Morning Buzz, October 24, 2003

ATLANTA SPORTS COUNCIL TO ANNOUNCE PLANS TODAY FOR RACEFEST

The ATLANTA CONSTITUTION reports the Atlanta Sports Council plans to announce today that itwill “help organize RaceFest, a race-themed family event that will be held inCentennial Olympic Park” around the Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 on October 28-30,2004.  RaceFest is “patterned after theSpeed Street event held in Charlotte during the May races at Lowe’s MotorSpeedway.  It will feature live music,interactive race-themed displays, racing merchandise, kids’ activities, food,show cars and driver appearances.” Several Atlanta companies such as Aaron’s, Cingular, Coca-Cola,Georgia-Pacific and The Home Depot are expected to participate (ATLANTACONSTITUTION, 10/24).

MARLINS ONE VICTORY AWAY FROM SECOND WORLD SERIES TITLE

With the World Series shifting back to the Bronx after the Marlinsdefeated the Yankees 6-4 last night in Game Five to take a 3-2 series lead, theFt. Lauderdale SUN-SENTINEL reports that MarlinsOwner Jeffrey Loria “has chartered a plane to take all full-timefront-office staff – about 80 people – to New York.  He also bought everyone World Series jackets” (Ft.Lauderdale SUN-SENTINEL, 10/24).

Viewership for Wednesday night’s World Series Game Four onFox was 20.9 million, up 15.5% from 18.1 million for the comparableAngels-Giants Game Four last year. Through four games, viewership was up 15% to an average 19.5 million (Fox).

IOC COORDINATION COMMISSION CONCLUDES ATHENS VISIT TODAY

The IOC Coordination Commission today concludes a three-dayvisit to Athens, and AROUND THE RINGS reported that the commission “hasreceived assurances from the Greek government that two key transport projectswill be ready well before the Games next August.”  A rail line to the airport from the Olympic Stadium “will beginoperating at the end of the year, while the new tramway from the center ofAthens to venues on the coast will be ready next March” (AROUND THE RINGS, 10/23).

D.G. VAN CLIEF SPEAKS WITH THE DAILY PRIOR TO BREEDERS’ CUP

In advance oftomorrow’s Breeders’ Cup World Thoroughbred Championships, The Daily todayfeatures a Q&A with Breeders’ Cup Limited President& NTRA Chair D.G. Van Clief.  Asked aboutexpectations for Saturday, Van Clief said, “We’d like to see an on-sight crowd of at least 50,000 at Santa Anita; wewould like to see a wagering handle north of $100,000,000 generated from bothon- and off-site and that includes international outlets as well.  And wewould like to see, and we expect, and they usually deliver it – a high quality,creative and entertaining five-hour program from NBC.”  For more, please see today’s issue of TheDaily.

USA TODAY runs a special Breeders’ Cup section in today’sedition.  Dodge, Nextel and TVG runhalf-page ads, while the NTRA and Breeders’ Cup share a 1/3 page ad (THEDAILY).

MORNING BRIEFS

The DENVER POST reports that Eagle County DA MarkHurlbert has “demanded that the judge enforce a gag order on participants,citing a leak attributed to a former judge who is a friend of one of [KobeBryant’s] attorneys.”  Hurlbertclaimed in a courtfiling that Bryant’s attorneys have “been on a campaign to get informationin the public domain that has been specifically prohibited by the court” (DENVERPOST, 10/24).

The INDIANAPOLIS STAR reports that Sunday’s Texans-Coltsgame at the RCA Dome sold out yesterday as WISH-CBS bought some of the 1,500available tickets, though the station “does not want to say publicly how many”(INDIANAPOLISSTAR, 10/24).

The N.Y. TIMES reports that top U.S. female middle-distancerunner Regina Jacobs, “who has sustained a remarkable track career pasther 40^th birthday, has tested positive for a steroid thatdrug-testing officials say is at the center of a widespread doping scandal” (N.Y.TIMES, 10/24).

World Anti-Doping Agency President Dick Pound saidthat he “finds ‘puzzling’ comments by [FIFA President Sepp Blatter],that apparently disagree with WADA’s automatic two-year suspension for drugviolators.  Pound wants a meeting tohash out the problem” (L.A.TIMES, 10/24).

NASCAR Communications Manager Jeremy Davidson, onNASCAR’s Winston West touring series: “The series that is now Winston West willremain an important part of NASCAR’s Grand National Division next year, butwith a different name.  We arenegotiating with several potential sponsors at the moment, but Nextel is notone of them” (L.A.TIMES, 10/24).

The WASHINGTON POST reports in a front-page piece thatRedskins coach Steve Spurrier said that he “remains committed tocoaching the team at least through the end of next season, despite a string ofdisappointing losses after which the coach has seemed increasinglydowntrodden.”  Spurrier: “[RedskinsOwner Daniel Snyder] and I are cool, as they say.  He and I are okay right now” (WASHINGTONPOST, 10/24).

ABC announced yesterday that Brent Musburger and GaryDanielson will call the Nokia Sugar Bowl on January 4, this season’scollege football national championship game (MILWAUKEE JOURNALSENTINEL, 10/24).

ATTENDANCE WATCH:

• The L.A. TIMES reports that the crowd at last night’s Lakers-Clippers preseason game at Arrowhead Pond “came early to see [Kobe] Bryant, on a basketball court and in public for the first time since he was charged nearly four months ago with felony sexual assault” (L.A. TIMES, 10/24).  Attendance for the game was 18,298 (L.A. DAILY NEWS, 10/24).

• The TORONTO SUN reports that to the “chagrin and disappointment of the capacity crowd at St. John’s showpiece stadium,” Mile One Stadium, the Raptors’ final preseason game last night against LeBron James and the Cavaliers was cancelled because of moisture on the court.  The 7,500 on hand “booed but, to their credit, left without incident” (TORONTO SUN, 10/24).

A LIGHTER BUZZ

Comedienne Wanda Sykes appeared on Wednesday night’sedition of NBC’s “Last Call” with Carson Daly, where she discussed howshe became a contributing reporter on HBO’s “Inside The NFL.”  Sykes said she got the job by “just beingdrunk at the right place.”  Sykesattended the wrap party for “On The Record,” and “after a couple of drinks, I’mjust ripping the room apart.  I’mtelling Bob Costas that he talks too much.  ‘Bob, you know too much. Every now and then, when someone asks you something, just go, I don’tknow.’”  Sykes: “The executive producerof HBO Sports was there and he heard me and saw what I was doing.  He gave me a call and asked, ‘Hey, would youlike to be a part of ‘Inside The NFL?’ It would be a good addition.  Youcan shake things up’” ("Last Call," NBC, 10/22).

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	N.Y. Daily News

Philadelphia Daily News

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, after a disappointing performance in anew trivia segment on HBO’s “Inside The NFL,” Dolphins LB Zach Thomashas probably nullified any chance that Alex Trebek ever asks him to be acontestant on a celebrity edition of “Jeopardy” (THE DAILY).

Click Here To View Clip

IN OTHER NEWS….

DAILY VARIETY notes that Viacom reported a 5% increase to$6.6B in total revenue for Q3 ’03, compared with the same period a yearearlier.  The company “has high hopesfor 2004, a year when the Super Bowl (with ad time already 66% sold) and apresidential election should restore Viacom to its usual health” (DAILYVARIETY, 10/24).

REUTERS reports that Cablevision is planning to “spin offits [Rainbow DBS] satellite TV platform as well as three television channels,”AMC, the Independent Film Channel and WE: Women’s Entertainment (REUTERS,10/24).

FINAL JEOPARDY!

Last night’s “Final Jeopardy!” category was “The Internet.”

“It is named in honor of a Monty Python sketch that used theword more than 100 times in 2 ½ minutes.”

LAUGH TRACK

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

THURSDAY NIGHT’S TV MONITOR

ESPN’s “Around The Horn” and “PTI’ were pre-empted due tothe net’s coverage of the PGA Tour Funai Classic at the Walt Disney WorldResort.  FSN’s “BDSSP” was a “Best Of”edition.

FINAL JEOPARDY ANSWER

“What is spam?”

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dailyinsider@sportsbusinessdaily.com

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