Morning Buzz, April 5, 2004

MLB OPENS ’04 SEASON IN EARNEST TODAY WITH NINE GAMES ON TAP

Though three games have already been played, the ’04 MLBseason opens in earnest today with nine games scheduled.  The following details today’s TV schedule:

Great American Ball Park opens its second season today withCubs-Reds, and the CINCINNATI POST reported that the venue “will be a changedballpark, inside and out, as a final $20[M]-plus in construction” completed theReds’ $325M ballpark.  Improvementsinclude a Reds HOF and landscaped Rose Garden, new concession stands, a20,000-square-foot fan plaza, an additional 400 parking spaces, an extendedMain Street and new entrances (CINCINNATI POST, 4/4).

The PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE reports that the Piratesscheduled today’s opener against the Phillies for 4:05pm ET to “allow people towork a half day and students to finish classes before the game.  The team also wanted to avoid cool weatherat night and a conflict” with the NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship game,which begins at 9:00pm ET (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 4/5).

MLB OPENING NIGHT: The Baltimore SUN reports that asellout crowd of 47,683 attended last night’s Red Sox-Orioles opener at CamdenYards (Baltimore SUN, 4/5).

The WASHINGTON TIMES notes the temperature for the game was43°“with winds blowing at 20 mph.  It wasthe coldest temperature for an Orioles opener” since ’87.  Orioles Dir of Public Relations BillStetka said the club wanted to play the game at night for “prestige andprofile, the value of playing on national television on opening night, theattraction of a national audience.” Stetka: “Hopefully someone will be looking at us and say they would liketo go to Camden Yards in July” (WASHINGTONTIMES, 4/5).

PADRES TODAY TO PREVIEW LAWN SEATING OUTSIDE PETCO PARK

San Diego Mayor Dick Murphy and Padres execs todaywill host a 12:30pm PT press conference at Petco Park to preview the “Park atthe Park,” the lawn seating area outside the park where fans can watch gamesfor free.  The area’s video board willfeature pregame coverage of the team’s opener today against the Dodgers in L.A.(Padres).

Meanwhile, the SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE reports that Padresexecs today will meet with contractors “totroubleshoot and get ready for Thursday’s official home opener.”  The Padres reported that feedback after thefirst weekend at the ballpark was “overwhelmingly positive” (SANDIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 4/5).

SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL reports that the Padres have “soldmore than 2.1 million tickets, surpassing last year’s total of 2.05million.”  Season-ticket sales are at19,400, “well over the 11,407 last year and the club-record 12,854 in1985.”  The club has sold “more than 100sponsorships ranging in value from $30,000 for an ad in the team program toseveral million dollars for category exclusivity.  Overall, the Padres’ corporate sales department has exceeded itstarget by $1.5[M].”  The team has fullyleased 45 of its 50 corporate suites (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 4/5 issue).

The Padres played their first game in Petco Park Saturday,an exhibition against the Mariners, and the SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE reportedthat a crowd of 36,594 attended the game (SANDIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 4/4).

LARRY DIERKER TO RETURN TO THE BOOTH, PAGES THIS SEASON

The HOUSTON CHRONICLE reported that former Astros manager LarryDierker “will resume his broadcasting and writing career … as an analystfor FSN’s Astros television broadcasts and as a weekly baseball columnist” forthe Houston Chronicle.  Dierker’scolumn, which will run through the ’04 season, returns today.  Tomorrow, he will “make the first in aseries of early-season appearances on FSN while regular analyst Bill Worrellworks the Rockets’ broadcasts” on KNWS-Ind. Dierker will eventually work all Wednesday home games (HOUSTONCHRONICLE, 4/3).

TAMPA SPORTS AUTHORITY, BUCS TODAY TO DISCUSS SECURITY COSTS

The TAMPA TRIBUNE reported that the Tampa Sports Authorityand the Buccaneers today during a 3:30pm ET meeting will discuss “morethan $500,000 in additional security and insurance expenses.”  The team does not “want to reimburse the sports authority$160,000 paid for additional security during games” in ‘02-03.  The team also wants the sports authority to“pay $395,000 for an insurance policy that would repair or replace the stadiumin the event of terrorism or windstorm damage.”  The Tampa Sports Authority refutes the Buccaneers’ claims thatthey are responsible for those costs (TAMPA TRIBUNE, 4/3).

CBS SPORTS’ FINAL FOUR COVERAGE UP 31% OVER LAST YEAR

CBS Sports yesterday announced that its coverage of theFinal Four Saturday averaged a 9.4/19 preliminary Nielsen rating, up 31% from a7.2/14 last year.  The first game,Georgia Tech-Oklahoma State, earned an 8.3/18, up 32% from a 6.3/13 forMarquette-Kansas a year ago.  The secondgame, UConn-Duke, earned a 10.5/20, up 33% from last year’s 7.9/14 forSyracuse-Texas (CBS Sports).

Meanwhile, DAILY VARIETY reports that the Final Fouraveraged a 5.5 Nielsen preliminary rating in the adults 18-49 demographic (DAILYVARIETY, 4/5).

MORNING BRIEFS

The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER notes that discussions are said to be“underway to bring” ESPN VP/Programming & Production Mark Shapiro toABC Entertainment (HOLLYWOODREPORTER, 4/5).

The S.F. CHRONICLE reported that laboratory samples thatcould show “whether Barry Bonds and six other [MLB] players used [THG]during the 2003 season still exist and are being sought by the federal grandjury” in the BALCO case (S.F.CHRONICLE, 4/3).

The ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS reported that Kobe Bryant’sdefense team today is expected to answer Eagle County District Attorney MarkHurlbert’s motion “asking that Bryant be arraigned and that he enter a pleato the rape charge he’s facing.  Were heto do so, it would set the six-month speedy-trial clock ticking, requiring atrial date to be set within that time frame” (ROCKYMOUNTAIN NEWS, 4/3).

MLS Commissioner Don Garber said that Cleveland has30-45 days to “come up with funding for a new stadium if it hopes to have anexpansion team in 2005.”  Garber: “We’rerunning out of time with Cleveland” (ClevelandPLAIN DEALER, 4/4).

The BOSTON HERALD reported that Patriots Owner RobertKraft is “confident playoff expansion will come when the [NFL] TV deal isrenewed” after the ’05 season (BOSTONHERALD, 4/4).

The N.Y. DAILY NEWS reports that NHL Rangers RW JaromirJagr has a “conditional contract in place that will enable him to play inRussia next fall should the opening of the NHL season be delayed by alockout.”  Jagr: “There’s a big chance Imight be going to Moscow.  It’s 95%” (N.Y.DAILY NEWS, 4/5).

The Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE reported that under the MidwestEntertainment Group partnership created by T’Wolves Owner Glen Taylor,James M. Nederlander Co. will “book concerts and other events” at TargetCenter, while Taylor’s firm “will handle personnel matters” (Minneapolis STARTRIBUNE, 4/4).

The INDIANAPOLIS STAR reported that Genesco has completedits $177.4M acquisition of Hat World, which operates 481 stores in 44 statesunder the Hat World, Lids, Hat Zone and Cap Factory names (INDIANAPOLISSTAR, 4/3).

The CALGARY SUN reported that a group consisting of HiroMisawa of L.A., Naoto Higuchi of Japan and Peter Caliendo ofChicago was unveiled Saturday as the owners of the new independent NorthernLeague franchise in Calgary (CALGARYSUN, 4/4).

ATTENDANCE WATCH:

• The following details attendance figures from the opening MLS weekend:

• The DALLAS MORNING NEWS reported that the crowd of 7,359 attending Saturday’s Rapids-Burn game at the Cotton Bowl was the Burn’s “smallest opening day turnout” (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 4/4).

• The PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE reports that a crowd of 16,124 – 940 below capacity – attended yesterday’s Capitals-Penguins game at Mellon Arena.  Prior to the game, the Penguins were averaging a league-low 11,877 (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 4/5).

• The DALLAS MORNING NEWS reported that more than 500 people showed up Saturday at Eddie Deen’s Ranch in Dallas for the open casting call for “The Benefactor,” Mavericks Owner Mark Cuban’s reality show.  Sixteen finalists will be “chosen from auditions in five cities as well as from submitted video applications” (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 4/4).

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 the start of the MLB season: “To me, baseball is our best game.  No other game so rewards failure. ... You can have a perfect game with 27 line-drive outs.  All part of the charm.  A baseball season is a mini-lifetime.  Unlike the others, it happens everyday. ... There is more available conversation, both daily and historically, than in all the other sports put together.”

• N.Y. Daily News columnist Mike Lupica: “Arnold Palmer plays his 50^th and final Masters this week.  It means that his final round on Friday will become a walk through Augusta National that will be as dramatic and moving and unforgettable as any we’ve ever seen at the place.  It is sometimes easy to forget ... that it is Arnold Palmer who is the single most important figure in golf over the 50 years he’s been playing Augusta National.”

• Washington Post columnist Michael Wilbon, on age limits in the NBA: “You think it’s just the NFL that’s hoping a U.S. appeals court rules Maurice Clarett out of the April college draft.  The NBA has even more at stake.  Every kid with a varsity sweater and a driver’s license already thinks it’s his birthright to play in the NBA and since the NBA GMs can’t help themselves, only a court of law – if we’re lucky – can clear the way for age limits and perhaps stop this stupidity.”

• ESPN’s John Saunders, on DC United F Freddy Adu: “Adu is soccer’s LeBron, doing things other players can only dream, and is truly may be soccer’s last hope to gain widespread attention here. ... But with all this attention on a 14-year-old, the MLS has to hope it’s not much Adu about nothing” ("The Sports Reporters," ESPN, 4/4).

Heard elsewhere over the weekend:

• ABC’s JP Dellacamera, on the DC United opener, which was also Freddy Adu’s debut: “Last year they had 17,000 at the opener.  This year, 24,000-plus.  Most people credit Freddy for that, as he’s kept his team in the media spotlight” (ABC, 4/3).

• Ryan, on the officiating in the UConn-Duke Final Four game: “Let us not mince words – pathetic and disgraceful officiating” ("The Sports Reporters," ESPN, 4/4).

• Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim, on how winning the national championship affected his golf game: “Actually I got to play Augusta and that’s all that matters.  The rest is irrelevant” ("The Final Four Show,” CBS, 4/3).

• A fan in the gallery at the PGA Tour’s BellSouth Classic, after Irishman Padraig Harrington hit a nice approach shot on the 17^th hole during Saturday’s round: “Brilliant!” (NBC, 4/3).

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	Philadelphia Daily News

TODAY’S EVENTS

NYC2012 will unveil a new logo, the product of a designcompetition launched last year, in Times Square (AROUND THE RINGS, 4/2 issue).

The Naismith Memorial Basketball HOF will announce its ’04class of inductees in San Antonio.  SunsChair Jerry Colangelo and ESPN college basketball analyst Dick Vitaleare among the 16 finalists.

CBS Sports will host a 2:30pm ET conference call to discussits coverage of The Masters.  CBS SportsPresident Sean McManus, Exec Producer Tony Petitti, GolfCoordinating Producer Lance Barrow, broadcaster Jim Nantz andanalyst Lanny Wadkins are expected to participate.

Cal and Billy Ripken will begin a nine-citybook tour to promote their new book, “Play Baseball The Ripken Way, TheComplete Illustrated Guide To The Fundamentals.”  The Random House-published book hits retail tomorrow.

THIS WEEK IN SISTER PUBLICATION SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL…

This week’s In-Depth offers a SponsorshipReport Card on the Pharmaceuticals category, as sports marketing becomes afocus of the $200B prescription drug industry.

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).

IN OTHER NEWS….

This week’s cover of TIME offers “Why Did Jesus Have ToDie?”  Meanwhile, NEWSWEEK examines “TheDirty Little Secret of the Tax Cut” (THEDAILY).

USA TODAY reports that Bud Light has “switched gears for agroup of ‘functional’ ads touting the brew’s low level of carbohydrates withhumor that is subtle.”  Bud LightVP/Brand Management Bob Lachky “dismisses the notion that the continuingSuper Bowl backlash led to the recent Bud Light shift.  He credits the low-carb craze” (USATODAY, 4/5).

FINAL JEOPARDY!

Friday’s “Final Jeopardy!” category was “GeorgeWashington.”

“In 1798 George wrote to John Greenwood, a man inthis profession, ‘I am...ready to pay what ever you may charge me.’”

LAUGH TRACK

THEMONOLOGUES:

CBS’ David Letterman: “Immediately following the showtonight I have to leave early.  I haveto leave early because right now mom is saving me a place in line at ‘Hellboy.’... This weekend is Daylight Saving Time. We switch to Daylight Time, so don’t forget, you set your clocks aheadthis weekend and you lose one hour of your life.  Just like you’re doing right now. ... Here’s how it works.  It’s spring forward, fall back.  That’s also how Whitney Houston leftrehab. ... John Kerry is recovering from shoulder surgery and right nowhe’s on so many pain pills, he can’t feel a thing.  He’s almost like a Republican” ("Late Show," CBS,4/2).

NBC’sJay Leno: “I had my car towed today. There’s nothing wrong with it. It’s just cheaper than buying a tank of gas. ... To make matters worse,earlier this week OPEC voted to cut oil production by a million barrels aday.  President Bush came up withwhat he thought was a very clever solution. He said, ‘Hey, let’s just send them bigger barrels.’ ... The latestpolitical rumor is John Kerry may pick Hillary Clinton as his runningmate.  That would be just like the goodold days for Hillary, working closely with a President she’s not having sexwith. ... John Kerry held a fundraiser in Beverly Hills at $1,000 a head, andsince Kerry’s head was so big, they charged him $2,000. ... The San DiegoPadres have a brand new $300[M] baseball park, Petco Park. ... It’s calledPetco Park, named after the giant pet store chain.  The bad thing is when you want to buy some peanuts, you only havethe annoying fifty-pound bag. ... ‘In Touch’ magazine quotes Hugh Grantas saying he’s given up women for golf, which is ironic because even women intogolf don’t give up women” ("The Tonight Show," NBC, 4/2).

LATENIGHT LAUGHS:

Friday’s Top Ten list was “Top Ten Things Said By ABasketball Mascot,” read by a guy in a basketball-shaped costume talking topeople around N.Y. ("Late Show," CBS, 4/2).

HBO premiered the fourth season of “On The Record” with BobCostas Friday night.  Triumph TheInsult Comic Dog, introduced Costas, by saying, “Welcome to a brand new seasonof ‘Deadwood,’ also known as ‘On The Record’ with Bob Costas.  We’ll be starting with the ‘Deadwood’ injust a minute, but first, I’m talking with Bob Costas.  Let me ask you right off the bat, becausethis is your fourth season of doing a show that appears to be a perfect venuefor your ability – in that nobody sees it and thus there’s minimal damage – yetyou had the great gig on NBC at 1:30am that you walked away from.  A huge story, but you chose HBO instead ofbroadcast television, which begs the question, why make people pay a monthlyfee to not watch you?”  Triumph added,“Here’s to many more seasons of this crap. I know you’ll be here for a long time. If ‘Arli$$’ taught us anything, it’s that HBO will stick by a show thatsucks” ("On The Record," HBO, 4/2).

SUNDAY NIGHT’S TV MONITOR

ESPN’s11:30pm ET “SportsCenter” led with Spurs-Lakers,followed by Red Sox-Orioles and the women’s Final Four: LSU-Tennesseeand Minnesota-UConn.

WEEKEND BOX OFFICE

The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER notes that four new wide releases – the same as the previous weekend –and “some solid holdovers helped boost the box office for the top 12 films to astunning 39% increase on the comparable session in 2003.  In addition, five films grossed more than$10[M] each; it marked the sixth consecutive up session; and four films wereplaying in more than 3,000 theaters each, which has happened on three weekendsso far this year, as compared with zero by this point in 2003.”  The estimated total box office for the top12 films is $114.6M (HOLLYWOODREPORTER, 4/5).

FINAL JEOPARDY ANSWER

“What is a dentist?”

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.