Morning Buzz, September 2, 2004

CHARGES AGAINST KOBE BRYANT DISMISSED, CANNOT BE FILED AGAIN

The DENVER POST reports that the sexual-assault charge against Lakers G Kobe Bryant was dismissed yesterday after prosecutors and attorneys representing Bryant's accuser said that she “did not wish to go forward and was incapable of doing so.” According to the dismissal, the “case against Bryant cannot be refiled, a condition” to which his accuser agreed (DENVER POST, 9/2).

The L.A. TIMES notes that in a “sign that a potential settlement of the woman's civil action against Bryant could be in the works, the woman's attorney handed out a statement from Bryant in which he offered an apology for their encounter.” The statement read in part, “I want to apologize to her for my behavior that night and for the consequences she has suffered in the past year. Although this year has been incredibly difficult for me personally, I can only imagine the pain she has had to endure” (L.A. TIMES, 9/2).

The Lakers released a statement that read in part, “We will continue to support him as we put this behind us and move forward” (Lakers).

The Marketing Arm Managing Dir Jeff Chown, on Bryant’s marketability: “Kobe has already lost in the court of public opinion. He's not going to move the dial. He's not compelling enough for companies to take that risk. ... The risk is not that he's going to do this again” (DENVER POST, 9/2).

NHL AND NHLPA WILL MEET FOR THIRD STRAIGHT DAY IN MONTREAL

USA TODAY notes that the NHL and NHLPA “met for nine hours [yesterday] and agreed to meet again today as they continue to hunt for common ground that might lead” to a CBA. Though no progress “has been reported in any previous sessions, the two sides have met for 16 hours in the last two days” (USA TODAY, 9/2).

NHL Exec VP & CLO Bill Daly released a statement that read in part, “Out of respect for the process I will refrain from commenting on the substance of the meeting until the conclusion of [today’s] session” (NHL).

MR. CLEAN’S PRESENCE SURE TO BE FELT IN EA SPORTS’ “NASCAR 2005”

EA Sports’ “NASCAR 2005: Race for the Cup” hits retail today, and as previously reported P&G’s Mr. Clean brand has a presence in the game. Mr. Clean Brand Manager Bob Gilbreath: “Everyone marketing to men now is saying the same thing: they’re going away from TV. They’re into DVDs and video games. Everyone is trying to crack the code. So we’re trying to climb up the learning curve” (MADISON + VINE, 9/1 issue). Other advertisers in the game include AutoZone, Dodge, Levi’s and Old Spice (THE DAILY).

TAMPA SPORTS AUTHORITY RESERVE FUND UNDER THE MICROSCOPE

The TAMPA TRIBUNE reports that Hillsborough County and Tampa Sports Authority execs will hold a closed-door session today in downtown Tampa to discuss whether a $14M reserve fund “controlled by the sports authority is at risk as the result of an investment deal the authority signed with Lehman Bros.” in ‘00. County officials “contend that the investment deal co`uld end up costing taxpayers” as much as $3.5M. The sides also are expected to discuss a “portion of the Lehman Bros. contract involving bonds the county sold to build” Raymond James Stadium (TAMPA TRIBUNE, 9/2).

THE DAILY GOES ONE-ON-ONE WITH…

Which sports agency exec got his start by representing Pirates P Dock Ellis and considers Paul Tagliabue the shrewdest businessperson in sports? To find out, read the Sports Industrialists section of The Daily.

MORNING BRIEFS

Jerry Colangelo has resigned his position as D’Backs CEO, effective immediately, “handing the reins of the organization” to Jeff Moorad. Colangelo was to stay in the post until January 1, when Moorad would assume the position (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 9/2).

Wednesday at the ESPN25 Media Symposium in Bristol, ESPN Exec VP/Programming & Production Mark Shapiro announced the network has agreed to a deal with Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon to continue “PTI” for five more years.  Shapiro joked of Kornheiser, “After five years, I’m not sure how many strands of hair on his head he’ll have left.  That’s why we capped it at five years” (THE DAILY).

Saints Owner Tom Benson yesterday said that the Saints and NFL “would be willing to come up with $100[M] toward a new football stadium for the team, but until the stadium is built, probably would not allow the state to divert any of the $186[M] it has agreed to pay the franchise toward building it” (New Orleans TIMES-PICAYUNE, 9/2).

Bank of America “expects to have its name on the FleetCenter this fall.” The still-undecided title of the facility will not include the word “garden” (BOSTON GLOBE, 9/2).

Churchill Downs has agreed to terms with Fair Grounds Corporation and other parties to acquire Fair Grounds Race Course for $47M, pending approval of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Eastern District of Louisiana (Churchill Downs).

With MLB on pace to “draw a record 74.3 million fans, the [Yankees] have reached 3 million fans already and seven other clubs are on pace to do the same.” The previous MLB attendance record is 72,748,970 set in ’00 (USA TODAY, 9/2).

The PGA Tour Deutsche Bank Championship runs a special advertising section in the Wall Street Journal. Advertisers include Deutsche Bank, Flomax and Westin Hotels (THE DAILY).

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
Philadelphia Daily News	Newsday

IN OTHER NEWS….

The N.Y. TIMES reports that Fox News “proved a bigger draw for viewers of the Republican National Convention on Tuesday night than any of the broadcast networks. It was the first time that Fox had beaten all other news outlets for coverage of a major news event.” Meanwhile, CNN “fell to last among the three cable news channels, beaten even by MSNBC, the longtime also-ran” (N.Y. TIMES, 9/2).

DAILY VARIETY reports that NBC’s “Father of the Pride,” which the net heavily promoted during its coverage of the Athens Olympics, opened to “winning but not spectacular numbers Tuesday night with a 24-minute commercial-free episode.” The show averaged a 5.4/15 Nielsen rating among adults 18-49 and 12.39 million viewers overall from 9:00-9:24pm ET. The show was the night’s top-rated program and “gave NBC its best regular-program [performance in the 9:00] half-hour in 19 months” (DAILY VARIETY, 9/2).

FINAL JEOPARDY!

Last night's "Final Jeopardy!" category was “Pop Culture.”

“In 2004 a spokesman announced the ‘break-up’ of this ‘couple’ who had ‘dated’ for 43 years.”

LAUGH TRACK

THE MONOLOGUES:

CBS’ David Letterman: “Here is some important news, ladies and gentlemen. The United States is now bracing for its third hurricane. We’re getting ready for our third hurricane, and John Kerry heard this, and says that it’s proof that George Bush is losing the war on weather. … It is very exciting having the Republicans in town. It is the third day of the Republican Convention. Another big night at Madison Square Garden. Tonight’s theme of the Republican Convention was building a brighter … oh who cares. But earlier tonight, the Republican Convention, listen to this line-up. Dick Cheney, Zell Miller and Mitt Romney. It was Old White Guy Wednesday. … The Log Cabin Republicans were at the convention. You know the Log Cabin Republicans, they hate Hillary Clinton, but they love what she has done with her hair. … On Monday, President Bush said that we can’t win the war on terrorism. Then on Tuesday he said that we will win the war on terrorism and earlier today he predicted a tie” (“Late Show,” CBS, 9/1).

NBC’s Jay Leno: “Our own California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger spoke at the Republican Convention yesterday. Actually, Arnold gave a very personal, moving speech about his life. You know what is interesting, I have known the guy for 25 years and I learned some things I didn’t know. Did you know Arnold wasn’t even born here. Did you know that? Turns out he’s not from Fresno. Did you know that? He’s from Australia or something. Arnold said last night in his speech that he couldn’t believe that a once scrawny boy from Austria, who couldn’t even speak English, would one day be governor of California and Gray Davis said, ‘Me neither, what happened!’” (“The Tonight Show,” NBC, 9/1).

LAST NIGHT’S TV MONITOR

FINAL JEOPARDY ANSWER

“Who are Ken and Barbie?”

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