| | The Daily Insider
Morning News & Headlines
Monday, January 26, 2004
9:00am ET | |
| |
| • | NFL Today Expected To Announce Four-Year Deal With Dairy Management Inc. |
| • | Eli Lilly Icos, Gillette Today To Unveil Super Bowl XXXVIII Commercials |
| • | NFL Films Today To Shoot Super Bowl Ad For “Join The Team” Program |
| • | CSTV To Produce Official Men’s Basketball Tournament Highlight Shows |
| • | MLS Fire To Build $70M, 20,000-25,000-Seat Stadium In Suburban Bridgeview |
| • | Morning Briefs/In Other News/Laugh Track/Weekend Rap/Weekend Box Office |
NFL TODAY TO ANNOUNCE FOUR-YEAR DEAL WITH DAIRY MANAGEMENT
By TerryLefton, Editor-at-Large, The Sports Business Daily
The NFL is expected to announce today inHouston a four-year sponsorship with Dairy Management Inc., the umbrellamarketing organization for America’s 80,000+ dairy farmers. Sources said the deal was for around $3.5M ayear, including rights fees and a minimum guaranteed ad spend on both NFL.comand NFL Network. The rights will beused to promote a wide variety of dairy products. Dairy Management Inc. is behind the popular “Got Milk?” campaign,which has an NBA sponsorship agreement, and the more recent “Power of Cheese”campaign. Sources said it will attemptto sign every team and is hopeful of putting NFL team logos on milk cartons.
For more, please see today’s issue of TheDaily.
ELI LILLY, ICOS TODAY TO UNVEIL MORE EDUCATIONAL CIALIS AD
The INDIANAPOLIS STAR reports that Eli Lilly and Icos today“plan to formally unveil their more direct and educational advertisingapproach,” including the Super Bowl XXXVIII ad, which “will feature tendermoments between loving couples and is expected to be the first commercial ofits kind to explicitly state that the drug – Cialis – treats erectiledysfunction.” The image of a couple inside-by-side bathtubs from its commercial that debuted last weekend “will beused again during the full 30-second Super Bowl ad but will be interspersedwith images of other couples in tender moments” (INDIANAPOLISSTAR, 1/26).
The N.Y. TIMES reports that Gillette today “plans to releasecopies” of its Super Bowl XXXVIII commercial (N.Y. TIMES,1/26).
NFL FILMS TODAY TO SHOOT SUPER BOWL AD AT RELIANT STADIUM
SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL reports that NFL Films today willshoot a Super Bowl ad at Reliant Stadium for the league’s “Join The Team”cause-related marketing program. Thespot, which will direct viewers to a Web site – www.jointheteam.com – to learn aboutvolunteering in their communities, will feature Bears LB Brian Urlacher,Patriots QB Tom Brady, Buccaneers S John Lynch, Chiefs TE TonyGonzalez, Giants DE Michael Strahan and several others (SPORTSBUSINESSJOURNAL, 1/26 issue).
PANTHERS ATTORNEYS TO CHALLENGE INCLUSION IN LAWSUIT TODAY
The CHARLOTTE OBSERVER reported that Panthers attorneystoday will appear in Charlotte Superior Court to challenge “their inclusion in a lawsuitformer player Patrick Jeffers filed last year against the team, itsformer orthopedist and the Miller Orthopedic Clinic.” Jeffers’ suit “attempts to hold the Panthers accountable foralleged medical malpractice and negligence” by Dr. Donald D’Alessandro,team doctor from ’94-’01. The suit alsocontends that D’Alessandro “performed five surgical procedures during an August2000 operation that were beyond the bounds of the informed consent given byJeffers” (CHARLOTTEOBSERVER, 1/25).
CSTV TO PRODUCE OFFICIAL MEN’S HOOPS TOURNEY HIGHLIGHT SHOW
CSTV today announced that CBS Sports has selected Spike TV and CSTVto telecast the official ‘04 NCAA Div. I Men’s Basketball Championshiphighlight shows for the second consecutive year. Subsequently, Spike TV has chosen CSTV to produce the sixhighlight programs scheduled to air on Spike TV from March 25-28 and Final FourWeekend April 3-5. The programs will also air on CSTV (CSTV).
THE DAILY AND SBJ OFFER OUR ANNUAL SUPER BOWL PICK ‘EM
It’s that time of year again. The Sports Business Dailyand SportsBusiness Journal Super Bowl Pick ‘em is now open.. Test your prognosticationskills against those of your fellow readers. The best and brightest in the sports industry will receive an awardperhaps second only to the Vince Lombardi Trophy itself – recognition in TheDaily and SportsBusiness Journal. To enter, provide your name, title, company, email address and SuperBowl pick. Deadline for entry isFriday, January 30 at 5:00pm ET.
MORNING BRIEFS
The CHICAGO SUN-TIMES reports that the MLS Fire is “boltingChicago for a new home in Bridgeview. A$70[M] stadium, to seat between [20,000-25,000], will become the team’s home in2006.” Thirteen communities submittedproposals for the stadium (CHICAGOSUN-TIMES, 1/26).
MLB released its ’04 schedule Saturday, and the AP notedthat 18 of the 30 teams will open their season April 5 and “eight more teamswill start the following day.” TheYankees and Devil Rays will begin the season in Tokyo on March 30, while the Oriolesand Red Sox open ESPN’s “Sunday Night Baseball” schedule April 4 (AP, 1/25).
Phillies President David Montgomery said thatconstruction of Citizens Bank Park, which opens April 3 for the preseasonfinale against the Indians, remains on schedule. Montgomery: “It’s not done, of course, but we’re getting there” (PHILADELPHIAINQUIRER, 1/24).
The AP reports that Texas Tech Univ. men’s basketball coach BobbyKnight has filed an appeal dated today asking the Indiana Court of Appealsto “review [Monroe Circuit Judge Kenneth Todd’s] decision dismissing hislawsuit against Indiana University for firing him as basketball coach” (AP, 1/24).
NFL VP/Communications Greg Aiello, on the two-weekbreak between the Conference Championship games and Super Bowl XXXVIII: “Twoweeks is the norm forlogistical reasons and a lot of other reasons. All the planning, the moving of teams and fans getting to the game, it’sso much more intense when there’s only one week.” Seven of the 38 Super Bowls have been preceded by one-weekbreaks, including last year (SANJOSE MERCURY NEWS, 1/24).
The Louisville COURIER-JOURNAL reports that Keeneland “willcancel the July yearling sale for the second straight year and offer the summerhorses in September” (LouisvilleCOURIER-JOURNAL, 1/24).
ATTENDANCE WATCH:
- The N.Y. TIMES reports that in the Nets’ first home game since Bruce Ratner bought the club, a near-capacity crowd of 17,533 flocked to Continental Airlines Arena on Sunday afternoon for Celtics-Nets, “bringing with it an air of defiance and desperation” (N.Y. TIMES, 1/26).
- The N.Y. TIMES notes that a “few dozen people gathered in single-digit temperatures, some with paint on their faces, others carrying signs that read, ‘Nets Don’t Move’ or ‘Brooklyn? Fuhgettaboudit.’ Plastic rats were handed out as a gibe” at Ratner (N.Y. TIMES, 1/26). The N.Y. POST reports that “none [of the signs] mentioning Brooklyn were allowed inside” the arena (N.Y. POST, 1/26).
- The DAYTON DAILY NEWS reported that an appearance from NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. during Friday night’s ECHL Peoria Rivermen-Dayton Bombers game led to the Bombers’ “first-ever sellout at the Nutter Center and a record crowd of 10,057” (DAYTON DAILY NEWS, 1/24).
WEEKEND RAP…
The following are excerpts from the panelists’ “partingshots” on Sunday’s edition of ESPN’s “The Sports Reporters”:
- Boston Globe columnist Bob Ryan, on Rockets C Yao Ming: “We know he is extraordinarily graceful at 7’ 5” and he has very good instincts for the game. Now he could and should get stronger. That’s a given. ... Bottom line: Yao is very talented, but Yao is Chinese with Chinese group sensibilities. He should be dominating more often, but that appears to be a very difficult concept for him to grasp.”
- N.Y. Daily News columnist Mike Lupica: “Joe Namath, embarrassed not long ago by his drunken on-air behavior with ESPN’s Suzy Kolber, has come forward the way (Mickey Mantle) did late in his life. Namath doesn’t just need counseling, of course. He needs to stop drinking the way Mickey Mantle did.”
- N.Y. Times columnist William Rhoden, on the Buccaneers: “A year later (after winning the Super Bowl), the Bucs’ ship is sinking. ... The moral of all this for the Panthers and the Patriots is to enjoy this Super Bowl experience in all its excess.”
- ESPN’s John Saunders: “We in the media tend to label Shaquille O’Neal as the NBA’s only unstoppable force; and don’t get me wrong, when 100% healthy, Shaq has the equipment to be the best. But Tim Duncan has won the last two (MVP) Awards. ... The show in L.A. has been (Kobe Bryant) and Shaq. In San Antonio, it’s been Tim Duncan and pick a name” ("The Sports Reporters," ESPN, 1/25).
Heard elsewhere over the weekend:
- Lupica, on the Patriots: “All of a sudden, it’s the model way to run a football team” ("The Sports Reporters," ESPN, 1/25).
- Charlotte Observer columnist Tom Sorensen, on fan support for the Panthers: “Now, there are a lot of lifelong Panthers fans who have been lifelong Panthers fans for two or three weeks” ("OTL," ESPN, 1/25).
- ESPN’s Steve Young, on the second week off between the Conference Championship games and the Super Bowl: “I thought that week off was an absolute waste of time from keeping our edge” ("Sunday NFL Countdown," ESPN, 1/25).
- ABC’s Tom Tolbert, on rumors Kobe Bryant will leave the Lakers and play for the Clippers next season: “No way! If you don’t have to go to the Clippers, why would you?” ("Hangtime," ABC, 1/25).
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
The National Sports Forum begins at the Wyndham NorthwestChicago. Cavaliers President LenKomoroski, Trail Blazers CMO Declan Bolger, Bears CMO DaveGreeley, Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany, ECHL Commissioner BrianMcKenna and NASCAR VP/Corporate Marketing Brett Yormark willparticipate in an afternoon panel discussion, “2004 – A View From TheTop.” View the agenda.
The MILWAUKEE JOURNAL-SENTINEL reports that a meetingbetween the Brewers and legislators is expected to take place, as the team is“in negotiations with key state legislators over a possible state audit of teamfinances” (MILWAUKEE JOURNAL-SENTINEL, 1/26).
Bengalscoach Marvin Lewis and Pro Football HOFer Anthony Munoz willannounce the creation of community service organization Quarterback Club, which“promises to pool resources and ideas from some of the leading businesses andinnovators in the region.” Variouscompanies have “each committed to contributing $25,000 annually in cash andin-kind services” (CINCINNATI POST,1/24).
TheCHICAGO SUN-TIMES notes that WMVP-AM in Chicago, a member of the ESPN RadioNetwork, will debut Sun-Times columnist Jay Mariotti’s radio show at9:00am CT, replacing Tony Kornheiser’s show (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 1/26).
Strategic Research Institute’s tenth annual Marketing toU.S. Hispanics & Latin America conference begins at Roney Place BeachResort in Miami. Viewthe agenda.
SnowSports Industries America will celebrate its 50thAnniversary during its annual SnowSports Show at the Mandalay Bay ConventionCenter in Las Vegas. View the agenda.
The Mighty Ducks will host local elementary school studentsat its Fourth Annual First Flight Field Trip at Arrowhead Pond, beginning at9:00am PT. The event featuresinteractive learning exercises and an intra-squad scrimmage.
Rugby’s governing body, the Int’l Federation, will meet inSydney, and the London GUARDIAN reported that it is expected to award the ’08Rugby World Cup to Australia “to coincide with rugby league’s centenary there”(London GUARDIAN, 1/20).
Ferrari will unveil its new F1 car (REUTERS, 1/10).
THIS WEEK IN SISTER PUBLICATION SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL…
This week’s specialreport focuses on Super Bowl XXXVIII, including a list of the 20 mostinfluential people in sports advertising.
| Also in this week’sissue: |
| • | Visa to spend $300M in six-year NFL deal. |
| • | NFL considering addition of Reebok to ownership stakes. |
| • | Sports advisory firm says an arena can thrive in Brooklyn. |
| • | Delaware North gets combined deal for Indians concessions. |
| • | NHL, NHLPA join forces to fill World Cup roster. |
EARNINGS ANNOUNCEMENTS
Below are thisweek’s confirmed earnings announcements for sports-business related companies (THEDAILY).
| DATE | COMPANY | TICKER | QUARTER |
| 1/27 | Electronic Arts | ERTS | Q3 2004 |
| 1/28 | The Nautilus Group | NLS | Q4 2003 |
| 1/30 | Puma AG | 696960 | Q5 2003 |
IN OTHER NEWS….
This week’s cover of TIME offers “Why Your Drugs Cost SoMuch.” Meanwhile, NEWSWEEK examines JohnKerry’s Iowa Caucus victory with “‘Bring It On’ … Kerry’s Hard Charge” (THE DAILY).
The AP reported that Toyota will release its final ‘03 salestotal today, and preliminary figures “showed worldwide sales for 2003 reached6.78 million vehicles, up 9.9[%] from 6.17 million the previous year.” Ford Motor Co. reported ’03 sales of 6.72million automobiles, down 3.6% from 6.97 million the year before. The figures represent Toyota becoming theworld’s second-largest automaker, a “change in ranking that reflects the steadyerosion of the dominance of American companies in an industry they have ledsince its inception” (AP, 1/24).
The Hollywood Foreign Press last night distributed itsGolden Globe awards, with “Lost In Translation” winning the award for BestMotion Picture – Musical or Comedy, and “The Lord of the Rings: The Return ofthe King” winning for Best Motion Picture – Drama. View the entire listof winners.
FINAL JEOPARDY!
Friday’s “Final Jeopardy!” category was “Literary Females.”
“She’s the only female character in all the A.A. Milne‘Winnie The Pooh’ stories.”
LAUGH TRACK
THEMONOLOGUES:
CBS’ DavidLetterman: “I got a big weekend ahead of me. I’m really looking forward to it. Listen to this. HowardDean has joined my anger management class. ... It’s crazy cold here in NewYork City for like the last six weeks, and we don’t know whether it’s a coldspell or a cold snap. It’s so cold thatPuff Daddy has changed his name from P. Diddy to Frozen P. ... On mylunch hour today, I’m walking through Central Park because I just want to seefor myself how cold it is. Honest toGod, I saw a squirrel in Central Park salting his nuts” ("LateShow," CBS, 1/23).
NBC’sJay Leno: “The good news: the Mars Rover and NASA are communicating witheach other once again. The bad news: Benand J.Lo aren’t. Ben Affleckand Jennifer Lopez have broken up, and this time Jen didn’t even use her usualmethod of dumping a guy – divorce. ... A cold wave is still covering parts ofNew England. In fact, in some parts ofthe east, temperatures are dropping faster than Howard Dean’s numbers. ...Former President Bill Clinton says he lost so much weight with his newdiet he has to get all new clothes. Atleast that’s what he told Hillary when she walked in and caught him withhis pants down. ... Pete Rose is going to be promoting his book at theFoxwoods Casino this weekend in Connecticut. Write your own joke, thank you. What better way to show baseball you’re not addicted to gambling thanspending a weekend at a casino” ("The Tonight Show," NBC, 1/23).
LATENIGHT LAUGHS:
Friday’s Top Ten list was “Top Ten Good Things About HavingA Stripper As A News Anchor” ("Late Show," CBS, 1/23)
| 10) “Finally, a way to get teens interested in current events.” |
| 9) “An easy way of fulfilling the station’s FCC nudity requirement.” |
| 8) “Top story tonight – ‘I got a new tattoo.’” |
| 7) “Impressive to watch her do the news while the sports guy’s throwing dollars at her.” |
| 6) “Oh geez, I dunno – maybe the fact that she’s naked!” |
| 5) “Carrying on the proud tradition started by Edward R. Murrow.” |
| 4) “Fun to hear anchor say, ‘To hear more on the Iowa Caucus, meet me in the Champagne Room in five minutes.’” |
| 3) “She covers the five W’s of journalism: who, what, where, when and wow.” |
| 2) “Studies have found that clothing detracts from viewers’ ability to process news.” |
| 1) “Viewers intrigued every time she says, ‘This just in.’” |
SUNDAY NIGHT’S TV MONITOR
ESPN’s11:00pm ET 90-minute edition of “SportsCenter” (late due to Winter X GamesXIII) led with Kings-Mavericks, followed by Wake Forest-Florida Statemen’s basketball, and a Super Bowl XXXVIII report. The firstreport on Winter X Games XIII was at 52:07 into the broadcast.
WEEKEND BOX OFFICE
The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER notes that the weekend box office in North America “was up slightlyfrom the comparable frame last year with the top 12 films generating anestimated $83.1[M], up 4% from a year earlier.” The total for all films this weekend is projected “to be in the[high $90M-to-low-$100M] area or near the $100.4[M] racked up last year duringthe comparable session” (HOLLYWOODREPORTER, 1/26).
| Title | Weekend | Cumulative |
| “The Butterfly Effect” | $17.1M | $17.1M |
| “Along Came Polly” | $16.6M | $53.5M |
| “Win a Date with Tad Hamilton!” | $7.5M | $7.5M |
| “Big Fish” | $7.3M | $49.1M |
| “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” | $6.9M | $337.9M |
| “Cheaper by the Dozen” | $6.6M | $122.8M |
| “Cold Mountain” | $5.3M | $72.9M |
| “Torque” | $4.4M | $17.2M |
| “Something’s Gotta Give” | $4.1M | $107.1M |
| “Mystic River” | $3.1M | $58.5M |
FINAL JEOPARDY ANSWER
“Who is Kanga?”
If you haveany questions, comments or suggestions, please let us know at:
dailyinsider@sportsbusinessdaily.com
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