Morning Buzz, October 23, 2003

BODENHEIMER TO DEFEND PROGRAMMING COSTS TODAY IN DC

ESPN & ABC Sports President George Bodenheimerwill deliver a 10:00am ET speech at the National Press Club in DC, and theWASHINGTON POST reports that Bodenheimer will unveil a study arguing thatrising cable rates “have been caused by the cable industry’s costly digitalupgrade more than by higher programming costs, as [Cox Communications]maintains.”  The study says that thecable industry has invested “more than $75[B] … into infrastructure updates inrecent years, converting analog systems to digital – which adds more channels –and adding high-speed Internet and some phone service” (WASHINGTONPOST, 10/23).

The WALL STREET JOURNAL reports that ESPN “retainedCapAnalysis, a Washington economic-consulting firm, to study the causes ofrising cable rates” (WALLSTREET JOURNAL, 10/23).

COLTS MUST SELL 1,500 TICKETS TODAY TO AVOID LOCAL BLACKOUT

The INDIANAPOLIS STAR notes that the Colts today face a4:15pm CT deadline to avoid a local TV blackout of Sunday’s game against theTexans at the RCA Dome. Approximately 1,500 tickets remained last night.  Colts Senior VP/Sales & Marketing RayCompton: “It’s been a rerun for two years. We get close to the deadline and have to devise a plan to get the jobdone.”  While the Colts have sold outtwo of three home games this year, only the last home game against the Panthers“was sold out in time to be telecast locally.” Compton added that “ample tickets remain for the Colts’ final four homegames” (INDIANAPOLISSTAR, 10/23).

NOLAN RYAN EXPECTED TO ANNOUNCE PURCHASE OF TRIPLE-A TEAM

The Double-ATexas League Round Rock Express, owned by Nolan Ryan, will holda press conference today at 1:00pm ET and are expected to announce thepurchase of a Triple-A team that will relocate to Round Rock.  The EDMONTON SUN reports that theEdmonton Trappers have been sold to Ryan (EDMONTONSUN, 10/23).

NBA, TELEMUNDO TO ANNOUNCE ’04 BROADCAST SCHEDULE TODAY

The NBA and Telemundo today will announce their ’04broadcast schedule, which begins January 17 at 1:00pm ET withGrizzlies-76ers.  In all, Telemundo willtelevise 15 live games, the majority of which will be shown on Saturdayafternoons.  Now in its second season ofbroadcasting NBA games, Telemundo will continue its 30-minute pre-game show,“NBA Max” (NBA).

NEW MEXICO STATE, UTAH STATE TO LEAVE SUN BELT FOR WAC

ESPN.com reportsthat an announcement is expected today where New Mexico State and UtahState will leave the Sun Belt Conference to join the WAC in time forthe ‘05-06 season.  The schools,which will join the WAC as full members, will help replace SMU,Tulsa and Rice, which are leaving the WAC for Conference USA (ESPN.com 10/23).

TODAY THE DAILY GOES ONE-ON-ONE WITH…

Which networkexec, believe it or not, is currently bumping 50 Cent in his ride,and lists former MLBer Len Dykstra among the golfers in his dreamfoursome?  To find out, see today’s “Sports Industrialists” section for“THE DAILY Goes One-On-One With…”

MORNING BRIEFS

The N.Y. TIMES reports that MLB and the MLBPA are “close toan agreement that would return” the Expos to San Juan for 22 games in ’04.  An agreement “could come within 10days.”  Approximately 15 Expos players“were briefed about the negotiations” yesterday by MLBPA Associate General CounselGene Orza (N.Y.TIMES, 10/23).

World Series Game Three on Fox Tuesday night posted anational Nielsen rating of 12.5/21, up 16% over last year’s 10.8/18 forGiants-Angels.  For the first threegames, the World Series averaged an 11.9/21, up 10% over last year’s10.8/19.  Ratings for Fox’ 22 postseasonbroadcasts are up 40% over last year (Fox).

MLB Commissioner Bud Selig said that the rain delayduring Tuesday’s Yankees-Marlins World Series Game Three “reinforced the needfor a domed stadium” in south FL. Selig: “The rating was spectacular, and then came the rain” (MIAMI HERALD,10/23).

The CHICAGO SUN-TIMES reports that Selig phoned unlucky Cubsfan Steve Bartman yesterday “to offer his support and see how thebeleaguered fan was doing.”  Though manyhave claimed the incident “shifted momentum away from the Cubs, more people –including the Cubs organization and former Cubs star Rick Sutcliffe –are coming out to defend” Bartman (CHICAGOSUN-TIMES, 10/23).

T’Wolves F WallySzczerbiak is scheduled to meet with a representative from Dada today to“discuss design solutions that might alleviate his plantar fascia pain.”  Szczerbiak: “I’m open to anything at thispoint” (MinneapolisSTAR-TRIBUNE, 10/23).

NBA Commissioner David Stern, on bringing NBAAll-Star Weekend to Houston: “We’re definitely coming.  The only question will be when” (HOUSTONCHRONICLE, 10/23).

Wizards Owner Abe Pollin gave the AP his “firstin-depth interview” since dismissing Michael Jordan five monthsago.  Pollin, on his decision toannounce Jordan’s firing via e-mail rather than in front of reporters: “I don’tdeal with the public face.  I just dealwith human beings. … I’d very much like to have sort of a lower profile” (AP, 10/22).

The WALL STREET JOURNAL reports that in a lawsuit that also“names a unit of American International Group for its alleged role in a taxshelter,” English Premier League club Portsmouth Chair Milan Mandaric is“suing advisers for promoting a strategy that generated tax losses of almost$100[M] to offset capital gains.”  Thesuit also names BDO Seidman as a defendant (WALLSTREET JOURNAL, 10/23).

Attorneys for BALCO President Victor Conte yesterdayreleased a statement proclaiming their client’s innocence, which read in part:“Much of what is contained in recent media revelations is totally misguided anduntrue and appears to be premised upon information, or misinformation, fromsources unknown to the defense whose reliability is yet to be tested” (L.A.TIMES, 10/23).

ATTENDANCE WATCH:

• MLB.com reports that Yankees P Roger Clemens, who made his final major league start during last night’s Yankees-Marlins World Series Game Four, “left to a standing ovation after the seventh inning … as cheers from 65,934 cascaded” from Pro Player Stadium (MLB.com, 10/23).

• The PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE reports that 17,181-seat Mellon Arena “was half-empty last night” for Hurricanes-Penguins.  The game “drew a crowd of 10,425, and that figure reflected tickets in circulation, not bodies in the seats” (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 10/23).

A LIGHTER BUZZ

The MIAMI HERALDreports that Biff Henderson of CBS’ “Late Show” was at Marlins battingpractice yesterday “asking quirky questions to Josh Beckett, BradenLooper and Mike Mordecai.” His report is scheduled to air Monday (MIAMIHERALD, 10/23).

The WASHINGTON POSTreports that Brazilian club Fluminense fan Ricardo Gomes attended theteam’s practice Tuesday, and “was especially critical of star Romario,calling him a ‘mercenary.’  Then, asstunned players and team officials looked on, Gomes began throwinglive chickens – six in all – from the stands toward the field.”  After practice, Romario “went into thestands and began pummeling Gomes in front of photographers and TVcameramen.”  Fluminense President DavidFischel said that Romario’s conduct “was ‘deplorable’ but he said he wouldnot be punished until after the team’s game against Corinthians today” (WASHINGTONPOST, 10/23).

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. Post
N.Y. Daily News	Philadelphia Daily News

TODAY’S EVENTS

The Philadelphia Chapter of the National Sports MarketingNetwork will host a panel discussion, “The Power Of Promotions And The Lure OfCollectibles: How Merchandising Helps To Close The Deal,” from 8:00-10:30am ETat the Wachovia Center.  SchiffMarketing President Steve Schiff will moderate a panel that includesFleerSkyBox Int’l Dir of Sales Tim Franz, AHL Phantoms VP Jim Garinoand Alliance Marketing Partners Managing Dir James Robinson.

Texans Owner Bob McNair, Astros Owner Drayton McLane, Jr., Rockets Owner LesAlexander and AHL Aeros Owner & Houston Super Bowl Host Committee ChairChuck Watson will participate in a panel discussion at the Inter-ContinentalHouston Hotel from 11:30am-1:30pm CT. The discussion is sponsored by theGreater Houston Partnership.

NBC Sports will host a 12:30pm ET conference call to previewthis weekend’s Breeders’ Cup World Thoroughbred Championships.

ESPN will host a 1:00pm ET conference call with its new NBAtalent, play-by-play announcer Mike Breen, game analyst George Karland studio analyst Bill Laimbeer.

The MLS MetroStars will host their first-ever CorporateClient Recognition Luncheon in Rochelle Park, NJ, where the club will announcethe formation of the MetroStars Business Alliance (SBJ, 10/13 issue).

The city ofWinnipeg will launch a drive at City Hall in hopes of landingthe CFL’s Grey Cup in ‘06, ‘07 or ‘08 (WINNIPEGSUN, 10/23).

IN OTHER NEWS….

The L.A. TIMES reports that Time Warner “made more moneythan expected in [Q3 ‘03], though the results … were overshadowed by thecontinuing federal probe into its accounting practices.”  The company earned $541M, up from $57M inthe same period a year earlier, while revenue rose 4% to $10.3B.  The SEC has subpoenaed former Time WarnerChair Stephen Case and current Chair & CEO Richard Parsons,“along with several other senior executives, as part of its investigation intothe company’s accounting of an advertising deal” (L.A.TIMES, 10/23).

The N.Y. TIMES reports that in the “continuingreorganization of top management at Leo Burnett USA, Ben Kline was namedto fill the vacant” CMO post. Previously, Kline was Dir of Client Services at Wieden & Kennedy,Portland (N.Y. TIMES,10/23).

FINAL JEOPARDY!

Last night’s “Final Jeopardy!” category was “20th CenturyNotables.”

“Einstein said of him, ‘Generations to come willscarcely believe one such as he walked the Earth in flesh and blood.’”

LAUGH TRACK

NBCand CBS are airing repeats of their late night shows this week.  Laugh Track will return Tuesday.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT’S TV MONITOR

FINAL JEOPARDY ANSWER

“Who was Mahatma Ghandi?”

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

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