| | The Daily Insider
Morning News & Headlines
Friday, August 22, 2003
9:00am ET | |
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| • | NFL Owners Today Likely To Approve Redskins’ Sales Of Three Minority Stakes |
| • | Anna Kournikova To Unveil New Product, Announce Xbox Endorsement Today |
| • | Canadian Delegation To Lobby Ecclestone Today To Save Montreal Race |
| • | SLOC To Open Olympic Cauldron Park Today With Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony |
| • | NTRA Runs Quarter-Page Travers Ad Today; Empire Maker, Funny Cide Out |
| • | Morning Briefs/In Other News/Laugh Track/TV Monitor/Final Jeopardy! |
FINANCE COMMITTEE ALREADY APPROVED REDSKINS’ STAKES SALES
The WASHINGTON POST reports that NFL owners have until today“to vote electronically on the Redskins’ proposed sale of slightly more than20[%] of the franchise to three minority investors for approximately$200[M].” Owner Daniel Snyder’ssale of the shares to FedEx Founder & Chair Fred Smith, Northern VAreal estate exec Dwight Schar and FL insurance exec Robert Rothman“received the unanimous approval of the NFL finance committee, virtuallyguaranteeing it will receive the required 24 votes among the 32 clubs” (WASHINGTONPOST, 8/22).
ANNA KOURNIKOVA TO ANNOUNCE XBOX ENDORSEMENT TODAY
USA TODAY reports that Anna Kournikova will unveil anew product and announce a new endorsement deal today. The first is the “rollout of her MultiwaySports Bra by Britain’s Shock Absorber. In ads, the Russian will model the product, with the tagline: ‘Only theball should bounce.’” Kournikova, whowill miss the U.S. Open because of a back injury, “also will announce a dealwith Microsoft’s XSN Sports to pitch a line of video games” for Xbox (USA TODAY, 8/22).
USA Network today announced that Kournikova will join thenet as an entertainment reporter during live coverage of the U.S. Open. Kournikova will contribute pop culturestories and celebrity interviews (USA Network).
DELEGATION TO MEET WITH ECCLESTONE ABOUT MONTREAL RACE
The Toronto GLOBE & MAIL reported that Canadian JusticeMinister Martin Cauchon today will “lead a delegation to Hungary in anattempt to save Canada’s Formula One Grand Prix.” The delegation will lobby F1 Management Chair BernieEcclestone “to reverse his decision to drop the annual Montreal race fromits calendar next year.” One ofCauchon’s arguments is that other countries have “similar laws but they’respared the punishment being inflicted on Canada” (TorontoGLOBE & MAIL, 8/21).
Montreal race promoter Normand Legault, on thechances of the race being added to the schedule: “I’d say it’s maybe just a five percent chance but its a five percentchance that is definitely worth pursuing” (REUTERS, 8/21).
OLYMPIC CAULDRON PARK TO OPEN TODAY ON UNIV. OF UT CAMPUS
The DESERET NEWS reported that Olympic Cauldron Park openstoday on the campus of the Univ. of UT with a 10:00am MT ribbon-cuttingceremony. The park will feature “the cauldron itself, the Hoberman Arch and aneight-minute film called ‘The Fire Within.’” SLOC estimates that 100,000 people, “most of them tourists, will visitthe park annually. Entrance to the parkwill be free but the film will cost $3 for adults, $2 for children” (DESERET NEWS,8/18).
U.S. NEWS AND WORLD REPORTS RANKS TOP 20 SPORTS PROGRAMS
U.S. NEWS AND WORLDREPORT for the first time ranks intercollegiate varsity sports programs as partof its report of “America’s Best Colleges 2004,” which hits newsstandsMonday. Schools were graded on genderequity, overall winning percentage in games as well asperformance in NCAA tournaments, number of sports offered and athletegraduation rate. Schools that had major NCAA infractions during the pastten years were excluded from the list. The following are theschools, listed alphabetically, that made the magazine’s honor roll (U.S.NEWS AND WORLD REPORT, 8/25 issue):
| Boston College | Brown University |
| Cornell University | Dartmouth College |
| Duke University | Georgetown University |
| Harvard University | Lehigh University |
| Penn State University | Princeton University |
| Stanford University | University of Connecticut |
| University of Hawaii-Manoa | University of Illinois |
| University of Maryland | University of Massachusetts |
| University of Michigan | University of New Hampshire |
| University of Utah | Villanova University |
MORNING BRIEFS
The L.A. TIMES reports that EagleCounty Judge Frederick Gannett yesterday ordered the “documents carryingthe most detailed information that led to [Kobe Bryant’s] July 4 arrestwould remain sealed,” concluding that Bryant’s right to a fair trial “would beprejudiced by the disclosure of the documents” (L.A.TIMES, 8/22).
NCAA President Myles Brand,on bad behavior in the NCAA: “I’m just appalled by what’s going on right now incollege sports. … The NCAA cannot control individual behavior, that’s up to theindividuals. But when we have a crimewave, we have to take action” (AP,8/22).
The AP reported that former Univ.of WA football coach Rick Neuheisel yesterday filed suit against theuniversity and NCAA, “alleging he was wrongfully fired for participating incollege basketball gambling pools.” Thesuit alleges that the school “fired him in an effort to avoid an NCAAinvestigation” (AP, 8/21).
The NTRA runs a quarter-page ad in USA Today promotingSaturday’s Travers Stakes, which will air on ESPN at 5:00pm ET. The ad features side-by-side images of FunnyCide and Empire Maker, under the header, “The Rematch?” (THE DAILY).
Empire Maker trainer Bobby Frankel said of the horse:“There is no chance he will run. He hasan allergy or a virus.” The announcement“will now give Funny Cide’s trainer Barclay Tagg immense incentive tojoin the field” (N.Y. POST,8/22). CNBC reports thismorning that Funny Cide has also been scratched from the race (“Squawk Box,”CNBC, 8/22).
Aetna runs a full-page ad in USAToday, promoting Arthur Ashe Day on CBS, which will air Sunday at 12:30pmET. An image of Arthur Asheappears under the header, “No one served more gracefully – on or off the court”(THE DAILY).
The USTA yesterday announced that PeteSampras will announce his retirement at a Monday news conference prior tohis appearance at a U.S. Open ceremony (USTA).
The Newark STAR-LEDGER reportsthat the NJSEA yesterday “unanimously endorsed an agreement with two private-sectorpartners to open and operate 15 off-track wagering parlors throughout thestate.” The NJSEA will operate nineparlors, Pennwood Racing will operate four parlors and Greenwood Racing willoperate two parlors (NewarkSTAR-LEDGER, 8/22).
The ATLANTA CONSTITUTION notes that Deanna Merryman,the woman who “allegedly had an affairwith [Jeff Gordon] that led to a breakup of the driver’s storybook marriageis telling all – and showing all – in the October issue of Playboy,” which hitsnewsstands today (ATLANTACONSTITUTION, 8/22).
Following the OR House’s passage of the ballpark financingbill, Oregon Sports yesterday announced that the OR Senate will vote on thebill as soon as today (Oregon Sports).
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. Daily News |
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| Philadelphia Daily News | Philadelphia Daily News |
TODAY’S EVENTS
The Chicago Chapter of the National Sports Marketing Networkwill host the “Accenture Chicago Triathlon Marketing Workshop” from 2:00-4:00pmCT at the Hyatt Regency Hotel. Speakersinclude Capri Events (Chicago Triathlon producer) GM Jan Caille, MagnetCommunications Managing Dir Jennifer Hauser, Generation-A Marketing ExecDir Ed Hinde, “National Sports Network” Publisher Doug Kaplan,Draft Worldwide Chicago Exec VP/Client Services Scott Kirkpatrick andAccenture Corporate Dir of Communications Robert McHenry.
The N.Y. POST reported that artist LeRoy Neiman willunveil his painting of Funny Cide at Saratoga Race Course (N.Y. POST, 8/21).
Funny Cide Assistant Trainer Robin Smullen will bepresented the Distinguished Women in Racing Award during a breakfast to benefitThoroughbred Women at Saratoga Race Course. Libby Pataki, wife of NY Gov. George Pataki, will host thebreakfast (THOROUGHBRED TIMES, 8/20).
Chris Evert will host Tennis Magazine’s Grand Slamevent from 7:00am-6:00pm ET in Grand Central Terminal’s Vanderbilt Hall.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT…..
Every Friday, the MorningBuzz highlights a video clip, chart or piece of information that might havefallen through the cracks. This week, Serena Williams’one-liner from her guest spot on ABC’s “My Wife & Kids” may have hit thecutting-room floor, but “All ABC Bloopers” caught it for our viewing pleasure (THEDAILY).
INOTHER NEWS….
The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER notes thatTBS Superstation is “getting out of the original movie business, dismissing thedivision’s top executives” – VP/Original Programming & Movies TanaNugent-Jamieson and Dir of Development Margie Moreno. The exit is an “early indication of how thetop-rated cable network’s brand is being repositioned” under TurnerEntertainment Group COO & Exec VP Steve Koonin. Funding that went to TBS original movies“will be diverted to developing original nonscripted primetime series” (HOLLYWOODREPORTER, 8/22).
FINAL JEOPARDY!
Last night’s “Final Jeopardy!” category was “First Names.”
“Once considered toosacred to use, it was later the top girl’s name from 1880 to the 1940s.”
THURSDAY NIGHT’S TV MONITOR
ESPN’s 11:00pm ET “SportsCenter” led with Little League World Series, followed by A’s-Red Sox and anupdate on the Kobe Bryant case.
FINAL JEOPARDY ANSWER
“What is Mary?”
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