| | The Daily Insider
Morning News & Headlines
Monday, March 29, 2004
9:00am ET | |
| |
| • | NFL Owners Meetings Begin Today With Trust, Replay, Interviews On Agenda |
| • | Gene Orza Says MLB, MLBPA Could Agree On Testing Suitable For World Cup |
| • | NCAA Task Force On Recruiting Today To Conduct First In-Person Meeting |
| • | ESPN The Magazine To Debut Insert Covering Athletes’ Off-The-Field Interests |
| • | BSkyB Poised To Seize Control Of Television Coverage Of British Horseracing |
| • | Morning Briefs/In Other News/Laugh Track/Weekend Rap/Weekend Box Office |
NFL OWNERS MEETINGS BEGIN TODAY IN FLORIDA WITH FULL AGENDA
NFL owners meetings begin today at The Breakers in PalmBeach, FL. Agenda items for thethree-day meetings include the NFL Trust, the league’s banned substances list,potential expansion of practice squads, making instant replay a permanent rule,penalties for excessive celebrations and off-season interview policies. An update on potential L.A. stadiumlocations comes Wednesday.
NFL Network will televise Commissioner Paul Tagliabue’sState of the League address live today at 1:00pm ET (THE DAILY).
SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL reports that there “will be someimportant structural changes to the new model” of the NFL Trust, but there“will be no dramatic, wholesale shifts as advocated by some teams.” Tagliabue, on chances of passage: “It’s adone deal” (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 3/29 issue).
The PALM BEACH POST reported that the NFL and NFLPA are“quietly discussing whether to beef up a blacklist of performance-enhancingdrugs and become the first major pro sports league to ban the stimulantsynephrine in the next 60 days.” Candidates include “new compounds related to muscle-building steroids,as well as synephrine, promoted as an energy booster replacing banned ephedrain many supplements” (PALMBEACH POST, 3/28).
The Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE reported that a yearlydiscussion on the expansion of practice squads “will take on greatersignificance this season; personnel departments now envision them as a holdingground for the potential influx of underclassmen as a result of the MauriceClarett lawsuit” (Minneapolis STARTRIBUNE, 3/28).
The FT.WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM reported that owners are expected to approve a CompetitionCommittee proposal stating that any “choreographed celebrations involving twoor more players be an automatic 15-yard penalty” (FT. WORTHSTAR-TELEGRAM, 3/28).
The MIAMI HERALD reports that the committee will recommendthat rules “allowing assistantcoaches on playoff teams to interview during specific times in the playoffs beexpanded. Under the new rule,‘high-ranking’ executives, such as vice president of player personnel and thelike, will also be allowed to interview” (MIAMI HERALD,3/29).
USA TODAYreports that a vote on making instant replay a permanent officiating tool willcome during Tuesday’s sessions (USATODAY, 3/29).
The K.C. STAR reports that the Chiefs “will withdraw their proposal toexpand the playoff field from 12 to 14 teams.” The withdrawal came at the request of league officials (K.C.STAR, 3/29).
MLB, MLBPA COULD AGREE ON TESTING SUITABLE FOR WORLD CUP
The N.Y. TIMES reports that MLBPA COO & AssociateGeneral Counsel Gene Orza, after meeting Sunday in Tokyo with MLBVP/Labor Relations Rob Manfred, today indicated that there “was a chancethe sides could agree on testing suitable for an international competition,perhaps within a few days.” Orza: “It’smore likely than not that we’ll do it. [But] I’m not sure if we can get it done before we leave Japan.” Such an agreement would open the door to aWorld Cup (N.Y.TIMES, 3/29).
NCAA TASK FORCE ON RECRUITING TODAY TO CONDUCT FIRST MEETING
The INDIANAPOLIS STAR reports that the NCAA’s 17-member TaskForce on Recruiting today in Indianapolis will conduct its “first in-personmeeting, with an eye toward enacting emergency legislation in August.” Task Force Chair David Berst: “Therecruiting allegations caused us, as a national organization, to step in andevaluate what’s going on. I thinkthere’s support for that much more broadly than there was two months ago or ayear ago” (INDIANAPOLISSTAR, 3/29). View a list of task forcemembers.
ESPN THE MAGAZINE TO DEBUT OFF-THE-FIELD INSERT THIS WEEK
SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL reports that ESPN The Magazine thisweek “will debut a 40-page insert covering the lifestyle, fashions, homes, carsand other off-the-field interests of elite athletes. The insert, espn360, will be distributed to 500,000 targetedsubscribers ages 16 to 30. It wasdesigned by ESPN executives to highlight the parent magazine’s unique editorialmakeup while reconnecting with categories of advertisers that could no longerafford to appear in the lead publication.” Execs hope it will be published “at least four times a year” (SPORTSBUSINESSJOURNAL, 3/29 issue).
BSKYB TO TAKE CONTROL OF BRITISH HORSERACING TV COVERAGE
British satellitehorseracing channel Attheraces goes off the air today, and the LondonOBSERVER reported that BSkyB, which previously owned a stake in the net, is “poised to seize control of television coverageof British horseracing at a knockdown price.” BSkyB plans to broadcast a new channel “through bookie-owned SatelliteInformation Services.” Under theproposed deal, racecourses will resume responsibility for terrestrialtelevision rights. Those close to thenegotiations indicated that talks are “extremely complicated with three blocsof racecourse owners and broadcasters wanting different things.” Signoff on any deal is not expected for twomonths (LondonOBSERVER, 3/28).
MIKE HALL TO EARN $95,000 PER YEAR AS ESPN’S “DREAM JOB” WINNER
Mike Hall, a 21-year-old broadcast journalism majorat the Univ. of Missouri, won ESPN’s “Dream Job” last night. Hall begins work today with an appearance onthe 6:00pm ET edition of “SportsCenter.” In addition to winning a Mazda 3, Hall increased his salary from $70,000to $95,000 by answering five trivia questions on the 11:00pm ET edition of“SportsCenter” (THE DAILY). The L.A.DAILY NEWS notes that Hall received 60% of an estimated 80,000 viewer votes towin the job (L.A.DAILY NEWS, 3/29).
MORNING BRIEFS
The CONTRA COSTA TIMES reported that U.S. District CourtJudge Susan Illston Friday “declined to set an early trial date in theBALCO steroid case after defense lawyers argued that they need more time toprepare.” Illston agreed to “revisitthe issue April 30” (CONTRACOSTA TIMES, 3/27).
The London GUARDIAN reported that organizers of Madrid’s bidto host the 2012 Olympics “have tried to use the terrorist attack on the cityto promote their campaign.” IOC memberswere “said to be horrified when they heard about the release headlined: ‘Thenew Greek health minister highlights Spain’s medical safety model afterMadrid’s attack’” (LondonGUARDIAN, 3/27).
NBA Commissioner David Stern, on the steroid scandalsurrounding MLB: “I’ve never seen such an uproar about the subject. I just don’t have a sense, as a fan, whereit’s going. It would certainly, to me atleast, behoove the parties to sit down and say, ‘What’s a good idea here? What’s the right thing, given what’s goingon?’ That’s it. We’ve always found our players to be of asimilar mind” (MinneapolisSTAR TRIBUNE, 3/28).
The N.Y. POST noted that a report released yesterday“indicates that more than 300 residents and 200 employees will be displaced tomake room” for the proposed Nets arena and residential complex inBrooklyn. But Joe DePlasco,spokesperson for prospective Nets Owner Bruce Ratner: “We’ve said fromDay 1 that we will find comparable housing for renters and financiallycompensate owners” (N.Y. POST,3/27).
DC United coach Peter Nowak, on how much FreddyAdu will play in the team’s season-opener Saturday on ABC: “He’s going tostart or he’s going to come into the game in the second half, I don’t knowyet. But definitely, he’ll play” (WASHINGTONPOST, 3/28).
Michelle Wie, on what it would take for her to turnpro at 18: “Tiger money. Ifsomeone comes up with a hundred million dollars. Or a big briefcase – someone opens it up and shows me all themoney” (L.A.TIMES, 3/27).
The FT. WORTH STAR TELEGRAM reported that the presence ofMavericks assistant coach Del Harris as the coach of the Chinesenational team and former Mavericks F Wang Zhi-Zhi’s “desire to rejoin itcould pave the way to a reunion at the Athens Olympics.” Following two seasons with the Mavericks,Wang did not “return to China as was mandated in his NBA contract” (FT. WORTHSTAR-TELEGRAM, 3/27).
The INDIANAPOLIS STAR reported that Team Rahal has hired VitorMeira to drive the team’s new IRL car (INDIANAPOLISSTAR, 3/27).
ATTENDANCE WATCH:
- A crowd of 4,204 attended Saturday’s MLS MetroStars-Rapids exhibition at Blossom Athletic Complex, the first MLS game played in San Antonio (SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS, 3/27).
- A crowd of 4,085 attended Saturday’s MLS Galaxy-Wizards exhibition at SAS Stadium in Cary, NC, as part of the inaugural Cary Pro Kickoff Invitational (THE DAILY).
- The ORLANDO SENTINEL reported that nearly all of the Astros spring training games at Osceola County Stadium “have been standing room only, with attendance averaging 5,364 as of Friday. This is an 11[%] improvement from the stadium record for average seating per game, 4,806, set in 1992.” The club has “played to sellout crowds at six games” this spring, tying the ’92 mark (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 3/28).
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: “When Kevin Garnett presented himself for the 1997 draft, I was not pleased. I honestly wanted him to fail. Not because I had any feelings about him personally, but because I feared the ramifications of any potential success. And I was right. Because of Kevin Garnett, the NBA Draft is now annually infested with unprepared high school kids. They say as many as 12 will go in this year’s draft.”
- N.Y. Daily News columnist Mike Lupica, on the Jim Gray-Steve Francis interview: “You want to blame somebody for what happened last Sunday, blame David Stern, who thinks he’s doing something edgy by bringing us this close to the action. What does he think is going to happen when he gives guys like Gray this kind of access to his players? … He wants to bring us this close to the action, he better live with the consequences. Francis was being honest this last Sunday, it’s the people running his league who look like a bunch of phonies.”
- Detroit Free Press columnist Mitch Albom: “If Kobe Bryant were talking, I mean really talking, what would he say? Would he weep over what he’s lost? Would he collapse in the exhaustion of trying to lead three lives at once – an NBA star, an alleged rapist and a family man? … He was interviewed at halftime of the Lakers-Kings game, and after a few typical basketball inquiries, he made a joke about being asked the ‘hard questions.’ Fact is, to date, nobody really gets to ask Kobe the hard questions. And to date, he’s kept all the answers to himself. How can someone so unadmirable be so amazing at the same time? The answers and the most unusual single-season story in the history of sports remain hidden inside Kobe’s head.”
- ESPN’s John Saunders: “It’s time for all of you to stand up and be counted. All of you who thought kids leaving high school and college early for the NBA would be the death of college basketball, guess what, you’re wrong. I have to admit, I was one of you. But what we have now is what we have in the [NFL], parity. … So we have a few less stars in the college game, but all those stars would do is help the rich get richer” (“The Sports Reporters,” ESPN, 3/28).
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
Colin Cowherd will host his first “The Herd” show on ESPNRadio from 10:00am-1:00pm ET, which replaces “The Tony Kornheiser Show.”
A Hartford committee will host BASS and ESPN officials asthe city “makes a pitch to host the 2005 Citgo Bassmaster Classic.” Hartford is competing with Pittsburgh forthe event, and the host will be announced in July (HARTFORD COURANT, 3/21).
THIS WEEK IN SISTER PUBLICATION SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL…
This week’s In-Depth examines the upcoming MLB season,including a look at the 20 most influential people in baseball.
| Also in this week’sissue: |
| • | USTA puts red ink behind with record profit of $27M in ’03. |
| • | IOC planning major shakeup of marketing arm. |
| • | Commissioner Paul Tagliabue says NFL Trust survival is “a done deal.” |
| • | One-On-One with Magic Senior VP Pat Williams. |
For these stories and more, see this week’s issue of SportsBusiness Journal.
EARNINGS ANNOUNCEMENTS
Below are thisweek’s confirmed earnings announcements for sports-business related companies (THEDAILY).
| DATE | TICKER | COMPANY | QUARTER |
| 3/30 | MNU.L | Manchester United LLC | Interim 2004 |
| 4/1 | TOPP | Topps | Q4 2004 |
IN OTHER NEWS….
This week’s cover of TIME examines the 9/11 investigation,under the header, “Feeling the Heat.” Meanwhile, NEWSWEEKoffers “Inside the 9/11 Investigation … Will It Affect the Election?” (THE DAILY).
DOW JONES NEWSWIRES reported that DirecTV is “selling itsnine million-share stake” in XM Satellite Radio for roughly $230M. That sale price “suggests a price of $25.56a share, representing a 5.7% discount to the closing price of XM Satellite’sstock Thursday, which was $27.11. DirecTV’s holdings represent about 4.9% of XM’s 184.9 million shares” (DOWJONES NEWSWIRES, 3/27).
USA TODAY notes a National Cable & TelecommunicationsAssociation study to be released today indicates that more than 75% of U.S. TVhouseholds “have access to cable systems that offer high-definition TVchannels, vs. about 34% in January 2003.” Also, cable operators “carry 382 local stations that are broadcastdigitally” (USA TODAY, 3/29).
REUTERS reported that EchoStar Communications posted a Q4’03 profit, “reversing a year-earlier loss, as it added subscribers to its DishNetwork satellite television service at a stronger pace than expected.” EchoStar added 340,000 new subscribers inthe quarter, “beating analysts’ estimates and bringing its total subscribers to9.43 million. But the revenue per subscriberfell to $50.70, below the monthly average of $51.11 for the year and well belowDirecTV’s revenue per subscriber of $71.70” (REUTERS, 3/27).
FINAL JEOPARDY!
Friday’s “Final Jeopardy!” category was “MedicalTerminology.”
“A circumorbital hematoma is more commonly known as this.”
SUNDAY NIGHT’S TV MONITOR
Last night’s 11:00pm ET 90-minute edition ofESPN’s “SportsCenter” led with Kansas-Georgia Tech, followed by Xavier-Dukeand Jazz-Lakers. The firstnon-basketball report, at 15:37 into the broadcast, was the PGA Tour’s ThePlayers Championship. The firstreport on the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament was at 53:22.
WEEKEND BOX OFFICE
The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER notes that the total estimated box office this weekend for the “top 12films was $109.4[M] – up a sturdy 26% from the comparable period a yearearlier.” The forecasted total for allfilms is “in the mid- to high-$120[M] range, up significantly from last year’s$103.7[M]” (HOLLYWOODREPORTER, 3/29).
| Title | Weekend | Cumulative |
| “Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed” | $30.7M | $30.7M |
| “The Ladykillers” | $13.0M | $13.0M |
| “The Passion of The Christ” | $12.5M | $315.0M |
| “Dawn of the Dead” | $10.3M | $43.9M |
| “Jersey Girl” | $8.3M | $8.3M |
| “Taking Lives” | $6.5M | $21.7M |
| “Starsky & Hutch” | $6.3M | $76.9M |
| “Hidalgo” | $5.4M | $56.5M |
| “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” | $5.4M | $16.7M |
| “Secret Window” | $5.4M | $40.7M |
FINAL JEOPARDY ANSWER
“What is black eye?”
If you haveany questions, comments or suggestions, please let us know at:
dailyinsider@sportsbusinessdaily.com
The Morning Buzz provides anearly update of the news and headlines each Monday through Friday atapproximately 9:00am ET. If you would like to sign up for an e-mail alert tothe Morning Buzz, go to MyAccount and personalize your e-mail alert options.
