’s IRL Emerson 250 at Gateway Int’l Raceway, “about what the race has drawn in the past, which had to be a bit disappointing because track owners heavily promoted the race” (K.C. STAR, 8/11).

A LIGHTER BUZZ

USA TODAY reports that Fox showed a “close-up of a dogwearing an ‘MLB on Fox’ cap drinking beer out of his owner’s cup, then theowner taking a few swigs of his own” during coverage Saturday ofPhillies-Giants, which was the S.F. SPCA 7^th Annual Dog Days ofSummer event at Pac Bell Park (USATODAY, 8/11).

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, on Bengals President Mike Brown: “Brown has been taking people’s money under false pretenses because he’s been running a team that has done nothing but masquerade as an NFL franchise. So good, now he’s hired Marvin Lewis, and he’s trying to support him. But where are the apologies (to previous Bengals head coaches) ... (and) where are the refunds to the fans who paid NFL prices for glorified sandlot football?”

• N.Y. Daily News columnist Mike Lupica: “Mark Cuban and Jeremy Shockey – one rich and one actually talented – got into trouble this week for having big mouths. … These guys aren’t refreshingly honest. They’re just desperate for attention and they’ll say anything to get it.”

• N.Y. Times columnist William Rhoden, on MLB Giants manager Felipe Alou: “What makes Alou special are his roots and his insight into human nature and the nature of change. ... The greatest lesson Alou has to offer is to owners who feel that they have to spend millions of dollars on payroll in order to contend. They’ll be better served by spending their money on a wise old owl like Alou.”

• ESPN’s John Saunders: “John Daly’s fourth wife, Sherrie, has been charged with laundering money for an illegal gambling and drug ring. Now I find this appalling, stunning. The whole idea is beyond belief. You could not make this up. If Hollywood handed us this script, we’d reject it as fantasy. John Daly’s been married four times?” ("The Sports Reporters," ESPN, 8/10).

Heard elsewhere over the weekend:

• Fox MLB analyst Kevin Kennedy: “Tom Gamboa lost hearing in one of his ears. That’s not enough to put this guy away for a few months and make a point? Somebody’s got to accept responsibility. Obviously, the judge did not” ("Fox Saturday Baseball," Fox, 8/9).

• Fox’ Jeanne Zelasko, on the man who attacked Royals coach Tom Gamboa in Chicago being sentenced to 30 months probation, counseling and time served: “Unbelievable!” ("Fox Saturday Baseball," Fox, 8/9).

• Gamboa: “The judge obviously would have his reasons, I just would have a tough time having him look me in the face and explain to me the rationale for what he did” ("Fox Saturday Baseball," Fox, 8/9).

• Lupica, on the Kobe Bryant case: “This is as big a body-blow as this sport has ever taken” ("The Sports Reporters," ESPN, 8/10).

• NASCAR President Mike Helton: “The expense of the Busch Series is up there, and we realize that and that is something that we have to be mindful of and try to fix” ("Totally NASCAR," FSN, 8/8).

• The AVP team of Kerri Walsh and Misty May won the Manhattan Beach Open Saturday, and during the post-game interviews thanked the league’s sponsors. Walsh: “Thank you NBC for getting involved. This is awesome.” May: "Manhattan (Beach), thank you, but we wouldn’t be here without Nissan and Bud Light, and we want to thank everybody. And NBC, you rock!” (NBC, 8/9).

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 11^th Annual RBI (Reviving Baseball in InnerCities) World Series concludes today with the Junior and Senior Boys BaseballChampionship Games at 9:30am CT and 12:30pm, respectively, at Minute MaidPark. MLB and the Boys & GirlsClubs of America sponsor the RBI program.

Lowe’s Motor Speedway will host an 2:00pm ET news conferenceto announce the addition of a major entertainment event being added to theUAW-GM Quality 500 week schedule. Speedway Motorsports Chair Bruton Smith, Creative Network StudiosChair Charles Ison, Sports Marketing Enterprises President Ned Learyand Bristol Motor Speedway President & GM Jeff Byrd will be amongthose in attendance.

THIS WEEK IN SISTER PUBLICATION SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL…

This week’s coverstory offers a Q&A with Texans Owner Bob McNair, who discusses theTexans brand, the future of the NFL Trust and the open L.A. market.

For these stories and more, see this week's issue of SportsBusiness Journal.

EARNINGS ANNOUNCEMENTS

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

INOTHER NEWS….

This week’s cover of TIME examines Arnold Schwarzenegger’sdecision to enter the CA Gubernatorial recall election, under the header,“Ahhnold!?” Meanwhile, NEWSWEEK offers “AllAbout Arnold” (THE DAILY).

MULTICHANNEL NEWS reported that Liberty Media Corp. “hasquietly backed away from the auction for Vivendi Universal’s U.S. entertainmentassets, paring the field of potential bidders for Vivendi UniversalEntertainment down to two.” Liberty was“apparently turned off by a requirement by the French conglomerate that bidsfor VUE … start at $14[B].” NBC and an EdgarBronfman-led consortium are the remaining bidders for VUE (MULTICHANNELNEWS, 8/10).

The N.Y. TIMES reports that Sprint and RealNetworks todayare “expected to introduce a digital audio service that will be deliveredthrough wireless handsets.” Theservice, “with content from ABC News, Fox Sports, National Public Radio andseveral other broadcasters, lets customers of the Sprint PCS Vision dataservice listen to and eventually view newscasts, sports highlights and otherprograms on demand.” The service willcost $4.95 per month (N.Y. TIMES,8/11).

FINAL JEOPARDY!

Friday’s “Final Jeopardy!” category was “Classical Music.”

“One of the two planets of the solar system not representedin Gustav Holst’s 1916 work ‘The Planets.’”

LAUGH TRACK

THEMONOLOGUES:

CBS’ DavidLetterman: “‘Gigli’ is not doing that well. In fact, it’s known as ‘Dude, Where’s My Refund?’ The movie is actually doing so bad, earliertoday Jennifer Lopez made an announcement. She would like everybody to please go back to making jokes abouther ass. ... Scientists in Maine have developed a blueberry hamburger, and it’sjust like the regular hamburger except that it tastes awful. ... ArnoldSchwarzenegger is running for governor in California. He announced it last night on the ‘TonightShow’ with Jay Leno. At leastthat’s what people think he said. Arnold is the first bodybuilder to run for governor since Janet Reno”("Late Show," CBS, 8/8).

NBC’sJay Leno: “Today, I was sweating like Jerry Falwell getting amakeover on ‘Queer Eye For The Straight Guy.’ ... Welcome to day three ofCalifornia’s recall election campaign or as we call it, ‘Freaky Friday.’ ... Acandidate for the Green Party has jumped into the governor’s race today, towhich President Bush said, ‘Oh my God, The Hulk is running too?’ ...Today, Arnold Schwarzenegger made another major announcement. He said his Lieutenant Governor will beXena, Warrior Princess. ... Kobe Bryant spent yesterday at Disneyland,and today his lawyers said, ‘Yes, he did kiss Sleeping Beauty, but it wasconsensual.’ ... Kobe appeared in an Eagle County courtroom earlier thisweek. Not much happened. Kobe did say in October he will enter a plearight here on the ‘Tonight Show.’ ... Kobe only said two words in court. All that media, only said two words – ‘No,sir’ – which is ironic because those are the same two words the woman in thehotel room claims she said” ("Tonight Show," NBC, 8/8).

LATENIGHT LAUGHS:

LastFriday’s Top Ten list was "Top Ten Things Overheard During George W.Bush’s Vacation” ("Late Show," CBS, 8/8).

Friday’s edition of NBC’s “Tonight Show” unveiled a “new” KobeBryant Nike shoe, which was half-sneaker, half-dress shoe. Leno: “You can wear it on the court or inthe court” ("Tonight Show," NBC, 8/8).

SUNDAY NIGHT’S TV MONITOR

ESPN’s 1:30am ET 90-minute edition of “SportsCenter” ledwith Braves-Cardinals, followed by Cubs-Dodgers and Rangers 1B RafaelPalmeiro rejecting a trade to the Cubs.

WEEKEND BOX OFFICE

The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER notes that it was “another lukewarm weekend as the aggregate for the topdozen films was $127.3[M], down nearly 4% from the comparable session lastsummer” (HOLLYWOODREPORTER, 8/11).

FINAL JEOPARDY ANSWER

“What are Earth and Pluto?”

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

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