| | The Daily Insider
Morning News & Headlines
Monday, March 8, 2004
9:00am ET | |
| |
| • | College Sports TV Today Announces Carriage Deal With Time Warner Cable |
| • | Athens Mayor Says Change Of Government Unlikely To Disrupt Preparations |
| • | Dispute Between Sir Alex Ferguson And John Magnier To Be Resolved Today |
| • | Wild CEO Jac Sperling Expecting Position To Change; Dee Stays With Red Sox |
| • | NFLPA To File Special-Master Case To Try To Rescind Terrell Owens Trade |
| • | Morning Briefs/In Other News/Laugh Track/Weekend Rap/Weekend Box Office |
CSTV TODAY ANNOUNCES CARRIAGE DEAL WITH TIME WARNER CABLE
College Sports Television today announced that it hasreached a nationwide carriage agreement with Time Warner Cable, by which TWCwill make CSTV available to its systems for carriage. TWC owns and manages cable systems serving 10.9 millionsubscribers in 27 states. CSTV willprovide TWC with video-on-demand content as well (CSTV). SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL notes that the dealgives CSTV “agreements with three of the nation’s top six cable and satelliteoperators” (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 3/8 issue).
ATHENS MAYOR SAYS GOVERNMENT CHANGE WILL NOT DISRUPT PREP
USA TODAY reports that the conservative New Democracy partywon Sunday’s Greek parliament elections, though Athens Mayor Dora Bakoyiannisaid that the change of government “was unlikely to disrupt Olympicpreparations after the defeated Socialists pledged their help in efforts tomeet the tight deadlines.” Bakoyianni:“All parties have agreed that this is a national issue, a common cause. By Greek standards, there is rare unanimityon this” (USATODAY, 3/8).
DISPUTE BETWEEN MANU PRINCIPALS TO BE RESOLVED TODAY
The London GUARDIAN reported that the dispute over the studfees for racehorse Rock of Gibraltar between Manchester United manager SirAlex Ferguson and shareholder John Magnier is expected to beresolved today. The ending “of such an acrimonious battle will be ofintense relief to the [team], which has found itself in the invidious positionof having its most important employee suing the club’s largestshareholder.” Malcolm Glazer hasbeen “waiting for this moment as he investigates a possible takeover” (LondonGUARDIAN, 3/6).
DOUBLE-A SOUTHERN LEAGUE TO ANNOUNCE CABLE DEAL TODAY
The KNOXVILLE NEWS reports that the Double-A Southern Leagueand Charter/Comcast Sports Southeasttoday will announce a “Game of the Week cable television package for 10consecutive weeks beginning June 26.” The games will air Saturdays at 7:00pm local time. Tennessee Smokies GM Brian Cox:“Hopefully, it’s three hours of quality programming and gives our league a lotof exposure. That’s how we soldit.” Cox was a “driving force behindthe project that was in the works for two years” (KNOXVILLENEWS, 3/8).
WILD CEO EXPECTING POSITION TO CHANGE; DEE STAYING WITH BOSOX
The Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE reported that Wild CEO JacSperling “told friends his position with the team will change in the verynear future.” There is not “anyquestion that Sperling would like to be part of the group that TimberwolvesOwner Glen Taylor is trying to put together in case Taylor can negotiatea reasonable price to buy the Vikings from Red McCombs” (Minneapolis STARTRIBUNE, 3/7).
The Red Sox yesterday announced that Exec VP/BusinessAffairs Mike Dee will stay with the club, rejecting an offer by theDodgers to serve as President & COO. Effective opening day, Dee becomes Red Sox COO (Red Sox).
The PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE reports that the Steelers todaywill host a 10:30am ET news conference to announce that they have hired JoeGreene in “their player personnel department, most likely as a scout” (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE,3/8).
WOMAN WINS “THE CHALLENGE” YESTERDAY AT L.A. MARATHON
The L.A. TIMES notes that Tatyana Pozdnyakova was thefirst female finisher in yesterday’s L.A. Marathon and in the process won “TheChallenge,” the first attempt at “handicapping a 26.2-mile race so that menwould battle women across the finish line.” To increase interest among elite runners and fans, the top 15 women“were given a head start of 20 minutes, 30 seconds. The first to cross the finish line, man or woman, would earn a$50,000 bonus over and above first-place prize money of $25,000 and a new carfor the individual winners.” L.A.Marathon President William Burke: “People … were arguing about whetherthe man or woman was going to win the $50,000. So next year I might just raise it to $100,000” (L.A.TIMES, 3/8).
MORNING BRIEFS
The PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE reported that the Steelers andthe NFL “vigorously defended themselves” Friday against Robert Warnock’sclaims that NFL antitrust practices have “allowed teams to extract big publicsubsidies from cities for new stadiums.” Steelers attorney Michael Manzo: “It seems to me the complaint islong on accusation and exaggeration and is short on truth, reason and law” (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE,3/6).
The WASHINGTON POST reported that the NFLPA “plans to file aspecial-master case within the next few days to try to rescind Thursday’s tradethat sent Terrell Owens” from the 49ers to the Ravens and have the WRdeclared a free agent (WASHINGTONPOST, 3/7).
The CONTRA COSTA TIMES reported that A’s co-Owner SteveSchott revealed Saturday during his annual state of the team address thatthe club’s search for a ballpark “is beginning to wear on him.” Schott, on the Giants’ stance on territorialrights: “Every time the issue comes up, they go berserk. (It’s like) a crybaby. It’s like my 4-year-old granddaughter cryingabout something she wants” (CONTRACOSTA TIMES, 3/7).
The S.F. CHRONICLE reported that MLB’s “long-awaitedannouncement that the Giants will host an All-Star Game, perhaps in 2007, couldbe imminent” (S.F. CHRONICLE, 3/6).
The Mariners announced yesterday that the club sold a record193,941 tickets during the opening weekend of single-game ticket sales, markingincreases over the 119,086 sold last year and the 121,815 sold in ’02 duringthe same timeframe (Mariners).
ATTENDANCE WATCH:
- The N.Y. DAILY NEWS reports that a crowd of 7,304 attended yesterday’s Yankees-Red Sox exhibition game at 6,990-seat City of Palms Park in Ft. Myers (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 3/8). USA TODAY reports that tickets for the game “sold for $365 on eBay, scalpers were asking for $150 apiece for $21 tickets and lines to buy standing-room-only tickets started forming at the box office Saturday night” (USA TODAY, 3/8). The WASHINGTON POST reports that commemorative pins were sold for the exhibition, and as he entered the park, Red Sox President Larry Lucchino “met a woman selling ‘Evil Empire’ T-shirts” (WASHINGTON POST, 3/8).
- The MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL reported that approximately 5,500 people attended the Oneida Bingo & Casino Ultimate Lambeau Leap snowmobile race Saturday, “half the number organizers expected had the race been held inside the stadium, which was opened only for concessions and restrooms.” The event was moved to the Lambeau Field parking lot as the Packers “got worried late in the week that crews had not been able to make enough artificial snow to protect their field” (MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL, 3/7).
- The IL DAILY HERALD reported that the “largest crowd of the season at Allstate Arena,” 14,112, attended Saturday’s AHL Hamilton Bulldogs-Chicago Wolves game (IL DAILY HERALD, 3/7).
A LIGHTER BUZZ
The FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM reports that during a timeoutkissing promotion during yesterday’s Mavericks-Rockets game at Toyota Center, Mavericks Owner Mark Cuban “planted one on the cheek ofABC reporter Jim Gray” (FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 3/8).
The MIAMI HERALD noted that the Marlins World Series ringsare an “eye-fattening 110 grams of gold and gems.” The rings are “encrusted with 240 gems: 228 white diamonds, 13rubies and one rare teal diamond that represents the eye of the fish adorningthe top of the ring.” It is believedeach ring cost “in the neighborhood of $20,000, for a total outlay” of morethan $1.5M (MIAMIHERALD, 3/6).
WEEKEND RAP…
The following are excerpts from the panelists’ “partingshots” on Sunday’s edition of ESPN’s “The Sports Reporters”:
- ESPN’s Tony Kornheiser: “In the next few days, two of the loudest mouths and best wide receivers in the game, Keyshawn Johnson and Terrell Owens, will likely join new teams mainly because their old teams cannot wait to get rid of them. ... There’s no doubt who will keep Keyshawn in-line in Dallas. It’s Bill Parcells, who Keyshawn adores. But who’ll keep (Owens) from raving and ranting at coaches on the sideline and disparaging quarterbacks in Baltimore, assuming he actually shows up? ... It’s number 52, Ray Lewis.”
- Miami Herald columnist Dan LeBatard, on former Univ. of Georgia assistant basketball coach Jim Harrick Jr. teaching a basketball class: “You’d think a collegiate class about the principles of coaching would be pretty dry, but not in this comedian’s capable hands. That’s really funny: a Harrick teaching a class with the word principle in the title.”
- N.Y. Daily News columnist Mike Lupica, on steroids in MLB: “The idea that athletes are using this junk and doing it under the best possible conditions is absurd. You know who passed for experts in this field? The dim bulb from BALCO. Yeah, that’s practically the Mayo Clinic.”
- ESPN’s John Saunders: “Stanford, St. Joseph’s and Duke are considered number one seeds. But who gets the fourth? ... Well, there is a way to end all the controversy. I took the liberty of applying the (BCS) formula to college basketball. … The Basketball Championship Series will feature number one St. Joe’s and number two Duke. Why risk losing our first undefeated team entering the tournament since UNLV in 1991? ... Of course, if we totally follow football’s formula, the game won’t be played until June” ("The Sports Reporters," ESPN, 3/7).
Heard elsewhere over the weekend:
- NBC’s James Hattori, on steroids in MLB: “Ironically, as the scandal grows, preseason ticket sales are at an all-time high” ("Nightly News," NBC, 3/6).
- Kornheiser, on several MLBers testifying before a federal grand jury: “If they told the truth, they are not in any trouble. They are not the object of the investigation. If they lied, there’s a name that I would bring up: Martha Stewart” ("The Sports Reporters," ESPN, 3/7).
- Bloomberg News’ Mike Buteau, on Fox adding a primetime Yankees-Red Sox regular season game: “This is a blockbuster for Fox” (Bloomberg News TV, 3/5).
- Marlins 1B Jeff Conine, on the size of the Marlins World Series rings: “When you compare it in size to the ‘97 ring, [the ’97 ring] is like something you get out of a Cracker Jack box” (ESPNews, 3/5).
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 Virginia Baseball Club will host a noon ET medialuncheon at The Tower Club in Vienna, VA, to update the media on its efforts toland an MLB franchise for the region.
THIS WEEK IN SISTER PUBLICATION SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL…
This week’s In-Depth focuses on the NCAA’s brand, includinga discussion on whether sponsorship gives companies enough bang for their buck.
| Also in this week’sissue: |
| • | Coverage of the Octagon/Street & Smith’s Sports Group World Congress of Sports |
| • | Arenas turning to Plan B as NHL labor clock ticks. |
| • | Lehman Bros. finding a buyer for Suns. |
| • | Getty Images teaming up with MLB for massive photo archive. |
| • | One-on-One with ESPN college basketball analyst Jay Bilas. |
For these stories and more, see this week's SportsBusiness Journal.
EARNINGS ANNOUNCEMENTS
Below are thisweek’s confirmed earnings announcements for sports-business related companies (THEDAILY).
| DATE | TICKER | COMPANY | QUARTER |
| 3/9 | WLSN | Wilsons The Leather Experts | Q4 2004 |
| 3/10 | 500340 | adidas | Q4 2003 |
| 3/10 | HIBB | Hibbett Sporting Goods | Q4 2004 |
| 3/10 | MTN | Vail Resorts | Q2 2004 |
| 3/11 | DKS | Dick’s Sporting Goods | Q4 2004 |
| 3/11 | DISH | EchoStar Communications | Q4 2003 |
IN OTHER NEWS….
This week’s cover of TIME offers a piece on troops in Iraq with“Looking For A Way Out.” Meanwhile, NEWSWEEK examines the MarthaStewart verdict, with the header, “Cooked … Beyond The Verdict. Will Other CEOs Go To Prison?” (THE DAILY).
The ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER reported that EchoStarCommunications and Viacom have until midnight tonight to reach a newdistribution contract for EchoStar’s Dish Network. The court order requiring Viacom to provide its channels to Dishexpires tomorrow (ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, 3/6).
USA TODAY reports that the FCC is “expected to set stricterrules against indecency this week by ruling that rock singer Bono’s useof a vulgarity during NBC’s Golden Globes broadcast last year was aviolation.” The Commission is alsoexpected to “fine more than two dozen broadcasters for indecency in comingweeks, including Viacom’s Infinity Broadcasting for an incident” on HowardStern’s radio show (USA TODAY, 3/8).
The BOSTON HERALD reports that N.Y. Daily News columnist MikeBarnicle, the “hard-hitting veteran journalist whose lively commentary hasengaged and informed New Englanders for almost 30 years, is returning to theBoston newspaper scene as a columnist for the Boston Herald.” Beginning tomorrow, Barnicle’s column willappear every Tuesday and Thursday. Prior to joining the Daily News, Barnicle was a Boston Globe columnistfor 25 years (BOSTONHERALD, 3/8).
FINAL JEOPARDY!
Friday’s “Final Jeopardy!” category was “Books.”
“This book says, ‘Monday burn Millay, Wednesday Whitman,Friday Faulkner...that’s our official slogan.’”
LAUGH TRACK
THEMONOLOGUES:
CBS’ DavidLetterman: “I’m having a lot of trouble at the house. I’m desperately worried about mom and shehas just been moody and mean. Theproblem is she gave up bourbon for Lent. ... Michael Jackson is deeplyin debt, he’s depressed, he’s apparently addicted to booze andpainkillers. I’m telling you, it’s likeI have a weird-looking twin. ... Joe Torre has agreed to stay with theYankees until 2006. In a related story,the Mets have made their October vacation plans through 2006. ... I’m worriedabout John Kerry. He’s soconfident now, he’s already planning his White House sex scandal” ("LateShow," CBS, 3/5).
NBC’sJay Leno: “Martha Stewart found guilty on all counts. You know what that means? Stripes are in this year. They are rioting in the Hamptons now. Five guys named Blake just flipped over acappuccino cart. There was asmash-and-grab at a sweater store. It’schaos! ... How amazing is that? A juryactually convicting a rich white woman on felony charges. Michael Jackson must be scared to death. ...You got Jean-Bertrand Aristide, Michael Eisner, now MarthaStewart. Not a good week for dictators.... President Bush was in Los Angeles yesterday, where he announced hisnew campaign theme: Safer, stronger and tested. Isn’t that a condom ad? ... Attorney General John Ashcrofthas been hospitalized. They believehe’s suffering from homophobia. It’sjust gallstones, but when they gave him the hospital gown that opens in theback, he refused to wear it. He thoughtit was a gay wedding dress. ... Major League Baseball is now taking the upperhand to deal the big problem of steroids. Commissioner Selig announced this coming season, sales ofsteroids will be cut off after the eighth inning” ("The TonightShow," NBC, 3/5).
LATENIGHT LAUGHS:
Last Friday’s Top Ten list was “Top Ten Signs HillaryClinton Wants To Be Vice President” ("Late Show," CBS, 3/5).
| 10) “The Washington, DC, TJ Maxx has sold out of pantsuits.” |
| 9) “She’s practicing sitting around doing nothing.” |
| 8) “Instead of pretending to be from New York, she’s pretending to be from key battleground states Ohio, Florida and Michigan.” |
| 7) “Bragged to reporters that next ‘Hillary-Gate’ is going to be off the hizzook.” |
| 6) “She wants to be the first female Vice President since Gore.” |
| 5) “Just purchased a large amount of Halliburton stock.” |
| 4) “Phoned Century 21 to ask about listings for undisclosed locations.” |
| 3) “Well, there’s the ‘Kerry/Clinton’ tattoo.” |
| 2) “Firing up the ol’ paper shredder.” |
| 1) “If it would help she’d have sex with Bill.” |
SUNDAY NIGHT’S TV MONITOR
ESPN’s 11:50pm ET edition of “SportsCenter” led with the PGATour Ford Championship at Doral, followed by Nets-Lakers and Kings-Magic.
WEEKEND BOX OFFICE
The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER notes that the weekend’s top three films “brought in more than $100[M]combined – a far cry from the comparable frame last year when the top 12 filmscould only muster $94.6[M]. Theestimated total for this weekend’s top 12 films is $131.7[M] – up a stunning 39%from last year.” The impact of “ThePassion of The Christ” on the box office overall “has been considerable. The quick infusion of more than $200[M] hasalmost single-handedly brought the national box office for the year-to-datefrom a deficit of more than 8% just a few weeks ago into the black with anearly 2% increase” (HOLLYWOODREPORTER, 3/8).
| Movie | Weekend | Cumulative |
| “The Passion of The Christ” | $51.4M | $212.0M |
| “Starsky & Hutch” | $29.1M | $29.1M |
| “Hidalgo” | $19.6M | $19.6M |
| “50 First Dates” | $7.7M | $99.4M |
| “Twisted” | $5.0M | $16.4M |
| “Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen” | $4.0M | $21.8M |
| “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” | $3.2M | $368.3M |
| “Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights” | $2.9M | $10.0M |
| “Miracle” | $2.6M | $59.9M |
| “Monster” | $2.3M | $30.1M |
FINAL JEOPARDY ANSWER
“What is ‘Fahrenheit 451?’”
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