Morning Buzz, July 2, 2004

The Morning Buzz will not publish Monday,July 5, or Tuesday, July 6, in
observance of IndependenceDay.  We will return Wednesday, July 7.

U.S.OLYMPIANS STARRING IN NBC MINI-MOVIE “CARAVAN TO ATHENS”

The NBC Olympics mini-movie “Caravan to Athens”debuts in theatres nationwide today, running on more than 5,000 Regal Cinemas,United Artists Theatres and Edwards Theatres screens in 46 ofthe top 50 markets throughout July.  Themini showcases U.S. Olympians NatalieCoughlin, Dwight Phillips, Shane Hamman, Paul Hamm and TyreeWashington traveling in Chevy vehicles on their way to Athens (NBC).

AOL FOR BROADBAND TITLING OLN’S TOUR DE FRANCEPRE-RACE SHOW

By Russell Adams,Staff Writer, SportsBusiness Journal

AOL for Broadband has signed a deal to title sponsor OLN’sdaily Tour de France pre-race show, which begins tomorrow at 8:30am ET as partof the net’s 340 hours of coverage.  As part of the sponsorship, AOL forBroadband will sponsor the “Ask Bob” segment, during which OLN colorcommentator Bob Roll will answer acycling question from an AOL for Broadband member.  Financial terms of thesponsorship were not disclosed, but OLN is producing exclusive content for AOLfor Broadband members.  The content includes a daily, 1-2 minute racehighlight package, as well as 8-12 vignettes featuring background informationon cycling and the Tour de France.  

LANCE ARMSTRONG APPEALING FRENCH COURT’S DECISION ON BOOK

USA TODAY reports that LanceArmstrong today will appear in a French court to appeal a previous ruling,which stated that because he did not respond to “L.A. Confidential” authors’queries, he “had no right to have his side presented in their book,” whichalleges doping violations by the cyclist. Armstrong has “received a vote of confidence” from Tour Dir Jean-Marie Leblanc (USATODAY, 7/2).

The AP reported that this will be the “first time in theTour de France that the ICU plans to conduct blood tests. Previously, officialsrelied solely on urine tests and drew blood only to determine whether cyclists'red-blood-cell count was high, an indicator, though not proof, of doping” (AP,6/29).

WIFI ERA BEGINS FOR ASTROS FANS AT MINUTE MAID PARK

Time Warner Cable’s WiFi access will be available beginningwith tonight’s Rangers-Astros game at Minute Maid Park, where Astros fanscan receive four hours of online access for $3.95.  The HOUSTON CHRONICLE reports that the Astrosand Time Warner will share the revenue, but a breakdown of the arrangement wasnot provided (HOUSTONCHRONICLE, 7/2).

MORNING BRIEFS

The L.A. TIMES reports that the Lakers yesterday offeredDuke men’s basketball coach MikeKrzyzewski a multiyear contract for an estimated $8M annually.  Two sources said that the team’s interest inCoach K “stemmed in part from its wish to placate” free agent G Kobe Bryant (L.A.TIMES, 7/2).

The MIAMI HERALD notes that a SportsLine.com shareholderyesterday challenged Viacom’s offer to buy the company by “filing suit in a Delaware court,” claiming the offer was “too low based onSportsLine’s narrowing losses” (MIAMI HERALD,7/2).

CRAIN’S N.Y. BUSINESS reported that the Jets yesterday“blasted a report by the Independent Budget Office,” which said that a proposedWest Side Stadium “would pay for itself but by a much narrower margin thananticipated.”  The team blamed thedifference on IBO’s “pessimistic and inexpert assessment” of convention demand(CRAINSNY.com, 7/1).

The L.A. TIMES reports that Greeceyesterday launched a $1.2B security operation consisting of 11,000 securitypersonnel that is the “most far-reaching security operation ever devised” forthe Olympics.  Security personnel began“moving into Olympic venues and other facilities” to safeguard sensitive sites(L.A.TIMES, 7/2).

Nextel today announced that NASCAR.com’s PitCommand will beavailable on Nextel phones via a partnership with Sportvision (Nextel).

LPGAer Dottie Pepperretired yesterday, and the AP reports that Pepper will work this weekend’s U.S.Women’s Open for ESPN and NBC, and is “looking for more broadcastopportunities” (AP,7/2).

USATODAY reports that PGA Tour player PaulAzinger andESPN’s Mike Greenberg will be broadcastingfor ABC at the Cialis Western Open this weekend.  Azinger is auditioning for the analyst spotvacated by Curtis Strange, whileGreenberg is the new feature reporter (USATODAY, 7/2).

The N.Y. TIMES reports that WCBS-TV is “in talks with YESabout possibly renewing its deal to carry 20 [Yankees] games a year, whichexpires after this season.”  The stationis paying $10-12M annually, and WCBS President & GM Lew Leone said that any “future agreement would depend on how muchmore YES wants.”  Leone added that afuture deal “is being shopped to other stations” (N.Y. TIMES, 7/2).

The AP reported that the state of Louisiana yesterday wired$7.5M into the Superdome Commission’s bank account to “fill in the hole in the$15[M] payment to the Saints that was due” next Monday (AP, 7/1).

The PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS reports that IMG is “negotiatingto hold a [PGA Tour event] on the newer of the two courses at PhiladelphiaCricket Club in Flourtown.”  The eventwould start in ’05, and ESPN and ABC are “willing to televise the event” (PHILADELPHIADAILY NEWS, 7/2).

A LIGHTER BUZZ

The CINCINNATI ENQUIRER reports that a “misunderstanding betweenthe Florence Freedom and the city means cheap beer and free baseball forfans.  But no fireworks after the game.The Fourth of July fireworks scheduled after Sunday's game against Chillicothe have beencanceled. To make it up to fans, the team is offering $1 beer after the sixthinning and a free ticket to a future game” (CINCINNATIENQUIRER, 7/1).

John McEnroe,speaking to Dennis Miller about hisupcoming CNBC show: “You know my wife, and love my wife, Patty [Smyth], who wrotea great theme song for the show.  I don'tknow if my show is going to be better than yours, but ... my theme song isgoing to kick your ass” ("DennisMiller," CNBC, 7/1).

The following is an excerpt between Daytona BeachNEWS-JOURNAL columnist Ken Willisand NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon duringa recent Q&A (NEWS-JOURNAL,7/2):

Q: “What was your favorite subject inschool?”
Gordon: "Math."
Q: “OK, what's the square root of 81?”
Gordon: "I haveno idea. Square roots weren't my favorite."

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	Newsday

TODAY’S EVENTS

ProCricketopens its inaugural season with Florida Thunder-N.Y. Storm at Richmond CountyBank Ballpark at 7:00pm ET on Staten Island.

AU.S. Bankruptcy Court will begin considering whether to approve the auctioningof the New Orleans Fair Grounds next month. The court “must approve the disclosure statement before the FairGrounds’ creditors can vote on approving a reorganization plan,” which callsfor an auction of the track, with Churchill Downs the opening bidder at $45M (NewOrleans TIMES-PICAYUNE, 7/2).

TODAY’S ARTICLESOF INTEREST

USA TODAY’sEmily Murphy writes in a Cover Story, “Nielsen Media Research figures from 2003show NASCAR led the NFL and [MLB] in percentageof female viewers on broadcast networks. Women were 35% of the totalaudience for NASCAR, two percentage points more female viewers than for the NFLand MLB” (USA TODAY).

TheN.Y. TIMES’ Liz Robbins writes, “With the Olympic track and field trials tobegin next week, the [USOC] is enteringawkward and uncharted territory. A number of athletes whom anti-dopingofficials are trying to suspend or bar for life or who are under investigationfor steroid use will be competing at the trials” (N.Y. TIMES).

• First-year NASCAR Chair & CEO Brian France is not afraid of change.
• Looking for a fresh start, WUSA Soccer Festivals give league a kick.
• State of baseball leaves MLB Commissioner Bud Selig smiling.
• Profile of Action Performance, which has most NASCAR stars on its roster.

IN CASE YOUMISSED IT….

EveryFriday, the Morning Buzz highlights a video clip, chart or piece of informationthat might have fallen through the cracks.  This week, David Letterman displays his intricateknowledge of ESPN’s “Great Outdoor Games” participants, as his “Late Show”hosts the 2004 Lumberjack Challenge (THEDAILY).

Click Here To View Clip

IN OTHER NEWS….

The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER notes that L.A. Superior Court Judge J. Stephan Czuleger yesterday “deniedUnivision’s request for a preliminary injunction of Nielsen’s planned Thursdayrollout of Local People Meters” in L.A. (HOLLYWOODREPORTER, 7/2).

The L.A.TIMES reports that beginning today, S.F.-based Brand Marketers will debutT-shirts with built-in TV sets at “theaters, malls and elsewhere to promote theFox movie “I, Robot.”  An 11-inch flatscreen is “mounted at chest level in each shirt, and four hidden speakersdeliver sound” (L.A.TIMES, 7/2).

FINAL JEOPARDY!

Last night's "Final Jeopardy!" category was"Fruit." 

"This fruit of North Americashares its name with a literary character who debuted in an 1876novel." 

LAUGH TRACK

THEMONOLOGUES:

CBS' David Letterman: "To give you anidea how hot and sticky it is today, right here in New York City, earlier down at'Flashdancers,' they had to peel a girl off the pole. ... Crime in the subwayis at an all-time low, and I was thinking about this, and I believe it must betrue, because it has been months since I've had to yell, 'Somebody get him apriest!' ... The murder rate – thank God – is down also, but that's because ofthe new $50 fine for homicide. ... I went to see that 'Fahrenheit 9-11,' and Iwas stuck in line for four hours.  Fourhours!  Not for buying a ticket.  I was right behind Michael Moore at the concession stand" ("Late Show," CBS, 7/1).

LATENIGHT LAUGHS:

Last night's Top Ten list was "Top Ten Things OverheardAt Saddam Hussein's Court Appearance"("Late Show," CBS, 7/1).

LAST NIGHT’S TV MONITOR

FINAL JEOPARDY ANSWER

"What is huckleberry?"

If you haveany questions, comments or suggestions, please let us know at:
dailyinsider@sportsbusinessdaily.com

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