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Morning Buzz

Morning Buzz, November 13, 2003

The Daily Insider
Morning News & Headlines
Thursday, November 13, 2003
9:00am ET

Bryant To Appear In Eagle County Court Today For Advisement Of Charges

NFL Blackout Watch: Colts, Bengals Hopeful Of Sellout; Seahawks Good To Go

San Antonio Council Likely To Replace Coca-Cola With Pepsi At Alamodome

Republican Filibuster Postpones Commerce Committee’s Cable TV Hearing

Notre Dame Reportedly Inquiring About Potential Full Membership With ACC

Morning Briefs/In Other News/Laugh Track/TV Monitor/Final Jeopardy!


BRYANT TO APPEAR IN COURT TODAY TO BE ADVISED OF CHARGES

Lakers G Kobe Bryant is expected to appear in EagleCounty District Court today for an advisement of charges, and the L.A. TIMESreports while Bryant can ask that the first appearance and arraignment be heldjointly, his attorneys “have not requested that in writing.”  Whether or not an arraignment is held today,legal analysts expect Judge Terry Ruckriegle to “establish deadlines forthe filing of motions by the defense and prosecution, and for responses tothose motions. He also could set a date for the beginning of motion hearings,which are likely to address the admissibility of evidence and perhaps a changeof venue” (L.A.TIMES, 11/13).

SPORTS ILLUSTRATEDnotes that “Kobe Bryant: The E! True Hollywood Story” debuts Sunday. Bryant is the second athlete to be profiled by the program after AnnaKournikova.  The Williams sisters, David Beckham and MichaelJordan are likely subjects in ‘04 (SPORTS ILLUSTRATED, 11/17 issue).


NFL BLACKOUT WATCH: COLTS, BENGALS HOPEFUL OF SELLOUTS

The INDIANAPOLIS STAR reports that Colts Senior VP/Sales& Marketing Ray Compton “expects to announce a sellout thisafternoon” of Sunday’s Jets-Colts game, which means the game will be televisedlocally.  The sellout “would mark theteam’s fourth in five home games this season, and the 36th in thepast 37 games” (INDIANAPOLISSTAR, 11/13).

The DAYTON DAILY NEWS notes that the Bengals “report briskticket sales” for Sunday’s game against the Chiefs at Paul Brown Stadium.  BengalsPR Dir Jack Brennan: “We’re optimistic we’ll be able to announcea sellout” (DAYTONDAILY NEWS, 11/13).

The Tacoma NEWS-TRIBUNE reports that Sunday’s Lions-Seahawksgame is a sellout, and fans who watch the TV broadcast “might want to thank”Lions and former Univ. of Oregon QB Joey Harrington.  The Lions “are apparently surging in popularity among Portland-area football fans”(TacomaNEWS-TRIBUNE, 11/13).


COUNCIL LIKELY TO PICK PEPSI TO REPLACE COKE AT ALAMODOME

The SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS reports that the San AntonioCity Council today will decide whether to accept a staff recommendation toreplace Coca-Cola with Pepsi at the Alamodome. The annual feeCoca-Cola “offered for concession rights is $110,000, or $10,000 more a yearthan Pepsi’s bid.  But the staffestimated Pepsi’s marketing program would be worth almost $1.3[M] a year,pushing its total offer to nearly $1.4[M] a year.”  Coca-Cola products have been offered at the Alamodome since ‘93 (SANANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS, 11/13).


SENATE COMMERCE COMMITTEE HEARINGS ON CABLE TV POSTPONED

USA TODAY reports that Senate Commerce Committee Chair JohnMcCain (R-AZ) plans to hold hearings on rising cable TV costs as early asnext week, as “the hearings, planned for today, were canceled because of theRepublicans’ 30-hour ‘talkathon’ on judicial appointments” that began yesterday(USATODAY, 11/13).

Cox Communications President James Robbins, ESPNPresident George Bodenheimer, National Cable & TelecommunicationsAssociation President Robert Sachs, Knology President & CEO RodgerJohnson, Consumers Union Dir Gene Kimmelman and U.S. GeneralAccounting Office Dir of Physical-Infrastructure Issues Mark Goldsteinwere scheduled to testify (MULTICHANNEL NEWS, 11/10).


NBA ALL-STAR VOTING BEGINS TODAY IN NUMBER OF FORMS

The L.A. TIMES notes that NBA All-Star voting begins today,and fans can vote between now and January 18 in “more ways than ever, includingonline (and in 17 languages) at NBA.com. There also are downloadable ballots available through Verizonwireless.  New retail outlets includeFoot Locker, Champs Sports and Circuit City stores and selected Loews Cineplexmovie theaters.”  The game will be heldFebruary 15 at Staples Center (L.A.TIMES, 11/13).


TODAY THE DAILY GOES ONE-ON-ONE WITH…

Which sports exechas held positions in numerous areas of the industry, and argues that he sawthe creation of the wave in Oakland in 1981? To find out, see today’s “Sports Industrialists” section for “THE DAILYGoes One-On-One With…”


MORNING BRIEFS

USA TODAY reports that Notre Dame is “inquiring about apotential full membership with the [ACC], a move that would end more than 100years of independence for its storied football program” (USATODAY, 11/13).

The WASHINGTON POST reports that the ACC’s TV committee –“led by Commissioner John Swofford and Maryland Athletic Director DebbieYow, the chair of the committee – will meet with officials from ABC”November 21 to discuss the league’s football contract.  IMG/TWI Vice Chair Barry Frank willassist the conference with the negotiations (WASHINGTONPOST, 11/13).

Sport Brands Int’lhas signed an agreement to sell its Enyce sportswear brand to Liz Claiborne forapproximately $144M.  The sale is expected to close early next month (SportBrands).

The PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER reports that a federal court judgeyesterday ordered Division II West Chester (PA) University to “reinstate the women’sgymnastics program that it disbanded six months ago,” finding the school inviolation of Title IX.  The school alsodropped men’s lacrosse last spring (PHILADELPHIAINQUIRER, 11/13).

Bengals coach Marvin Lewis, on if he wasuncomfortable as the face of the league’s minority-hiring issue: “I was becausepeople thought I had some animosity ... towards the situation and I reallydidn’t.  I really believe things happenfor a reason and I’ve had great jobs” ("NFL Total Access," NFLNetwork, 11/12).

TVN Entertainmentannounced a new Video-On-Demand services agreement with ESPN.  TVN will support ESPN’s distribution of itsVOD library (TVN).

ATTENDANCE WATCH:

  • The MIAMI HERALD reports that last night’s Cavaliers-Heat game at AmericaAirlines Arena “was well short of a sellout, and the genuine attendance figure was comfortably short of the tickets-sold total of 15,329.  The Heat peddled more tickets for their home opener against the Pistons.  This seems sad in one respect (they even gave away T-shirts!), but the truth is, at this point of his career, [LeBron] James isn’t nearly the attraction he would be if he were an undisciplined, high-flying, rim-hanging streak in short pants” (MIAMI HERALD, 11/13).
  • The New Orleans TIMES-PICAYUNE reports that the announced crowd of 11,356 at last night’s Jazz-Hornets game was the “Hornets’ smallest home crowd ever in New Orleans Arena” (New Orleans TIMES-PICAYUNE, 11/13).

A LIGHTER BUZZ

FSN’s Leeann Tweeden reported Cavaliers G/F LeBronJames has signed a recording contract for a hip-hop album with rapper Jay-Zas producer.  FSN’s Tom Arnold:“He’s never even been shot.  How can hedo a hip-hop album?” ("BDSSP," FSN, 11/12).


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. Daily News
Philadelphia Daily News

TODAY’S EVENTS

Street & Smith’s SportsBusiness Journal and The SportsBusiness Daily present the fifth annual Sports Media & Technologyconference at the Marriott East Side in N.Y. Panel discussion topics include “Sports-TieredPricing and the Battle Over Increasing Rates,” “Understanding the Realities ofthe HDTV Transition” and “Gaining Control of the Emerging Broadband SportsRevenue Stream.”  View today’s agenda.

The ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS reports that the MetropolitanSports Facilities Commission, which owns the Metrodome, today is “expected toapprove up to $500,000 for hiring consultants to assist [Minnesota Gov. Tim]Pawlenty group assess proposals for Twins and Vikings stadiums,” asrecommended by a commission committee yesterday (ST. PAULPIONEER PRESS, 11/13).

The Celtics and The Home Depot will unveil the BostonCeltics Read to Achieve Reading & Learning Center at the Roxbury FamilyYMCA at 3:00pm ET.  Celtics CEO & ManagingPartner Wyc Grousbeck and Managing Partner Robert Epstein arescheduled to attend.

The NHL will conduct a 1:00pm ET conference call to discussthe Heritage Classic pitting the Canadiens against the Oilers November 22 atCommonwealth Stadium, the first regular-season outdoor game in leaguehistory.  NHL Facilities OperationsManager Dan Craig and Heritage Classic Venue & Project Manager NickWilson are scheduled to participate.

USA Hockey and Hockey Canada today will launch the publicservice campaign “Relax, It’s Just A Game” at a 1:00pm news conference atChelsea Piers in N.Y.  USA HockeyPresident Ron DeGregorio, USA Hockey Exec Dir Doug Palazzari, DDBN.Y. Chair & CCO Lee Garfinkel and former NHLers Pat Lafontaineand Mike Richter are expected to attend.  The campaign was developed in association with Palmer Jarvis DDB.

The N.Y. DAILY NEWS reports that SeanP. DiddyCombs will present N.Y. Mayor Michael Bloomberg “with a $1[M]check for the city’s schools.  Thedonation represents half of what Combs raised by running” in the ING NYCMarathon.  Combs plans to give another$1M to two charities, the Children’s Hope Foundation and Daddy’s House SpecialPrograms (N.Y.DAILY NEWS, 11/13).


IN OTHER NEWS….

The N.Y. TIMES reports that magazine ad pages “fell inOctober for a fifth consecutive month.” Ad pages dropped 3.2% compared with the same period a year earlier, andfor the first ten months of ’03, ad pages have decreased 0.2% compared with thesame period a year earlier.  In October,ad pages rose in six categories, with the largest increase being a 17% jump inautomotive (N.Y. TIMES,11/13).


FINAL JEOPARDY!

Last night’s “Final Jeopardy!” category was “18thCentury America.”

“These two British astronomers were sent to America in 1763to settle a land dispute.”


LAUGH TRACK

THEMONOLOGUES:

CBS’ DavidLetterman: “I have the flu, but I’m doing a little bit better now.  I’m taking some of my leftover monkeypoxvaccine. ... A couple of months ago they found a guy with a lion and a pythonin his studio apartment.  Hell, it wasso bad, the monkey was afraid to come out of the bathroom. ... Over in NewJersey the last couple of days, they raided a house and they found 24tigers.  That’s two dozen tigers.  We’re not talking about donuts.  These are tigers, and apparently the tigerslived on a steady diet of Jehovah’s Witnesses. ... Yesterday I believe it was,a small plane entered White House air space. It’s always a little frightening when that happens.  President Bush was rushed to anundisclosed fundraiser. ... There’s a guy down in Texas who shoots and kills aman in his apartment.  Then hedismembers him with a sharp object like a knife or a saw, I don’t know.  Then he takes the body parts and throws themin the river and admits that he killed him, hacked him up and dumped him in theriver.  Well, yesterday a jury found himnot guilty.  I’m telling you, even O.J.was outraged. ... He was described as a cross-dressing millionaire.  How did Liza Minnelli miss this guy?”("Late Show," CBS, 11/12).

NBC’sJay Leno: “A little warning for any Americans who may be going toEngland.  If you’re a guy and go toBuckingham Palace and Prince Charles asks if you’d like to hold hisscepter, it’s a trick. ... Prince Charles is fighting back.  He is now disputing these rumors that he isgay.  In fact, today in London, he releaseda video of himself nailing Paris Hilton. ... Rush Limbaughannounced he is going back to work on Monday, assuming he passes the urinetest. ... The Greek government wants parliament there to pass a law, whichwould make it easier for brothels to operate during the Olympics.  Hey, I say go one better.  Make sex part of the Games.  Who wouldn’t watch that?” ("TonightShow," NBC, 11/12).


WEDNESDAY NIGHT’S TV MONITOR

Net

Show

Lead

Next Items

ESPN

“Around The Horn”

Marlins manager Jack McKeon

D’Backs P Curt Schilling; Browns releasing WR Kevin Johnson

ESPN

“PTI”

Baylor-Oklahoma NCAA football

Chargers QB Doug Flutie; Buccaneers

ESPN

12:00am ET “SportsCenter”

Raptors-Lakers

Spurs-Nets; Grizzlies-Magic

FSN

“BDSSP”

Roger Clemens

Univ. of OK football; Cowboys-Patriots

FSN

“Southwest Sports Report”

Cowboys-Patriots

Baylor-Oklahoma; Spurs-Nets

MSG

“Southwest Sports Report”

Penguins-Rangers

Devils-Sabres; Jets WR Wayne Chrebet


FINAL JEOPARDY ANSWER

“Who were Mason and Dixon?”


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

TheMorning Buzz provides an early update of the news and headlines each Mondaythrough Friday at approximately 9:00am ET. If you would like to sign up for ane-mail alert to the Morning Buzz, go to My Account and personalize your e-mail alert options.

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