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Morning Buzz

Morning Buzz, January 22, 2004

The Daily Insider
Morning News & Headlines
Thursday, January 22, 2004
9:00am ET

Bruce Ratner Expects To Finalize $300M Deal To Buy Nets As Early As Today

MLB Today To Announce Plan To Air Humorous Post-Super Bowl Commercial

NASCAR Today To Discuss New Safety Initiatives, Including Hiring Of Own EMT

Stadium Screening Committee Narrows List Of Twins And Vikings Candidates

President Bush Dines With Jerry Colangelo, Arte Moreno Last Night In Phoenix

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


NETS TO BE SOLD TO BRUCE RATNER FOR $300M AS EARLY AS TODAY

The Newark STAR-LEDGER reports that Bruce Ratner andhis partners expect to finalize their $300M deal to purchase the Nets “as earlyas today, clearing the way for the Netsto move into a proposed $600[M] arena in downtown Brooklyn by 2009.”  In an attempt to keep the team in NJ, CharlesKushner and U.S. Sen. Jon Corzine (D-NJ) “submitted an all-cashoffer of $300[M] just before” 3:00pm ET yesterday.  However, at around 6:00pm, Community Youth Organization, thenonprofit group that controls the team, told Kushner that it “had decided topursue its deal with Ratner” (NewarkSTAR-LEDGER, 1/22).


MLB TO ADVERTISE ON CBS’ “SURVIVOR” FOLLOWING SUPER BOWL

The N.Y. TIMES reports that MLB today will announce it willair a “humorous commercial that is to appear on CBS during the episode of ‘Survivor’planned after the postgame show for Super Bowl XXXVIII.”  In the ad, Marlins P Josh Beckett,Yankees SS Derek Jeter and Rangers SS Alex Rodriguez talk aboutBudweiser and Pepsi commercials that were scheduled to appear during the SuperBowl.  A-B and PepsiCo are sponsors ofboth MLB and the NFL.  The ad is viaMcCann-Erickson Worldwide, N.Y. (N.Y. TIMES,1/22).


NASCAR HIRES OWN EMT AS PART OF NEW SAFETY INITIATIVES

The UAW-GM Motorsports Media Tour concludes today at Lowe’sMotor Speedway outside Charlotte, where NASCAR will host an 11:30am ET pressconference to discuss new safety initiatives. USA TODAY reports that NASCAR has hired its own emergency medicaltechnician, who “will travel with the Nextel Cup Series every week and teamwith a NASCAR official in the ‘chase vehicle’ that instantly leaves pit roadafter a crash.”  However, the hiring is“not the first step toward hiring a full-time traveling safety team similar tothose employed by other racing series” (USA TODAY, 1/22).


PROPERTY TAXES COULD BE SNAG IN $100M MLSE SPORTS COMPLEX

The Toronto GLOBE & MAIL reports that Univ. of Torontoand Ontario representatives “are expected to meet this week” to discuss whetherMLSE would have to pay property taxes on its proposed $100M sports complex onthe school’s campus.  The issue “hasbecome an important factor in deciding whether the project will go ahead.”  The school does not pay property taxes“because it is covered through a grant from the provincial government.  However, sources say MLSE is concerned thesports complex could be subject to millions of dollars in taxes because it is acommercial enterprise” (TorontoGLOBE & MAIL, 1/22).


NEXTEL, NHL ANNOUNCE NATIONAL SWEEPS WITH $250,000 CHANCE

Nexteland the NHL today announced the launch of the Nextel/NHL Stanley Cup Challenge,a national shootout competition to take place through a national sweepstakesand in 12 NHL team markets over a two-month period.  The winner will have the opportunity to shoot against Capitals G OlafKolzig for $250,000 during the ’04 Stanley Cup Finals.  The program will benefit NHL Diversity (Nextel).


TODAY THE DAILY GOES ONE-ON-ONE WITH...

What media production and marketing exec reads The Beat to keep up with the reggae scene and wants more than anything to see Roy Williams return the Tar Heels to glory? To find out, please see the Sports Industrialists section in today’s issue of The Daily.


MORNING BRIEFS

The Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE reports that Minnesota Gov. TimPawlenty’s Stadium Screening Committee yesterday “decided that Minneapolisand St. Paul should be the only sites considered for a Twins ballpark and thatBlaine and Eden Prairie should be the only sites considered for a Vikingsstadium” (MinneapolisSTAR TRIBUNE, 1/22).

The L.A. TIMES reports that the sale of the Dodgers to FrankMcCourt moved closer to completion yesterday when News Corp. “agreed toretain a minority ownership position, putting McCourt closer to compliance withthe industry’s debt service rule by reducing the amount of money he isborrowing in his highly leveraged, $430[M] proposal.”  The arrangement requires that McCourt find an L.A. investor to“buy out News Corp.’s equity share within a period of 12 to 24 months” (L.A.TIMES, 1/22).

The AP reports that President Bush last night dinedat a Phoenix restaurant with D’BacksOwner Jerry Colangelo and Angels Owner Arte Moreno, as well asD’Backs manager Bob Brenley and GM Joe Garagiola Jr.  Bush was in Phoenix “as part of athree-state swing to promote themes from his State of the Union address” (AP, 1/22).

Hendrick Motorsports yesterday announced that it has reachedan agreement with Kellogg to extend the company’s primary sponsorship of theNo. 5 Chevy in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series, which is driven by TerryLabonte (Hendrick Motorsports).

Followingreports that the Reliant Stadium roof would be closed for Super Bowl XXXVIII,CBS and NFL officials yesterday confirmed that the roof will be open“weather permitting” (BOSTONGLOBE, 1/22).

Toyota Racing Development VP & GM Lee White, onToyota’s foray into NASCAR: “At this point, this is a truck program. Some day, we would like to be in [Nextel Cup] racing.  But if and when we do that, it will be becausewe have met our objectives with this program” (CHARLOTTEOBSERVER, 1/22).

The WNBAyesterday released its ’04 schedule, and the AP reports that the season will“last four weeks longer than usual because the league will take a break” fromAugust 2-31 “to allow its top players to compete” in the Athens Olympics.  The season begins with three games on May 20and concludes on September 19 (AP,1/22).

USA TODAYreports that the Champions Tour is “moving to eliminate golf carts in allcompetitive rounds.  This year playerswill not be allowed to use carts in the five major championships plus the FirstTee Open and the season-ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship” (USA TODAY,1/22).

The L.A.TIMES reports that Marco Etcheverry made it official yesterday that heis leaving DC United after eight seasons. Etcheverry’s departure “had been expected, especially after the teamdrafted 14-year-old Freddy Adu and needed some financialflexibility.  Etcheverry’s MLS contractended after last season” (L.A.TIMES, 1/22).


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. Daily News
Philadelphia Daily News

TODAY’S EVENTS

Nike and the USOC will announce a multiyear sponsorship dealat a press conference in N.Y.

The Advertising Club and USA Today will host a noon ET SuperBowl advertising luncheon, “Gridiron Marketing: The Game Within the Game,” atthe N.Y. Marriott Marquis.  USA TodayAdvertising & Marketing Reporter Theresa Howard will moderate apanel including Pepsi-Cola North America Senior VP & CMO David Burwick,Visa Exec VP/Brand Marketing Becky Saeger and A-B VP/Brand Management& Dir of Global Brand Creative Bob Lachky.

Federalgrand jury testimony will resume in the BALCO investigation (SANJOSE MERCURY NEWS, 1/22).

Nike VP/Corporate Communications Kirk Stewart willdiscuss the impacts of Nike v. Kasky at an 11:30am PT luncheon at the PugetSound chapter of the Public Relations Society of America.

Callaway Golf will release its fiscal ’03 results during a5:00pm ET conference call.  CallawayGolf Chair & CEO Ron Drapeau and Senior Exec VP & CFO BradHoliday are scheduled to participate. The call will be Webcastlive.


IN OTHER NEWS….

The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER notes that Fox Television Stationshas promoted Senior VP/Finance Betsy Swanson to Exec VP & CFO.  Former Fox Television Stations President MitchStern “recently left to take over as [DirecTV President & CEO]” (HOLLYWOODREPORTER, 1/22).


FINAL JEOPARDY!

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

“On USA Today’s list of magical numbers in sports, each hadan explanation except 61, which only had this symbol.”


LAUGH TRACK

THEMONOLOGUES:

CBS’ David Letterman: “Did you see President Bush’sState of the Union Address last night? ... How about that surprise announcement?  President Bush said last night that HowardDean has been captured and he’s in the hands of interrogators. ... I thinkmaybe Howard Dean has a bit of a problem because earlier today during a debatein New Hampshire, he bit off Joe Lieberman’s ear. ... In his speech,George Bush had a lot of new proposals. He announced that he’s adding aquamarine to the terror alert colorchart. ... Bush’s speech was interrupted by applause 68 times; five times by TedKennedy getting up and going to take a leak” ("Late Show,"NBC, 1/21).

NBC’sJay Leno: “Last night, President Bush gave his State of the UnionAddress, which was interrupted 70 times by applause and 45 times by really bigwords. ... Bush also said last night that our children must be taught how toread.  He said if his aides had neverlearned to read, they’d never be able to tell him what is in the newspaperevery day. ... Bush also spoke about the dangers posed by people who spreadsexually transmitted diseases.  TypicalRepublican.  Always taking a shot at Clinton.... Today, Homeland Security chief Tom Ridge raised the security alertto code red.  Apparently, Howard Deanhas escaped. ... Martha Stewart is getting support.  Today, her brother Jermaine Stewartsaid she’s 1000% innocent. ... The tabloids are reporting that WhitneyHouston has decided to divorce Bobby Brown.  Apparently, she came home and caught himpunching another woman” ("The Tonight Show," NBC, 1/21).

LATENIGHT LAUGHS:

During last night’s edition of CBS’ “Late Show,” DavidLetterman read viewer mail.  One letterasked, “After a long week, what do you do to unwind?”  Letterman: “I really enjoy the football.  It’s really exciting, and of course, we knownow that Super Bowl XXXVIII is between the New England Patriots and CarolinaPanthers, and one of our staff members is actually a diehard Carolina Panthersfan, and we thought it would be fun to bring him out here tonight. ... Ladiesand gentlemen, please say hello to Tom Vernon.”  The camera showed a stage door, but no onecame out.  Letterman: “I’m kidding!  There are no diehard Carolina Panthersfans.  It’s a joke” ("LateShow," CBS, 1/21).


WEDNESDAY NIGHT’S TV MONITOR

Net

Show

Lead

Next Items

ESPN

“Around The Horn”

Patriots QB Tom Brady

Pacers; Raiders

ESPN

“PTI”

Tom Brady

Raiders naming Sean Payton head coach; Pacers

ESPN

11:00pm ET “SportsCenter”

Cincinnati-Louisville

Nets sale; Nets-Spurs

FSN

“BDSSP”

State of the Union Address

Sean Payton; Panthers-Eagles

FSN

“New England Sports Tonight”

Super Bowl XXXVIII

Celtics; Tom Brady

Empire Sports

“Empire Sports Report”

Bills

Bills LB coach Don Blackmon; Bills head coach Mike Malarkey


FINAL JEOPARDY ANSWER

“What is an asterisk?”


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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