| | The Daily Insider
Morning News & Headlines
Thursday, October 16, 2003
9:00am ET | |
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| • | Marlins End Ratings-Juggernaut Cubs’ Run To The World Series Last Night |
| • | Tickets For World Series Games At Pro Player On Sale Today At 10:00am ET |
| • | NBA To Unveil Premiere Week Today; A-B, Southwest, Foot Locker On Board |
| • | NBA BOG Announces Plans To Realign When Bobcats Join League In ’04-05 |
| • | Southwest Recreational Industries Selected To Install “Astroplay” At Metrodome |
| • | Morning Briefs/In Other News/Laugh Track/TV Monitor/Final Jeopardy! |
MARLINS ADVANCE; RED SOX, YANKEES LOOK TO JOIN THEM TONIGHT
The Marlins defeated the Cubs 9-6 last night in Game Sevenof the NLCS, advancing to the World Series in the process. The Red Sox and Yankees will square off inGame Seven of the ALCS tonight, marking the first time in league history thatboth LCS reached a decisive seventh game. With coverage beginning on Fox at 8:00pm ET, NBC, according to its Website, will replace new episodes of its “Must See TV” lineup with repeats (THEDAILY).
In Ft. Lauderdale,Jim Sarni writes, “So much for the Cubs and Fox’s dream World Series. The Red Sox still have a chance to win theAL pennant tonight, but the baseball world won’t get the anticipated duel ofthe losers. Fox gets the Marlins, whether it likes it or not. Fox gets the best team in the NationalLeague” (Ft.Lauderdale SUN-SENTINEL,10/16).
In Chicago, Phil Rogers writes sarcastically of the Marlins’victory, “Imagine the delight inCommissioner Bud Selig’s office. … This should give [MLB] a hugeeconomic stimulus. Well, at least theMarlins might outdraw the Detroit Tigers in 2004” (CHICAGOTRIBUNE, 10/16).
TICKETS FOR PRO PLAYER WORLD SERIES GAMES GO ON SALE TODAY
The MIAMI HERALD reports that tickets for World Series gamesat Pro Player Stadium will go on sale today at 10:00am ET, and “several of the seats will becheaper than those at the American League city.” Tickets will range from $60-145 in FL,$66-181 at Yankee Stadium and $45-180 at Fenway Park. MLB Manager of Media Relations Matt Gould said that theleague “set the prices after consulting with the teams.” The Marlins said that no attempts “will be made to keep Yankees orRed Sox fans from purchasing tickets” (MIAMIHERALD, 10/16).
NBA SPONSORS TO ACTIVATE EARLY THIS YEAR WITH PREMIERE WEEK
By Terry Lefton,Editor-at-Large, The Sports Business Daily
TheNBA today will unveil Premiere Week, aweeklong celebration of the season’s opening. Typically, NBA sponsors activate their rights starting around theFebruary All-Star Game. However,Premiere Week sees Anheuser-Busch, Southwest Airlines and Foot Locker lending amarketing hand. A-B will be using NBA-themedPOS and staging NBA viewing parties at on-premise accounts within the 23markets where it has local NBA team sponsorships. Southwest will display Premiere Week signage in its terminals andinclude NBA editorial in some 900,000 publications distributed tocustomers. Foot Locker and Kids FootLocker will display NBA POS in windows.
NBA PLANS REALIGNMENT WHEN BOBCATS ENTER THE LEAGUE
The BOSTON GLOBE reports that the NBA yesterday at the BOGmeeting in N.Y. “announced plans to switch from two divisions per conference tothree, five-team divisions per conference” for the ‘04-05 season. The NBAexpects the proposal to be “formally approved in a vote that could take placeas early as next month.” The playoffs“would remain largely the same. Eight teamsfrom each conference would qualify for the postseason” (BOSTONGLOBE, 10/16).
TheCHARLOTTE OBSERVER reports that WNBA Sting GM Bernie Bickerstaff will benamed coach and GM of the Bobcats at a press conference this afternoon (CHARLOTTEOBSERVER, 10/16).
APPROVAL EXPECTED TO INSTALL ASTROPLAY AT METRODOME
The ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS reports that the Metropolitan Sports FacilitiesCommission today is expected to approve the Capital Improvement Committee’srecommendation to install TX-based Southwest Recreational Industries’ Astroplay“to replace the bladelessgreen carpet that has covered the stadium floor for eight years.” The committee “voted to award the contractfor the Astroplay ‘infill’ turf system” for $715,157. The turf will be installed after the Vikings’ season (ST. PAULPIONEER PRESS, 10/16).
The ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS also notes that the new turf in ‘04 “will besignificantly slower than the current turf” (ST. PAULPIONEER PRESS, 10/16).
The Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE reports that installation “isscheduled for mid-March, in time for the Twins’ home opener” (Minneapolis STARTRIBUNE, 10/16).
MORNING BRIEFS
The L.A. TIMES reports that the Bank of America WTAChampionships lost Lindsay Davenport from the marquee yesterday, and“there is a growing concern the event could end up without two of the tour’sbiggest draws, Serena and Venus Williams” (L.A.TIMES, 10/16).
The WASHINGTON POST reports that NFLPA Exec Dir GeneUpshaw said yesterday that Buccaneers DT Warren Sapp, “with theunion’s support, will appeal the $50,000 fine levied on him by the league forwhat it said was abusive treatment of game officials” (WASHINGTONPOST, 10/16).
The N.Y. DAILY NEWS reports that the proposed OlympicVillage in Long Island City “would be built by one or more private developers and leasedby NYC2012 for about nine months.” NYC2012 Dir of Community Outreach Brenda Levinsaid that the guaranteeof the lease “will be a big plus for developers” (N.Y.DAILY NEWS, 10/16).
USA TODAY reports that Marshall AD Bob Marcumreceived a telephone call yesterday from one of Conference USA’s consultantsabout a potential invitation to joint the league (USA TODAY, 10/16).
The MIAMI HERALD also notes that any Marlins ticket stubfrom the ’03 season “can beredeemed for a discounted $8 seat” at Saturday’s Temple-Miami football game atthe Orange Bowl (MIAMI HERALD,10/16).
ATTENDANCE WATCH:
- The L.A. DAILY NEWS reports that an “overflow throng of 18,180 at Staples Center” attended the Kings’ home opener against the Senators last night (L.A. DAILY NEWS, 10/16).
A LIGHTER BUZZ
DAILY VARIETY reports that “King of Queens” star KevinJames is attached to star in a film titled “Fan Interference,” a “comicpitch inspired by Tuesday’s foul ball mishap” during Game Six of theMarlins-Cubs NLCS. James will “play aman who screws up an easy out, and then has to deal with the ramifications” (DAILYVARIETY, 10/16).
USA TODAY reports that Steve Bartman, the Cubs faninvolved in the now-infamous play, has been offered a free three-month vacationby a Holiday Inn in Pompano Beach, FL. Hotel President Phil Goldfarb: “An oceanfront retreat in sunnySouth Florida is the least we could do for the fan that saved our season” (USATODAY, 10/16).
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 |
| | |
| Philadelphia Daily News | Philadelphia Daily News |
TODAY’S EVENTS
Fox Sports President Ed Goren, broadcasters JoeBuck and Tim McCarver will conduct a World Series preview conferencecall at 1:00pm ET.
Raptors F Vince Carter and F Chris Bosh willcompete against each other in a game of EA Sports’ “NBA Live 2004” at 1:15pm ETat Air Canada Centre as part of the game’s Canadian launch.
Breeders’ Cup Limited President D.G. Van Clief willbe part of a group making the pre-entries announcement of the 20thrunning of the Breeders’ Cup World Thoroughbred Championships today at 1:30pmET.
The NBA Store on Fifth Ave. in N.Y. will host a specialbirthday party tonight at 4:00pm ET with Nets G Jason Kidd celebratingthe store’s five-year anniversary.
IN OTHER NEWS….
The AP reports that Coca-Cola “cited strong growth ininternational operations” and a 6% “increase in revenue as it reported a wider”Q3 profit today. The company said itearned $1.22B, $0.50 a share, in the three months ending Sept. 30, compared toa profit of $1.09B, or $0.44 a share, in the same period a year ago (AP,10/16).
The WASHINGTON POST reports that the federal government is“preparing for the first time to require that personal computers and otherconsumer electronics devices contain technology to help block Internet piracyof digital entertainment.” A rule beingconsidered by the FCC is one of a “series of proposals pushed by the entertainmentindustry to help thwart copying and online trading of movies and televisionshows” (WASHINGTONPOST, 10/16).
By dropping 0.2%, retail sales fell “for the first time infive months” in September from August, “mostly due to a 1.6% drop in sales atauto dealers” (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 10/16).
The N.Y. TIMES reports that the Partnership for a Drug-FreeAmerica will introduce today an ad “campaign focusing on the drug Ecstasy andbacked by the largest donation of media time it has received” (N.Y. TIMES,10/16).
The WALL STREET JOURNAL reports that News Corp. Chair &CEO Rupert Murdoch “withdrew a generous options proposal for executives,including his sons Lachlan and James, in the face of opposition frominstitutional investors” (WALLSTREET JOURNAL, 10/16).
FINAL JEOPARDY!
Last night’s “Final Jeopardy!” category was “OperaSettings.”
“Verdi’s Nabucco, who’s also known by a longer form of hisname, is the king of this ancient place.”
LAUGH TRACK
THEMONOLOGUES:
CBS’ David Letterman: “Last night’s audience was arough crowd. Here’s what happened. During the program, they were using theircell phones to order prescription painkillers. ... The Chinese now have a manin space. They launched a guy intospace, and he will orbit the Earth 14 times and then, before they bring him outof orbit, he will leave a menu under the door of the International SpaceStation. ... The Red Sox and the Yankees are back at Yankee Stadium today fortheir game and had a touching pre-game ceremony at home plate: Pedro Martinezthrew Yogi Berra to the ground. ... The Cubs have not been to the WorldSeries in a thousand years, and last night they’re beating the Florida Marlins3-0, and all of a sudden there’s one out and there’s this foul ball, and theysay a kid may have prevented Moises Alou from making the catch. Well, the Cubs are furious. They’re enraged. They’re so angry. They wantedthe opportunity to blow the game on their own. ... Security hustled the guy outof Wrigley Field, and the Bush administration believes now that he is hiding inthe mountainous region between the Afghanistan and Pakistan border” ("LateShow," CBS, 10/15).
NBC’sJay Leno: “This is exciting, the Major League Baseball playoffs. What do Cubs fans have in common with ArnoldSchwarzenegger? They should learnto keep their hands to themselves. ... A Cubs fan interfered with a foulball. A lot of people thought itchanged the course of the game. Thefans were throwing their beers at the guy, and at seven bucks a beer, you gotto be pretty mad. ... Security at Wrigley Field took the guy out for his ownprotection because the people wanted to kill him. In fact, he wouldn’t give his identity. Although today in court, Kobe’s attorneys said his namesix times. ... Some sad news. Two ofthe Clippers have been forced to leave the team because of problems with theirvisas. Even worse news. The other ten are still here” (“TheTonight Show,” NBC, 10/15).
LATENIGHT LAUGHS:
Last night’s Top Ten list was “Top Ten Cool Things AboutHaving A Bodybuilder As Governor.” Thelist was read in-studio by ten N.Y.-area bodybuilders ("LateShow," CBS, 10/15).
| 10) “Every California classroom will have a Soloflex.” |
| 9) “The Mr. Olympia contest now gets full coverage on C-Span.” |
| 8) “Was it not Thomas Jefferson who said we were all entitled to ‘Life, liberty, and the pursuit of a sweet-ass set of delts?’” |
| 7) “He’ll take that $8 billion deficit, and ... uh ... punch it, I guess.” |
| 6) “I’m on the short list for Lieutenant Governor.” |
| 5) “Will put an end to America’s dependence on foreign protein shakes.” |
| 4) “He’ll veto bills by doing this (the bodybuilder flexed his biceps and posed).” |
| 3) “He is nice.” |
| 2) “It’s very entertaining – as long as he’s not governor of your state.” |
| 1) “He’ll have something to fall back on when he gets recalled.” |
WEDNESDAY NIGHT’S TV MONITOR
| Net | Show | Lead | Next Items |
| ESPN | “Around The Horn” | Marlins-Cubs NLCS Game Six | Kobe Bryant’s preliminary hearing; Warren Sapp’s fine |
| ESPN | “PTI” | Cubs | Cubs NLCS Game Six loss; Cubs SS Alex Rodriguez |
| ESPN | 11:00pm ET “SportsCenter” | Red Sox-Yankees ALCS Game Six | Cubs fan; Kobe Bryant’s preliminary hearing |
| FSN | “BDSSP” | Marlins-Cubs NLCS Game Six | Court TV’s Vinnie Politan; LeBron James’ financial impact on the Cavaliers |
| FSN | “Pittsburgh Sports Tonight” | Steelers offensive line | Steelers’ bye; Penguins LW Steve McKenna injury |
| FSN | “Midwest Sports Report” | Blues LW Keith Tkachuk | Blues-Avalanche; Blues F Eric Boguniecki injury |
FINAL JEOPARDY ANSWER
“What is Babylon?”
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