| | The Daily Insider
Morning News & Headlines
Thursday, April 29, 2004
9:00am ET | |
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| • | NHL And NHLPA To Meet Today In Toronto For First Time Since October 1 |
| • | NCAA Div. I BOD Today Expected To Complete Two-Year Academic Reform |
| • | Pirates Sales Staff Distributing Attendance Permission Slips For Today’s Game |
| • | NHL Analyst Don Cherry Reportedly Out At CBC After NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs |
| • | AHL Grizzlies Today Expected To Announce Coyotes As NHL Affiliate |
| • | Morning Briefs/In Other News/Laugh Track/TV Monitor/Final Jeopardy! |
NHL AND NHLPA TO DISCUSS CBA TODAY IN TORONTO
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and NHLPA Exec Dir Bob Goodenow are meeting today in Toronto, and the AP reported that reducing the schedule by ten games is among the topics to be covered. NHL VP Bill Daly indicated that today’s talks “provide an opportunity to re-establish ties between the sides and lay the groundwork for future negotiations.” The talks could last through Friday, but Daly “expects them to go for only one day” (AP, 4/28).
ESPN’s NHL reporter Bob McKenzie, on the meetings: “I’m not expecting that much to be honest. … I guess as long as they’re talking it’s a good sign, but the two sides are so firmly entrenched on their idea of what they will and won’t accept that this is just the first baby step on a long, long road that is likely going to lead to a lockout” (ESPNews, 4/28).
NCAA DIV. I BOD EXPECTED TO APPROVE ACADEMIC REFORM TODAY
The NCAA Div. I BOD will meet today, and USA TODAY reports that the board is expected to “complete a more than two-year overhaul of academic guidelines for college athletes.” Sanctions for poor academics would “start with scholarship restrictions, but subpar academic performance over a four-year period could subject teams to recruiting restrictions and bans on preseason and postseason competition” (USA TODAY, 4/29). NCAA President Myles Brand: “These are the first swells of a sea change” (N.Y. TIMES, 4/29).
Meanwhile, The NCAA has granted a waiver for 17- and 18-year-old Div. I men’s hockey players allowing them to enter the ’04 NHL Entry Draft and still retain college eligibility. The waiver applies for only the ’03-04 academic year (NCAA).
FIVE OF SIX BIG NETS TO ATTEND TODAY’S ADVERTISING MEETING
The N.Y. TIMES reports that ABC, CBS, Fox, UPN, WB, Turner Cable Networks and Court TV execs will attend the “initial meeting today of a committee formed by advertisers and agencies, seeking to improve the process by which they buy billions of dollars of TV commercial time each spring.” Among the advertisers expected to be present are Ford, GM, Procter & Gamble, Sears and Unilever (N.Y. TIMES, 4/29).
PIRATES DISTRIBUTING ATTENDANCE PERMISSION SLIPS FOR TODAY’S GAME
The PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE reports that the Pirates sales staff “plans to be in Market Square and other locations around town this morning handing out ‘attendance permission slips’ for those inclined to play hooky” to attend today’s 12:35pm ET game against the Astros at PNC Park. The slips can be turned in at the Pirates box office for a $4-per-seat discount on tickets for the game. Those who fill out the cards “have the option of claiming they will be doing one of several worthy things, including entertaining clients, closing the big deal or networking.” A crowd of 15,000-20,000 is anticipated for the game (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 4/29).
NATIONAL SPORTS MUSEUM AIMING FOR LOWER MANHATTAN
The N.Y. TIMES reports that the National Sports Museum today will name N.Y.-based architect firm Beyer Blinder Belle, the firm responsible for the rebuilding and restoration of Grand Central Terminal, as the designer of the facility. Also to be revealed is the planned site: the former Standard Oil Building at 26 Broadway. National Sports Museum Founder & CEO Philip Schwalb estimates that the museum will cost $60M (N.Y. TIMES, 4/29).
TODAY THE DAILY GOES ONE-ON-ONE WITH…
Which industry exec worked in politics for roughly 21 years before retiring and taking aim at the sports world? To find out, see today’s issue of The Daily.
MORNING BRIEFS
U.S. District Court Judge Jon Heyburn II has postponed until today his decision on an injunction that would allow Kentucky Derby jockeys to wear advertising in this weekend’s race (Mult., 4/29).
The DALLAS MORNING NEWS reports that although no final decisions were made on changes to the BCS formula during yesterday’s meetings in Phoenix, “both the so-called ‘human’ and computer polls still will be used” (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 4/29).
USA TODAY reports that Univ. of Nebraska President Harvey Perlman, who sits on the BCS oversight committee, characterized approval of a sixth BCS game as “a long shot” (USA TODAY, 4/29).
The AP reported that a court yesterday declared the Parma Calcio soccer club insolvent yesterday. The club can “continue operating while it restructures its debt and tries to avoid collapse” (AP, 4/28).
The Toronto GLOBE & MAIL reports that CBC and NHL analyst Don Cherry are “preparing to sever their 23-year relationship at the end of the Stanley Cup Playoffs” (Toronto GLOBE & MAIL, 4/29).
The L.A. TIMES reports that Kobe Bryant’s sexual assault trial “could begin in August or early September.” Bryant will enter a plea at his May 10-12 hearings, and a trial date will be set at that time. He “must appear at several days of pretrial hearings beginning June 21 – one day after the last scheduled NBA playoff game” (L.A. TIMES, 4/29).
The MIAMI HERALD reports that a Hallandale Beach, FL, advisory board yesterday “recommended moving forward with Gulfstream Park’s plans” to build a mixed-use complex on the site of the racetrack (MIAMI HERALD, 4/29).
NEWSDAY reports that N.Y. high-school basketball player Sebastian Telfair will declare his intention to enter the NBA Draft at a news conference early next week. Telfair has “already signed with an agent and also will sign a multiyear endorsement deal with one of the three major sneaker companies” (NEWSDAY, 4/29). Previous reports have Telfair in talks with adidas (THE DAILY).
ATTENDANCE WATCH:
- The L.A. TIMES reports that a crowd of 45,048 attended last night’s Mexico-U.S. men’s soccer exhibition at the Cotton Bowl. Meanwhile, approximately 60,000 attended the Argentina-Morocco match in Casablanca, where local fans were “trying to influence FIFA to award Morocco the 2010 World Cup” (L.A. TIMES, 4/29).
LIGHTER BUZZ
Mavericks Owner Mark Cuban, on his new reality show “The Benefactor:” "If you win Trump's show, you get a job. If you win my show, you don't need a job. That's the big difference" (
"BDSSP," FSN, 4/28).
THE BACK PAGES
The Morning Buzz offers today’s back page sports covers from some of the nation’s major metropolitan tabloids:
| | |
| N.Y. Post | N.Y. Daily News |
TODAY’S EVENTS
The L.A. chapter of the National Sports Marketing Network will host a 9:00am PT members-only networking event, “NASCAR And Hollywood: Setting The Pace In Broadcasting, New Media And Entertainment,” at the Park Hyatt L.A. Speakers include NASCAR Chair & CEO Brian France, Fox Sports TV Group Chair & CEO David Hill and Daily Variety Managing Editor Michael Speier.
NBA TV will air the ’04 Euroleague Final Four live from Tel Aviv: Skipper Bologna-Montepaschi Siena at noon ET and CSKA Moscow-Maccabi Tel Aviv at 2:30pm.
The Champ Car Grand Prix of Cleveland will hold a noon ET news conference to make a sponsorship announcement. Cleveland Mayor Jane Campbell and Champ Car World Series President Richard Eidswick will participate.
NBC will conduct a 12:30pm ET conference call to discuss its coverage of Saturday’s Kentucky Derby.
The AHL Utah Grizzlies will hold a 2:00pm MT news conference to introduce their new NHL affiliation, and the DESERET NEWS reported that there is no official word that it will be the Coyotes, but Grizzlies Owner David Elmore has been “visiting with the Coyotes since last October.” Coyotes Managing General Partner Wayne Gretzky is expected to attend (DESERET NEWS, 4/28).
ESPN.com reported that the Celtics are expected to host a news conference today to announce ABC NBA analyst Doc Rivers as the club’s next head coach (ESPN.com, 4/28).
The Michigan Senate is expected to vote on a “more limited version of legislation to allow video lottery terminals at Michigan’s seven horse tracks” (AP, 4/28).
A’s GM Billy Beane will deliver the keynote address at the Midwest Venture Summit at the Sheraton, Chicago Hotel & Towers.
The limited edition New Era 59FIFTY cap designed by Astros P Roger Clemens hits retail.
Approximately 30 Fashion Institute of Technology students will sketch the Stanley Cup in N.Y. as part of a general illustration course from 10:00-11:30am ET.
DEI will celebrate the third annual Dale Earnhardt Day from 8:00am-8:00pm ET in Mooresville, NC.
IN OTHER NEWS….
The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER notes that Time Warner yesterday “posted a higher first-quarter profit that whizzed past Wall Street expectations,” leading the company to “somewhat boost its full-year 2004 guidance.” Time Warner now forecasts low-double-digit percentage growth in adjusted operating income from the $8.8B in ’03. The company originally forecasted “high-single-digit to low-double-digit gains” (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 4/29).
The SEATTLE POST-INTILLEGENCER reports that RealNetworks posted “strongly improved first-quarter revenue yesterday but a wider loss, exacerbated by the costs of its antitrust suit” against Microsoft. RealNetworks also announced that President Larry Jacobson has resigned, effective immediately. The company does not yet have plans to appoint his replacement (SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER, 4/29).
The PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER notes that Comcast yesterday reported Q1 ’04 earnings of $65M, compared with a loss of $297M in the same period a year earlier. Additionally, Comcast is “reviving a $1[B] stock buyback program that it had shelved in January” (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 4/29).
FINAL JEOPARDY!
Last night's "Final Jeopardy!" category was "'80s Films."
"The first film rated PG-13, its colorful title was used as the code name for a 2003 capture mission in Iraq."
LAUGH TRACK
THE MONOLOGUES:
CBS' David Letterman: "Today the weather was so nice, on my lunch hour I went up to Central Park and watched naked guys in trees having sex. ... Over the weekend, there were two guys in Central Park, and they were up in a tree, and they were naked, and they were having sex for like four hours, and so the police came by and they were questioning the guys and they said, 'Why are you having sex in the tree,' and they said, 'Well, the subway was too crowded.' ... My cab driver on my way to work this morning was named new head of Hamas. Leader of Hamas: good gig. They last about as long as Michael Jackson attorneys. ... P. Diddy is starring in a revival of that Broadway classic, 'Hello Diddy.' ... The name of the play is actually 'A Streetcar Named Diddy'" ("Late Show," CBS, 4/28).
NBC's Jay Leno: "It was so hot today Kobe Bryant flew to Eagle, Colorado, just for the cool mountain air. It was so hot somebody threw a bucket of water on Omarosa and she melted. It was so hot I saw two dogs having phone sex. It was so hot Michael Jackson was asking kids, 'What would you do for a Klondike bar?' ... Today is my birthday. Somebody gave me the new John Kerry answering machine. The only problem is it doesn't have a message. ... Today, former President Bill Clinton's office in New York had to be evacuated after a suspicious white powder was discovered in mail addressed to him. Fortunately, it was not anthrax. It turned out to be just some powdered sugar from a donut one of his girlfriends was eating when she mailed it. ... A woman gave birth on the freeway right here in Southern California. Give you an idea how bad the traffic was: she wasn't even pregnant when she got on the freeway" ("Tonight Show," NBC, 4/28).
LATE NIGHT LAUGHS:
Last night's Top Ten list was "Top Ten Ways Saddam Hussein Celebrated His 67th Birthday” ("Late Show," CBS, 4/28).
| 10) "Entertained by stripper dressed as U.N. inspector." |
| 9) "Visits from wives 1, 3 and 12, and Sean Penn." |
| 8) "Arranged fleas on his chest to form number '67.'" |
| 7) "Thanked Allah he wasn't drafted by the San Diego Chargers." |
| 6) "Wondered why Uday and Qusay haven't called." |
| 5) "Spent a little time in the 'Spider-hole,' if you know what I mean." |
| 4) "Folded old death warrants into festive birthday hats." |
| 3) "Cellmate popped out of giant falafel." |
| 2) "Realized he's one year closer to going to hell." |
| 1) "Pretty much just sat there." |
CBS’ Craig Kilborn: “The Spanish troops have been leaving Iraq, and some of the troops were injured leaving Iraq. They were run over by French jeeps leaving faster. … Article today in USA Today found that almost none of the 20 ex-American Idol stars have found work. Well, duh! They just shut down the porn industry. Of course they haven’t found any work. … Well, our darling friend, she’s done the show so many times, Britney Spears, is taking heat in the tabloids for dating a guy who’s engaged, and Britney responded, ‘It’s nothing serious. We’re just getting married’” (“The Late Late Show,” CBS, 4/28).
WEDNESDAY NIGHT’S TV MONITOR
| Net | Show | Lead | Next Items |
| ESPN | 1:00am ET “SportsCenter” | Kobe Bryant’s day in court | Rockets-Lakers; Sharks-Avalanche |
| FSN | “BDSSP” | Pacers F Ron Artest | Mavericks Owner Mark Cuban; backstage with Las Vegas showgirls |
| FSN | “Detroit Sports Report” | Angels-Tigers | Indians-White Sox; Red Wings G Curtis Joseph |
| Empire Network | “Empire Sports Report” | AHL Americans- Crunch | Americans G Ryan Miller; Sabres GM Darcy Regier |
ESPN's "Around The Horn" and "PTI" were pre-empted by a special edition of ESPN's "SportsCenter” at the Kentucky Derby.
FINAL JEOPARDY ANSWER
"What was 'Red Dawn?'"
If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please let us know at:
dailyinsider@sportsbusinessdaily.com
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