Morning Buzz, September 16, 2003

AOL TIME WARNER WILL NOT SELL HAWKS, THRASHERS TO McDAVID

The ATLANTA CONSTITUTION reports that AOL Time Warner“shocked” David McDavid yesterday “byinforming him it is selling the Hawks, Thrashers and Philips Arena operatingrights to someone else.”  TurnerBroadcasting plans to announce today that it will sell the interests to a groupof eight investors from Atlanta, Boston and DC.  The company said in a statement that today’s announcement willnot be a letter of intent, but a “binding agreement.”  The group includes (ATLANTACONSTITUTION, 9/16):

BOSTON LAW FIRM TO LINK NAME TO FLEETCENTER PREMIUM CLUB

The BOSTON HERALD reports that the FleetCenter “will unveil an unusual marketing deal today with Boston lawfirm Goulston & Storrs in a bid to lure more local executives to thearena’s premium seats and suites.  Whilenot a traditional naming-rights deal, Goulston & Storrs will link its namewith the Fleet’s Premium Club seating through signs in the arena, tickets,brochures and on the Web.”  The law firm“envisions putting on business seminars, [CEO] speeches, roundtables withgovernment leaders and other networking events, many of them outside theFleetCenter” (BOSTONHERALD, 9/16).

BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE TO BE MUSIC CITY BOWL MAJOR SPONSOR

The Nashville TENNESSEAN reports that Gaylord Hotels MusicCity Bowl officials today will conduct a 2:00pm ET news conference at theNashville Area Chamber of Commerce to announce that Bridgestone/Firestone “willbe a major sponsor for the New Year’s Eve game.”  The game features teams from the Big Ten and SEC (NashvilleTENNESSEAN, 9/16).

NHL.COM TO STREAM MAPLE LEAFS’ EXHIBITION GAME TODAY

The NHL today will offer streaming video of an exhibitiongame for the first time ever on NHL.com at 4:00pm ET, approximately one hourafter the Maple Leafs’ game against Finnish Hockey League club Jokerit fromHartwall Arena in Helsinki.  The NHLwill also stream the final two matches of the Maple Leafs’ NHL Challenge 2003tour on Thursday and Friday (NHL).

RAFAEL PALMEIRO TO BE NAMED AS WHEATIES COVER ATHLETE

Wheaties today will unveil a new special-edition package incelebration of Hispanic Heritage Month during a 3:00pm CT press conference atThe Ballpark in Arlington, and the FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM reports that Rangers1B Rafael Palmeiro, who hit his 500^th career home run on May11, will be introduced “as the latest athlete to be featured by Wheaties” (FT. WORTHSTAR-TELEGRAM, 9/16).

DOVER INT’L SPEEDWAY MAKING CONTINGENCIES FOR HURRICANE

Dover Int’l Speedway President Denis McGlynn isscheduled to host a teleconference today with NASCAR officials to “discusspreparations and contingencies in the event Hurricane Isabel affects the MBNAAmerica 400 on Sunday” (ST.PETERSBURG TIMES, 9/16).  NASCARPresident Mike Helton, on the storm potentially impacting qualifyingsessions: “The goal obviously is to get the Busch race in on Saturday and theCup race done on Sunday.  We havedifferent methods to create the starting fields if necessary” (ORLANDOSENTINEL, 9/16).

MORNING BRIEFS

ESPN NFL analyst and former Eagles QB Ron Jaworskiyesterday confirmed that he will “co-own an expansion franchise” in the AFLwith Jon Bon Jovi and Philadelphia business exec Craig Spencer.  Jaworski: “It’s finally going tohappen.  I’ve felt for a long time thatthis is a terrific market for an Arena team” (PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS,9/16).

Callaway Golfyesterday announced that it has completed its transaction for the acquisitionof substantially all of Top-Flite’s assets (Callaway Golf).

As reported inyesterday’s Closing Bell, the WUSA folded yesterday, and DiscoveryCommunications Founder & CEO and WUSA’s founding investor JohnHendricks said, “I was intoxicated by what I saw at the 1999 Women’sWorld Cup and the sponsorships that were associated with that.  I mistakenlyassumed it would flow over into a league” (ATLANTACONSTITUTION, 9/16).

DAILY VARIETY reports that Universal Studios Home Video willrelease “Seabiscuit” December 16, and the two-disc set will feature “multipledocs and commentaries about the legendary racehorse and the making of the film”(DAILYVARIETY, 9/16).

USA TODAY notes that CentreCollege (KY) volleyball player Adair Howell will appear on the cover ofthis month’s issue of Cosmopolitan, which hits newsstands today.  Howell was named the winner of acover search contest last week “after receiving the most votes from among fourfinalists in an online poll” (USA TODAY, 9/16).

The L.A. TIMES reports that Electronic Arts yesterday“introduced a service that makes more than a dozen of its PlayStation 2 titlesinteractive online” (L.A.TIMES, 9/16).

The L.A. TIMES reports that boxing promoter Bob Arum,claiming improprieties in the “selection of two of the three judges in Saturdaynight’s Oscar De La Hoya-Shane Mosley super-welterweight titlefight, will file a protest with the Nevada State Athletic Commission within aweek.”  Arum maintains that WBA judge StanleyChristodoulou and WBC judge Anek Hongthongkam “were picked by theNevada commission without the approval of their respective sanctioningorganizations” (L.A.TIMES, 9/16).

N.Y. Daily News columnist Mike Lupica, on the Eagles’0-2 start at Lincoln Financial Field: “I don’t want to say they’re panicking inPhiladelphia, but they are thinking of changing the name to Lincoln Memorial” ("SportsReporters Primetime," ESPN, 9/15).

ATTENDANCE WATCH:

• The PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE reports that a crowd of 8,565 attended last night’s Reds-Pirates game, the “smallest in the three-year history of PNC Park” (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 9/16).

• The SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER reports that with Cowboys-Giants on ABC’s “MNF,” the crowd at last night’s Mariners-Rangers game “was sparse.  It was announced at 22,041, but that included season-ticket holders who didn’t show, which appeared to be most of them” (SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER, 9/16).

A LIGHTER BUZZ

ESPN.com reported that in anticipation of a victory over thevisiting Redskins Sunday, the Falcons marketing department “readied a quarter-page adcongratulating coach Dan Reeves on the 200^th victory of hiscareer.  One problem: After jumping toan early 17-0 lead, the Falcons lost to the Redskins 33-31.  Bigger problem: Despite phones calls fromFalcons officials after the defeat, apprising the paper to pull the ad, oops,it still ran.”  A Redskins scout“spotted the ad and phoned team officials, who got a pretty good chuckle out ofit.  The newspaper will run a correctionin [today’s] edition” (ESPN.com,9/15).

THE BACK PAGES

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

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

TODAY’S EVENTS

NLL Commissioner Jim Jennings, along with Bay AreaLacrosse Club Managing Dir Peter Wendell and Managing Dir & GM JohnnyMouradian, will unveil the club’s new name during an 11:00am PT pressconference at HP Pavilion in San Jose. The SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS reported that the name will be the Stealth (SANJOSE MERCURY NEWS, 9/13).

Former Yankees Whitey Ford and Joe Pepitonewill sign autographs at Modell’s Sporting Goods in Times Square from11:00am-12:30pm ET to promote MLB Productions’ release of “100 Years of the NewYork Yankees: Pinstripes, Power & Pride,” a two-disc DVD set featuring acomprehensive five-hour collection of highlights.

The Phillies will host a 12:30pm ET book signing and schoolassembly at Abraham S. Jenks School in Philadelphia to unveil “The PhilliePhanatic’s Happiest Memories,” a book detailing the Phanatic’s Veteran Stadiummemories.

ESPN will host open auditions for a “SportsCenter” anchor aspart of a new reality series, “Dream Job,” in which aspiring sportscasters willcompete for a one-year, on-air contract. Auditions will be held at ESPN Zone in N.Y. and Yankee Doodle’s inL.A.  The N.Y. DAILY NEWS reports that producers “will throw some of [thecontestants] into the fire by having them interview” heavyweight champion LennoxLewis and Giants WR Amani Toomer (N.Y. DAILYNEWS, 9/16).

Episodes of NBA Week on “Wheel of Fortune” will be taped atRadio City Music Hall in N.Y.  CurrentNBAers scheduled to appear include Celtics F Paul Pierce, Rockets G SteveFrancis, Suns F Amare Stoudemire and Knicks G Allan Houston.  WNBA Liberty F Teresa Weatherspoonand Storm G Sue Bird will also participate.

The WNBA Storm will host a celebration in honor of ‘03 WNBAMVP Lauren Jackson at Jillian’s in Seattle.  Jackson and Storm coach Anne Donovan will attend (TACOMATRIBUNE, 9/15).

INOTHER NEWS….

The N.Y. POST reports that NBC is “going to the bank bywinning the sweeps for the highest prices charged for commercials in primetime[TV],” with the three most expensive shows for a 30-second commercial being“Friends,” at $473,500 per spot; “Will & Grace,” at $414,500; and “ER,” at$404,814 (N.Y. POST, 9/16).

ADWEEK reported that Coca-Cola has “launched a review to consolidate U.S. media duties for all ofits brands at one agency.”  Buyingincumbent IPG’s Universal McCann, planning incumbent Publicis’ Starcom, and itssibling MediaVest, “which handles planning for all … Coke brands” besidesMinute Maid, have been “invited to participate.”  Coca-Cola spent roughly $380M on U.S. advertising in ’02 (ADWEEK.com,9/15).

FINAL JEOPARDY!

Last night’s “Final Jeopardy!” category was “U.S. StateQuarters.”

“The Alabama coin bears this person’s name, in English, andfor the first time on a circulating U.S. coin, in braille.”

LAUGH TRACK

THEMONOLOGUES: 

NBC’sJay Leno: “A Federal Appeals Court today postponed the recallelection.  Did you know this?  Even our recalls get recalled.  This is unbelievable.  Basically, the court ruled that Californiavoters are now just as stupid as Florida voters. ... The court said the ballotmachines are outdated and prone to error. How ironic is that?  TheTerminator getting screwed by the machines. ... President Clinton wasright here in Los Angeles over the weekend. I guess he heard J.Lo was single again. ... Mary Careysaid if she is elected, lap dances will become a legitimate tax deductiblebusiness expense.  Finally, a tax breakDemocrats can support. ... Bush’s poll numbers appear to beslipping.  They said if the electionwere held today, Bush has just a 4% lead over an unnamed Democrat, which is prettyaccurate because most people can’t name any of the Democrats” ("TonightShow," NBC, 9/15).

MONDAY NIGHT’S TV MONITOR

FINAL JEOPARDY ANSWER

“Who is Helen Keller?”

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

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