| | The Daily Insider
Morning News & Headlines
Wednesday, December 3, 2003
9:00am ET | |
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| • | Cox, FSN To Announce New Deals Today For 3.3 Million Cable TV Households |
| • | Disney, ISC Create Joint Licensing Program For Daytona 500 And Characters |
| • | AutoZone Today To Announce Deal To Title Sponsor NASCAR Elite Division |
| • | Suns To Seek Additional Funding Today $17M In America West Improvements |
| • | LeBron And Carmelo Lead NBA Jersey Sales Since The Start Of ’03-04 Season |
| • | Morning Briefs/In Other News/Laugh Track/TV Monitor/Final Jeopardy! |
COX, FSN TO ANNOUNCE NEW DEALS TODAY FOR THREE AREAS
USA TODAY reports that Cox Communications and Fox Sports Nettoday will announce “new deals covering about 3.3 million cable TV householdsin the Phoenix, New Orleans and San Diego areas. Neither company would comment, but the deals are estimated toinclude [7-10%] increases in Cox’s payments to FSN” (USA TODAY, 12/3).
DAYTONA 500 LAP CARS TO FEATURE CLASSIC DISNEY CHARACTERS
By Terry Lefton,Editor-at-Large, The Sports Business Daily
Disney and ISC haveinked a deal creating a joint licensing program combining the marks of theDaytona 500 with those of classic Disney characters. Two Disneyfied Chevy Monte Carlos – one with Mickey Mouse logosand one with Donald Duck – will lead the “parade lap” at this year’s race. The program will launch at retail inJanuary, largely in the Southeast, with eight licensees and around 15 productswith distribution largely in mass merchandise and mid-tier retailers. ISC VP/Sales & Marketing Paul Phippsis projecting $20-25M wholesale sales for the Disney/ISC cross license, whichinitially is for a single year. Formore on this story, please see today’s issue of The Daily.
AUTOZONE TO ANNOUNCE DEAL TODAY TO TITLE NASCAR ELITE DIVISION
The Memphis COMMERCIAL APPEAL reports that AutoZone todaywill announce that it has signed a deal to title sponsor the NASCAR EliteDivision, a racing circuit two tiers below the NASCAR Nextel Winston CupSeries. AutoZone will support thesponsorship with “in-store displays, advertising, consumer and trade promotionsalong with at-track hospitality programs for customers” (MemphisCOMMERCIAL APPEAL, 12/3).
SUNS TO SEEK $17M FROM CITY COUNCIL TODAY FOR ARENA UPGRADES
The ARIZONA REPUBLIC reports that Suns representatives willattend today’s Phoenix City Council meeting at 3:00pm MT to ask the council to“cover most of $17[M] in additional renovations at America West Arena.” The enhancements range from a new scoreboard and electronic advertising panels to alounge for fans. The proposedimprovements “come on the heels of a $50[M] face lift that’s nearingcompletion,” of which the Suns are paying 80% (ARIZONAREPUBLIC, 12/3).
DICK POUND TO TAKE THE STAND TODAY IN SLOC BRIBERY TRIAL
The SALT LAKE TRIBUNE reports that Canadian IOC member DickPound will take the stand today in the SLOC bribery trial to “answerquestions about whether the benefits provided by Salt Lake’s bid team werecontrary to the IOC’s interests and done without the IOC’s knowledge – keyelements of Utah’s commercial bribery statute and the basis for the Travel Actviolations” (SALT LAKE TRIBUNE,12/3).
CHARGERS HAVE UNTIL TODAY TO CHANGE VENUE OF LAWSUIT
The SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE reports that the Chargers “have until today to transfer alawsuit the team recently filed” in L.A. to a court in San Diego. If the Chargers refuse, the city “will go tocourt to ask for a change of venue to San Diego and request the team pay thecity’s legal fees and expenses.” Thelawsuit asks the court to “decide whether the team has met thefinancial-hardship threshold outlined in its Qualcomm Stadium lease, whichwould trigger a renegotiation period and allow the team to shop itself to othercities” (SANDIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 12/3).
MERCHANDISE SALES UP 41% ON NBA.COM COMPARED TO LAST YEAR
The NBA today announced that combined merchandise sales fromthe NBA Store on Fifth Avenue in N.Y. and on NBA.com since the start of theseason have increased 16% and 41%, respectively, versus the start of lastseason. The following lists the topfive player jersey sales and top five team sales (NBA):
| RK | Player | RK | Team |
| 1) | Cavaliers G/F LeBron James | 1) | Lakers |
| 2) | Nuggets F Carmelo Anthony | 2) | 76ers |
| 3) | Magic G Tracy McGrady | 3) | Cavaliers |
| 4) | 76ers G Allen Iverson | 4) | Knicks |
| 5) | Lakers G Kobe Bryant | 5) | Nuggets |
MORNING BRIEFS
MLB.com reported that each member of the World Serieschampion Marlins “willreceive a full share of $306,150, the second highest in history and almost$76,000 more than the full shares” the Angels received last year. The gate receipts of $41,129,574 were the“highest ever for a six-game World Series” (MLB.com,12/2).
The HOUSTON CHRONICLE reports that Astros Owner DraytonMcLane met with HOFer Nolan Ryan Monday to discuss bringing Ryan“further into the Astros’ fold.” Ryan’spotential role with the club “has yet to be determined. He will likely be asked to work with theminor leaguers and serve as an adviser to [GM] Gerry Hunsicker” (HOUSTONCHRONICLE, 12/3).
The N.Y.TIMES reported that the “binding arbitration that will decide thelong-term contract between YES and Cablevision will start soon.” The decision is due March 31 (N.Y. TIMES, 12/2).
The Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE reports that Vikings QB DaunteCulpepper, RB Moe Williams and Exec VP Mike Kelly spent threehours in court yesterday “testifying before a Mille Lacs County grand jury thatthey ‘have no information concerning any alleged sexual assaults’ that tookplace at a February fundraiser” (Minneapolis STARTRIBUNE, 12/3).
The L.A. TIMES reports that Kobe Bryant’s attorneys“filed arguments on two issues in his sexual assault case [yesterday], agreeingwith prosecutors that some court files pertaining to sensitive evidence shouldbe sealed from public view and objecting to a media request to place a camerain the courtroom during upcoming motions hearings” (L.A.TIMES, 12/3).
ATTENDANCE WATCH:
- The DENVER POST reports that 19,610 fans attended last night’s Cavaliers-Nuggets game at Pepsi Center, “the third-largest crowd in the team’s NBA history” (DENVER POST, 12/3).
- ESPN’s Rece Davis, on the attendance at last night’s Bucks-Hawks game: “It was Witness Protection Program Night at Philips Arena. They said 10,991 were there. They lied” ("SportsCenter," ESPN, 12/2).
- USA TODAY notes that the Univ. of Arkansas men’s basketball streak of sellouts “has ended after 26 years. Between 200 and 300 tickets in the upper deck were available as of Monday for the season’s remaining 14 home games.” The team had sold all of their tickets since the ‘76-77 season (USA TODAY, 12/3).
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 |
TODAY’S EVENTS
Street & Smith’s Group of Publications presents theMotorsports Marketing Forum at the Marriott East Side in N.Y. NASCAR President Mike Helton willdeliver the opening keynote address, “The Changing Landscape: An Update on theGrowth of NASCAR.” Session topicsinclude “That’s Racing: A Look at the Strategic Differences in Driver, Team,Track and NASCAR Sponsorships,” “The NASCAR Marketing Advantage: TranslatingFan Passion into Brand Loyalty” and “Lights, Camera, Action: The Convergence ofNASCAR and Entertainment.” View today’s agenda.
NASCAR Winston Cup Champion Matt Kenseth will ringthe NASDAQ opening bell at 9:30am ET (PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS, 12/3).
The Tigers will host a 1:00pm ET news conference to announcesome early preparations for the ’05 MLB All-Star Game at Comerica Park (DETROITNEWS, 12/3).
The Ethical Issues Series begins today at The Commerce Clubin Atlanta, where Vanderbilt Chancellor Gorden Gee, Arkansas AD FrankBroyles and Clemson AD Terry Don Phillips will discuss the ethicscrisis in sports. BB&T is the eventsponsor.
The women’s water polo Holiday Cup begins today in LosAlamitos, California, and the L.A. TIMES reports that the event “will besomething like a mini-World Championships, featuring six of the world’s topranked teams. It will also be the lastsignificant home appearance for the U.S. women until June in Long Beach” (L.A.TIMES, 12/3).
IN OTHER NEWS….
The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER notes that Walt Disney shares dropped2.5% yesterday as “some influential analysts expressed concern over continuing pressure on [Chair &CEO] Michael Eisner in the wake of Roy E. Disney and StanleyGold’s high-profile exits” from the BOD (HOLLYWOODREPORTER, 12/3).
BLOOMBERG NEWS reports that DirecTV yesterday agreed to usethe technology of Gemstar-TV Guide Int’l, of which News Corp. owns 43%, for itson-screen program guide. Following theannouncement of the agreement, Gemstar shares “rose [$0.60] to $5.10 inextended trading” (BLOOMBERGNEWS, 12/3).
The N.Y. TIMES reports that PepsiCo yesterday announcedplans to “cut 750 jobs in its beverage and snack businesses, close a Frito-Layplant in Kentucky and relocate the headquarters of its Tropicana unit fromFlorida to Chicago, which will become the hub for the company’s juice andGatorade business.” Most of the jobs tobe cut will be in North America (N.Y. TIMES, 12/3).
FINAL JEOPARDY!
Last night’s “Final Jeopardy!” category was “GeographicTerms.”
“These two words are anagrams of each other and for ourlocation now one is 34, the other about 74.”
LAUGH TRACK
THEMONOLOGUES:
NBC’sJay Leno: “Big sales at stores over the weekend. Bloomingdale’s had the huge Paris Hiltonsale. If you bought a mattress, theythrew in a free camcorder. ... This year I’m doing all my Christmas shopping onthe Internet. I’m getting everybodyporn. ... The White House Christmas tree was delivered this week. It’s an 18-feet tall fir tree fromWisconsin. President Bush saidjust the sight of it puts him in the spirit of the season. You know, logging season. ... Washington DChas decided to put free condom dispensers in over 50 government offices,including the Department of Motor Vehicles. Is this a good idea? ... Isn’t that line moving slowly enough already?... At least people will be smiling in their picture now. ... Bill Callahansays the Raiders are the dumbest team in America. You know what that means? The Clippers have lost another title” ("The Tonight Show,"NBC, 12/2).
LATENIGHT LAUGHS:
“The Tonight Show”featured a skit related to Raiders head coach Bill Callahan calling the Raiders“the dumbest team in America.” Leno:“If you’re a coach and you’re looking for ways to find out if your team isdumb, here are some hints: if he gets confused and pours Gatorade over his ownhead; if your player keeps asking what day is ‘Monday Night Football’ is on; ifhe cheated off Jessica Simpson in school; if he wears Maxi-Pads on hisshoulders; he demands to be traded to L.A.; when a ‘timeout’ is called, hestands in the corner of the stadium facing the wall” ("The TonightShow," NBC, 12/2).
TUESDAY NIGHT’S TV MONITOR
| Net | Show | Lead | Next Items |
| ESPN | “Around The Horn” | Titans-Jets | Mississippi St. football coach Sylvester Croom; Yankees |
| ESPN | “PTI” | Jets | NFL parity; NFL MVP |
| ESPN | 11:00pm ET “SportsCenter” | Hornets-Magic | Raptors-76ers; Wisconsin-Maryland men’s basketball |
| FSN | “BDSSP” | Trail Blazers F Zach Randolph arrested | Yankees; Buccaneers DT Warren Sapp |
| FSN | “New England Sports Tonight” | Celtics F Paul Pierce | Patriots; Browns RB William Green |
| MSG | “SportsDesk” | Rangers-Maple Leafs | Yankees; Angels |
FINAL JEOPARDY ANSWER
“What is latitude and altitude?”
If you haveany questions, comments or suggestions, please let us know at:
dailyinsider@sportsbusinessdaily.com
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