| | The Daily Insider
Morning News & Headlines
Tuesday, March 23, 2004
9:00am ET | |
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| • | Microsoft To Offer Live Audio And Video Of MLB Games Under Two-Year Deal |
| • | Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s Facility Funding Plan Gets First Hearing Today |
| • | Maryland House Committee To Hold First Gambling Hearings Of Session Today |
| • | Australia’s Seven Network, Public Broadcaster Reach Olympic Coverage Deal |
| • | FINA Criticizes Olympic Organizers For Calling Off Plans To Build Pool Roof |
| • | Morning Briefs/In Other News/Laugh Track/TV Monitor/Final Jeopardy! |
MICROSOFT TO OFFER LIVE AUDIO AND VIDEO OF MLB GAMES
CNET NEWS reported that Microsoft has signed a two-year dealworth as much as $40M to “offer live audio and video of [MLB] games onto PCs,heightening competition with rival RealNetworks and signaling rising costs foronline video programming.” MSN willoffer the streams as part of MSN Premium, a $9.95-a-month software package. In addition, Microsoft will sell MLBsubscription packages through its MSN Web portal (CNET NEWS, 3/22).
Meanwhile, the N.Y. TIMES reports that MLB is “consideringselling off a piece of its Internet business in a public offering that couldraise several hundred million dollars that would most likely bereinvested.” MLBAM has received“valuations of more than $1[B] and could sell a noncontrolling, minority stake”(N.Y.TIMES, 3/23).
PAWLENTY’S FACILITY FUNDING PLAN TO HAVE FIRST HEARING TODAY
The Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE reports that Minnesota Gov. TimPawlenty’s funding plan for facilities for the Twins and Vikings “gets itsfirst legislative hearing and test” at 2:30pm CT today. Execs from the Twins and Vikings areexpected to testify at what “could be a marathon session.” The committee will also “take testimony fromrepresentatives of business organizations and labor unions, who will supportstadium funding, and from a host of anti-public-funding advocates” (Minneapolis STARTRIBUNE, 3/23).
MARYLAND HOUSE COMMITTEE TO HOLD FIRST SLOTS MEETING TODAY
The Baltimore SUN reported that the Maryland House Ways& Means Committee, which defeated Gov. Robert Ehrlich’s slotsproposal last year, will hold its first gambling hearings of the sessiontoday. A Senate-approved measure thatwould permit up to 15,500 slot machines at horseracing three tracks and threenon-track locations will not be heard until next Tuesday. Magna Entertainment Exec VP Paul Micucci “hastaken the lead as the lobbyist for Magna” (BaltimoreSUN, 3/20).
AUSTRALIAN NETWORKS REACH AGREEMENT ON OLYMPIC COVERAGE
Australia’s Seven Network today signed an agreement with SBS Television, apublic broadcaster, to provide complementary coverage of the AthensOlympics. The multi-million dollarrights agreement builds upon a broadcast model used for the Sydney Olympics,when Seven produced two Olympic Games coverage channels – a primary broadcastchannel on Seven and a complementary subscription channel. The agreement with SBS migrates the modelcompletely to free-to-view TV (Seven Network).
MORNING BRIEFS
The AP reported that the Int’lSwimming Federation (FINA) “criticized Olympic organizers [yesterday] for calling off plans toconstruct a roof over the main pool, calling the decision a ‘totalsurprise.’” FINA said in a statement,“FINA regrets very much this decision, which does not respect any of theprevious agreements” (AP, 3/22).
As itcompleted its annual meetings in Florida on Friday, the WASHINGTON POST reportsthat the NFL Competition Committee will “recommend to team owners that theinstant-replay system be retained.” Thecommittee did not vote to “support changes to the coaches’ interviewing rules,the playoff structure or the overtime format” (WASHINGTONPOST, 3/23).
House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Sensenbrenner(R-WI), on steroids in MLB: “Idon’t think that the players’ union has gotten the message, but they’re gettingit. If somebody keels over dead becauseof an overdose, it doesn’t do the players any good, because dead players don’tpay union dues” (AP, 3/22).
The L.A.TIMES reports that Dodgers Assistant GM Kim Ng “has removedherself from consideration for an assistant position” with the Mets. Dodgers GM Paul DePodesta had“granted the Mets permission to interview Ng, who decided to remain with theDodgers after speaking” with Mets GM Jim Duquette (L.A.TIMES, 3/23).
The SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS reports that NCAA officials andthe San Antonio Police Department “plan to crack down on unlicensed NCAAmerchandise being sold in the areas around Alamodome,” as the Final Four isheaded to the venue April 3-5. SanAntonio Police Lt. Mike Gorhum said that anyone caught “breaking theordinance, in effect Wednesday through April 6, might have to pay a $2,000 fineand have their property confiscated” (SANANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS, 3/23).
UEFA CEO Lars-Christer Olsson yesterday said thatmembers of the group’s organizing committee “will visit Israel next week toassess whether security at sporting events can be guaranteed.” Olsson said that UEFA will decide whether tolift a ban on games being played in the country “before Israel begins World Cupqualifying this fall” (AP,3/22).
The HOUSTON CHRONICLE reports that the NBA yesterday finedRockets G Steve Francis $25,000 for his use of profanity and criticismof officials in a halftime interview with ESPN’s Jim Gray during Sundaynight’s game against the Kings. NBASenior VP/Basketball Operations Stu Jackson said that the penalty didnot include a suspension “in part because Francis was contrite in a televisedinterview on his way back to the court for the second half” (HOUSTONCHRONICLE, 3/23).
ATTENDANCEWATCH:
- The DETROIT FREE PRESS reports that yesterday’s Yankees-Tigers spring training game drew 8,674 fans, a Joker Marchant Stadium record (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 3/23).
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
Girls Inc. will honor ESPN Exec VP & CFO ChristineDriessen at its annual Celebration Luncheon in N.Y.
Triple-A Int’l League Richmond Braves GM Bruce Baldwinwill make a presentation on “The Economics & Business of Minor LeagueBaseball” at a Richmond Association of Business Economists meeting.
IN OTHER NEWS….
The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER notes that Nielsen Media Researchconfirmed yesterday that it “will delay the scheduled rollout of local PeopleMeters in the Los Angeles and Chicago markets” because of concerns about the“quality of its sample and whether it accurately reflected the intricacies ofthe demographic breakdown of those markets.” Nielsen will proceed as scheduled with “introducing the electronicratings gathering devices next month in the New York market” (HOLLYWOODREPORTER, 3/23).
FINAL JEOPARDY!
Last night’s “Final Jeopardy!” category was “FamousFelines.”
“He made his debut in the 1945 short film ‘Life WithFeathers.’”
LAUGH TRACK
THEMONOLOGUES:
CBS’ DavidLetterman: “I’m still excited about something that happened last week. We had Courtney Love on the program,and Courtney was feeling a bit festive. So she hopped up on the desk, and she, you know, and I saw, youknow. I thought, well this was greatbecause most guests just show a clip. … Oddly enough, it has happened threedifferent times. Drew Barrymore,Courtney Love and historian Doris Kerns Goodwin. … You can smell springin the city now. I was so excited, onmy lunch hour I walked through Central Park and I thought I saw a robinredbreast. But, it turned out to be apigeon with a knife wound. … A 25-year-old man in India was married over theweekend to his 80-year-old grandmother. And then they enjoyed a honeymoon in Creepyville” (“Late Show,” CBS,3/22).
LATENIGHT LAUGHS:
Last night’s “Top Ten” list was “Top Ten Ways Dennis Kucinich Can Still Be The NextPresident Of The United States,” read on-stage by Kucinich (“Late Show,”CBS, 3/22).
| 10) “Keep doing what I’m doing – I’m winning, right?” |
| 9) “Constitution is amended stating presidents must be 35 or older, a natural-born citizen and named ‘Dennis.’” |
| 8) “Act like a boob so people will perceive me as more presidential.” |
| 7) “You want crazy campaign promises? Fine! If I’m elected everybody gets a million bucks.” |
| 6) “Enter and win next ‘American Idol.’” |
| 5) “Announce your running mate will be a plate of fudge – people love fudge.” |
| 4) “Just wait til I unleash my new campaign slogan: ‘Kucizzle in the Hizzle!’” |
| 3) “According to the order of presidential succession, if George W. Bush were to resign today, along with Dick Cheney and about 300 other people, the presidency passes to a congressman from Ohio.” |
| 2) “Get the governors of every state to rig the election.” |
| 1) “I’m praying for a sex scandal.” |
Comedy Central’s Jon Stewart: “Wow, what aweekend! Dare I say what an excitingweekend! Box office news, ladies andgentlemen. Over the weekend, ‘ThePassion of The Christ,’ after three weeks, got knocked out of the number onemovie in America slot. The honor nowbelongs to ‘Dawn of the Dead.’ What itsays is this: While Americans enjoy a good resurrection movie, a good movieabout one man who rises from the grave, what America has said is the morepeople rising from the grave, the better. So that’s really the issue here. It wasn’t a story about religion and glory. It’s really just dead people coming to life, whether they healthe sick or eat brains” (“The Daily Show,” Comedy Central, 3/22).
CBS’ Craig Kilborn: “The President is trying to scareus into voting for him. Bush says onlyhe has the experience and leadership to protect us from Courtney Love. Did any of you see ’60 Minutes’ lastnight? It was shocking! I’m not talking about the President’s formeradvisor criticizing the war on terror. I’m talking about Andy Rooney’s scathing attack onshoelaces. Shocking! … Over theweekend, the Philadelphia Phillies’ Veterans Stadium was blown up. It was imploded. Fans cried because they heard the Phillies weren’t in there” (“TheLate Late Show,” CBS, 3/22).
MONDAY NIGHT’S TV MONITOR
| Net | Show | Lead | Next Items |
| ESPN | “Around The Horn” | Kentucky losing in NCAA Tournament | Duke; Raiders’ free agent signings |
| ESPN | “PTI” | Kentucky losing in NCAA Tournament | NCAA disappointments; NCAA Tourney favorite |
| ESPN | 11:00pm ET “SportsCenter” | NFL free agent signings and offseason moves | Bulls-Pacers; Mavericks-76ers |
| FSN | “BDSSP” | NCAA Tournament | Keyshawn Johnson joining Cowboys; Warren Sapp joining Raiders |
| FSN | “New England Sports Tonight” | Red Sox P Curt Schilling | Red Sox-Dodgers exhibition; Red Sox 3B Bill Mueller |
| FSN | “Rocky Mountain Sports Report” | Broncos sign free agent S John Lynch | Avalanche F Peter Forsberg; Avalanche |
FINAL JEOPARDY ANSWER
“Who is Sylvester?”
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